AS Roma snub Chelsea’s offer for star defender, want to sign him till 2020
Mar 16, 2016 at 1:44 PM
The lack of any kind of success this season along with not European football next season have left last season’s Champions in a limbo this season.
They need a new manager as Hiddink the present manager was only instilled on an interim basis. Star players in the squad are being linked with a move away from the club thanks to lack of Champions League football next season.
But the biggest thing that will change at the club next season is the lack of a genuine skipper in the ranks.
England international John Terry has been a long serving skipper of Chelsea but the 35-year old announced earlier this season that he will not extend his contract with the club and that he will end his ties with his childhood club.
This has left Chelsea with no real backbone for the next season and has put them in search for a top class defender who can get them back to the top of the table next season.
And according to Italian outlet Il Tempo, the Blues have identified AS Roma defender Kostas Manolas as the right man for the side.
The 24-year old has been linked with a move to the Premier League in the past with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United showing interest in the player.
It does not come as a surprise as the Greece international has played an important role in Spalletti’s sie this season. He has 36 appearances for the Italian outfit this season and has made himself one of the hottest prospects in Europe this summer.
Manolas joined AS Roma from Olympiakos two years ago for a fee of around £10m and his form in the Serie A over the past couple of seasons has seen his price rocket to £31m.
It is understood that Conte, who is the front runner to land the job at Chelsea this summer is readying to spend loads of money in the transfer window and has already made advances for the signature of the 24-year old.
However, Roma have reportedly snubbed the £31m offer from the Blues and are hopeful to keep him at Rome for years to come.
In the past couple of years, the likes of Marquinhos and Medhi Benatia left the club in big money transfers and have excelled at PSG and Bayern respectively.
But the Italian side want to keep a hold of their new star in Manolas and are expected to offer him a new lucrative contract that might keep him in Serie A up to 2020.
Do you think Manolas can replace John Terry at Chelsea?