Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal with Fiorentina for Juan Cuadrado worth an initial £23.3m with add-ons which would potentially satisfy the £26.8m release clause in the Colombian’s contract, with Mohamed Salah likely to move to the Viola on loan as part of the deal.
Talks have progressed well between Chelsea and the Italian club as
the Premier League leaders move efficiently towards securing a direct
replacement for André Schürrle, who will be sold before Monday’s
transfer deadline. The Germany international is reportedly the subject
of interest from Wolfsburg, who hope to secure the World Cup winner for around £22m, with the expectation on both sides that the 24-year-old will depart.
Chelsea
had been in no great rush to sell either Schürrle or Salah in
mid-season with Cuadrado initially considered a target for next summer.
However, once it became clear the fringe players were frustrated and
seeking greater first-team involvement elsewhere, they moved swiftly to
bring their plans forward. Personal terms are understood to have been
agreed with the Colombian, who so impressed at last year’s World Cup
finals and has enjoyed a prolonged spell in Italy with Udinese, Lecce
(on loan) and Fiorentina, after talks with his agent Alessandro Lucci.
The forward himself made his desire to move to Stamford Bridge clear early in the talks. Fiorentina had resisted, sticking to the valuation stipulated in the player’s buy-out clause, but the agreement close to being confirmed effectively matches that amount. “He has the characteristics suited to English football because he’s fantastic in positive transitions and with Mourinho it could be perfect,” said the Fiorentina coach, Vincenzo Montella. Chelsea will bring Cuadrado over to Cobham to conduct a medical ahead of announcing one of the largest deals of the window.
Schurrle’s sale should cover the vast bulk of that cost, and there is an anticipation that a deal will be pushed through, with Wolfsburg emerging from protracted negotiations apparently willing to spent around £22m on a player who joined for £18m from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2013 but has started only five Premier League games to date this term. The winger’s agent and his father, Joachim, have been attempting to persuade the club to lower their initial £25m valuation – or at least rejig the payment schedule, inserting add-ons to bulk up the initial fee.
A deal to loan Salah to Roma, with a view to making the transfer permanent in the summer, had been agreed in principle last week before the Italian club explored other options. The Egypt international now appears likely to see out the season in Florence, with Montella apparently encouraged by his anticipated arrival. “He is a good player, a very interesting player,” added the Fiorentina coach. “He is a strong winger.”
The forward himself made his desire to move to Stamford Bridge clear early in the talks. Fiorentina had resisted, sticking to the valuation stipulated in the player’s buy-out clause, but the agreement close to being confirmed effectively matches that amount. “He has the characteristics suited to English football because he’s fantastic in positive transitions and with Mourinho it could be perfect,” said the Fiorentina coach, Vincenzo Montella. Chelsea will bring Cuadrado over to Cobham to conduct a medical ahead of announcing one of the largest deals of the window.
Schurrle’s sale should cover the vast bulk of that cost, and there is an anticipation that a deal will be pushed through, with Wolfsburg emerging from protracted negotiations apparently willing to spent around £22m on a player who joined for £18m from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2013 but has started only five Premier League games to date this term. The winger’s agent and his father, Joachim, have been attempting to persuade the club to lower their initial £25m valuation – or at least rejig the payment schedule, inserting add-ons to bulk up the initial fee.
A deal to loan Salah to Roma, with a view to making the transfer permanent in the summer, had been agreed in principle last week before the Italian club explored other options. The Egypt international now appears likely to see out the season in Florence, with Montella apparently encouraged by his anticipated arrival. “He is a good player, a very interesting player,” added the Fiorentina coach. “He is a strong winger.”
