Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a January deal for Juventus star Alex Sandro as they aim to strengthen their forces for the second half of the season
According to a report by The Mirror, Chelsea are considering a January move for £60 million-rated Juventus wing-back Alex Sandro.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is intent on boosting their defence after several blunders in their opening day defeat to Burnley. Sandro was identified as a top target but the Italian club’s director Giuseppe Marotta is understood to have rejected the offer.
Sandro joined Juventus from Porto in the summer of 2015, and the 26-year-old wasted no time in establishing himself as one of the best full-backs in Serie A. He soon went on to become a regular figure in the Juventus starting lineup, cementing his place post the departure of Patrice Evra.
The talented defender has been part of a Juventus side that has won the league title in the last two seasons but it could time for him to move on. Sandro can potentially be a solid addition to address Chelsea’s defensive woes.
Conte deployed a 3-4-3 formation enroute to winning the Premier League title last season – a system in which Sandro can slot in seamlessly with his experience of playing as a wing-back. Also, the Brazilian is still just 26 years old and can easily offer football at the top level for several more years, making him a long-term prospect.
Throughout the summer, it has been quite evident that Conte has stuttered in his transfer pursuits. After failure to land players like Romelu Lukaku and Danilo, in addition to letting Nemanja Matic leave for Manchester United, Conte will be determined to land Sandro in January.
However, Sandro played a key role in guiding his team to the Champions League final last season and it might be tough to pry him out of Juventus’ clutches. With Chelsea in desperate search of left wing-back, Sandro does seem to be an ideal fit.
Having said that, the Blues will have to offer a quite a hefty deal to convince Juventus to let the Brazilian leave for Stamford Bridge in January.
