Chelsea assistant manager Gianfranco Zola has revealed that the club were ‘very close’ to securing the services of Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella back in January.
The 22-year-old was heavily linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge back in January, and it appears as if a move was a lot closer then many first thought.
Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Manchester United were also thought to be interested in a move for the technically gifted Barella, with the youngster’s services set to be in demand once again this summer.
The Italian midfielder is highly-rated in Serie A and is valued at around €50m by his current employers.
And when asked how close the Blues were to completing the signing of Barella, Zola, talking to Gazzetta dello Sport, cited by Sport WItness, said:
Very. He’s good and Sarri has always liked him, but things fell through.
It is believed that the Blues will attempt to land Barella again this summer, only if FIFA give the Blues the green light following their proposed two-window transfer ban.
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