Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Cesc Fabregas and Emanuele Giaccherini Rumours

Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas is considering a move to Real Madrid this summer despite his Barcelona connections.

That’s according to James Cambridge of the Sunday Express, who suggested the Spain international has doubts about his future at Stamford Bridge following a difficult second season at the club. His potential destination is one that will come as a surprise to plenty, though.

“Fabregas was a product of Barca's academy and he has made 96 La Liga appearances for the Catalan giants, winning the league title and Copa del Rey,” noted Cambridge. “But it is understood he is mulling over a move to the Santiago Bernabeu if it means he can escape the Premier League.”

The midfielder enjoyed a three-year spell with the Blaugrana, helping the team to one league title and one domestic cup. Here are some of his best moments from his time at the Camp Nou:

In the summer of 2014, he made the decision to join Chelsea and was sublime in his debut campaign, helping the Blues to the Premier League title under the guidance of Jose Mourinho. But his second season saw an alarming drop in form, as the former champions struggled badly and their manager was dismissed.

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However, Fabregas' performances did recover toward the back end of the campaign, and as these numbers from WhoScored.com show, he was eventually one of the Blues’ most effective attackers:

It’s a potential transfer that seems unlikely. First, new manager Antonio Conte will surely find a place in the side for a player who possesses such elegance on the ball and is capable of influencing the game in the attacking third. Additionally, Fabregas also showed signs of leadership with the Blues toward the end of the campaign.

A move to Real is something Fabregas would surely politely decline too. Of course, Los Blancos would love a player of his class, but given his Catalan ties, donning the famous all-white strip would be considered an act of sacrilege by plenty.

Emanuele Giaccherini Agent Talks Up Blues Move

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The agent for Italy man Emanuele Giaccherini has insisted his client would love to join Conte at Stamford Bridge next season.

The 31-year-old spent the 2015-16 term on loan at Bologna having failed to impress at Sunderland. But his agent, Furio Valcareggi, told SportItalia (h/t Matthew Treadwell of Sky Sports) he feels as though the Azzurri midfielder could be a success under Conte at Stamford Bridge:

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Giaccherini is a player who played 80 per cent of the games for a Juventus that had [Paul] Pogba, [Andrea] Pirlo, [Arturo] Vidal and [Claudio] Marchisio in the midfield. Conte likes him a lot and Chelsea would be a dream. It's still too early to talk about his future. After the Euros, whoever wants to buy him will not have to pay a high price to Sunderland.

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The Black Cats man netted on seven occasions during his temporary move to Bologna and showed he still has plenty to offer.

Per ESPN FC’s David Amoyal, Conte has spoken highly of the player previously too:

Still, you sense Giaccherini may have missed his chance. Conte used him brilliantly during their time together in Turin, with the Italian coach an admirer of his energy, work rate and ability to follow detailed tactical instructions in different roles. The player has shown at the UEFA European Championship he can still carry out these duties.

In a better side at Chelsea, he may be more effective than he was at Sunderland. But it’d be an underwhelming capture for the Blues faithful. They’ll want to see Conte building for the future with dynamic players who have a long shelf life. Unfortunately for Giaccherini, his best days appear to be behind him.