Chelsea are closing in on a deal to sign AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone, with Football Transfers reporting that formal talks between the two clubs are already underway.
The Blues have made significant progress in negotiations, having already agreed on personal terms with the French international midfielder ahead of a potential switch to Stamford Bridge.
Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly keen to hold onto Kone’s services, making the deal a complicated one for Chelsea to push over the line before the window shuts.
Despite Gasperini’s reluctance to lose the midfielder, an agreement between the two clubs is expected in the very near future, according to the report.
Chelsea are understood to be structuring the deal as a swap, with winger Jamie Gittens heading in the opposite direction to Rome as part of the agreement.
Roma had valued Kone at £51 million for much of the summer transfer window amid strong interest from Premier League clubs looking to bolster their midfield options.
With Gittens included as part of the package, the exact cash component Chelsea will pay for the 25-year-old remains unclear at this stage of negotiations.
The arrival of Kone could serve as a replacement for Andrey Santos, who has departed Chelsea for Manchester United, leaving a gap in the club’s midfield options.
Kone’s future at Chelsea could also be influenced by whether Enzo Fernandez remains at the club, with the Argentine’s situation still unresolved heading into the final stages of the window.
Regardless of how the Fernandez situation plays out, Kone is viewed as an excellent addition to Chelsea’s squad and a player capable of making an immediate impact in the Premier League.
The deal, if completed, would represent another significant piece of business for Chelsea and further strengthen a midfield that has undergone considerable change throughout this transfer window.