Chelsea have reportedly been told to shell out €20 million to sign Inter Milan midfield prodigy Cesare Casadei after they submitted an €8 million offer.
According to Calciomercato, Chelsea have seen an €8 million offer for Inter Milan midfield sensation Cesare Casadei get rejected, with the Nerazzurri demanding a sum of €20 million for the teenager.
Casadei joined Inter Milan’s youth setup from Cesena in the summer of 2018 and has progressed at a rapid rate through the ranks. The 19-year-old has already made 65 appearances for the Nerazzurri’s Primavera outfit, scoring 24 and assisting seven goals in the process. However, he is yet to make his senior debut for the Italian giants.
Casadei has made an impression while representing the Italian national team at the Under-19 level, bagging three goals in 12 appearances. The midfielder’s performances at the club and the international level have landed him on the radars of several clubs, with Chelsea showing the most interest in the teenage prospect.
Chelsea have had a frustrating transfer window thus far as they have missed out on several of their top targets such as Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Matthijs de Ligt. The Blues’ manager, Thomas Tuchel, has grown frustrated because of the lack of additions beyond Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly and has urged the new owners to step up their transfer operations.
Strengthening the centre-back department remains the utmost priority for Chelsea, but they could need to delve into the market for a new central midfielder sooner rather than later. The Blues decided against signing Saul Niguez on a permanent deal while Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley are headed for the exit doors this summer.
Billy Gilmour is also expected to leave, even if it is on another loan deal, whereas N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are in the final year of their contracts, with the latter being linked with a return to Italy. So, even though Conor Gallagher is set for his first-team breakthrough at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea could benefit from adding another midfielder to their roster.
Casadei, to that end, could be an enticing option given the immense promise that he has shown. Considering his age, the teenager could likely be open to playing a backup role for the upcoming season before growing into a regular in the team. And, Chelsea are believed to have already acted on their interest in the Italian by submitting an offer worth €8 million.
However, Inter Milan have made it clear to the Londoners that it will take a fee of around €20 million for them to consider parting ways with their prized asset. Whether Chelsea return with an improved offer that matches the Italians’ valuation will be interesting to see.