Online Reporter
CHELSEA have HIJACKED Inter Milan’s swoop for Marco Palestra and are set to sign the Italian starlet this week.
Blues chiefs want to bolster new boss Xabi Alonso‘s defence.
Palestra, 21, was named Serie A‘s defender of the year after a brilliant campaign on loan with Cagliari.
The Italy international spent the campaign away from parent club Atalanta.
Now, Chelsea are very close to landing a deal for the budding star – and could seal a deal this week.
Inter had previously been in for Palestra in a deal worth £38.8million plus £4.3m in bonuses.
An unnamed Premier League side are said to be in the mix but it is now thought that Chelsea are in the driving seat.
Alonso is said to like his versatility, with the right wing-back also able to play on the left.
He played just 16 times for Atalanta before being loaned to Cagliari 12 months ago.
Palestra featured in 37 games for Cagliari, scoring once and laying on four assists.
The youngster’s form saw him earn a maiden international call-up.
His first Italy start came in March, in their ill-fated World Cup play-off against Bosnia.
Chelsea sold full-back Marc Cucurella last week. The Spaniard joined Real Madrid in a £47.5m switch.
There have also been reports that Manchester City are interested in Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto. Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s decision not to pursue a deal for Manchester United target Mateus Fernandes means Chelsea are likely to be getting a call very soon.
Enzo Fernandez’s interest in a move to the Spanish capital has been clear since his March interview on international duty with Argentina in which he criticised the Blues for giving Enzo Maresca the boot and flirted with Real Madrid.
Madrid‘s interest has been harder to gauge. However, Jose Mourinho is now ready to pursue a deal for the midfielder after cooling his interest in West Ham’s Fernandes, having felt he was more likely to move to Old Trafford.
Chelsea insist they do not want to lose Fernandez, 25, and value him at a whopping £120million. Madrid would likely have to make sales to fund a deal at that level.
While the Blues may not want to lose him, the former Benfica man is not considered ‘untouchable’ by the club hierarchy.
Furthermore, many industry figures claim Chelsea need to sell players this summer after missing out on European football next term following their 10th place finish in the Premier League.
THE Brighton to BlueCo path is extremely well-trodden and another player could be about to set off on it.
Chelsea’s American owners were once described by Brighton CEO Paul Barber as his “best customer” because of the staggering amount of players and staff who have been pinched by BlueCo from Sussex.
Behind the big names such as Marc Cucurella, now on his way to Real Madrid after the World Cup, Moises Caicedo and Robert Sanchez, there are a raft of younger players and key backroom figures who have made the switch.
Paul Winstanley and Sam Jewell, part of Chelsea’s sporting leadership team, both came from The Amex, as did David Wier, now sporting director at sister club Strasbourg, who have signed Julio Enciso and Valentin Barco from the Seagulls in recent years -Sun.
