Chelsea have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Juventus left-back Andrea Cambiaso in the summer transfer window, according to reports in Italy.
The Blues have been forced to turn to the transfer market amid increasing doubts over Marc Cucurella’s future, with the Spaniard reportedly being courted by Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City.
It comes after a disastrous campaign for Chelsea, in which both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior lost their jobs, and Stamford Bridge bosses are determined to strengthen several areas in the squad to give Xabi Alonso the best possible chance of meeting expectations next term.
As Chelsea unravelled in the back-end of the season, Cucurella followed Enzo Fernandez in voicing his frustrations with decisions being made at the top – and there is a strong chance the full-back has played his final match for the club.
The countdown is on
Our seven-day guide to the World Cup is live. 48 teams, 104 games, 1104 players – we’ve got everything you need to know. Sign up now.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, this has seen Chelsea focus their attentions on Juventus wing-back Cambiaso, who the newspaper describe as an ‘ideal replacement’ for Cucurella.
Cambiaso endured a mixed season with Juventus, with a series of defensive lapses in concentration costing his side, and the Italy international is ‘no longer deemed unsellable’ in Turin.
It’s claimed a ‘potential offer’ from Chelsea may be in the works for Cambiaso and Juve could be prepared to sacrifice the player in order to make up for the lack of Champions League revenue, with the Old Lady finishing the season down in sixth place.
Cambiaso had been firmly in Pep Guardiola’s sights a year-and-a-half ago – with Manchester City considering a €65million (£56m) offer – and the 26-year-old remains a player of interest to the Premier League’s elite.
The opportunity to test himself in the English top flight is a viewed as a major ‘temptation’ for Cambiaso and a summer move cannot be ruled out for the versatile defender.
The report adds that incoming Chelsea manager Alonso is a known admirer of Cambiaso and explored a move for the Juventus star when he was in charge of Real Madrid last year.
Barcelona and Como have also been credited with an interest in Cambiaso and both teams are said to have made inquiries to gauge the player’s availability.
Juventus could be coaxed into a deal for Cambiaso should they receive an offer in the region of €50m (£43m) for the Italian.
Cambiaso’s current contract with Juve is not due to expire until June 2029.
During a particularly difficult spell back in January, Cambiaso was audibly booed and jeered by his own fans as he made his way off the pitch during the side’s 2-0 victory over Benfica.
After the Champions League contest, which saw Juve advance to the knockout phase, Luciano Spalletti took the opportunity to defend Cambiaso, describing his fellow countryman as a complete player.
‘We want to play good football and also win some matches, because we know we have to win,’ Spalletti told reporters.
‘We want to play that way, with a high defensive line; clearly this leaves you exposed, but players have to accept it as something that happens and learn how to deal with it.
‘There’s history here – Juventus fans have seen great players. Cambiaso is someone who knows how to play football, he can do everything. He’s even been talked about as a target for a top team in the past [Manchester City].
‘His insistence on playing the ball is a quality that should be recognised. We want to be the ones who improve. Whistle us, because we want to turn your whistles around.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.