Chelsea all set to reignite their interest in highly rated Roma defender
Oct 26, 2016 at 1:17 PM
Chelsea are reportedly reigniting their interest in Serie A hotshot Antonio Rudiger. According to the reports in English news outlet The Mail, Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is a big admirer of the Roma defender and has asked his scouts to closely monitor the player. The report claimed that the Stamford Bridge outfit are plotting a whopping £35million swoop for one of the most promising defenders in Europe.
Conte wanted to bring the highly rated defender to Stamford Bridge in the summer but the move did not go ahead as the player sustained a serious knee injury prior to the European Championship in France. But now that the player is fit and has returned to action, the Chelsea manager is keeping a close eye on him.
The highly rated defender has recovered well before the expected timeline and has made his mark straight away with a goal and an assist in Roma reserves’ win over Novara on Saturday. The report claimed that while the Serie A outfit is keen to keep their prized asset at the club, anything above £35million can change their mind.
Ever since taking charge of the West London club, Conte has been desperate to bolster the leaky backline of his team which was one of the prime reasons for Chelsea’s dismal title defence last term. With Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic completely off-colour, the 2014-15 Premier League champions conceded 53 goals last term, five more than champions Leicester City.
The club was linked with a host of names, most notably Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, but their pursuit of a quality centre-back ended in disappointment on every occasion. They finally signed their former defender Davil Luiz from Paris St-Germain on the deadline day.
However, the former Juventus boss is not satisfied yet with his current lot of defenders and is still on the lookout for a centre-back. He was recently linked with a sensational £60 million bid for Juventus star Leonardo Bonucci. Signing a defender in the upcoming transfer window will be Conte’s top-most priority, however, he is all set to get a stiff competition from other Premier League powerhouses. The Mail has claimed that both Manchester clubs are also keen on the Rudiger.