Chelsea defender, Branislav Ivanovic is sparking transfer rumors with recent reports that he feels his pay is not up the standards the Serbian believes they should. According to Express’s Tony Banks , Ivanovic and Chelsea’s inability to agree on a 1-year deal has made Ivanovic a target for super-clubs, Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and FC Bayern Munich.
The 31-year-old defender has been a staple in the Chelsea back line since he came to Stamford Bridge in 2008. His ability to defend consistently has been key with the addition of young Kurt Zouma in the first team on occasion. The veteran savvy of Ivanovic has blended nicely when Zouma is in the back-line or midfield. The athletic Zouma is a young Blue and pairing him with the veteran back-line of Chelsea has been an interesting and promising experiment.
Ivanovic has been one of the best defenders in the Premiere League over the years, his ability to play on the attack has been massive for Mourinho’s men this season. Pairing with Cahill, Terry, and Azpilicueta, the Chelsea defense has played a big part in their lead at the top of the table. Ivanovic has netted 6 goals and 4 assists in all competitions. Including an assist memorable goal against PSG in the Champions League that was a Terry to Cahill to Ivanovic beauty.
He would be a massive loss for the Blues, who already face transfer rumors with Eden Hazard. Locking Ivanovic into a 1-year deal is all Chelsea can do due to the over 30 policy. Which states that every player of 30 can only sign a 1-year deal. This has been a turn off to players in the past, and stands to reason why there is speculation about Branislav. Ivanovic is loved in London and would be a massive hole in the Chelsea back-line. He is an aerial threat every time a header is near, and always creates opportunities in the box. The massive throw-ins are a specialty of the Serbian that always brings opportunities when attacking.
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Planted roots plays a big role in these rumors. A Chelsea optimist would argue that Ivanovic’s family is settled in Surrey, and no one wants to move their family around. He seems comfortable on the team, his joy is shown on the pitch and José Mourinho has always loved Ivanovic: “He came immediately after I left and after that he made a fantastic contribution for this club. He is a competitive animal. A big heart”, said Mourinho.
It will be interesting to see how the contract talks develop over the coming weeks. With the end of the season looming there are sure to be more stories focused on the contract discussions and rumors surrounding Ivanovic. But, will there be fire? With Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and FC Bayern Munich lurking with money in their pockets, there could be. Chelsea do their best to keep players who are as impactful and love the shirt like Ivanovic, so it makes sense he will be a Blue next season.
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