Chelsea will reportedly return with an improved offer of €40m for AC Milan defender Alessio Romagnoli on Wednesday after their initial bid was rejected.
Antonio Conte has made no secret of his desire to bring in defensive reinforcements ahead of the summer transfer window deadline, with a lack of depth currently at his disposal.
In turn, the club have been linked with various defenders over the summer but have thus far failed in their attempts to bring in a new face. According to Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio, Milan immediately rejected an enquiry from the Blues for Romagnoli on Tuesday, but are prepared for a formal offer on Wednesday.
That offer will be €35m with additional bonuses which will take the total up to €40m as Chelsea continue to try and prise the defender away from the San Siro, as per Di Marzio.
Milan have thus far insisted that the 21-year-old isn’t for sale, but time will tell as to whether or not they will be able to continue to resist Chelsea’s interest.
Romagnoli arrived at the club just last summer from Roma, and has been tipped by the club and supporters alike to become a symbol of Milan moving forward.
While he undoubtedly still needs to develop certain aspects of his game, the ability that he possesses has been on display for all to see, and many Milan fans will likely be left furious if a transfer is completed before the deadline.
The Serie A giants have developed a recent history of selling their prized assets if the price is right, while young Italian starlets such as Bryan Cristante and Stephan El Shaarawy have also been sold, much to the annoyance of supporters.
Whether or not that trend continues with Romagnoli remains to be seen, but it’s widely believed that it will take a significant offer from Chelsea to make them think twice about a player that they consider crucial to their future.