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Mourinho turns to old ally in bid to transform Chelsea’s woeful campaign

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According to reports from Fanatik via The Metro, Chelsea are ready to activate Wesley Sneijder’s release clause in a bid to turn around their woeful season. 

The Blues currently find themselves in 16th place, just three points above the relegation zone, after suffering seven defeats in their first twelve Premier League fixtures. The title defence is already over and manager Jose Mourinho is focusing purely on Champions League qualification – but even that could require some significant changes to Chelsea’s squad in the coming transfer window.

And according to Turkish outlet Fanatik, the Portuguese is hoping an old ally can get him out of trouble – Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder. The veteran playmaker served under Mourinho at Inter Milan, winning a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League treble together during the 2009/10 campaign, and the two are believed to have a strong relationship.

Sneijder may now be 31 years of age but his vast experience, as a Champions League winner, a World Cup finalist and the Netherlands’ second-most capped player of all time, would inject some much-needed stability and composure into a squad struggling for confidence. Likewise, the engine room has been a real problem area for Chelsea this season but Sneijder has proved himself effective at No.10 and in central midfield throughout his career.

The former Ajax and Real Madrid man has created somewhat of a legacy at Galatasaray. Since his €7.5million arrival in January 2013, a host of major names have followed Sneijder to the Turkish top flight, such as Didier Drogba, Robin van Persie, Nani, Demba Ba and Lukas Podolski – a number of whom swapped the Premier League for the SuperLig last summer following a relaxation of foreign player quotas from Turkish football’s governing body.

But Sneijder may have one final act of greatness in a major European top flight left in him. Although he signed a contract extension until 2018 last month, the Blues are reportedly willing to activate the £14million release clause it included.

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