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Chelsea have “started” negotiations with Juventus about a deal for Andrea Cambiaso, according to reports in Italy.
The newspaper Corriere Dello Sport claims that the two clubs are “in dialogue”, but the two sides are some “distance” apart on the transfer fee.
Currently, Xabi Alonso’s side have yet to offer “beyond” €30m (£26m), so it remains to be seen if an agreement can be reached on Cambiaso.
The Italian, who has been capped 19 times by his country, has also been linked with La Liga champions Barcelona.
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SportItalia journalist Gianluigi Longari has reported that Barca are Cambiaso’s preferred destination, but sources close to the Catalan club have disputed whether there is genuine interest in the player.
Why do Chelsea want the defender?
It is believed that Cambiaso has been identified as the replacement for Marc Cucurella, who has officially joined Real Madrid in deal worth up to €60m (£52m).
Cambiaso is two-footed, so he can play on both flanks, and that could prove very useful, considering there is also uncertainty over the future of Malo Gusto.
The France international has been linked with a transfer away from Stamford Bridge for a second time in the space of a few weeks.
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Is Cambiaso the only target under consideration?
Another Italian source, Sky Sport Italia, did name Chelsea as a potential suitor for Atalanta’s Marco Palestra earlier this week. It was reported that the Blues had contacted the fullback’s entourage, along with Manchester City.
However, the 21-year-old is said to be prioritising a transfer to Inter Milan, and as he is predominantly right-footed, he would not have been a like-for-like replacement for Cucurella anyway.
Cambiaso is seemingly the preferred target at this stage. Juventus do need to raise funds to balance the books before the end of the month, so this deal is one to keep a close eye on over the coming days.