Chelsea have been linked to Real Madrid’s entire defensive line even before the transfer window opened. First there was Varane and Coentrao and now it’s Ramos and Pepe. It is expected that one of the four defenders will leave Spain, with the Premier League being their first option. According to the Daily Mirror, Pepe now holds the key for how negotiations will unfold between Chelsea and Real. The Portuguese defender who was always one of Mourinho’s favorites is beginning his last year of contract and has not found common ground with the club’s management. That means that there is a big chance Chelsea could now sign either him or Varane depending on what will happen during the next couple of weeks.

If Pepe does decide to sign, Varane could be keen on moving to London where the chance of becoming a team regular starting from next season is very tempting. He could be a permanent replacement for Terry who will take a back seat if the team situation requires it. If Pepe does not sign a new deal, Real will look to sell in order to make some money off of the 33 year old defender. There would not be a great result from such a move though as Chelsea already have reliable and experienced players. What they need is someone to become the number one defender for the next 4-5 years and Pepe is not the man for the job. The most farfetched scenario would be to have Ramos leave Real. The Spaniard is thinking about joining one other big team before retiring and Chelsea could be it. Unfortunately for the Blues who would benefit immensely from such a transfer, the 29 year old is a Real Madrid icon and is not likely to be let go too soon even if there are many rumors of him wanting to join Manchester United which seem hard to believe.