Chelsea have reportedly placed a €25m valuation on Davide Zappacosta amid speculation linking him with a return to Italy with Roma.
It’s been a difficult start for Frank Lampard as he’s suffered a heavy defeat in his opening Premier League game in charge while that was followed by a loss on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup clash with Liverpool in midweek.
He’ll hope to get off the mark as Chelsea boss in their clash with Leicester City at Stamford Bridge this weekend, but it seems as though he’ll also have decisions to make on a few potential outgoing deals before the transfer deadline around Europe at the start of September.
According to Goal.com, Chelsea want €25m to green light an exit for Zappacosta, but while Roma are said to be interested, that transfer fee could put them off making a bid unless it involves an initial loan move to the Stadio Olimpico first.
Meanwhile, it’s added that Tiemoue Bakayoko and Lucas Piazon could be following the Italian international out of the exit door this summer, with the latter set for another loan move while it remains to be seen if any clubs around Europe are willing to take Bakayoko on.
On one hand, it seems like a questionable decision to trim the squad as given their transfer ban this summer, Lampard may well need all the quality and depth that he has at his disposal to ensure that Chelsea compete on multiple fronts.
Nevertheless, it will be about finding the right balance and perhaps getting rid of players deemed surplus to requirements at this stage will help them build a more flexible strategy next summer when they are ready to splash out on reinforcements.
