I don't think many people are doubting Chelsea's ability to defend their Premier League title next season. But just in case they are, Jose Mourinho is preparing a move for one of the top stars in European football: Paul Pogba.

The Blues have offered £35.5m plus Oscar in exchange for the Juventus midfielder, the Daily Star reports. Juventus have already rejected a £50m bid from Barcelona, and Manchester City are being linked with a £71m offer

The 10-goal Frenchman was instrumental in helping Juventus capture the club's fourth consecutive Serie A championship, meaning that Pogba has won the league in all three seasons he's been in Italy following his free move from Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have just become champions of the English league for the first time in five years. And consider this: the last time the Blues won consecutive league titles was back in 2005 and 2006.

Retaining most of Mourinho's starting lineup is a good start to defending the trophy, but as challengers like Arsenal make drastic changes to their squads (including swiping Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech), the Blues need to add an extra zing to their usual recipe. That's where Pogba comes in.

The 22-year-old is on an upward climb, averaging 334 minutes per goal across all competitions, up from 466 in 2013/14. And he isn't even in his prime yet.

Although he primarily plays in central or left midfield, Pogba's dribbling and long-range shooting see him have an impact from anywhere on the pitch. The majority of his shots are taken from outside the box, but he's adept at playing long balls to create chances for his team-mates further up the pitch, notching eight league assists last term.

Mourinho was criticised this season for Chelsea's 'boring' style of play that focused more on getting the job done than on possession or flair, but his more defensive style of play certainly yielded results. Pogba, who likes to control the ball from deeper areas and use his substantial frame to shield the ball, would fit well with the Blues' tactical approach.

And if Chelsea are focused primarily on outscoring their opponents, as Mourinho stressed, then Pogba is the perfect mixture of defensive concentration and attacking prowess. As a right-footer playing either in the centre or on the left, he can cut diagonally across the field with impressive speed and contribute to the counter attack threat that Diego Costa and Eden Hazard already pose.

Chelsea's attacking force is already pretty strong, but adding a transitional player like Pogba would make defending a title challenge that much easier. The Blues came second only to Manchester City in goals scored last year, trailing 73 to 83, and the Frenchman can help them close that gap.

Pogba's skill is certainly not understated by any means, but his versatility and ball movement can make him a vital part of Chelsea's midfield without taking away chances from the attacking focal points of Costa and Hazard.

So while Arsenal is shelling out money and collecting players left and right, Chelsea only need one man to secure a position in the top spot once again. And it doesn't need to come at a price of £71 million.

[ad_pod id='ricco' align='center']