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Report: AC Milan in Talks with Chelsea for Cesc Fabregas, Cahill and Christensen
November 26, 2018
AC Milan are reportedly in negotiations with Chelsea over the transfers of Cesc Fabregas, Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill, as the Italian giants look to solve their injury crisis with a triple swoop in January.
Football Italia cited reports from Mediaset and Radio Rossonera, which said Milan are interested in taking all three players on loan, although that could prove difficult as Fabregas and Cahill prepare to enter the last six months of their deals.
It's understood Rossoneri director Leonardo is already in negotiations with the west London club and has held phone conversations with Chelsea counterpart Marina Granovskaia.
Milan are without injured midfield duo Lucas Biglia and Giacomo Bonaventura, the latter of whom is expected to be sidelined until around April, while centre-back Mattia Caldara is also on the injured list.
Fabregas is described as Milan's "main objective." The injuries to Biglia—who looks to be out until February—and Bonaventura in particular have hurt Gennaro Gattuso's side.
The Spaniard has a little more than six months remaining on his Chelsea contract but could be tempted to switch settings as he's failed to make a league start under Sarri.
That being said, Fabregas spoke to the media following a UEFA Europa League win over Vidi in October and expressed happiness with Sarri's management of the team, suggesting he's content under his command, via ESPN:
It would appear Milan's only chance of recruiting Fabregas would be to offer a permanent deal, but UEFA's restrictions over Financial Fair Play could limit their scope, per Football Italia.
Milan will also have a midfield space in the squad to fill next year as Riccardo Montolivo seemingly winds down his time at the club. The playmaker turns 34 in January and is yet to make an appearance this season, with his contract due to expire in June.
In regards to Christensen, it's noted that he could be tempted to move again after finding success in a two-season loan deal at German club Borussia Monchengladbach.
But that deal was when Christensen was first emerging as a senior star. He now carries far more weight, and his father said in October that they were analysing their options away from Stamford Bridge, per Goal:
Christensen, 22, comes highly regarded, but the playerhe is yet to play in the Premier League this season and sits firmly behind Antonio Rudiger and David Luiz in Sarri's centre-back rankings.
But that doesn't mean club nor manager would be open to the idea of losing a star as promising as Denmark international Christensen, who appears desperate to crack the first-team at Stamford Bridge.
Englishman Cahill has played only 21 minutes of Premier League football under Sarri, and the former Bolton Wanderers man looks to be fifth in the central defender pecking order as things stand.
Milan's crisis has increased their need for fresh blood, but it could be that Cahill is the only one of Chelsea's aforementioned trio whom they have a realistic chance of signing in January.