Chelsea are reportedly in advanced negotiations with Russian club CSKA Moscow over the transfer of highly-rated midfielder Aleksandr Golovin.
Chelsea are understood to be deep in negotiations with Russian giants CSKA Moscow over the transfer of midfield sensation Aleksandr Golovin, as per reports from the Daily Telegraph.
The Blues are understood to be keen on reinforcing their attacking midfield areas ahead of the next campaign and have been scouting the 22-year old for quite some time now and see him as an ideal target bolster their ranks, after what was a largely disappointing 2017/18 season.
Golovin came through the CSKA Moscow academy and burst into the first team in 2015 and has grown into an integral part of the team ever since. So far, the midfielder has made 113 appearances for the club, netting 13 times and setting up 13 more.
Golovin enjoyed his best season last year, as he finished with 7 strikes against his name along with 6 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions. The 22-year old has continued his impressive form in the ongoing 2018 FIFA World Cup in his homeland, as Russia made it through to the knockout phases of the competition.
And his performances have seen him attract interest from all quarters across Europe. Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Manchester United too were understood to be monitoring Golovin’s situation, while there had been speculation of Arsenal being interested along with Juventus and AS Monaco as well.
However, Chelsea seem to have trumped all competition and are understood to be closing in on the deal, with CSKA set to demand a transfer fee of £27 million for their prized asset.
The Blues are keen on offloading Danny Drinkwater this summer, only a year after they signed him from Leicester City in a £35 million deal, while there are question marks over the future of Spanish playmaker Cesc Fabregas as well. Academy graduate Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also likely to be loaned out again this season, despite his highly impressive campaign with Crystal Palace last time out, creating room for Golovin’s arrival at the Stamford Bridge.
However, any deal might have to wait until the West London outfit are able to resolve their managerial solution. It is being claimed for a long time that current gaffer Antonio Conte is set to be relieved of his managerial duties, with Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri earmarked as the replacement.
But, there has been little progress on negotiations, leaving the club in a difficult spot. The situation has been further complicated by rumours of owner Roman Abramovich wanting to sell the club, after he was denied a visa for England.
It remains to be seen if there is any veracity to the reports of Golovin’s transfer to Chelsea, but if it does end up happening, it has the potential to be a great deal for the Londoners in the long run.
