Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Leonardo Bonucci and Antoine Griezmann

Chelsea’s pursuit of Juventus star Leonardo Bonucci looks to have hit something of a snag, as the Serie A champions are doing everything in their power to keep the defender in Turin.

In order to shake off the attention of Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, who worked with Bonucci during his time at Juve and with the national team, the Italian club are set to offer their man a bumper new deal.

When talking with Italian TV station Premium Sport, club CEO Giuseppe Marotta revealed his ambitions for the future, including the players he wishes to tie down to fresh, long-term deals—via James Gray of Daily Express:

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The renewals of Dybala and Bonucci—they are two players that have long contracts. [But] we are talking with them to see them [extend] again, because it is the players’ performance in the team, and because it is right to also adapt them according to the balance within the squad and their place in it.

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Bonucci signed a contract extension only last summer, with that deal keeping him at the club for another four years.

However, with Chelsea sniffing about for a long-term replacement for John Terry, the Old Lady can’t be too careful and will likely give Bonucci an offer he can’t refuse.

Either way, you could hardly blame Juventus for being tempted to sell one of their star men, especially when you consider The Sun’s latest rumour.

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As Alvise Cagnazzo writes, Chelsea could be prepared to use star man Eden Hazard as bait in a deal to lure Bonucci to Stamford Bridge.

Plenty of Blues fans will be scratching their heads and hoping the rumour is unfounded, but something certainly needs to be done about Chelsea’s back line.

Elsewhere, more competition has emerged for another of Chelsea’s big targets, as Manchester United are said to be in for Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann.

Chelsea have been targeting the Frenchman for some time, per Neil Fissler of Daily Express, but United now want to land Griezmann as a long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney.

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That’s according to John Richardson of Daily Mirror, who writes that executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has held talks about the 25-year-old, who could cost as much as £80 million.

Chelsea will now need to up their attempts to land Griezmann sooner rather than later, or he’ll be just another player who’s slipped through their fingers.

The Blues have started the 2016/17 campaign in relatively impressive form, although their defensive line has looked shaky at times.

In Gary Cahill and David Luiz, Chelsea have two defenders who, despite their obvious talent, are prone to some catastrophic errors and positional mishaps.

These are minor moments across the course of the season which cost the Blues dearly when it comes to fighting for silverware and a place in the Champions League, which makes bringing in a defender even more of a necessity.