Chelsea are reportedly battling with Newcastle United over a deal to sign Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini, as per Football Insider.
Having endured a dire campaign last term, the Blues have decided to start a new rebuild under Xabi Alonso’s guidance. The Spanish boss has opted to reinforce several areas of the squad this summer, with the centre-back being one of them.
Chelsea have already purchased Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, but it has been recently reported that they want to add one more new face to this position.
Now, Football Insider state that the Blues are interested in signing Scalvini by taking advantage of his current situation, with Atalanta likely to be open to cashing-in on him amid their financial concerns.
Chelsea have already made contact with the player’s representatives over this transfer, while La Dea are ready to accept around £40m, with his existing deal set to run until 2028.
The report state that Newcastle are also in this race and are currently the frontrunners, alongside the West London club, to finalise the operation. However, they have been in turmoil this summer and might ultimately miss out on signing Scalvini to Chelsea.
The Magpies have lost several of their targets to Premier League rivals over the past 12 months, with James Trafford, Benjamin Sesko and Victor Muñoz a few notable names.
Scalvini to Chelsea
Scalvini is a 6ft 4in tall right-footed centre-back but can provide cover in the defensive midfield position if needed. He is good in the air, technically sound, extremely comfortable in playing out from the back, reads the game well, and is efficient in defensive contributions.
In 24 Serie A appearances last term, Scalvini scored three goals and registered a solitary assist. Moreover, he helped his side keep five clean sheets.
The Italian is a talented player and possesses high potential. However, he has had numerous fitness problems in recent years. So, Chelsea need to be very careful about that before making a move for him.
Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see whether the West London club eventually make a concrete approach to secure the Atalanta star’s services during this offseason.
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