Gossip: Chelsea offered £50m for Willian; Higuain loan
CHELSEA EYE ARGENTINA TRIO
Chelsea want all the Argentines, apparently.
Maurizio Sarri’s priority is Gonzalo Higuain. The Telegraph says the Blues are negotiating a loan deal for the striker already on loan from Juventus at AC Milan. Juve would prefer a permanent deal, since they negotiated a £32million deal with Milan for the end of this season, but there is no chance Chelsea will pay that sum for a 31-year-old. Still, Higuain’s agent was in London on Thursday trying to find some common ground between the many parties involved.
Roberto Pereyra’s agent is also keeping himself busy. The Watford midfielder is apparently being eyed by Chelsea and Torino, though a January deal is unlikely. Leandro Paredes could be a more likely arrival, with Sportitalia claiming the Blues are talking to Zenit St Petersburg about a £31.5million deal for the Argentina midfielder who is apparently seen as a potential replacement for Cesc Fabregas. Nicolo Barella is also on the shortlist but Tutto Mercato reckons the Cagliari star doesn’t fancy it.
BARCA’S BID FOR WILLIAN REJECTED
Fabregas is probably not the only Chelsea player to be leaving Stamford Bridge this month. Alvaro Morata’s agent is waiting for the club to sign a replacement for the striker so he can claim the commission on whatever deal is done to take the Spaniard to Sevilla, all the while doubts persist about Callum Hudson-Odoi’s future.
The Telegraph also reckons Willian is a wanted man. Their story suggests Chelsea have turned down a package worth around £50million offered by Barcelona to take the 30-year-old to the Nou Camp. On top of a load of cash, Barca are also willing to chuck in £38million flop Malcom, but the Blues reckon Willian is worth more than that, even with only 18 months remaining on his contract.
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AND THE REST
Barcelona could look to sell Philippe Coutinho in the summer to fund a return for Neymar… Bayern Munich are in talks with PSG midfielder Adrien Rabiot… Everton, Crystal Palace and Fulham are among the clubs interested in Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi… Newcastle have joined Liverpool in the race to sign the ‘Turkish Messi’ – Trabzonspor midfielder Abdulkadir Omur… Huddersfield have had a bid rejected by Leicester for Shinji Okazaki… Fulham are in talks to sign Bordeaux right-back Youssouf Sabaly… Aston Villa want Brentford left-back Rico Henry… Tottenham want Hoffenheim midfielder Florian Grillitsch… Odion Ighalo wants to return to the Premier League this month… Leeds are watching Kilmarnock striker Eamonn Brophy.
