Chelsea will seal the signing of Marco Palestra, and there’s endless takes being shared in Italy.
Initially, the wing-back was keen on joining Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri made an initial offer which was rejected, helping Atalanta nudge an auction for the Italian.
This paid off and Palestra changed his mind about a move to England. Chelsea turned up at the right time, blowing Serie A clubs out of the water.
This had led to some in the Italian media mocking the youngster for the move. Sport Witness covered this stance, as the decision was branded as a financial one.
Negativity has been replaced with excitement.
Blues offer seen as hard to reject
Former Italy international Giancarlo Antognoni spoke to Tuttomercatoweb about Palestra, having seen the 21-year-old from close by in his role as head of the Under-21 delegation of Italy.
Praising the youngster’s profile, he said: “Palestra is a 21-year-old with strength, technique, and speed. You can’t stop him on the pitch, you can’t get him.”
Antognoni believes the offer from the Blues was too much to turn down. He also appeared to praise him for making a difficult decision to move to England.
“So, the investment Chelsea made is significant. I thought I would have stayed in Italy. In England, the league is perhaps more difficult than here, but those offers are hard to turn down.”
Decision can pay off
Marco Palestra
The move to Chelsea is a big challenge for Palestra. He hasobvious quality and has also made a mark for the national team. However, he’s had one great season in the top-flight with Cagliari and the Blues present a massive jump.
Xabi Alonso likes wing-backs with running ability and athleticism. Alejandro Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong were exceptional at Bayer Leverkusen, which is why Palestra suits the Spaniard’s system perfectly.
He can play on either side and when needed, can play further forward in a winger role.
🇪🇸 Pep Chavarría | 2 sources state Chelsea submit bid ➡️ Alonso wants deal doing https://t.co/dePwmS4l8l #cfc
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) July 1, 2026