Chelsea Reportedly Send Reps to Italy in Bid to Finalise Daniele Rugani Transfer

Chelsea have reportedly sent officials to Italy in an attempt to wrap up a deal for Juventus defender Daniele Rugani.

According to Gary Jacob of The Times, the Blues have intensified their interest in the centre-back and are seeking to get a deal done before the Premier League transfer deadline on August 9. However, it's said that Chelsea are reluctant to meet Juventus' £40 million asking price for the 23-year-old.

Jacob also noted that Chelsea have been offered Juventus playmaker Miralem Pjanic. Blues forward Alvaro Morata is also said to be attracting interest from AC Milan, although the Premier League side want a whopping £58 million for his services.

In what has been a chaotic summer for the Blues, new manager Maurizio Sarri has only been able to make one major signing in the form of midfielder Jorginho. And time is running out for him to bolster his squad.

Sarri will know Rugani well from the pair's time together at Empoli, and given the defender has never quite been able to cement his place in the Juventus side, the prospect of a fresh start elsewhere may be appealing to him.

According to Corriere dello Sport's Alfredo Pedulla, a crucial meeting between a number of parties in regard to the deal is imminent:

The player's agent, Davide Torchia, recently confirmed Chelsea's interest in his client but added it's not certain Rugani will be leaving the Italian champions this summer.

"The interest from Chelsea is there for Rugani," he told Radio Sportiva (h/t Sacha Pisani of Goal). "Beyond the figures though there's a technical question. Neither the player nor Juventus has ever said they want a sale. The operation with Chelsea is separate from [Gonzalo] Higuain. Each deal has a different cost and different dynamics."

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Rugani would be a fascinating signing for the Blues. He was once considered to be one of the best defensive prospects in the game.

However, competition has been stiff in Turin, with the likes of Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Andrea Barzagli ahead of Rugani in the pecking order. Mattia Caldara also returned from an extended loan spell this summer, and as Sport Witness noted, there is speculation about another defender coming in:

Rugani made 22 starts for the Serie A side last term and did well in the main. As WhoScored.com highlighted, when he's in the starting XI, the Bianconeri tend to do well:

The Italy international has natural defensive instincts, is calm on the ball and, given his age and relatively limited appearances, there is room for Rugani to get even better in the future with consistent games.

For Sarri, Rugani would be an ideal option. The Italian coach demands his side builds from the back, and his attacking style means defenders need to be comfortable in one-on-one situations. The challenge for Chelsea will be to convince Juventus to part ways with one of their most exciting defensive prospects.