Paul Pogba and N'Golo Kante are quite the combination.
The duo helped France to the 2018 Wolrd Cup and went 30 matches unbeaten as a pairing before Switzerland knocked Les Bleus out of EURO 2020 in June.
With Manchester United midfielder Pogba's contract set to expire this summer, Chelsea have been encouraged to look into the move, and it's easy to see why it could be tempting.
Reports suggests that Premier League proposals could be among the offers the Frenchman receives, and despite his return to Ralf Rangnick's side, there is little sign that he will extend his time at Old Trafford.
The Manchester Evening news report that the club are already planning to sign a new midfielder, with Champions League qualification being the minimum the Red Devils need to achieve to even begin persuading the former Juventus star to sign.
It seems like the Blues would be able to fulfill that criteria, and with the talent Pogba could display alongside Kante it's easy to salivate at the prospect.
Nevertheless, any approach would be flawed.
Chelsea are no strangers in taking advantages of unexpected opportunities. The Blues acted fast to activate TImo Werner's release clause at RB Leipzig when Liverpool were interested, while they took advantage of Inter Milan's financial situation to force their hand, despite the significant fee paid for Romelu Lukaku.
Pogba would be a landmark deal but would come with a hefty salary, Mino Raiola and problems for the progression of the club's midfield.
The 28-year-old is expected to draw interest from PSG, which would increase any financial package and signing-on fee, while Raiola would no doubt, require significant compensation himself.
That would draw finances away from the areas Chelsea are already planning to target.
The Blues have long followed the likes of Jules Kounde, Declan Rice and Aurelian Tchouameni as they look to strengthen the centre of defence and midfield.
It could be argued that signing Pogba would delay the need for another player in the centre of the pitch. However, it would ignore the profile of player Thomas Tuchel is targeting and provides a very different age profile.
With Kante and Jorginho having already turned 30, and their contracts set to expire in 2023, and Mateo Kovacic at 28, the Blues do need to think about a midfield transition, even if that time has not come yet.
Crucially, Rice and Tchouameni have both been linked to moves to Manchester United, and with Pogba's departure would have a very clear and defined route straight into the first team. The Red Devils will have certainly freed up their finances to make any package alluring too.
The midfield targets, who are 23 and 22 respectively, have the ability to play now and long into the future and the Blues would risk missing out on a valuable addition by not being able to offer the same.
That problem would extrapolate to talent already at the club too.
The likes of Conor Gallagher, Ethan Ampadu and Billy Gilmour will all return to the club in the summer, with Tuchel said to have been impressed enough to include the latter in his first team squad next term.
The path would become problematic with Pogba's arrival with another body competing in an already stacked area of the pitch.
Tuchel has generally rewarded those who deserve to play, but with the unabashed nature of Raiola's discussions with the press the Blues would risk the leaks of discontent experienced in the north west in recent seasons.
The German has fostered a fantastic team spirit at Stamford Bridge which would then be put at risk.
