#TransferNews: Chelsea target Lavezzi as they prepare to listen to Oscar offers @PochoLavezzi @oscar11 @chelseafc

Ezequiel Lavezzi

Chelsea have made a renewed attempt to capture Ezequiel Lavezzi from Paris Saint-Germain as they prepare to listen to offers for Oscar, Goal understands.

The Londoners made an enquiry for Argentine attacking midfielder Lavezzi
ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash with the French
champions.

Further discussions about Lavezzi were conducted
between the two clubs during the negotiations over the transfer of David
Luiz, who clinched a £40 million move to PSG last week.

Doubts,
meanwhile, have now emerged about the Stamford Bridge future of Oscar,
who is expected to play in the No.10 role for hosts Brazil at this
summer’s World Cup.

Oscar was a key figure for Chelsea in the
first half of last season but featured less frequently in the final
months of the campaign, prompting questions as to why the playmaker suffered such a dramatic dip in form.

Jose Mourinho has been critical of the consistency of the 23-year-old and suggested that the World Cup in his homeland might have been a distraction that affected his performances.

Juventus
and PSG are both monitoring Oscar’s situation and Chelsea, who value
the midfielder at the £40m mark, could be willing to sell if they can
make a big profit on him.

There could be considerable turnover
in the Chelsea squad this summer as Mourinho attempts to inject more
pace and power into the team ahead of a more concerted Premier League
and Champions League challenge next season.

As revealed by Goal, Chelsea have made Juve’s Paul Pogba a top target as they prioritise a central midfield partner for January signing Nemanja Matic.

Chelsea
face a battle to convince Juve to sell even though they are willing to
pay £40m-plus to land the French international two years after he left
Manchester United on a free transfer.

Further up the field,
Lavezzi’s dribbling and powerful running in the wide forward positions
also appeals strongly to Mourinho. The Argentine was targeted by Arsenal
in January but opted to stay in Paris.

Chelsea want to take
Lavezzi to London in a separate deal to the Luiz transfer but the French
club are keen to extend his contract, which still has two years to run.

The
chances of the Blues enticing the player, who turned 29 earlier this
month, are likely to hinge on the contract offer he receives from PSG,
with Lavezzi’s camp looking for a pay rise taking him up to the
£90,000-a-week mark.

PSG may be prepared to use Chelsea’s
interest in Lavezzi as part of a big bid to sign one of Oscar or even
Eden Hazard, who manager Laurent Blanc has admitted is his main
attacking target of the summer.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are confident
of finalising the £35m transfer of Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid.
Goal revealed last month that the Londoners had agreed the terms of a deal for the striker
and the transfer should be completed despite reports in Spain that the
player is harbouring reservations about leaving the Liga champions.