Transfer News: Fabrizio Romano rules out Chelsea move for Inter Milan star Ivan Perisic
Italian football journalist Fabrizio Romano has ruled out any chance for Inter Milan winger Ivan Perisic to leave the club in January, despite links of a transfer to Chelsea.
Perisic has been with the Serie A defending champions since 2015, but it seems that his time at Milan could be coming to an end soon, with the player yet to pen a new contract with the club. As things stand, the Croatian will be a free agent in June.
Many top-flight clubs are said to be interested in signing the winger as a free agent at the end of this season, though Inter are still working on extending his current contract with them.
With a move for Perisic in January ruled out by Romano, Chelsea will have to look elsewhere in their quest for a wing-back to operate in tandem with Marcos Alonso. With Ben Chilwell ruled out of the season with injury, Alonso is the only star at Stamford Bridge who is a natural left wing-back.
The role is not new to the Croatian, having played there for Inter this season and can also provide cover on the right, which would surely appeal to Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel. There is also concern about Chelsea’s depth on the right flank with defender Reece James out with injury for a few weeks.
Tuchel had responded to this need for defensive cover by recalling Brazilian left-back Kenedy, who was out on loan at Flamengo during the first half of the season. It remains to be seen whether Tuchel persists with the Brazilian for the rest of the campaign, or if he is looking for other options in the transfer market.
Although Perisic could be available as a free agent in the summer, we are in need of immediate defensive options in the market. At 32-years-old, the Inter Milan man would have not been a long-term prospect to nurture at Stamford Bridge, but a short-term fix for our injury issues at the back.
The Croatian has played as a winger for a good part of his career and the attacking side of his game is there for all to see. He has, however, functioned as a wing-back at times, especially during his time at San Siro. Perisic also has no experience of playing in the Premier League, but a World Cup finalist with Croatia and a Scudetto winner with Inter, it is clear that he can function at the top level of the game.
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With time slowly running out for us to sign a defensive cover, it will be interesting to see whether Tuchel opts to use cheaper alternatives than splash his cash on signing new players. The German could either promote an academy youngster to fill in at left wing-back, or utilise Kenedy in the same role.
Despite recalling Kenedy back to the squad, it cannot be guaranteed that the Brazilian has been targeted as the man to provide cover as well as competition to Alonso for the rest of the campaign. He was never able to establish himself as a first-team player at Stamford Bridge, so it is curious as to why the Brazilian has suddenly been recalled.