Sarri Pep, but I DO want to go to Chelsea
NEW BLUES BOSS SPARKS GUARDIOLA SPAT AS JORGINHO DEAL IS HIJACKED.. BECAUSE HE PREFERS LONDON TO MANCHESTER
MAURIZIO SARRI is finally set to replace Antonio Conte at Chelsea and has walked into a row with Manchester City.
The champions are furious they have been gazumped by Chelsea, who have highjacked their move for Napoli’s midfielder Jorginho.
Sarri (right, top) and the player are set to arrive at Stamford Bridge in a £57million joint deal from Napoli, but City believed they had agreed an outline deal with the Serie A club 15 days ago for Jorginho’s £48.7m transfer.
His agent Joao Santos had also lead them to believe the Italy midfielder was keen to play for Pep Guardiola (right, bottom) at the Etihad.
Chelsea, who may also bid for Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival in Turin, are hoping for a swift conclusion to both deals to finally draw a line under Conte’s two years at Stamford Bridge.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has been locked in talks with Chelsea since last season, driving a hard bargain in the face of the Blues’ attempts to poach his man who he valued at £8m. He also claimed Jorginho preferred to live in London rather than Manchester.
De Laurentiis said:
“The Sarri deal is in the home stretch, it depends on him.
“I’ve laid down my conditions. It’s all in the hands of lawyers.
“Jorginho? We said to ourselves, ‘If Jorginho has any requests, we’ll take them into account’.
“For that, I’ll have to apologise to Manchester City. However, if the player would rather live in London than Manchester, I can understand that. If Chelsea are paying him even more, I can understand that too. “Jorginho and Sarri together again? Jorginho would go to Chelsea regardless of Sarri.”
City have been in advanced talks over a deal for Jorginho for weeks but now look set to miss out.
A move to the Bridge would represent an instant reunion with the coach under whom he has thrived over the past three seasons.
Chelsea’s record buy in the transfer market remains £58m striker Alvaro Morata, signed from Real Madrid last summer. But he could leave this summer after struggling to make an impact. They are also set to move for CSKA Moscow midfielder Aleksandr Golovin, 22, and £35m Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, 23.
Conte led an ailing Chelsea to the Premier League title in his first season. Last season, he failed to get the club into the Champions League but landed the FA Cup.
He was expected to be fired soon afterwards but Chelsea waited, pursuing Sarri in the hope Conte would quit.
Instead the former Italy boss stood his ground, mindful he would have to be paid up for the 12 months left on his £9m-a-year contract if he was sacked.