Chelsea and Manchester City will reportedly clash in their January pursuit of Juventus defender Alex Sandro

According to a report by Transfer Market Web, Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester City are both eyeing a January move for Juventus defender Alex Sandro. The Italian club may not be too keen to sell though, since the report also goes to state that Juve may not accept bids even if they are in the range of €60 million.

Alex Sandro joined Juventus from FC Porto in the summer of 2015. From then, the full-back wasted no time in establishing himself as one of the best in Serie A. He soon went on to become a regular in the Juventus starting lineup, post the departure of Patrice Evra.

The talented defender has been part of an illustrious Juventus side that has won the league title in the last two seasons, thus making it quite evident that lack of silverware is not a reason for him to consider an exit. That being said, after having won everything in Italy, it probably may be time for him to embark upon a new challenge.

At Stamford Bridge, Sandro can thrive under Antonio Conte’s tutelage. The former Juventus manager is known to have a soft spot for Serie A players, and was quite intent on signing Sandro in the summer. If the deal goes through, Chelsea can greatly benefit from it.

TURIN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 21: Alex Sandro of Juventus FC reacts during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Cagliari Calcio at Juventus Stadium on September 21, 2016 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Premier League beckoning? (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

Sandro has enough experience when it comes to playing as a wing-back as well as a traditional full-back. In fact, Conte popularized the back-three in the Premier League, and is known for fielding a 3-4-3 on several occasions. Sandro can slot in seamlessly since his versatility will aid him.

Additionally, the Brazilian is still just 26 years old and can easily offer football at the top level for several more years. However, with Juve’s reluctance and Manchester City harbouring an interest, Conte will have to make a solid offer pretty soon.

As far as Manchester City are concerned, Pep Guardiola did manage to strengthen the squad further with the addition of Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy. Considering the form City are in, signing a versatile player like Sandro could only elevate their game further.

One standing issue with Sandro – regardless of which team he signs for – is the matter of discipline. He is known for making quite a fair number of fouls on the field, but that is something Guardiola and Conte can work with when one considers the player’s dribbling and crossing abilities.

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