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Granovskaia confident of landing Serie A star for massive £37m discount as Chelsea bid readied

Chelsea are reportedly in the hunt for Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, who could leave after Dusan Vlahovic moves to Turin.

Juve are reportedly close to sealing the signing of highly-coveted Fiorentina striker Vlahovic. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Serie A clubs have agreed a €75million (£62million) transfer fee for the 21-year-old.

Arsenal chased the Serbian forward’s signature, but Juve are now closing in on a big-money move.

According to Calciomercato, though, the investment will have repercussions for the Turin club. Indeed, they will have to balance the books with a major sale.

De Ligt is one player whose future is a big talking point at Juve. He will have two years left on his contract at the end of this season.

And Chelsea – led by director Marina Granovskaia – have already reportedly ‘started the offensive’ for signing the 22-year-old.

Juventus are planning to sell him if he does not want to renew. They can offer the Netherlands international a new deal, but he will have to take a pay cut.

Should Juve decide to sell him, Calciomercato adds that De Ligt has a €125million (£104million) release clause in his current terms.

La Repubblica, meanwhile, has claimed that Juventus will accept a bid of €80million (£67million). Indeed, they are wary of clubs refusing to pay the exit clause when they would prefer to balance the books.

As such, Chelsea have begun the process of trying to snap De Ligt up for a £37million discount.

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Chelsea may be in need of a new senior centre-half amid the contract situations of their current defenders.

Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen are both in the final six months of their contract. Full-back Cesar Azpilicueta, who has also filled in in the centre of defence, is in the same position.

Chelsea star potential De Ligt replacement

La Repubblica adds in its report that Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri feels De Ligt is a replaceable player in his team.

The defender signed from Ajax in the summer of 2019 after playing a starring role in the Amsterdam club’s run to the Champions League semi-final.

He has since played 98 games for the Turin club.

As for who they could sign to replace him, Germany international Rudiger is supposedly a top target.

He is free to talk to overseas clubs before he potentially becomes a free agent in the summer.

Amid his impending availability on a free, though, Calciomercato claims that Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are still eyeing a deal for Rudiger.

 

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