Chelsea are one of the few top clubs who are expected to remain highly active during the last few days of the transfer market as the Italian boss is desperate to plug gaps exposed in their opening day defeat against Burnley at Stamford Bridge.
Despite spending around £140 million in the transfer market, the Blues have found themselves quite vulnerable approaching games in the Premier League. Although Antonio Conte’s men saw a win against Tottenham away from home, the Blues weren’t considered a threatening side anymore going into the game.
One of the most important positions that need immediate strengthening is their central midfield. Antonio Conte had brought in Tiemoue Bakayoko from AS Monaco with a view to adding more strength to his midfield, but the club, in turn, decided to sell Nemanja Matic, who has been one of their most important players last season.
The Italian gaffer had expressed his displeasure with the club’s move and Cesc Fabregas starting alongside N’Golo Kante had its disastrous effects that were seen in the first game itself. Bakayoko remains an ideal fit for the midfield role with his physicality and passing, but with Chelsea challenging on four fronts, Conte could hardly rely solely on the Frenchman throughout the season.
The Blues have already been linked with numerous options including Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Drinkwater. And the latest to join the bandwagon is Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio.
The 31-year-old Italian international has reportedly been unhappy with the club of late with regular chances coming scantily his way. He has been the face of Juventus for the past one decade and during Conte’s managerial stint with the club, he had given him the central role. A fantastic midfielder with rich technique, Marchisio is known for his disciplined displays and consistency.
An academy product of the Turin club, Marchisio has been a regular in the side since the 2006-07 season. Apart from the last season, where he played less than 20 games owing to an injury, his place in the squad has been undisputed. So far, he has played a whopping 369 games for the Old Lady, scoring 37 goals and assisting 41 times in the process.
However, he is unhappy with the way Max Allegri has laid his plans for him and could seek a move outside for regular chances. Chelsea have been linked with Alex Sandro and Leonardo Bonucci earlier this summer and failure to land both of them could make them more determined to go for Marchisio now in the closing stages of the transfer window.
