AC Milan are ready to start transfer negotiations over the potential signing of Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, who has a £40million release clause.
Sources with a close understanding of the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Chukwuemeka is primarily a loan target for Milan, but they would be prepared to negotiate a buy option for around €20-25m.
For now, Chukwuemeka is understood to be favouring staying at Chelsea, though it remains to be seen if he’ll get much playing time at Stamford Bridge in the season ahead, with Milan hopeful that they can convince him to make the move to the San Siro instead.
Chukwuemeka has been a little unlucky with injuries during his time at Chelsea so far, so it may be that the 20-year-old would do well to be patient and try again to challenge for a place in the 2024/25 campaign.
Still, with so much competition in this big CFC squad, it might also be worth looking at how some former Blues players have revived their careers since leaving the west London club for Milan.
Chukwuemeka transfer: Could he shine alongside former Chelsea rejects?
If Chukwuemeka were to move to Milan, he’d be lining up with other former Chelsea players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fikayo Tomori and Christian Pulisic.
None of those players really established themselves as key players at Chelsea, but have done much better during their time in Italy, so perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned there for Chukwuemeka, who is at that stage in his career where he needs to play regularly and have the trust of his manager.
It will be interesting to see how this situation develops, and if Milan can afford a dal as well, as Chelsea may well push to keep the England Under-20 international unless his £40m release clause is triggered.