Chelsea will reportedly offer veteran defender Branislav Ivanovic to Roma as part of their bid to sign midfielder Radja Nainggolan.
As reported by The Mirror, the Belgian international is seen as a priority in the summer transfer market for incoming boss Antonio Conte, and rumours have linked him with a switch to Stamford Bridge over the last month or so.
Given his importance to the Italian side, Chelsea will have to come up with an offer that will test their resolve and that will likely involve cash as well as players in exchange.
It is no surprise to see Conte linked with a move for Nainggolan, as ultimately the 27-year-old is the perfect type of player for the former Juventus boss in terms of his playing style and what he adds to his respective team.
Meanwhile, a move to Italy would see like a logical step for Ivanovic, with the 32-year-old coming under increasing scrutiny this season due to his drop in form.
With a slower pace and more reliance on tactics in Italy, the Serbian defensive ace would make the adjustments well on paper, and so from that aspect the move makes sense.
However, that doesn’t take into account the fact that Roma will not want to lose Nainggolan, who has been an important part of their success over the last two years.
Adding Ivanovic to their squad would provide coach Luciano Spalletti with depth, but if they intend on holding on to the likes of Kostas Manolas and Antonio Rudiger, then central defenders aren’t likely to be top of their agenda in the summer.
Although Chelsea will likely have to test the waters before gauging what it will take for Roma to enter negotiations, there is arguably enough at their disposal to reach an agreement.
That being said, it will take something significant for them to acquire Nainggolan, as Roma are not under any real pressure to sell one of their leading stars, who appears to be settled in the Italian capital.