Chelsea hold the advantage over Premier League rivals Arsenal, Newcastle United and Man United in the race to sign Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic due to two factors which Todd Boehly can pounce upon.
The Blues' midfield search is starting to really ramp up after disappointment has been suffered early on in this summer's transfer window due to Aurelien Tchouameni's decision to join Real Madrid in a deal worth £68million plus add-ons. Additionally, West Ham's £150m Declan Rice demands means that a Chelsea return has so far looked untenable, meaning other options are being actively considered, especially if Jorginho was to be granted his Serie A return wishes amid Juventus links.
Therefore, Milinkovic-Savic's name has come into the equation and a potential player swap deal could be on the cards with Maurizio Sarri willing to sacrifice the Serbian in order to acquire one of either Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Emerson Palmieri or Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer. This is according to Italian outlet Corriere Dello Sport who have reported that the Blues' interest in Milinkovic-Savic could be the key in helping Sarri get his wish granted by the Lazio board this summer.
READ MORE: Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has impressed former Chelsea managers amid transfer links
Other reports on Saturday have indicated that meetings have taken place already between Chelsea and Lazio to discuss all possibilities, with certain reports even claiming that Lazio's director has been in London over the last few days to conduct business face-to-face. It is important to reiterate that Chelsea aren't the only club in for the midfielder in question. A host of Premier League clubs are interested in a player who has a price tag attached to him in the range of £51m.
However, the current World Champions ability to bargain with Lazio in a potential player swap deal plus one other factor hands them a huge advantage over others in this transfer pursuit. Mateja Kezman, former Chelsea striker who was signed during the Roman Abramovich era, represents the 27-year-old, so having that personal connection to west London can only bode well for Marina Granovskaia and the rest of the board.
Despite not turning out a successful signing in the end, Kezman's account of his time in London is only a positive one as he relayed to Sky Sports in an old interview. "Chelsea was the best thing in my career. That was the climax of my career, for sure. Living and playing in London was something that I will never forget," he was quoted as saying.
Chelsea fans- Would you prefer to spend upwards of £ 50 million on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer or would you prefer the club wait another season until Declan Rice's £150m price tag lowers as he runs down his contract? Leave your thoughts down below in the comments section!
