Incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is reportedly planning a £57m double swoop for Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci and Lazio ace Antonio Candreva.
The current Italy coach is expected to make changes to his squad when he arrives at Stamford Bridge later this summer, with several new faces likely to arrive at the club.
According to The Sun, that includes Bonucci and Candreva, with both men currently playing key roles for the Azzurri at Euro 2016.
It adds to the influence that they’ve had at their respective clubs for several years now, and both men would undoubtedly be wise acquisitions for Conte given their quality on the ball as well as what they bring off it.
Candreva has also been linked with a move to Inter but Conte remains hopeful of stealing a march on the Nerazzurri, while it’s claimed that a £130,000-a-week contract over three years has been accepted by Bonucci and his agents already.
It remains to be seen whether or not that is the case, as of the pair, Bonucci is likely to be the more difficult to prise away from Italy given his continued importance as the leader in the centre of Juve’s defence.
Nevertheless, Chelsea will attempt to test their resolve with an improved £32m bid which they will hope is enough to tempt them into selling, and as for Candreva, he is likely to fetch a transfer fee in the region of £25m.
Conte has clear ideas and methods of coaching and the way in which he wants his team to play, coupled with his tactical genius that has seen him attract plenty of praise in recent years.
Bonucci’s arrival would allow him to switch to his favoured three-man defence with the likes of Gary Cahill, John Terry and Kurt Zouma offering support, while Candreva is a versatile attacking player and would arguably relish playing across a trident with his industrious nature also ticking an important box for Conte.