Chelsea plan winter spending spree including Everton midfielder

Chelsea will reportedly retain their interest in Everton midfielder Ross Barkley as they look to splash the cash during the January transfer window.

Blues boss Antonio Conte was displeased with the club's transfer activity during the dying stages of the summer transfer window, and he is expected to revive his interest in his top targets in the New Year.

According to The Mirror, the Premier League holders will revive their pursuit of Barkley, who is also on the transfer wishlist of London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Barkley is currently recuperating from a hamstring problem sustained in mid-August, but he is expected to leave Goodison Park in January as the Toffees would not want to lose him on a free next summer.

Meanwhile, Conte still has an eye on signing Juventus Alex Sandro despite having as many as three bids knocked back for his services in the summer.

The west London giants are also on the search for an effective back-up to Alvaro Morata, and Conte is said to want one of Christian Benteke or Richmond Boakye to bolster the strike force.

Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo left his position earlier this week after a decade-long service, but his departure is unlikely to change their transfer targets.