Chelsea Could Block Perisic’s Move With A Bid For Candreva
REUTERS/Yong Teck Lim
As the popular saying goes, revenge is a dish best served cold. If reports that Chelsea are about to make an offer that could potentially end Manchester United’s hopes of signing Ivan Perisic are true, then boy have the Blues shoved an iceberg down their rivals’ throats.
It was just under a month ago when Romelu Lukaku was all set to make a fairy tale return to Chelsea. He had left the club in 2013 as another one of Chelsea’s gifted youngsters who had been signed as a hope for the future, but was never given the chance to prove himself due to the presence of a more costly, experienced alternative.
Since then, the Belgian international has established himself as one of the best strikers in the Premier League, and having been Antonio Conte’s prime target for this summer, one could say he had unfinished business at Stamford Bridge.
The script was written, but Manchester United tore it to shreds. The Red Devils came in with a last minute bid, and Lukaku had suddenly escaped from the grasp of his former employers, becoming Old Trafford’s new £75m star.
United fans have been rubbing it into their Chelsea supporting mates since, but it now appears that the tables have turned.
Ivan Perisic has been the talk of the transfer window for United this summer, with the club making several approaches to sign the winger from Inter Milan. Jose Mourinho, in particular, has been desperate to sign a winger, and has identified Perisic as the perfect fit for his team.
However, the Serie A giants have been stubborn in negotiations – it is almost as if their officials have pulled a leaf out of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy’s book – and have turned down offers that have been just £4m short of their £44m valuation. They have also demanded that Anthony Martial be sent the other way on loan, making it an impossible situation for Mourinho, who is desperate to nab the Croat, but is not willing to pay over the odds for the 28-year-old.
The delay in proceedings has now allowed Chelsea to storm in and launch a bid for 30-year-old Antonio Candreva.
Reuters / Giorgio Perottino
Inter boss Luciano Spalletti has repeatedly expressed his desire to hold on to Perisic, but according to Italian news outlet Mediaset Premium, he is willing to let Candreva leave.
The Italian international has played under Conte while the latter was the manager of the national team, and a move now appears to be on the cards.
Keita Balde is said to be close to joining the Nerazzurri from Lazio, and hence, they will be willing to let one winger leave. If Chelsea are successful in their approach, it would mean Perisic would be forced to remain at the club, and it would scupper any chance of him moving to the Theatre of Dreams this summer. Revenge served with the perfect reprisal.
Manchester United fan, Wayne Rooney is his role model. Passionate writer who has written for several sites in the past. He’s also an aspiring pianist and creates background music for BlameFootball’s Youtube channel.
