AS Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan has acknowledged that he has yet to be contacted about a potential move to Chelsea.
However, the tenacious Belgium international has appeared to indicate that he would consider a move to Stamford Bridge, although a transfer to Barcelona would appear to be his preference.
“I haven’t heard from anyone yet,” the 27-year-old told Il Tempo [subscription required] when asked about a potential switch to Chelsea. ” I don’t even know if it’s true that they want me.
“I even read a story in the newspaper that I told my friends I’m going to Chelsea. It’s ridiculous! The truth is I can’t talk about things I don’t know about yet.
“If they call me, am I not supposed to talk? At the moment I am giving everything for Roma, as I always have done. I am happy, my family is too, so even if I continued my career here, I’d be happy.”
Despite noting that he would be happy to remain at Roma, and feels comfortable in the Italian capital, Nainggolan spoke somewhat differently about a potential switch to Barcelona, intimating that he would find it tricky to overlook a switch to the Catalan giants.
“However, if Barcelona come looking for me, which player would say he’d dislike playing for the most important club in the world?” Nainggolan continued. “I’d be an idiot to say such things.”
Antwerp-born Nainggolan briefly featured for Germinal Beerschot at youth level, but has spent the entirety of his senior career in Italy.
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He began his senior career with Piacenza, before moving to Cagliari in 2010 following a loan spell with the club. He was temporarily sent to Roma four years later, before moving to the club permanently.
The midfielder was named in the Serie A team of the year in 2014-15, and has impressed this season, scoring three goals and contributing one assist in 28 outings in the Italian top flight.