After the 2017/18 season in which Chelsea struggled, the club is now expected to go through a shakeup during this summer. Having finished fifth in the Premier League, which means they will be in the Europa League next term, new players and a new manager are set to arrive.
However, the London giant is now being linked with an unexpected target: Alisson from Roma. The Serie A goalkeeper is one of the hottest prospects in football, being chased by a number of European giants, with the Blues now reportedly joining the race.
This is according to sources out of Italy. Corriere dello Sport claims the Stamford Bridge side will lodge a bid for the South American shot-stopper. Italian paper Il Messaggero has gone a step further by claiming a close representative of the Giallorossi has held talks with the English outfit in London last week.
Domani il Chelsea presenta la sua offerta per #Alisson e la #Roma reagisce proponendo il raddoppio dell'ingaggio. Futuro incerto per il portiere, i giallorossi guardano a Rui Patricio e Meret (#CorSport) pic.twitter.com/Oeguqro2yv
— Giovanni Capuano (@capuanogio) June 4, 2018
What could this mean for Thibaut Courtois, the man who has excelled in between the sticks at the Bridge? Rumors claim the Belgian star is ready to leave the club, but Chelsea could miss out on their Brazilian target due to a difference in valuation.
Abramovich’s side is reportedly willing to pay roughly $59m (€50m) for the 25-year-old. Real Madrid, another team eyeing a move for Alisson, is ready to bid $70m (€60m) for the Brazilian. His Serie A employer, on the other hand, values him at $94m (€80m).
The Italian team, however, prefers to keep hold of the highly-south after goalkeeper. They are hoping to extend his current deal, which expires in 2021, by doubling his salary.
Alisson, though, does not want to make a decision about his future until after the World Cup. He is currently with Tite’s crew and wishes to solely remain focused on guiding his nation to a sixth title when the tournament kicks off on June 14.
