Chelsea have reportedly been dealt a major blow in pursuit of Alessandro Florenzi, with the Italian set to pen a new contract with AS Roma.
According to a report by Italian publication Calciomercato, Alessandro Florenzi is set to sign a long-term deal with AS Roma, with negotiations at an advanced stage. Chelsea, who had been hoping to sign the Italian midfielder have now hit a major roadblock in their bid to sign the player.
Florenzi joined the AS Roma youth academy as an 11-year-old in 2002 and gradually progressed through the ranks before breaking into the first-team setup in 2011. After a successful one-year spell at Crotone, the Italian midfielder finally established himself at Stadio Olimpico.
Since then, Florenzi has gone from strength to strength with the Serie A outfit, and is now a regular for both club and country. This season, the player has made 16 appearances across all competitions for the Giallorossi, also contributing to his team’s cause with a goal and two assists.
Please, @Florenzi, these men have families!!! ?️?
#ASRoma #Florenzi #SerieA pic.twitter.com/59EC9ZZQ6Q— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) December 2, 2017
His exploits have not gone unnoticed, with Florenzi attracting interest from several top clubs in Europe, with Juventus attempting to sign him on a number of occasions previously. The latest club in pursuit of the player is Chelsea, who are reportedly keen on signing a midfielder in January.
N’Golo Kante has been a surreal presence in the middle of the park, while Cesc Fabregas is a creative workhorse for Antonio Conte. But, Danny Drinkwater has faced a few setbacks during his settling-in period at Stamford Bridge while Tiemoue Bakayoko has failed to make a mark since moving from AS Monaco.
The latter’s failures, in particular, have been disappointing, possibly forcing Conte to look at other options to beef up his midfield, making Florenzi a viable target. Furthermore, the player’s ability to play as a winger as well as a defender on the right side makes him a potential asset, if he can manage to replicate his Roma form.
But, Chelsea have been dealt a massive blow in their pursuit of Florenzi, with the player set to sign a new long-term contract with Roma. The player’s entourage and Roma are already in advanced negotiations, and the report suggests that his new deal will keep the 26-year-old at the club through either 2022 or 2023.
So, the move for Florenzi looks set to be scuppered, and Conte will now have to set his sights elsewhere, and with the likes of Arthur Melo and Jakub Jankto being targeted, among others, there seem to be plenty of names in front of the Chelsea boss.
