Chelsea Transfer News: Marco Verratti Targeted by Antonio Conte, Latest Rumours

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will reportedly look to Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti as a potential Cesc Fabregas replacement should the Spaniard leave Stamford Bridge in the near future.

The Mirror's Darren Lewis (h/t ESPN FC's Jack Rathborn) wrote Verratti would be "willing to leave PSG" amid rumours of a move to Stamford Bridge, where Conte is eager to link up with his former Italy charge.

Fabregas has been associated with a move away from west London, and Conte is understood to be listening to offers for the playmaker, while Mikel John Obi is also expected to leave when his contract expires in June.

Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti also has history with Verratti and was responsible for bringing the anchor to Paris from Pescara in 2012, but following rumours of a reunion, he told Italian daily Tuttosport (h/t ESPN FC's Mark Lovell):

"

Juve or Bayern for Verratti? I wouldn't know. Agents are always playing little games to raise the prices.

We are not planning the future yet, there will be time for that. Getting players from a top club like PSG is hard, as you saw with how it went with [Blaise] Matuidi. Juve have [Miralem] Pjanic anyway so I don't think they need Verratti. They are different, but I think they can fill the same roles.

"

Tensions were alleged to have spiralled at Parc des Princes last month after PSG manager Unai Emery withdrew Verratti in the second half of a 0-0 stalemate against fellow Ligue 1 giants Marseille, per the Mirror's Joe Mewis.

However, Jonathan Johnson of ESPN FC reported the relationship has since undergone a period of healing, while Rathborn pointed to Verratti's comments in October that he won't leave PSG until he's won the UEFA Champions League:

Conte utilised Verratti as a key component in his Azzurri lineup during his spell in charge of Italy, and the Blues boss could be one of the few people able to prise the anchor away from his home of four years.

The former Italy manager may need to hope his compatriot tastes European success with the Parisians soon, and recent form has suggested Verratti is returning to his best, via BT Sport Football:

Elsewhere, Chelsea have been told they'll need to trigger Luis Muriel's £30.9 million release clause in order to tempt Sampdoria into selling their South American star.

Speaking to Radio Crc (h/t TalkSport), Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero confessed Napoli have already made an approach for the player, and they'll be subject to the same response as Chelsea:

"

Aurelio [De Laurentiis, Napoli president] hasn't called me for Muriel because the player is not for sale.

At the moment I'll hold on tight to him and stay calm given that De Laurentiis hasn't called me.

To think, when Muriel wasn't playing they wanted to give me €15m for him, when I paid €12m, but I said no. Muriel has a clause of €35m (£30.9m).

"

Muriel is contracted at Sampdoria until 2019, having moved to the Serie A outfit from Udinese in 2015, and the Colombian is now hitting top form after netting six goals in 13 appearances this season.

The 25-year-old promises to encounter big competition at Chelsea with the likes of Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi already at the club, although his major price tag may put the west Londoners off chasing a deal.