Chelsea have held talks with Juventus over a potential swap deal for Andrea Cambiaso, with TEAMtalk understanding the Italy international has emerged as one of the Blues’ leading targets to replace Marc Cucurella.
The west London club have been assessing options at left-back since Cucurella’s move to Real Madrid and, as our sources exclusively revealed last month, Cambiaso was among the three names at the top of their shortlist alongside Nathaniel Brown and Alejandro Grimaldo.
Since then, the picture has changed significantly.
Eintracht Frankfurt star Brown has agreed a move to Bayern Munich, despite strong interest from both Chelsea and Manchester United, leaving the Blues to focus their attention elsewhere.
And we understand that focus is increasingly falling on Cambiaso.
The Juventus star is viewed as an ideal fit for Xabi Alonso’s system thanks to his outstanding versatility. While naturally operating on the left flank, Cambiaso is equally comfortable on the right and has built a reputation as one of Europe’s most complete wing-backs.
His ability to play with both feet and operate in multiple tactical setups has made him particularly attractive to Chelsea’s recruitment team, who believe he would slot seamlessly into Alonso’s preferred structure.
Grimaldo remains a player admired by Chelsea’s new head coach after the pair enjoyed tremendous success together at Bayer Leverkusen.
However, sources indicate the Spain international’s preference is to return to his homeland, while Atletico Madrid are also pushing hard after missing out on Cucurella to city rivals Real Madrid.
As a result, Chelsea are accelerating their work on Cambiaso.
Sources indicate Chelsea currently value the 26-year-old at around £25million, while Juventus have been seeking a package closer to £34million.
However, discussions between the clubs have opened up alternative possibilities.
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Juventus willing to consider Chelsea swap deal
Sources have confirmed that Juventus have informed Chelsea they would be willing to consider players as part of any deal, and several names have been discussed during negotiations.
One player, however, has featured prominently throughout the conversations.
We can reveal that Nicolas Jackson has been the subject of significant interest from Juventus and has been discussed extensively between the two clubs.
The Senegal international spent last season on loan with Bayern Munich, but the Bundesliga champions ultimately opted against making the move permanent before turning their attention to PSV Eindhoven star Ismael Saibari.
Chelsea had initially been open to giving Jackson an opportunity to impress Alonso during pre-season and fight for a place in the Spaniard’s long-term plans.
However, sources indicate the striker, who has also been linked with Newcastle United, would want assurances over his role and playing time before committing his future to Stamford Bridge.
That uncertainty has created an opening for Juventus. The Turin giants have admired Jackson for some time and now view him as a player who could strengthen their attacking options while helping facilitate a deal for Cambiaso.
We can reveal that Juventus would be receptive to a package involving Jackson plus cash, a structure that could help bridge the valuation gap between the clubs.
As things stand, sources suggest that makes a deal increasingly realistic. There is, however, competition.
Barcelona are also monitoring Cambiaso’s situation as they continue their search for a new left-back.
Financial constraints mean the Italy international may prove difficult for the Catalan giants to secure outright, with their priority remaining a permanent move for Joao Cancelo.
Like Chelsea, Barcelona could explore player-exchange possibilities and we understand Juventus would be open to discussions involving defender Ronald Araujo should the opportunity arise.
For now, though, Chelsea appear to be leading the race. With Brown heading to Bayern, Grimaldo focused on a return to Spain and Alonso eager to strengthen his wing-back options, Cambiaso has emerged as a priority target.
Meanwhile, it’s being reported that a top Chelsea star now has an ‘agreement in principle’ to move to Real Madrid this summer.