Chelsea target £20m Cesare Casadei transfer after extensive scouting in long-term midfield succession plan

Nizaar Kinsella3 August 2022

Chelsea want to follow their move for Carney Chukwuemeka with the signing of Inter teenager Cesare Casadei as part of a succession plan to replace N’Golo Kante and Jorginho.

The Blues have agreed to pay £20million for highly rated Aston Villa midfielder Chukwuemeka, who was a star of England Under-19s' European Championship success this summer.

Chukwuemeka has travelled to London to discuss personal terms and the 18-year-old is set to move to Stamford Bridge on a long-term contract.

New owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are keen to invest in young players and are ready to make another big-money move for Casadei, who could also cost £20m.

Casadei is yet to make a senior appearance for Inter but the 19-year-old is one of the biggest prospects in Italy and has been extensively scouted by academy boss Neil Bath.

Chukwuemeka is seen as the future of the Chelsea midfield as the club prepare for life after Kante and Jorginho, who could leave next summer when their contracts expire.

Chelsea have already had two bids for Casadei rejected but interim sporting director Boehly is keen to back Bath as Chelsea continue to invest in their academy.

Chukwuemeka was being chased by a host of top clubs in England and Europe, and has reportedly rejected a new contract at Aston Villa that would have made him one of the highest-paid teenagers in the country.

He was in the final year of his contract and Villa have agreed to sell him to Chelsea to secure a transfer fee for a player who would be able to talk to foreign clubs in January.

It is unclear yet whether Chukwuemeka will be in the Chelsea first-team squad or be loaned out this season while he waits for Kante and Jorginho to leave.

Cesare Casadei is a £20m target for Chelsea
Getty Images

Chelsea last night also completed the £12m signing of 18-year-old Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina but he has immediately been loaned back to the MLS club.

They have also signed winger Omari Hutchinson from Arsenal and goalkeeper Eddie Beach from Southampton as part of an academy overhaul that could reach over £50m.

Chelsea are also interested in signing 16-year-old Palmeiras forward Endrick, who is regarded as the next Neymar.

Amid moves for Chukwuemeka and Casadei, Chelsea have made a bid for £50m-valued Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella.

They have held talks through intermediaries for Leicester centre-back Wesley Fofana, who could cost around £80m, and have interest in Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters and Inter duo Dumfries and Skriniar.

Impending new arrivals at Stamford Bridge have raised doubts over the futures of Emerson Palmieri, Billy Gilmour, Ethan Ampadu and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso remain keen on a move to Barcelona, while Timo Werner has fallen out with manager Thomas Tuchel and could re-join RB Leipzig on loan.

Malang Sarr is on the verge of leaving, with Monaco having agreed on a loan deal with an option to buy the defender.

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