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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Mark Wakefield

Chelsea to 'make £44.5m bid' for defender Rafa Benitez blocked Everton from signing for £12m

Everton have often been linked with players, and now one of their former transfer targets could be on the move once again.

Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries was heavily linked with a move to Goodison Park last summer. However, the Blues did not sign the full-back, with him instead moving to Serie A from PSV Eindhoven.

Former Everton boss Rafa Benitez was in charge at Goodison during the time of the club's links with Dumfries.

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Now, though, reports are suggesting that Dumfries could be moving to the Premier League after all. However, it is Chelsea who are the club rumoured to be interested.

According to Corriere dello Sport , Chelsea are prepared to pay €50million (£44.5m) to sign Dumfries in the coming months. However, it states that Inter will not allow the player to leave until the end of the season.

Should Chelsea manage to sign Dumfries for this fee, that would be a significant increase on the number that Everton were thought to be close to agreeing for the player 12 months ago. Last year the player even confirmed that he had the chance to move to Goodison, but instead signed for Inter.

“It took some time to close the deal, but when it happened, I had goosebumps,” Dumfries told Voetbal International in December last year.

“I was talking to [my agent Mino] Raiola every day, I strongly wanted to join Inter. I had an offer from Everton, but I didn’t think twice about coming here.

“They have a great tradition in Italy and Europe and they are the champions of Italy. The city of Milan also had an impact on my choice.”

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