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With Chelsea’s Ashley Cole at loggerheads with just about everyone right now and his contract talks reportedly on hold, rumours are rife that the Blues are sniffing around for potential replacements, with Lille defender Lucas Digne (above, right) a name that’s been mooted. Elsewhere, Everton are being linked with Hamberg’s Venezuelan international Tomas Rincon. Here, the Life’s a Pitch panel discuss these potential moves, before rating the likelihood of them actually happening out of 10.

The Daily Mirror’s Martin Lipton isn’t impressed by the Digne-to-Chelsea talk. “A bit like Chelsea, I’m not buying this,” he quips. “Unless they were to lose Cole – which I don’t see – and [even then] they’ve got Ryan Bertrand as a back-up and potential long-term successor. I don’t see how there is a need for Chelsea to buy another left-back. Nothing is impossible in football, but I only give this a one out of 10.”

Everton are reportedly on the hunt for a defensive midfielder, and Rincon is attracting interest from scouts at Goodison Park. John Cross of the Daily Mirror thinks his experience in German football helps to make him a genuine candidate.

“The Bundesliga perhaps provides the best test of a player and is the league most similar to the Premier League that you’ll find anywhere in Europe,” says John. “Adaptation is still the biggest concern when you’re signing a player, particularly with an interesting background like Rincon, but if he’s played at a good level for Hamburg in the Bundesliga then that wouldn’t be an issue. I give this a six or seven out of 10.”

Watch the full video discussion by clicking on the play button in the image above. 

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