Chelsea could find themselves as the main beneficiaries of Newcastle closing in on a £60million transfer for Sandro Tonali. Following their Champions League qualification, the Magpies are eyeing a significant summer spend with a move for the AC Milan midfielder showcasing their intentions.
Nicolo Barella, who was on Chelsea's list, was another engine room target for Newcastle but Tonali appears to be their chosen acquisition. Final negotiations have now begun with a six-year contract to be signed by the Italy international which will see AC Milan garner a £60million fee.
While Eddie Howe's side will be getting a world class midfielder, Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea could benefit from the move with the latest edition of transfer dominos. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the main name of interest to the Italian giants and a move did look to be entering its final stages until technical director Paolo Maldini, who had been the main driving force in negotiations, was sacked.
Loftus-Cheek is still wanted in Italy but progress on that move has stalled - but Milan still remains his likely destination. Numerous others are also tipped for exits from Stamford Bridge with N'Golo Kante likely to be followed out of the club by Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic.
Those six departures could see the Blues receive up to £140million and Mason Mount also leaving would take windfall funds up to £200million. By the end of the summer window, departures from west London could be in double figures with another three names linked with Serie A
Regarding Trevoh Chalobah, football.london understands that Chelsea and Inter Milan are currently negotiating his transfer. The two clubs are discussing a loan with an obligation to buy, but the Blues want a buy-back clause - which is thought to be a stumbling block.
Christian Pulisic, like Loftus-Cheek, is a target for AC Milan, but a permanent departure is seen as difficult which makes a loan more feasible in the immediate. A third player on the Chelsea books is also an AC Milan target in the form of Romelu Lukaku, who has 78 goals from 132 appearances for their direct rivals Inter Milan, according to a new report.
As per Gazzetta dello Sport, the 'sensational idea' of Lukaku in red and black at San Siro has surfaced and the Belgian striker is now being considered as an option. The Rossoneri's financial difficulties make any serious move a challenging one but according to the report, the Blues could sanction a departure for just €40million (£34.5million).
While Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek are unlikely to command large fees given their contract situations and low stock. A £13million bid had been put forward by Milan for Loftus-Cheek where talks were continuing, while £20million could be enough for Chelsea to let Pulisic go.
Chelsea would be losing out on over £100million if those price tags are correct but a further £67.5million added onto Pochettino's budget could be of high value. It is also realistically possible that AC Milan can afford at least two of those transfers given the funds they will get from Newcastle for Tonali and the large wage packet also off their books.
Who should Chelsea keep or sell this summer...?
