Serie A giants stand firm at €45m as Chelsea plot summer transfer move

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Roma will reportedly not budge from their €45m price-tag for combative midfielder Radja Nainggolan, who has emerged as a target for Chelsea.

As noted by Football Italia, speculation went into overdrive last week when Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini was pictured outside of Stamford Bridge.

However, Roma denied that the meeting was regarding Nainggolan, as it was instead aimed at discussing details of Mohamed Salah’s contract, with the winger currently on loan in the Italian capital.

Nevertheless, it has done little to dampen rumours over a move to London for Nainggolan, who has been tipped to be part of Antonio Conte’s revolution at Chelsea.

The Italian tactician will arrive at the club in the summer following the conclusion of Euro 2016, with his contract with the Italian national team expiring this summer.

In turn, he is expected to explore the transfer market in a bid to bolster his squad at Chelsea, and that has linked him with several players currently plying their trade in Serie A.

However, should he be desperate to land Nainggolan, who has been a fundamental part of Roma’s success over the last year or so, he will have to meet the Giallorossi’s €45m valuation.

It is believed that Chelsea aren’t willing to spend more than €35m on the Belgian international, but the report claims that they could include youngsters Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Andreas Christensen in the deal in order to convince Roma to sell.

Whether or not that is enough to persuade the Serie A giants to enter negotiations remains to be seen, but as they continue to chase Champions League football for next season, it is unlikely that coach Luciano Spalletti will want to lose any of his key players this summer.

Roma have been reinvigorated since his return to the bench in January, and if they can prove that they are capable of competing for silverware both at home and abroad next season, Nainggolan will arguably be content to stay at the Stadio Olimpico regardless of the interest in him from England.

Furthermore, the terms reportedly set to be offered by Chelsea certainly seem far too much for the 27-year-old. While he is certainly talented, Roma would be seen as the winners in such a deal.

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