Chelsea have been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Federico Chiesa, despite offering €100 million to the table.
According to Christian Falk of SportBild, Juventus have turned down Chelsea’s advances to sign Federico Chiesa. The newly-crowned English champions had reportedly tabled a €100 million offer, but the Serie A giants have refused to hold any negotiations.
The son of the revered Italian footballing star, Enrico Chiesa, Federico is currently contracted to Fiorentina. However, he joined Juventus on a two-year loan last summer, with the Bianconeri having the option to sign him permanently for as low as €60 million.
Juventus’ unwillingness to negotiate a potential €100 million departure makes sense. The club does not technically own the player and had to pay up €10 million last summer to sign him on loan for two years. It means they will make a net profit of only €30 million if they do let Chiesa move to Stamford Bridge.
The player himself might not be all too keen on leaving Turin, having enjoyed an incredible Euro 2020 campaign. Along with his Juve teammates in Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini, he was vital in helping Italy emerge victorious in the coveted competition.
Not to mention, the winger starred for Juventus last season, being directly involved in 16 goals in 30 goals. As such, he has been identified as a crucial future prospect for the Bianconeri, perhaps even the face of the club once Cristiano Ronaldo moves on.
On the other hand, Chelsea’s desire to sign the Italian international stems from the lack of a poster boy upfront. The Londoners haven’t too much luck with the high-profile signings of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech last summer, with the latter even being linked with a potential exit from Stamford Bridge.
The club has shown the desire to sign other star players, including Erling Haaland. But the Borussia Dortmund star has returned to training with Die Schwarzgelben and is expected to cost a fortune. The Blues may also face stiff competition from Manchester City, who are reportedly weighing up a bumper new bid.
Other players linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, including Barcelona’s Antoine Griezmann. The Frenchman is tipped to leave Camp Nou in the summer, with Chelsea ready to rival Manchester United in an attempt to sign him for a cut-price. As for their pursuit of Chiesa, Juventus have seemed to have nipped it off in the bud. Whether they returned with a bigger offer remains to be seen.