Chelsea Striving to Trump Manchester United in Race for Serie A midfielder - Report

Chelsea are considering a move in signing Manchester United midfield target Fredy Guarin in January, according to the Metro.

The report states Jose Mourinho wants to overshadow United's interest in Inter Milan midfielder with a bid of their own, even though David Moyes had sent officials to Italy in order to try and agree a deal.

Chelsea's bid is believed to be worth up to £15m including bonuses. This news may bring some joy to the Blues's supporters, as Mourinho had earlier stated that he is happy with his current squad and does not plan to buy anyone in January.

The 27-year-old has been a transfer target for the Premier League champions as Moyes was keen on bringing Guarin to Old Trafford, with United striker Javier Hernandez moving in the opposite direction as a part of the player plus cash swap deal.

Hernandez finds himself down the pecking order behind Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney. With the Dutchman out of action due to a thigh injury for a month, the Mexican international would be hoping to feature regularly for United.

It will be interesting to see how Moyes responds to Chelsea's attempt to hijack the deal, given that United had not managed to sign Ander Herrera, Cesc Fabregas during the summer.

The champions sit ninth in the Premier League table and Moyes wants to make some significant signings in order to boost their chances of defending their title or finish in top four.

Guarin plied his trade with FC Porto before joining the Italian side from on loan in January 2012 and then making it permanent later four months later. The midfielder has started in all the 15 Serie A matches for Inter scoring three goals and managing the same number of assists this season.

The Colombian midfielder is not cup-tied in European competitions, which is a valuable fact as both United and Chelsea secured qualification into the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Meanwhile, Moyes has revealed that he wants to offload certain players from his squad in January with Ashley Young and Anderson topping the list. The former Everton manager claims United are ready to spend during the winter transfer window and bring in suitable long-term replacements.