Emanuele Giaccherini may be 31-year old and was forced out on loan by the Premier League strugglers Sunderland but the Italian International is back in demand this summer after an impressive showing at Euro 2016.
According to reports from Gazzetta dello Sports, Giaccherini is one Antonio Conte’s radar to be his key midfield enforcer next season. Conte saw Giaccherini emerge as a leader during Italy’s quarter final run at the Euros and is considering a move for him this summer.
The reported transfer could gather pace in coming weeks after Gazzetta also confirmed that the player himself is waiting for Conte’s call to team up with him at Stamford Bridge.
Earlier this month Giaccherini hinted at a possible move to Chelsea when he confirmed that Italian players would even fly to Chelsea if Conte asks them just once. Following up on those comments, Giaccherini’s agent Furio Valcareggi is expecting to seal a move for his client before the start of next season.
Valcareggi said: “The scenarios for the future are good – we’re going to take him away from Sunderland, the conditions are known and there is then the need to make a big agreement.
“It is hard to establish [when a deal might happen], but I put a ‘little’ in hurry because we have to decide where to go. In theory, we can stay at Sunderland and then leave at Christmas.
“He has increased [in value] professionally, but there is the threat of being there [at Sunderland] for six months and then leaving so the British must also be able to take what we bring: in six months, Giaccherini can gain his exit and this weakens the power of Sunderland.”
Chances of Giaccherini signing for Chelsea – 2/5
I would have rated this piece of rumour even higher had the news of his move to Torino not spread like fire today. According to talksport, the Italian is close to joining Torino in a £2m transfer which would mean that Chelsea would even miss out on him after admitting defeats in Nainggolan, Pjanic and Pogba deals.
