Felipe Melo is poised to spurn the advances of Chelsea after it emerged he’s ready to undergo a medical with Inter Milan, while Sylvain Distin has hailed the talents of former Everton team-mate and Blues target John Stones.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will miss out on Galatasaray general Melo after the Nerazzurri agreed a £2.2 million fee for his services, according to Italian outlet Sport Mediaset (via David Wright of the Daily Express).

Melo will undergo a medical “in the next 48 hours” prior to rubber-stamping his move and bringing to an end his four-year association with the Turkish titans.

Mourinho would have been given added hope of acquiring the Brazilian after he was quoted earlier this year lauding the tactician as well as the quality and style of the Premier League, via Wright: “I am a warrior; the English like that. I love Chelsea because I’m a big fan of Jose Mourinho.”

The west Londoners already have one of the most capable central-midfield pivots on the continent, with Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas starring en route to last season’s Premier League title push.

However, the club may have been alerted to Melo‘s available after he admitted his family were unsettled in Turkey, with Serie A writer Marco Messina providing quotes:

It looks as though a return to the Italian first tier is imminent, though, as the former Fiorentina and Juventus anchor eyes a move to the San Siro.

Despite his apparent love of Chelsea, Melo also sees Inter as a very favourable destination, according to Gala manager Hamza Hamzaoglu, who confirmed his desire to leave the club earlier this week, via Italian website Calciomercato (via Football Italia): “Melo wants to go to Inter. But there must be the right conditions. For now he’s here with us, talks are in progress. Could the transfer be official by Wednesday? At the moment I have no information on that.”

At 32 years of age, Melo doesn’t fit the same profile of peak-level players Mourinho tends to favour.

That being said, the player’s performances in the Super Lig have seen him rake in considerable plaudits of late, with Inter on the brink of booking his services.

 

Distin: Chelsea Interest in Stones ‘Inevitable’

Chelsea’s interest in Everton‘s Stones sees them chasing one of the most highly tipped prospects in English football, but the youngster’s former Toffees partner Distin has known for some time that the Blues would be coming.

Distin played alongside Stones in the Everton defence for two-and-a-half seasons before departing for Bournemouth this summer but told Sky Sports News HQ that Chelsea’s pursuit is no shock (h/t the Liverpool Echo‘s Kristian Walsh):

He’s young, English, full of qualities and a good guy as well. I’ve often said it’s not enough to have quality on the pitch. Off the pitch you need to be grounded and a good person – and he is. So it’s not surprising a big club has come in for him. It is a compliment and if he carries on the way he has started and keeps working, he’ll end up at a big club, that’s for sure.

He hasn’t played a full season yet. He needs to become a little more experienced, understanding of the Premier League and know a bit more about himself, and then you can speak of it.

Having made his senior England debut in May 2014—not even 18 months after completing his move from Barnsley—Stones is viewed as one of the fastest-rising talents in the land.

After seeing a £20 million bid for the defender turned down last week, Chelsea will reportedly return with an improved £26 million offer, according to the Independent‘s Samuel Lovett.

Richard Buxton of uMAXit Football proclaimed that the Toffees would be showing a serious lack of ambition should they opt to cash in on their star:

Distin enters his 16th consecutive season in English football this term, where he’ll be hoping to give the Cherries a boost in their pledge to retain top-flight status.

A figure so experienced should make for a good judge of character, and while he goes on to note that Stones isn’t yet the finished article, his assessment of the 21-year-old’s ability confirms the potential he possesses.

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