Can Chelsea pull off a £105 million raid for Juventus’ defensive duo?

Add as preferred source on Google

Chelsea are reportedly planning a double raid on Italian champions Juventus, as Antonio Conte looks to reinforce his squad ahead of next season. An article in the Sunday Express claims Conte, who is set to put pen to paper on a lucrative new deal, hopes to bring Leonardo Bonucci and Alex Sandro to west London this summer.

Bonucci has been on Conte’s radar for some time, while his Juve team-mate Sandro impressed as the the Italian giants eased to the domestic title and the Champions League final, where they were undone by a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Real Madrid.

With club legend John Terry having departed Stamford Bridge and Nathan Ake heavily being linked with a switch to former loan side Bournemouth, there are defensive vacancies to be filled at Chelsea, who will also have Champions League football to contend with next season.

Bonucci, who has made 70 appearances for Italy, could cost in the region of £50 million, despite being 30 years old, while Brazil international Sandro is valued at upwards of £55 million, meaning Conte will have to break Chelsea’s transfer record on two accounts to land both targets.

Conte was rumoured to have become frustrated at the lack of transfer activity at Stamford Bridge but, as reported recently in the Telegraph, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has reassured the Premier League-winning manager that he will have money to spend in this transfer window, on top of making him the highest-paid manager in the club’s history. Potential moves for Bonucci and Sandro would certainly signal that the Blues mean business.

Bonucci is among the classiest central defenders in football and has been a rock at the heart of Juve’s back line since joining from Bari in 2010. Whether he can be persuaded to leave a club that has joined Europe’s heavyweights is another matter altogether, though. And even if he does fancy joining up with his former national team manager, Juventus will be extremely reluctant to sell a prized asset.

A deal for Sandro, who moved from Porto two years ago, does seem more likely, however. The Brazilian would be ideal for the left wing-back position in the 3-4-3 that Conte employs. It appears that the Italian is willing to pay whatever it takes to land him.