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Evaluating Chelsea FC’s rumoured transfer moves

By Barrett Rouen

TURIN, ITALY - JANUARY 24: Radja Nainggolan (R) of AS Roma competes for the ball with Stephan Lichtsteiner (L) of Juventus FC during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and AS Roma at Juventus Arena on January 24, 2016 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
TURIN, ITALY - JANUARY 24: Radja Nainggolan (R) of AS Roma competes for the ball with Stephan Lichtsteiner (L) of Juventus FC during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and AS Roma at Juventus Arena on January 24, 2016 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) /
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Incoming – Central Midfield

Radja Nainggolan during the Italian Serie A football match A.S. Roma vs F.C. Torino at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, on april 20, 2016 (Photo by Silvia Lore/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Radja Nainggolan during the Italian Serie A football match A.S. Roma vs F.C. Torino at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, on april 20, 2016 (Photo by Silvia Lore/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

Radja Nainggolan – This is the rumor that we have been hearing the most about since the signing of Antonio Conte was first announced. Chelsea have already made a bid (a lowball £23 million pound offer) to sign the tenacious midfielder from Roma and the possibility of a deal being made here does seem to be very possible. Nainggolan plays in a position that Chelsea are lacking suitable quality in and Roma’s asking price doesn’t appear to be too high.

ROME, ITALY - MARCH 19: Miralem Pjanic of AS Roma in action during the Serie A match between AS Roma and FC Internazionale Milano at Stadio Olimpico on March 19, 2016 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 19: Miralem Pjanic of AS Roma in action during the Serie A match between AS Roma and FC Internazionale Milano at Stadio Olimpico on March 19, 2016 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images) /

Miralem Pjanic – The other Roma midfield maestro that has been endlessly linked with the Blues since Conte’s appointment seems less likely than his counterpart to be making his way from the streets of the Eternal City to London.

Though Pjanic is undoubtedly a quality player it seems improbable that Roma will decide to gut the entire core of their midfield as soon as it has begun to flourish into a competitive Serie A power.

Pjanic also plays in a position and style that is incredibly similar to Chelsea’s own Cesc Fabregas and so the two of them in the same side makes very little sense from a squad balance point of view. This is a deal that seems unlikely to happen considering what Conte already has to work with and the amount of young talent he is expected to bring through as well.

PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 23: Blaise Matuidi of Paris Saint-Germain in action during the Ligue 1 game between Paris Saint-Germain and Angers SCO at Parc des Princes on January 23, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – JANUARY 23: Blaise Matuidi of Paris Saint-Germain in action during the Ligue 1 game between Paris Saint-Germain and Angers SCO at Parc des Princes on January 23, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images) /

Blaise Matuidi – This rumor has strung itself up do to the weak nature of Chelsea’s defensive midfield pairing. When the real Nemanja Matic got lost at sea Chelsea immediately got linked with every midfield enforcer from London to Timbuktu.

Matuidi plays for PSG right now and at age of 29, doesn’t seem to be the sort of player who would be giving up Champions League football even if it’s just for a year (hopefully). This is a case of it being either him or Nainggolan and it does appear to be “The Ninja’s” transfer that will be going through at some point this summer.

Next: Incoming - Paul Pogba

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