Real Madrid have all but given up on convincing the Germany international to sign a new contract extension.
Arsenal were believed to be leading the race to sign him, and reports in the last month have claimed the Gunners are ready to sanction a £20m bid for the World Cup finalist.
But a sticking point remains his wages – Khedira reportedly wants £150,000-a-week to leave the Bernabeu, slightly too steep for Arsenal’s budget. That wouldn’t be a problem for Chelsea though, who already have a number of players on wages significantly higher than that figure.
Stamford Bridge boss Jose Mourinho remains a big fan of Khedira, having signed the midfielder when he was Real Madrid boss. He’s been linked with a number of central midfielders, despite the acquisition of Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona.
Juventus star Paul Pogba would be the headline-grabbing name, but Khedira would be a cheaper option without sacrificing quality.
Written by Steve Milne