Chelsea boss Antonio Conte will reportedly have to part with £32.5m in order to sign Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan this summer, and it raises the question as to whether or not it’s really worth it?
The Premier League outfit have been linked with a move for the Belgian international for months, and have already seen one bid rejected by Roma.
According to The Telegraph, they will now have to return with an improved bid in order to convince the Giallorossi to sell, but it remains to be seen whether or not they will be willing to bow to the pressure.
There is no doubt that Nainggolan would be a great fit at Stamford Bridge under Conte and in the Premier League in general given his playing style and no-nonsense approach.
Furthermore, with six goals and two assists in 42 appearances in all competitions this past season, he has shown a different side to his game and has continued to improve his all-round displays.
Nevertheless, the fee now being touted does raise doubts over whether Chelsea are over-paying for the former Cagliari man.
Nainggolan would add a great deal to the Chelsea squad next season, and is the kind of midfielder that Conte would relish having at his disposal in his first season in England.
At 28, he is expected to now be entering the peak years of his career, but for the money involved, there is a legitimate argument that Roma will be the winners in the deal and that Chelsea have overpaid.
If his influence on the squad helps result in success for Chelsea next season, then it will be seen as a wise move. However, it’s still a significant amount of money, much more than the club initially set out to spend on the combative midfielder.