PSG to beat Man United to Milinkovic-Savic with €170m bid, Chelsea eye Bonucci

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CONTE CHASES UNHAPPY BONUCCI

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has been in touch with AC Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci, according to Tuttosport.  Bonucci only joined Milan this summer, in a shock €40million move from Juventus, but has not settled in at the club and is reportedly dismayed by the club’s poor form in a season that was supposed to see the Serie A giants begin challenging for top honours again.

RATING: 6/10

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Conte has seemingly given up on David Luiz, and thus needs another high-quality centre-back to anchor his young defence, with veteran Gary Cahill’s performances becoming inconsistent. There’s no doubting Bonucci’s class, although whether he could make the adjustment to the Premier League quickly enough is a different question. He and Conte have worked together at Juventus and in the Italy national team, and there’s clearly a warm relationship between the pair. If Milan are ready to give up on their Bonucci experiment, Chelsea is among the likelier destinations for the 30-year-old.

PSG READY MAMMOTH MILINKOVIC-SAVIC BID

Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will be the subject of a mammoth €170million bid from PSG, Corriere Dello Sport is reporting. The highly-touted youngster has said he has happy at Lazio, and the club will be desperate to keep him, but a bid of this size would definitely tempt both player and club – and ward off rivals for Milinkovic-Savic’s signature, which include Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Barcelona.

RATING: 7/10

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In a matter of months – if not weeks – Milinkovic-Savic has gone from promising but largely unheralded youngster to the top name on the transfer lists of some of Europe’s biggest clubs. He has been heavily linked with a move to United, but PSG have also been monitoring him closely. The Serb would be a good, though not like-for-like, replacement for Thiago Motta, whose age is catching up to him, and would add firepower to an already loaded midfield. News of this bid could also force the hand of PSG’s rivals, and in all likelihood drive up the transfer price – making it easier for Lazio to agree to sell.

COURTOIS SET TO BECOME WORLD’S HIGHEST-PAID KEEPER

The Daily Telegraph claims that the latest contract offer Chelsea have made to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois would see the Belgian become the highest-paid player at his position. Courtois has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and there have been times when his comments to the press have fueled speculation that his future lies away from Chelsea, but the reigning Premier League champions have been steadfast in their resolve to keep him.

RATING: 8/10

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While the interest from Real Madrid has no doubt been genuine, it’s no secret that Courtois has never been their first-choice target, given the club’s continued pursuit of David de Gea. Madrid also may have realised that prising him away from Chelsea could prove as difficult as landing De Gea has – news that they’ve switched their focus to Kepa Arrizabalaga of Athletic Bilbao has come as no surprise, since he would be a much easier signing to complete. That move would leave the market for Courtois’ services thin, and it’s likely that his current club could outbid all suitors. The reported contract offer on hand would be just reward for what Courtois has brought to Chelsea.