Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Alessio Romagnoli and Top Blues Rumours

AC Milan are reportedly set to offer Alessio Romagnoli a new contract in an attempt to stave off interest from Chelsea.

It's suggested by Calciomercato.com that the Serie A side want to add an extra year to the defender's deal, which means he would be tied down until 2021. While it's noted there aren't any significant concerns about Romagnoli leaving the San Siro, the club are wary of the Blues' interest.

Here's a reminder of why so many consider the Milan man as the finest defensive prospect in Italian football:

As noted in the report, Chelsea pushed hard to sign Romagnoli in the summer, although they were eventually rebuffed by Milan.

The decision to keep the player around was a popular one among the Rossoneri faithful. Since signing from AS Roma in the summer of 2015, the 21-year-old has been excellent at the heart of the Milan back four. Romagnoli is so composed in his play, whether that be shutting out danger or distributing from deep.

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Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren doesn’t feel as though Milan could sell Romagnoli as things stand, as he is a vital part of a young spine of players being put in place at the San Siro:

A new contract would emphasise the team's commitment to building for the future, although it is easy to see why Chelsea would pursue the player with major intent.

After all, Romagnoli has the potential to flourish under a manager like Antonio Conte and would be a perfect fit for the 3-4-3 system that has helped the team string together 12 consecutive wins in the Premier League.

As a left-sided defender, he would potentially be an ideal replacement for Gary Cahill on that side of the back three.

In the short term, Romagnoli’s future is at Milan, although it’s tough to see Chelsea giving up this pursuit.

Stefan de Vrij Competition

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According to Il Tempo (h/t Steve Mitchell of Calciomercato.com), Chelsea will face competition from Bayern Munich in the race for Lazio centre-back Stefan de Vrij.

In the report it's noted the Dutchman has advised his current side he would like to move on at the end of the campaign, and that will prompt a potential scramble for his services. Conte is said to be a fan, as is Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti; Manchester United have also been named as possible buyers.

The 24-year-old has been a big hit at Lazio since his move in the summer of 2014, establishing himself as one of the division's standout defenders.

Here's a look at what he is capable of:

Last term, with the Netherlands star injured for the majority of the campaign, Lazio struggled. However, in the 2014-15 season, he was key to the team qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. With De Vrij back in the fold again during 2016-17, the team have again looked assured in defence.

Here's a look at how the Dutchman compares with Romagnoli and Chelsea's own star centre-back David Luiz in league matches so far this season:

	De Vrij	Romagnoli	Luiz
Apps (Sub)	11	15	14
Goals	1	0	0
Tackles per game	1.9	1.4	1.2
Interceptions per game	2.6	1.5	1.4
Clearances per game	3.7	6	5.4
Blocks per game	0.5	0.3	0.5
Pass accuracy	84.2%	86.7%	82.9%

Conte will admire plenty of features in De Vrij's game. He has shown great versatility throughout his career, able to operate as part of a back three or a back four. His work on the ball is sound, while his committed defensive play and razor-sharp instincts would add further solidity to this Chelsea side.

Bayern have Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels to call upon, meaning it's difficult to see De Vrij starting regularly if he were to move to the Allianz Arena. That may be enough to give the Blues an edge.