Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to complete a transfer for Chelsea‘s Mohamed Salah during the summer window, but the Blues would rather avoid selling to a direct Premier League rival, according to the latest rumours.

As reported by the London Evening Standard‘s Tom Collomosse, the Egypt international is likely to leave Stamford Bridge during the summer, and while Fiorentina are interested in turning his loan deal into a permanent move, Spurs will also be in the mix:

Tottenham are interested in bringing Mohamed Salah to White Hart Lane, though Chelsea would prefer to sell him abroad rather than strengthen a Premier League club and local rival.

Salah helped Basel knock Spurs out of the Europa League in 2013 and he did the same with Fiorentina earlier this year to eliminate Mauricio Pochettino’s men in the last 32.

[…] Fiorentina are keen to renew the agreement but Salah is thought to be looking at his options – and Inter boss Roberto Mancini would like his club to explore the situation.

The 23-year-old joined Fiorentina during the January transfer window after spending most of 2015 sitting on Chelsea’s bench, and he enjoyed an impressive start to his Serie A career, scoring almost at will in the first couple of weeks.

While he cooled down after that, he remained one of La Viola’s top performers, and he continued to impress with the national team. Salah could be a popular name during the summer transfer window, and following the sacking of manager Vincenzo Montella, he no longer wants to play for La Viola, per La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t FourFourTwo‘s Adam Digby):

Inter Milan are also interested, per Collomosse, and the Nerazzurri would make for an interesting fit as they continue their rebuild.

His days with Chelsea appear all but over, to the point Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell didn’t even discuss the winger when he looked at which players the Blues should keep or sell during the summer:

Fans will argue he wasn’t given enough opportunities to prove himself with the Blues, but with so much competition for playing time out on the wing or right behind the striker, Salah simply couldn’t do enough to break into the starting XI.

It’s unlikely that would change in 2015-16, with the likes of Juan Cuadrado eager to impress.

A permanent move away from the club seems the only solution, and thanks to his fine form with Fiorentina and the national team, Salah’s value is high enough for the Blues to turn a nice profit on their initial investment.

 

Juventus Once Again Linked With Oscar

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegro recently admitted he loved what Chelsea midfielder Oscar brings to the table, per Metro‘s Sean Kearns, and those comments are once again fuelling speculation the Bianconero could launch a bid for the Brazil international.

As reported by Kearns, Allegri was asked whether he liked Oscar and said: “Very much. He is one of those players who can make a difference in Europe. I like Oscar. But I also like Isco, Javier Pastore, Angel Di Maria, Toni Kroos – all the best players from the Champions League.”

It’s important to note Allegri never brought up the subject himself―he simply replied to a reporter’s question.

The Bianconeri have a stacked midfield, with the likes of Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal, Claudio Marchisio and Andrea Pirlo shining in the Champions League and Sami Khedira yet to join. Roberto Pereyra looked impressive on loan and is expected to move to Turin on a permanent basis, and youngster Stefano Sturaro also joined an excellent season for the Old Lady.

None of those players can play as a classic No. 10, however, and Allegri’s system has always relied heavily on such a creative force in midfield. ESPN FC’s Mina Rzouki believes Juventus need someone like Oscar and Isco to take the next step in Europe:

Oscar is a popular figure in Chelsea, however, and while inconsistency has plagued him at times, the Brazil international is still a young player growing as a footballer.

Manager Jose Mourinho might be tempted to sell the midfielder, but given his past contributions and obvious potential, the transfer fee would be high. And while Juventus don’t have to worry about their finances after winning four consecutive Serie A titles and making this year’s Champions League final, they’ve been relatively prudent with their transfer investments recently.

Some kind of swap involving Paul Pogba―their interest in the player is well-documented―would be a possibility, but keeping the France international in Turin beyond the summer is Juventus’ top priority, and unless Pogba himself demands a transfer, he’s unlikely to leave.

It’s hard to see how the finances would work out in any deal for Oscar, as the Bianconeri are unlikely to offer more than £30 million, and the Blues won’t settle for less.

 

Follow @ReverschPass

from Bleacher Report – Front Page http://ift.tt/1HLWoc8
via IFTTT http://ift.tt/eA8V8J