As Antonio Conte steps up his defender search with the deadline nearing, the club have had a second bid for AC Milan central defender Alessio Romagnoli rejected according to the Guardian. Reports suggest that AC Milan are not going to sell the 21-year-old at any price, despite the Blues upping their offer from £30 million to £35 million. The club wrote on their website:
“Milan have received a very lucrative offer from Chelsea for Alessio Romagnoli. The player, however, is untransferable and therefore this offer will not be accepted. We thank Chelsea, a club Milan always have had the best of relationships with.”
The left footed defender was seen as the ideal solution to add quality in depth to the Chelsea defence, but the club may now be forced to look elsewhere with the deadline less than a week away. The former Roma man has experience at the top level in Italy, and it is unlikely that this bid will be the last Milan hear of Chelsea’s interest before his current deal expires in 2020 as he has the potential to go right to the top of the game.
Italian newspaper Gazetta dello Sporto are also busy covering the former national team’s managers activities with his new side as they claim that Conte is chasing Inter Milan’s Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic. They claim that the other side from San Siro are happy to accept a bid of £25 million for the 23-year-old as they seek to get funds to launch a bid for Sporting winger Joao Mario. With four goals in 20 caps for his country, he has a wealth of experience at the top level despite his young age.
Brozovic is likely to be a replacement for Cesc Fabregas if reports are to be believed, as the Spaniard nears a move away. However, Brozovic would be a good replacement in a similar mould as a central midfielder who influences the side’s attacking play. Also capable of playing on the right, the Croatian international scored seven times and got five assists in 35 games last season, and started Inter’s opening fixture last weekend.
It also seems that young striker Patrick Bamford is set to sign on loan for Burnley this season, with only paperwork and an announcement holding up the deal according to the Guardian. The 22-year-old is now seeking to establish himself in the Premier League after shooting to fame with 17 goals in 39 games at Middlesbrough in 2014/15, but struggled during loan spells at Crystal Palace and Norwich last season, failing to score across 13 performances combined between the two clubs.
Bamford will see this season as vital, with only two years left on his current deal. That means that this season will be crucial if he is ever to earn a crack at the Chelsea first team having signed for the Blues from Nottingham Forest in 2012 aged just 18. Capped with England up to under-21 level, Bamford undoubtedly has the potential but has so far not been able to replicate that quality at the top level. With Sam Vokes and Andre Gray providing stiff competition at Turf Moor, Bamford could propel himself to the next level at last.
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