Insider: Chelsea reject £10m offer – but deal could be done within days as negotiations continue | OneFootball

Journalist Ben Jacobs has confirmed that Chelsea have rejected a £10m bid from Torino for midfielder Cesare Casadei.

This follows a few days where we’ve heard more and more about potential bids from the Serie A club. This is the confirmation that that interest is real, and that negotiations are ongoing between both sides.

Negotiations are presumably ongoing, and we could see the move happen pretty soon if they progress well. The Serie A side will want him signed up as quickly as possible to reinforce their league campaign. They’re currently in 11th, but are just 4 points above the relegation zone, and will want to kick on and create some distance.

Casadei has had a few games for Chelsea in the cups this season, but doesn’t seem hopeful of getting too many more.

Casadei deal looks very-do-able despite small fee

Cesare Casadei in Chelsea training.

The problem with selling to Serie A clubs – or indeed pretty much any non-Premier League club bar a handful – is that they’re all broke. £10m is nothing really, but there doesn’t seem to be many concrete offers on the table this winter. That’s despite Jacobs claiming there is “significant interest” in Casadei.

However, we’re confident a deal can be found here. Even if Chelsea want more than £15m, that £5m gap can easily be bridged with clauses and add-ons.

Casadei is a good talent with plenty of potential, but he’s not going to reach it (or raise his value) just by sitting on Chelsea’s bench. He knows that, and so do Torino, and so do Chelsea.

There is an argument that the Blues should recall Andrey Santos from Strasbourg and send Casadei there to replace him, switching around the pair to the configuration it should have been all season long, at least in our opinion.

But with Chelsea’s sister club also in relegation trouble, it feels unlikely they weaken them mid-season.