Inter Milan are convinced that Chelsea will make a late attempt to sign Denzel Dumfries this summer, Italian outlet TuttoSport report.
The Blues were regularly linked with Dumfries earlier in the transfer window, but the speculation has subsided lately with captain Cesar Azpilicueta signing a new deal.
Reece James is currently the regular right wing-back for Chelsea, and the club have Azpilicueta and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to provide back-up to the England star.
Hence, a new right wing-back does not appear necessary, but TuttoSport claim that the Nerazzurri are waiting for a formal offer from Chelsea for Dumfries this month.
According to the Italian outlet, the Serie A giants value the Netherlands international at £42 million, but are prepared to accept £34m plus bonuses (£8m) for him.
Our view:
Dumfries had a terrific debut campaign with Inter last term, registering five goals and eight assists from 45 outings. He has carried over the form this campaign.
The 26-year-old netted a dramatic 95th-minute winner against Lecce at the weekend. Despite this, the Nerazzurri seem open to selling him due to financial concerns.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea are interested in pursuing his signature. Tuchel currently has three right wing-back options in James, Azpilicueta and Loftus-Cheek, but only the former has been reliable.
Loftus-Cheek has caught the eye with some decent performances from right wing-back, but does not provide the same level of attacking threat as James, who has generally excelled with his overlapping runs.
If Tuchel wants more creativity, a move for Dumfries could be on the cards. We could see both Dumfries and James make the XI, with the latter operating from the right side of the back three as yesterday.
Dumfries may not have any concerns adapting to the Premier League as he has a strong physical presence. He has good pace and has the knack of getting into the box which is a similar attribute to James.
