A major transfer battle is heating up for one of Italy’s brightest defensive talents, but Marco Palestra’s destination already seems decided amid interest from Chelsea.
Marco Palestra enjoyed a sensational breakout 2025/26 season on loan at Cagliari from Atalanta, establishing himself as the Serie A’s fastest player.
The 21-year-old made 37 Serie A appearances, contributing one goal and four assists. His exceptional performances didn’t just solidify Cagliari’s top-flight status; they earned him the prestigious Serie A Best Defender award and his first senior international caps for Italy.
Palestra’s rise has caught the attention of Chelsea, who have made formal inquiries with his entourage.
Under new manager Xabi Alonso, the Blues are searching for full-backs to inject energy and stability into their system. And the fact that Manchester City want Malo Gusto adds to things.
Who do you want to see Chelsea sign for each of these positions? 👀
These are the FOUR areas the club have identified for this summer…
- Goalkeeper
- Central defender
- Central midfielder
- Left winger
Chelsea set to lose out on Marco Palestra
In an update on YouTube, Matteo Moretto says Marco Palestra wants to stay in Italy and Inter Milan is his priority move after Chelsea links.
“So, I’m telling you, , we’ve always said that Palestra is the absolute number one objective when it comes to Inter’s right flank.
“Inter has already had, I’m not telling you that Inter has an agreement in principle with Palestra, but I can certainly tell you that there have been intense discussions with Palestra’s entourage and also discussions with Atalanta.
“I can add that it’s true that Palestra has and is receiving inquiries from the Premier League.
“We also talked about City, but Palestra’s priority remains to play in Italy. I can confirm that Palestra is giving Inter absolute priority right now, so let’s keep Inter at the forefront for Palestra.”
What did you think of Nicolas Jackson’s performance against France?🤔
He hit the post and scored an offside goal!
Do Chelsea have a secret right-back plan?
Chelsea’s interest in right-backs like Marco Palestra strongly indicates a calculated squad reshuffle under Xabi Alonso, pointing directly toward a potential exit for Malo Gusto.
With heavy interest from Manchester City and Bayern Munich, it seems that Chelsea are open to evaluating Gusto’s departure, though nothing is confirmed.
Club captain Reece James tends to operate at right-back, plus you’ve got Josh Acheampong who can play there, which begs the question. Unless James and Acheampong are to be used in midfield and at centre-back respectively.
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