Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Leonardo Bonucci and Virgil van Dijk

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has told owner Roman Abramovich he wants the club to sign either Leonardo Bonucci or Virgil van Dijk.

According to Matt Law of The Telegraph, Conte wants to boost his defensive options in the summer and requires a primary centre-back to arrive at Stamford Bridge. Bonucci could be about to depart Juventus in the coming weeks, but the Blues will also consider Southampton defender Van Dijk after a move to Liverpool fell through.

Bonucci would cost Chelsea £50 million, per Law, which would represent a huge outlay for a 30-year-old. Van Dijk would be priced in a similar bracket as the Italian, but he is five years younger than the Juve star.

Law wrote: "Chelsea have a long-standing policy of only handing out one-year contracts to players over the age of 30 who are already at the club, as John Terry and Frank Lampard have previously discovered. Van Dijk would be more expensive than Bonucci, but, aged 25, could be seen to provide better value for money."

Here is Bonucci in action:

Van Dijk sat out the end of last term with injury but should be ready to return to top-flight action next season.

The Dutchman featured in 27 matches in the Premier League and Europe last season, according to WhoScored.com, as the Saints finished eighth in England.

Bonucci has continued to be one of Italy's elite defenders, helping his club achieve dominance in Serie A and appearing in last season's UEFA Champions League final.

His experience would appeal to Chelsea as they hunt a replacement for John Terry, but the price tag will surely put off most suitors.

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Van Dijk was subject of interest from Liverpool, and pundit John Aldridge has called for the player to force an exit from the south coast.

According to Adrian Kajumba of The Mirror, the former Liverpool striker said:

"Tapping up goes on all the time in the game and even if Liverpool went a bit far in their pursuit of Van Dijk before they spoke to Southampton, I don’t believe this transfer story is dead in the water. 

"Van Dijk needs to make the next move and I reckon he will tell Southampton that he wants out and he wants to go to Liverpool. I don’t like the way the game has gone in some ways and players can hold clubs to ransom if they want a move and big money offers are coming in, but that is the way of the world now."

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Van Dijk has established himself as one of English football's most technically gifted centre-backs, and the clamour to sign such a talent has seen expected fees continually rise.

Chelsea must make sure they do not stand still after winning the Premier League title as they did in ex-boss Jose Mourinho's last term in charge.

A lack of transfers saw the Blues fighting relegation rather than defending their crown, but Conte's will is likely to force Abramovich to open the chequebook.