Chelsea transfer news: Blues 'ready to launch £39m offer' for PSG midfielder Blaise Matuidi to replace Ramires
Matuidi will face Chelsea in the Champions League last-16 clash but could be on the move to Stamford Bridge in the summer
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea are being linked with a move for Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi in a bid to replace Ramires in the summer after the Brazilian completed a January transfer to China.
28-year-old Ramires made a shock £25m move to Jiangsu Suning last month in the first of many big-money transfers that saw established European players head to the Far East on lucrative contracts, with Alex Teixeira and Jackson Martinez following the Brazil international to China.
Chelsea failed to sign anyone to replace Ramires before the January transfer window deadline, with their two late additions coming in the form of defender Matt Miazga and striker Alexandre Pato, but French newspaper L’Equipe reports that the Blues are willing to offer up to £39m to PSG to try and sign Matuidi.
The 28-year-old has become an established figure in the PSG midfield since joining the Parisians in a £5.8m move from St Etienne in 2011, helping the club to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles with a fourth almost guaranteed this season.
The midfielder has also gone on to represent France 41 times and is expected to feature in their Euro 2016 squad this summer, having been named the 2015 French Player of the Year for his exploits for club and country.
However, with Matuidi contracted to PSG until the summer of 2018 and manager Laurent Blanc showing no signs of wanting to sell the midfielder, Chelsea face a struggle in persuading their Champions League last-16 opponents to part with Matuidi.
It’s been reported this week that the current Italy manager, Antonio Conte, has already given the club a list of transfer targets he would like to sign if he is named as the next Chelsea manager when Guus Hiddink leaves at the end of the season.
Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, who worked under Conte’s tenure at the Serie A champions before he departed to take charge of the national team, is believed to top the list, while Atletico Madrid defender Jose Gimenez is also among those wanted in the summer.
Matuidi’s current PSG team-mates Marco Veratti and Ezequiel Lavezzi are also said to be included on the list.
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