Chelsea set to offer David Luiz for Mario Mandzukic+ $19m

Chelsea set to offer David Luiz for Mario Mandzukic+ $19m

Chelsea are ready to offer David Luiz as part of a
swap deal to land Bayern Munich striker Mario
Mandzukic.
As Mirror Sport reported last month, Jose Mourinho is
prepared to sell Luiz, and Bayern believe they can see
off boss Pep Guardiola's former club Barcelona to
grab the £30million-rated Brazil defender.
But Mourinho, who will land Atletico Madrid hitman
Diego Costa after next weekend's Champions League
Final, wants Mandzukic included in any deal.
The 27-year-old Croatian is being rendered surplus to
requirements at the Allianz Arena by the summer
arrival of Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski.
And with Mourinho seeking two top-class front
options after bewailing his lack of a "real striker" this
term, the Blues' boss sees the former Dinamo Zagreb
and Wolfsburg man as the ideal option.
Despite scoring 33 Bundesliga goals in 54 appearance
since his £11m move to Bavaria two years ago,
Mandzukic does not fit with Guardiola's model.
His instincts, though, very much fit Mourinho's
preferred blueprint and Chelsea have been tracking
him throughout most of the season.
The west Londoners had expected an asking price of
up to £25m for the striker, but Bayern's move for Luiz
- who had been expected to move to Barca - allowed
them to make their counter-offer.
This would see Bayern paying an adjusted fee of
around £15m plus Mandzukic in exchange for the
Brazilian, who wants to play in his preferred central
defensive position, rather than in the heart of the
midfield as he has through much of this season.
Mandzukic has two years left on his current £3m per
season contract and could look to double his salary
on a five-year deal.
Getting him in as part of a deal for Luiz would help
Chelsea in their Financial Fair Play calculations.
Mourinho is under orders to balance any spending
over and above the Costa deal with outgoings.