Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Alex Sandro and Kostas Manolas

Juventus left-back Alex Sandro and AS Roma centre-back Kostas Manolas, both linked with summer moves to Chelsea, are said to be close to agreeing contract extensions with their current clubs.

According to Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia), Sandro is set for a big pay rise as part of his new five-year deal, with the Bianconeri keen to secure his status as a key man in Turin.

Sandro will reportedly see his annual salary increase from €2.8 million (£2.6 million) to €4.5 million (£4.1 million), putting him on a par with some of the club's top earners.

As noted by Football Italia, the Premier League champions sought to sign Sandro throughout the previous transfer window to no avail, with Juve refusing to entertain any offers.

It's been reported by Corriere dello Sport (h/t Edo Dalmonte of Calciomercato.com) that Manolas will also sign a new deal with Roma. However, a €30 million (£28 million) release clause in the new terms seems to indicate he's a player who may not view his long-term future at the Stadio Olimpico.

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As noted by Delmonte, Manolas seemed poised to leave Roma in the previous transfer window for Zenit St. Petersburg, while the Blues, Inter Milan and Juventus were all linked too. However, Chelsea's decision to pursue the Greece international's former team-mate, Antonio Rudiger, meant the 26-year-old ended up staying put.

While Chelsea would have been pleased to get a deal for Rudiger done, as noted by journalist Patrick Boyland, they missed out on some key targets this summer:

As relayed by Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol, Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta insisted Sandro never wanted to join the Blues anyway:

The Brazilian has been sensational for Juve since arriving from FC Porto. When he joined in 2015, it was clear he had plenty of potential, though under the guidance of manager Massimiliano Allegri, he has become one of the best left-backs in the world.

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It's easy to see where he would have fit into the Chelsea team. Marcos Alonso has been doing a fine job as a left wing-back for the Blues, but Sandro would have added a combativeness and thrust the Spaniard doesn't provide.

Per Squawka Football, since arriving in Italian football he has been sensational:

While Chelsea strengthened their defensive options with the signing of Rudiger, the fact that Manolas may be available further down the line for a fee of €30 million will interest plenty of elite clubs in Europe.

The Greek has cemented his status as one of the best centre-backs in Italian football during his time at Roma. Still just 26, Manolas' peak years are arguably ahead of him too, making the aforementioned price a potential bargain for any suitors.

While Manolas looked destined for the exit door at the Stadio Olimpico in the summer, David Amoyal of ESPN FC noted how important it was to keep him around given Roma's defensive issues:

Even for a team such as Chelsea, Sandro appears unattainable at this point. Juventus are one of the few clubs in world football with the financial muscle to resist enormous offers for their players; and given how vital he is to the team, you sense this new contract will make it even harder for interested sides to prise him away.

Manolas, meanwhile, would be attainable for a lot of clubs across Europe. The Blues may decline the chance having already secured Rudiger, though.