Chelsea are pushing to close a deal for AS Roma defender

Chelsea are pushing to close a deal for AS Roma defender Kostas Manolas, according to Corriere dello Sport. Should Maurizio Sarri replace Antonio Conte as boss at Stamford Bridge this summer, he will target Manolas to bolster Chelsea’s defence next term. The player has informed Roma he is happy to stay after signing a new deal in December, which is set to keep him there until 2022. According to Daily Mail, One big player in this transfer could prove to be Marina Granovskaia, a director on Chelsea's board who has an excellent relationship with the top brass at Roma, which could certainly aid the Blues' pursuit.

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