Chelsea
Chelsea Launch £30m Bid For Italian Defender [Sky Sports]
Chelsea have launched a £30m bid to sign an Italian defender as Antonio Conte desperately tries to strengthen his options at the back.
The transfer window is now drawing to a close so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, Chelsea make their move for Alessio Romagnoli…
Chelsea have launched a £30m bid to sign Alessio Romagnoli but face a fight persuading AC Milan to sell the talented Italian Under-21 international this summer, according to Sky Sports News.
Antonio Conte is desperately trying to strengthen his defensive options as with Kurt Zouma still nursing a long-term knee injury, the Blues boss has just four senior defenders to choose form.
The Italian coach has been forced to draft in young prospect Ola Aina for Chelsea’s opening two Premier League fixtures but speaking after Saturday’s 2-1 win at Watford, Conte confirmed he’s looking to bring in reinforcements before the end of the month.
Conte is quoted as saying by Sky Sports:
“If you look now at our squad, we have only five defenders – four that started today and an academy player Ola Aina,”
“Ola is very good – he has great potential – but with any young player you must work to put them in the first team. Sure, he has a good future.”
“If one defender is injured or banned, then we are in trouble, but the club and me we know this and we are talking every day to improve the squad.”
Chelsea have been strongly linked with Kalidou Koulibaly this summer but have struggled to agree a deal with Napoli and Conte is now having to look at possible alternative targets with just 8 days left of the summer transfer window.
And Sky Sports News are citing reports coming from Sky Italia that claim Chelsea have now set their sights on Italian under-21 international centre-back Alessio Romagnoli after tabling an opening £30m bid for his services.
Romagnoli only joined AC Milan from Roma in a £21m deal last summer and is considered as one of the brightest prospects in Italian football with a huge future ahead of him so he’d be an excellent addition if Chelsea could lure him to west London.
However, it looks like they’ll have a fight on their hands as Sky Sports suggest that AC Milan have already knocked back their offer with the San Siro outfit insisting they do not want to sell the 21-year-old defender this summer.
READ MORE –> Chelsea transfer news
We’ll have to wait and see whether Chelsea test Milan’s resolve with an improved bid or admit defeat and move on to another target but I think Romagnoli would be a superb addition if Conte manages to get a deal agreed for the youngster.
