Chelsea hope to force parting of Moses and Wigan

As Chelsea prepare for a crack at the Community Shield on Sunday, Victor Moses could be in line to make a debut for last season’s Champions League and FA Cup winners.

Roberto Di Matteo’s interest in Moses has long been mooted, with Wigan chairman Dave Whelan’s £10m asking price for the forward previously a stumbling block.

Now though, an agreement appears to have been reached, with Chelsea and Wigan thought to have settled on an £8m fee for the promising 21-year-old.

The versatile attacker can operate comfortably on either flank, while he is also an adequate performer in a central striking role, and his late season form was an undoubted catalyst in Wigan’s Premier League survival last term.

                   

He now looks a more attractive option to Blues boss Di Matteo than Porto forward Hulk, for whom the astronomical fee demanded can seemingly not be justified by the Stamford Bridge outfit.

That said, Di Matteo still has other attacking options in the transfer market, as Bayer Leverkusen’s Andre Schurrle remains a point of interest.

Again though, the hefty £25m fee that the German would command could prove in excess of what Chelsea are willing to pay, after already splashing out £63m on new arrivals this summer.

Meanwhile, owner Roman Abramovich will also be keen to reserve funds where possible, in the knowledge that he wants Di Matteo to make defensive reinforcements prior to the new season.

Jose Bosingwa’s exit has left Sam Hutchinson and Paolo Ferreira as the Blues’ only recognised right-backs, and three successive pre-season defeats have outlined an uncharacteristic fragility in Chelsea’s backline.

Marseille’s full-back Cesar Azpilicueta is a likely recruit, and Di Matteo will be hopeful of landing the Spaniard prior to their outing against City on Sunday.

Indeed, Moses may be just one of a number of Chelsea debutants in that bout at Villa Park this weekend.