Ever since Antonio Conte’s arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2016, Chelsea have been linked with a multitude of players from his native Italy, especially, for some reason, about half the team from AS Roma. One of the latest in that regard has been Alessandro Florenzi, with his agent confirming discussion with Chelsea back in January. Florenzi had 18 months left on his Roma contract then; now he has 12, and apparently no closer to signing a new deal.
This weekend, Gazzetta dello Sport (via Forza Italian Football) have re-linked the 27-year-old right wing-back/midfielder with the Blues, claiming that Chelsea (and Manchester United and probably others) are “keeping tabs” on the situation. Florenzi, as players of his age often do, is looking for one last major contract and wants to double his wages from €1.5m to €3m (net) per year — so about £100k/week (gross). Those demands wouldn’t even make the local kid the highest paid player on Roma (and certainly wouldn’t make him the highest paid player on Chelsea), but so far, there’s been no agreement. This then “opens the door” for Chelsea potentially.
Rome-born Florenzi has spent essentially his entire career at AS Roma, and has been tipped to be their next captain after Totti and De Rossi. But if he’s not able to agree an extension this summer, they would surely sell him now and take the money rather than let him play out the final year of his contract.