Young Santos midfielder Thiago Maia has emerged as a strong target for Chelsea in the January transfer window.

Within days of the summer transfer window shutting down, clubs are already planning and identifying targets for the January transfer window and it seems Chelsea have already zeroed in on a player.




According to Italian broadcaster Sky Italia, Santos midfielder Maia is a primary target for the Blues for January, and the club are expected to try and snare him away from the Brazilian outfit this winter.

The deal is expected to be complicated and hard to take over the line, but Chelsea are determined to get their hands on the talented 19-year-old midfielder from Brazil.
 


A product of the Santos academy, Maia has been attracting the prying eyes of scouts from Europe, and despite his tender years, the midfielder has already notched up 44 appearances for the club.  

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He has also represented Brazil Under-23s and was part of the Selecao team that won the Olympic gold this summer in Rio de Janeiro.

Chelsea have been keeping a close watch on the midfielder’s progress, and are ready to make a concrete effort to bring him to England in January.

Maia’s current contract with Santos runs until 2019.