Chelsea targeting 4 young European stars for £70 million

Chelsea has reportedly set its sights on four young European football stars, and is ready to fork out £70 million to get them into the squad.

Borussia Dortmund’s Serbia centre-back Neven Subotic, winger Angel Di Maria, of Benfica, Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik and Bayern Munich schemer Bastian Schweinsteiger are Chelsea's main targets, reports the Daily Express.

Roman Abramovich has given the go-ahead for a spending spree after Chelsea had their worldwide FIFA transfer ban lifted earlier this month.

They did not spend in the January transfer window, even though the ban had been frozen, with manager Carlo Ancelotti preferring to keep his powder dry.

The recruitment drive is set to happen even if Chelsea are successful in their three-pronged hunt for honours this season in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

Abramovich and Ancelotti are aware they have an ageing squad that will need an injection of new blood sooner rather than later.

Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira are all 31 years old, Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti both 33 and Deco 32.

Talented youngsters Gael Kakuta, Jeffrey Bruma and Daniel Sturridge are all expected to play a bigger role next season, but the new targets, of whom Schweinsteiger, at 25, is the oldest, are also set to be drafted in.