Blues close to complete first summer signing, as Tuchel wants £270,000-a-week Barcelona midfielder
Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Inter Milan’s Achraf Hakimi, according to reports in Italy.
The 22-year-old is the subject of interest from Thomas Tuchel’s side as well as Paris Saint-Germain. Both clubs have had €60 million bids rejected and the battle is on to land the Moroccan.
Hakimi is set to be sold this summer with Inter to raise funds by June 30 to relieve their financial burden. His agent also recently confirmed he is likely to leave the San Siro.
And as per reports in Italy from Calciomercato, Chelsea are leading the race and contacts have been ongoing for several days with the Blues keen to get a deal over the line.
Inter are believed to be ready to possibly accept an offer of €65 million cash plus Marcos Alonso, a player the Italian side are interested in.
Major developments could take place over the coming days but the report suggests Chelsea are on the front foot and on the verge of potentially sealing a deal for Hakimi.
Tuchel wants £270,000-a-week Barcelona midfielder
According to Mundo Deportivo, Tuchel is interested in signing Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic,
However, Pjanic established himself among the world’s finest midfielders during his time as a Juventus player. A world-class passer of the ball and set-piece taker, he earned himself admirers in Barcelona.
Barcelona made their move, offering Brazilian Arthur Melo in exchange, with a deal being done and the two players heading in opposite directions. It hasn’t been a move which has paid off for Pjanic.
The Bosnian has been unable to play his best football at Barcelona, for whatever reason, with a summer exit from the Spanish giants now being mooted as a possibility.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Chelsea and Juventus are interested in signing Pjanic this summer.
? Dos alternativas más para Pjanic
? PSG y Chelsea se interesan por el centrocampista del Barça
¿Dónde acabará el Bosnio? pic.twitter.com/0TQMMzlsp1
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) June 18, 2021
Pjanic played under Massimiliano Allegri in Turin, while he’s also just the kind of midfield player that Thomas Tuchel admires.
Whether either side will turn their interest into an official bid remains to be seen, but it’s certainly one to keep an eye on as things develop in the coming weeks and months.