Chelsea To Miss Out On 22-Year-Old Transfer Target To Juventus

Chelsea are reportedly likely to miss out on one of their top transfer targets for the summer. Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, who has long been on Chelsea’s radar, wants to stay in Italy and his priority is to join Serie A powerhouse Juventus.

Chelsea To Miss Out On Highly Rated Bologna Center-Back Riccardo Calafiori

After missing out on a top-four finish for the second consecutive season, Chelsea are keen to form a more competitive squad for the 2024-25 campaign. Bolstering their squad, however, will be easier said than done, as the Pensioners are on dangerously thin ice regarding Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. They have to sell big players to remain compliant, which practically rules out big-ticket purchases.

As per CaughtOffside’s sources, Chelsea had identified a value-for-money center-back in Calafiori and were willing to pay up to €30 million ($32.50 million) for his services. However, as things stand, they will not be able to add the sought-after defender to their ranks this summer.

For starters, Bologna want around €35 million ($37.92 million) for their defender, as 40% of the sale amount will go to FC Basel. Secondly, Calafiori reportedly wants to continue in Italy. He has identified Juventus as his next destination and will unhesitantly switch if the Turin-based club match Bologna’s asking price.

According to the aforementioned report, Bologna manager Thiago Motta is close to becoming Juventus’ head coach. His potential switch could be driving Calafiori’s desire to join the Bianconeri.

Inter Milan, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur have also shown interest in the player. While Inter, Chelsea, and Juventus have already met with Bologna to get more information about the player, Newcastle and Tottenham have not taken that step.

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Author : Sushan Chakraborty

Publish date : 2024-05-31 09:08:04

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