Transfer News: Chelsea willing to bid £40m for Algeria international playing in Italy

Chelsea are willing to bid for AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer

According to Alfredo Pedulla (h/t Football.London), Chelsea are willing to bid £40m to sign AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer in the January transfer window.

Bennacer, the Algeria international, who has been in Milan since 2019, has his contract expiring in the summer of 2024 (Transfermarkt). The report states that the renewal of his contract at San Siro is deemed “not easy”.

The 25-year-old has been a versatile midfield player who can play as a number eight, as a defensive midfielder or as an attacking midfielder.

At AC Milan though, he has generally operated as a defensive midfielder or in a double-pivot central midfield. He has grown into one of the key players in the team after joining them at the tender age of 21.

Bennacer is having an excellent season in Serie A. He is averaging 2.3 tackles won per game, possessing 82% pass accuracy with passes in the opposition half and winning 55% of the total duels contested in any area of the field (Sofascore).

Chelsea may not have much of an idea of where the future of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho lies. The duo have their contracts expiring at the end of this season and an extension hasn’t been signed yet by either of them.

Moreover, the other options Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher are not really ripping it up, are they? So, they would need not one, but multiple additions in the central midfield department soon.

We know they are linked with the English midfield duo Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice. We also know that they are not going to come for cheap.

So, the idea could be to go hard on signing either Rice or Bellingham and get Bennacer for a lesser price comparatively. It would be a great deal financially.

More Chelsea News:

• Juventus are eyeing a move for Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy
• Chelsea instantly regretted letting Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku go to Inter Milan in the summer
• Chelsea target and England midfielder Declan Rice issues the most obvious ‘come and get me plea’

Furthermore, Bennacer is a quality player. Those who have seen him know all about his contributions on both ends of the pitch – especially when his team are out of possession.