With Chelsea looking to bring in replacements, it looks like Yuri Zhirkov is set to leave Stamford Bridge.
The 27-year-old has struggled to get a first-team action since his big money moved from CKSA Moscow, whilst he has impressed, when he has played it has not been enough to warrant a regular starting place.
There are already talks with cash-rich Anzhi Makhachkala over a £13m move but Russian giants Zenit St Petersburg are also interested are Dynamo Moscow and Rubin Kazan.
One player Andre Villas-Boas is believed to be interested in, is Porto’s Alvaro Perreira.
By Scott Balaam
Twitter @theshed11
Zhirkov’s possible departure raises questions about who to keep and who to release. Key to this decision is Chelsea’s youth verses experience debate. Some people have suggested that it’s time to trust our existing crop of young players. I think McEachran, Sturridge and Van Aanholt are the only youngsters that are ready for regular first team involvement. But even they need to be brought in cautiously. It will be a mistake to rely on the slow and experienced players just as it will be to rely on the agile and inexperienced ones. Chelsea must bring in a few young players who are ready-made, as they did with Ramires and David Luiz. Modric is such a player, but one or two more are needed. Real wingers are missing, and Chelsea’s right back position (Bosingwa/Ferriera) remains our weakest area. I agree that a complete team overhaul is unnecessary, but I think the ones I have labelled are important if Chelsea hope to deal with the likes of Man Utd and Barcelona.