Chelsea Eyeing £12m Cesar Azpilicueta Signing

Andre Villas-Boas has now been granted a free hand by Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich to overhaul his squad during the transfer season.

According to the Mirror, Stamford Bridge bosses have Marseille right-back Cesar Azpilicueta as their top priority in their bid to plug the defence loopholes. The Spanish defender is estimated to cost £12 million. Talks have already been held with Marseille bosses over the signing, the report has added.

Gonzalo Higuai, the Real Madrid striker, is another possibility. The French-born Argentine forward is likely to cost around £25 million. Napoli striker Edinson Cavani, who is estimated more than £30 million, is also there on Villas-Boas' radar.

Nicolas Anelka and Alex are almost sure to quit Stamford Bridge. Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou may also leave.

Going by the current indications, it is almost certain that Chelsea is planning to bring about a massive shake-up. The management's willingness to spend handsomely on players who are not eligible for the rest of the Champions League campaign shows their immense faith on their Portuguese manager, the Mirror report has added.