It's looking more and more like Chelsea are going to be allowing David Luiz to depart for a relatively silly amount of money, with the rumors suggesting that a move could be done at some point today. While the Brazilian divides the fanbase, I think even his most loyal supporters realize that it could be beneficial to Chelsea if the money from the sale is reinvested wisely.
With that in mind, The Telegraph is running a trio of names that Jose Mourinho has supposedly identified to replace Luiz at Chelsea. The three? Paul Pogba, Koke, and Paulinho.
Pogba and Koke are two of the most promising young midfielders around, and given that immense talent in combination with their age, it would be awfully hard to make a case against the acquisition of either. If the board decided to pull the trigger on a deal to move Luiz in order to facilitate a move for one of that pair, I don't think anyone would be disappointed.
Paulinho, on the other hand, would be a massive disappointment. I don't think there's any doubt that he's a better player than what he showed at Tottenham last season, especially once Tim Sherwood took over at White Hart Lane. I actually like the idea of Paulinho as a buy-low wild card, as I think a competent manager willing to use him in his natural position would be able to turn him into a quality Premier League starter. As a replacement for David Luiz, however, that would be a pretty massive downgrade without the benefit of getting younger.
Regardless, it's good to see the club being linked to big names in the midfield, as an elite partner for Nemanja Matic and a top striker could make Chelsea a legitimate Champions League favorite next season.