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The contract stated that in the event Lazio sold Mendieta to another club within the Spanish Primera Liga, Valencia would then be entitled to £7.8 million compensation. Therefore in term of economics, it makes sense to offload Mendieta to a club outside Spain and Chelsea supposedly, are considered the logical destination.
It is well known that Chelsea are seeking a battling midfielder and with Ranieri having already worked alongside Mendieta whilst at Valencia, Ranieri understands how to unlock the player's potential (Ranieri was the first to recognise Mendieta's potential, bring him into the first team, and made him the player he is today).
With this in mind, Chelsea hold a distinct advantage over most other clubs but, according to recent reports, may lack the funds to finance the transfer (Mendieta's salary at Lazio is reputed to be £80,000 per week). If this is the case, a one year loan deal is a more likely and realistic option. After all, this is a new Chelsea........a Chelsea with a new "realism"???