Chelsea submit improved second bid for Juventus defender Mattia Caldara — reports

According to ”multiple reports” in Italy, Chelsea have approached Juventus with an improved offer for Mattia Caldara, said to be around €40m. This is an improvement of €10m from our first offer that had been rejected.

Chelsea had been linked mostly with another center back from Juventus, Daniele Rugani, but reports last night seemed to suggest that we might have admitted defeat. Juventus never wanted to sell Rugani in the first place, but might have included him in a package deal with Gonzalo Higuain, whom they are desperate to move. But Chelsea have passed on that option, and instead it looks like we’re going to test them for Caldara instead.

Of course there is no rumor without an AC Milan angle these days, but if Caldara does move, it opens up the possibility of a Higuain-Bonucci(+cash) swap between Juventus and AC Milan, solving a need at either team (and also taking Morata off the Milan radar).

P.S.: Speaking of Morata, the Chelsea striker was given permission to fly to Venice after yesterday’s game to be with his wife at the birth of their first children. She gave birth this morning to healthy twin boys. Congratulations, Alvaro!