OGC Nice rival Chelsea in Cesare Casadei pursuit

Chelsea will reportedly face competition from OGC Nice in the race to sign Inter Milan teenage prodigy Cesare Casadei this summer.

According to Foot Mercato, Inter Milan midfield sensation Cesare Casadei has popped up on the radars of Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice. The 19-year-old is also being pursued by Premier League giants Chelsea, who have already held talks with the Nerazzurri about a possible move.

Casadei has been making a lot of waves in the Italian youth football scenes, impressing with his performances for Inter Milan’s Primavera outfit. A central midfielder by trade, the teenager has caught the attention of onlookers with his ability to score goals from the middle of the park, which has led to him being likened to Lazio’s Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Casadei has racked up 24 goals and seven assists from 65 appearances for Inter’s Primavera side, although he is yet to make his senior debut for the Italian giants. But, that could be set to change soon as the youngster has been training with the senior players in the pre-season and could break into Simone Inzaghi’s side when the new campaign starts.

But, that would only materialise if he remains at Inter Milan, as clubs from across Europe have taken an interest in Casadei. Indeed, Chelsea have been hot on the trails of the 19-year-old Italian prospect, who is also on the radars of Arsenal. OGC Nice have now joined the race for his signing this summer.

Embed from Getty Images

Chelsea have shown the most concrete interest in Casadei this summer and have even had a bid worth €8 million rejected by Inter Milan. The Blues have bolstered their midfield unit already, with Carney Chukwuemeka arriving from Aston Villa, but that has not dissuaded them from going after another young midfielder in Casadei.

According to reports, Chelsea are planning to make a new offer for the Italian youth international, with Inter Milan reportedly open to selling their prized asset to the Blues. However, Thomas Tuchel’s men are set to face some late competition in the race for the 19-year-old Casadei from Ligue 1 giants OGC Nice.

Having finished fifth last season and secured a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, Nice are keen on bolstering their squad with quality. And even though they have brought in Aaron Ramsey to strengthen their midfield, they remain keen on Casadei.

However, the report adds that the teenager is not a priority for the French outfit, who are focusing their efforts on signing a new No. 9. It could leave Chelsea with a clear run at Casadei, who looks poised to leave Inter Milan this summer.