Chelsea hijack Inter move for Palestra in €60m deal

Chelsea have reportedly won the race to sign highly rated Italian defender Marco Palestra after making a significantly improved offer that eclipsed Inter Milan’s proposal.

The Italy international had appeared destined for a move to Inter following an impressive loan spell with Cagliari, with negotiations between the Nerazzurri and Atalanta understood to be at an advanced stage.

However, the situation has dramatically changed after Chelsea entered the race and convinced the player to choose a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea outbid Inter

According to reports in Italy, Inter had offered a package worth €45 million plus €5 million in bonuses and were close to finalising the structure of the deal with Atalanta.

The Serie A giants had also presented personal terms reportedly worth €2.5 million per season to the defender.

Chelsea, though, responded with a substantially improved proposal.

The Premier League club are said to have offered Atalanta €55 million plus a further €5 million in bonuses, exceeding Inter’s bid by €10 million.

Reports also claim Chelsea offered Palestra a salary worth between €5 million and €6 million per year, more than double the package proposed by Inter.

Player opts for Premier League move

Until recently, Palestra was believed to favour remaining in Italy and continuing his development in Serie A.

However, Chelsea’s financial package and determination to complete the signing reportedly persuaded the defender to reconsider his future.

The move is said to have been strongly backed by Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso, who views the youngster as an important addition to his squad.

Inter facing transfer setback

While Atalanta were reportedly willing to allow the player to make the final decision on his future, the latest developments have left Inter increasingly pessimistic about completing the transfer.

The Milan club are understood to be struggling to match Chelsea’s financial power, both in terms of transfer fee and wages.

If completed, the deal would represent a major transfer coup for Chelsea and another example of the club’s continued investment in young talent with significant long-term potential.

An official agreement has yet to be announced, but reports indicate Chelsea are now in a commanding position to secure Palestra’s signature ahead of Inter.