Chelsea set to hijack Palestra from Inter

It is becoming increasingly clear that Marco Palestra is viewed as one of the next big stars of Italian football. There is a reason why Inter have spent days pursuing the young full-back, who enjoyed a phenomenal season at Cagliari. Atalanta BC, however, are determined to maximize the value of their prized asset and have no intention of letting him leave without a substantial profit. At one stage, the Nerazzurri appeared to be very close to signing the defender. They had already agreed personal terms worth 2.5 million euros per year, but Atalanta became the stumbling block. The Bergamo club set an asking price of 53 million, while Inter were prepared to offer 45 million upfront plus another five million euros in bonuses. As negotiations stalled and the Italian champions grew increasingly frustrated, another contender emerged — Chelsea.

According to transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Chelsea are likely to hijack the deal. The Blues are willing to offer Atalanta 55 million plus bonuses. On top of that, they have reportedly offered Palestra a salary of five million euros per season — double what Inter proposed. The Italian champions simply cannot match that level of financial power, especially because their owners, Oaktree, reportedly allow club executives to approve transfers up to 25 million, while any larger investment requires direct approval from ownership. Adding another layer to the story, Xabi Alonso is said to be highly impressed by the youngster's qualities and reportedly sees him as a player capable of playing an important role at the highest level. He even called the player, after which Palestra informed Atalanta that he can go either to Inter or Chelsea. That basically means that it will be up to the club to accept the higher bid and the English club can offer more money.

Inter aiming at Jones and Paz

Inter's influence over the situation is therefore diminishing. Palestra had been identified as the long-term successor to Denzel Dumfries, a player who could become the most expensive full-back in the club's history and provide a solution on the right flank for the next decade. The Palestra story bears similarities to that of Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede barely featured in Bergamo before flourishing during a loan spell at Parma Calcio 1913 and subsequently earning a 39 million euros move to Juventus. If Chelsea ultimately complete the deal, Atalanta president Antonio Percassi will once again reinforce his reputation as one of football's greatest player traders, extracting maximum value from yet another emerging talent.