Chelsea sent scouts to watch AC Milan’s Alessio Romagnoli in action against Inter Milan at the weekend, CalcioMercato reports.
The highly-rated Italian defender has emerged as a top defensive target for Blues boss Maurizio Sarri, who is keen on bolstering his options in the heart of the defence with Gary Cahill expected to leave and David Luiz entering the twilight years of his career.
Romagnoli, 23, played the entirety of Milan’s derby clash with arch-rivals Inter and was on the losing side after Mauro Icardi, another reported Chelsea target, scored a last-gasp winner at the San Siro.
Chelsea could face competition in the hunt for the Italy international as Premier League rivals Manchester United are also linked with a move for the defender but the Blues may have the edge as their interest is long-standing.
According to The Mirror, Chelsea made an approach to sign Romagnoli in 2016 but the Italian side turned away their advances.
