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Chelsea are reportedly willing to include goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in a deal to sign Inter Milan’s Andre Onana.
Onana joined the Italian giants from Ajax last summer after his contract with the Eredivisie champions expired.
The Cameroon international is enjoying a good season with the Nerazzurri and will be happy to return to regular play after a nine-month ban for consuming a banned substance.
Onana has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers with the ball in the world, as well as being an excellent shooter.
This unsurprisingly caught the attention of several top clubs. But why should he leave Champions League semi-finalists Inter following the chaos at Stamford Bridge?
However, Chelsea are one of those clubs interested in signing the 27-year-old.
Last month, Sport Mediaset Marco Barzaghi stated that the Blues were hoping to induce a sale by offering them 40 million euros plus Edouard Mendy.
And now La Gazzetta dello Sport says Chelsea and Inter will meet at the weekend to negotiate a deal that will see Kepa go to Inter in exchange for Onana.
The same fee is mentioned, meaning the terms will be exactly the same as reported by Barzaghi, only that it will include the other Chelsea goalkeeper.
Inter are already looking for other goalkeepers, so they could be willing to sell Onana this summer.
Should the former Ajax player move to Chelsea, the Serie A side are planning to go after Empoli’s Guglielmo Vicario.
The Blues are expected to be busy this summer despite having invested around £600m in the last two transfer windows.
Despite their high expenditures, they lack a natural striker and could sign a defensive midfielder and goalkeeper.
The signing of a new number 1 will likely only be done if the Blues manage to get rid of Mendy or Kepa.
Chelsea signed World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez in January, although he’s not someone who should be used as their number 6.
One genuine number 6 that Londoners are reportedly interested in signing is Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia.
It was reported over the weekend that Chelsea are close to signing the Belgian international.
And now Spanish outlet TodoFichajes says a deal is indeed ‘very close’
Lavia joined Southampton from Manchester City for just £14m last summer, and the Blues have reportedly been looking to sign him in the same window.
This was unsurprisingly rejected by the Saints and Frank Lampard’s side remain interested ahead of the summer transfer window.
The report said Chelsea are in «advanced talks» to sign the 19-year-old after he «jumped to the top» of the Blues’ transfer wish list.
Chelsea want to act fast to avoid losing Lavia to another club with Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool keen.
Note that City have the option to re-sign Lavia for £45m, although the clause won’t become active until 2024.
City’s buyout clause has encouraged players like Chelsea to act now and secure the promising teenager’s signing this summer.
Lavia should be ‘expected’ to join the Stamford Bridge club, even if Saints avoid relegation from the Premier League.
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