Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Cesc Fabregas and Leonardo Bonucci

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has received another blow in what's already been a tough season, after AC Milan manager Vincenzo Montella said he doesn't want the Spaniard. Elsewhere, Juventus are ready to tie down Leonardo Bonucci to a new deal.

Montella spoke to Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera (h/t AS) amid suggestions Fabregas was on a shortlist of players Milan were examining ahead of the January window following injury to Riccardo Montolivo.

The Rossoneri chief is instead searching for a different addition in his engine room and said: "We're looking for a player who has the characteristics that Montolivo has, who can also operate in a defensive-midfield two. Fabregas? He doesn't have those characteristics."

Goal's Chelsea correspondent Nizaar Kinsella agreed Fabregas no longer has the skill set to operate as part of a two-man tandem, and his attributes are instead more finely tuned to a different type of game:

Sky Sports confirmed Montolivo could miss six months after suffering knee ligament damage on duty for Italy in Friday's 1-1 draw against Spain in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

It's still early in the season, but it seems Chelsea manager Antonio Conte doesn't rate Fabregas as highly as some of his predecessors might have, and Squawka's James McManus illustrated the Spaniard's fall:

The 29-year-old has featured in four of the Blues' seven Premier League outings this season, but he's managed to start in just one of those appearances for a grand playing total of 87 minutes this term.

Montella's declaration could merely be a bid to throw the media off his scent ahead of the January transfer window, of course, and in any case, Conte has stated his admiration of Fabregas, per ESPN FC's Liam Twomey:

Elsewhere, Goal's Romeo Agresti reported Juve will offer Bonucci a one-year contract extension and a big wage increase in order to fend off interest from the centre-back's former club and international boss Conte.

The Serie A champions want to extend Bonucci's stay until 2021 and are willing to bump his annual salary up to €5 million (£4.5 million).

Gianluca Di Marzio translator David Amoyal noted the importance of how tax plays a factor in those figures:

If those numbers are genuine, however, it still means Bonucci stands to earn around £90,000 per week with the Bianconeri on those new terms, a figure cash-rich Chelsea could undoubtedly better if needed.

Bonucci's current deal with the Bianconeri isn't poised to expire until the summer of 2020, but with former Juventus manager Conte lurking, the Italian heavyweights want to lock down one of their most prized assets.