According to Sport Witness via Bild (subscription required), Chelsea are rivalling Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus with interest in Hertha Berlin starlet Lazar Samardzic.
Bild claim that the 18-year-old talent’s agent has received offers from the Blues and Rossoneri, with it added that Samardzic wants to leave his boyhood club this summer.
The central attacking midfielder made three appearances off the bench for Hertha after the Bundesliga’s restart, with the ace breaking into the first-team after impressing in the youth ranks.
Bild suggest that the Germany Under-19s ace was unhappy after being taken off after just 20 minutes of action from the bench in Hertha’s penultimate clash of the season against Eintracht.
Sport Witness claim that the ace is contracted until 2024, so Hertha are in a very safe position with the ace, there’s little chance that they’ll be forced into parting with the talent for a cut-price fee.
Hertha are said to have plans to become a real force in the Bundesliga soon, losing one of their top talents would hardly be the best way for the club to start this journey.
However, Sport Witness reiterate that the ace – who has also featured in a more traditional central midfield role and on the wing, could find first-team minutes hard to come due to competition.
The Bundesliga outfit already boast talented attacking midfielders in Ondrej Duda, Matheus Cuna and Vladimir Darida – with it said that Samardzic wants to discuss his future with Hertha’s hierarchy.
It wasn’t surprising to see the talent brought into the first-team fold when the season resumed, Samardzic bagged 14 goals and nine assists in just 16 appearances for Hertha’s Under-19s side.