Benitez wants a Brazilian...defensive midfielder

When all else fails, throw more money at it is the motto of Roman Abramovich and when you have as much money as he has, why the hell not?

One of the joys, presumably, of being a Chelsea manager is that you get to enjoy the fruits of this particular motto by spending a wheelbarrow load of money on whoever they like and when they, inevitably, fail and get the sack, they get an amount of money that would fill a Renault Clio- even if its in £20 denominations.

Anyway, as Rafael Benitez is the new head honco at Chelsea, he can now spend lots and lots of money on players that will gleam for three months before not being so good anymore.

According to Talksport, Benitez has his first target set as Brazilian international Paulinho.

The site reports that Benitez has identified the need for a defensive midfielder (probably as John Obi Mikel shows no signs of improving ever) and has his eyes on former Inter Milan midfielder Paulinho to fill this role.

His club Corinthians are reportedly none too keen to sell the 24-year-old but when Chelsea throw their financial weight at them, they will probably crumble based on past evidence with regards to Roman's rubles.

Benitez believes has can lure Paulinho to Stamford Bridge in January with the bait that his mate Ramires plys his trade in West London too.