Marco Palestra will sign a six-year contract at Chelsea.
Standard Sport understands the full-back is set to sign a contract that will run to 2032. Chelsea will also have an option to extend it by a further year through to June 2033.
Chelsea are very close to finalising a deal to sign the Atalanta defender for a package of around £45million.
Inter Milan were frontrunners to sign the 21-year-old but the Premier League side hijacked the deal and moved at pace to reach an agreement with Atalanta, convincing the player to come to the capital.
The Serie A side could not match the offer nor wages being offered to the player by Chelsea, even through Palestra will fit into the club’s bonus-incentivised wage structure. The move is now almost done.
Chelsea appreciate Palestra’s ability to play as a right wing-back as well as a right-back, and the fact he can deputise on the left when needed.
Standard Sport reported last week that the west Londoners are expected to make multiple first-team signings this summer, at least two of which are to be top players able to come straight into the starting lineup under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The Italian club Como are interested in centre-back Trevoh Chalobah and have approached Chelsea to make that clear.
The Blues are willing to sell Chalobah this summer for the right price. He is currently away on international duty with England at the World Cup.
