Chelsea loanee Victor Moses back on Conte’s radar at Inter Milan — report

The summer of 2012 was one of the most important and impactful in recent Chelsea history. Fresh off of an historic Champions League triumph, the Blues set about rejuvenating the squad with a whole host of young talent who were expected to lead the club for the next decade. And while no transfer window can ever be perfect, that summer nearly was.

Eden Hazard and César Azpilicueta should need no introduction. Andreas Christensen navigated the treacherous loan waters to also eventually make it at the club. We built around Oscar, for better or worse, before he made football history in China. And the legend of Marko Marin still lives on somewhere as well. With Romelu Lukaku, Kevin de Bruyne, and Thibaut Courtois waiting in the wings already, the future seemed brighter than ever. Alas, football had a far more dramatic fate in store for us, full of some of the highest of highs and the lowest of (relative) lows.

The same can be said for the career of one of the less heralded, but eventually no less impactful 2012 signings, Victor Moses.

Just 21 at the time, Moses arrived at Chelsea on the same day as current Chelsea captain and active appearances-leader, César Azpilicueta. In 43 appearances that first season (just 5 fewer than Azpi), Moses scored 10 goals, still a career high, as Chelsea won the Europa League. And then he disappeared on loan for two years. Then he came back, and was a key player for two trophies, Conte’s Premier League and FA Cup triumphs. And then he disappeared again, having spent the last calendar year on loan at Fenerbahce.

His time as Fener has had its fair share of ups and downs, especially this season as he’s battled injuries that have restricted him to 7 appearances (6 starts) altogether. He missed two months after the first match of the season and he’s been out since the start of December as well, both times with the same quad injury. In fact, he apparently recently returned to Cobham as well for a brief rehab and check-up just as Fener began winter training camp.

And while he’s expected to join up with his loan club again before long, rumors have started about a potential switch of scenery as well.

In the summer, Moses was already linked with the once-again-employed Antonio Conte, the man who trusted and reinvented him as a wing-back so crucially. With Conte’s Inter looking for wing-back reinforcements this transfer window, the 29-year-old loanee, who has 18 months left on his Chelsea contract, has been once again linked with his former head coach.

Di Marzio’s report claims that Chelsea have set Moses’ asking price at €10m, but Inter, entirely not shockingly, would prefer a loan instead — but only if they cannot work out a deal for AS Roma’s Leonardo Spinazzola. Spinazzola is primarily a left-sided player while Moses is very much a right wing-back (although he can play attacking left wing), but let’s not have such technicalities stop a good rumor mill yarn.

So, Moses-Conte reunion to follow the Giroud-Conte reunion? It could happen to you, too!