Chelsea will need to head off challenges from both Liverpool and Juventus in order to sign Roma left back Emerson Palmieri, according to the Gazzetta Dello Sport.
The Blues have reportedly enquired about the availability of the 23 year old, and the Evening Standard report that the full back is available for £20m.
Palmieri is currently second choice behind Aleksandar Kolarov at Roma, following a lengthy spell out with knee ligament damage. He was a regular in the first team under Luciano Spalletti last season, but he has had to settle for a place on the bench under new coach Eusebio Di Francesco.
The defender was born in Brazil, but after attaining Italian citizenship, he switched his allegiances to Italy last year. It seems one of the main reasons Chelsea are pursuing the player is because of his asking price.
Blues boss Antonio Conte’s main target was Juventus’s Alex Sandro but the Evening Standard say the club are unwilling to pay £60m for the player, who would not be automatically first choice with Marcos Alonso competing for the same spot in the starting eleven.
Porto’s Alex Telles was also another alternative but his £40m price tag is also said to be too steep, so Palmieri is seen as a better option by Chelsea.
