Chelsea keen on Ireland midfielder McCarthy

CHELSEA have been closely monitoring the progress of Ireland’s James McCarthy this season and are believed to be readying a bid in the summer.

The Stamford Bridge club are understood to be preparing a significant overhaul of their squad and, with a relatively aged core of players, will prioritise young stars in their early 20s whose value will only increase.

A similar policy has been followed by Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, with Roman Abramovich and his advisors hoping this approach helps the club comfortably meet UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations in the future.