Reports in Italy are claiming that Chelsea are in talks with Calgiari over the £40 million signing of Nicolo Barella.
The deal is supposedly fairly close to being done. The player himself will make the final decision on whether or not he will leave his home town club.
For those wondering who Barella is and why Chelsea are willing to pay so much for him, he is worth that money and would be an excellent signing.
Barella is only 21 years old. He is a central midfielder who can play in any of the three central midfield positions in Chelsea’s formation.
He is versatile, energetic and aggressive yet also very good on the ball. Marco Verratti would be a good comparison.
There is no doubt in my mind that Barella would be a regular starter in the midfield three. The reports in Italy say that both Maurizio Sarri and Gianfranco Zola are big fans of the player and are actively pushing for his signing.
This suggests that Sarri sees Barella as a critical component of his team going forward. A deal looks like it could very well happen in January.
Although Barella is a boyhood Calgiari fan, he is open about his wish to play in England.
As he says himself, England would suit him. “If I had to choose between Serie A and the Premier League, I would go to England. I like the way they approach the game. Plus, everyone there is just as irritable and prone to fouls as me”.
Regardless of whether or not Mateo Kovacic returns to Madrid or whether Ruben Loftus-Cheek leaves, Barella would be an astute signing.