Chelsea will reportedly look to Belgium for midfield inspiration this summer after it emerged the Blues are seeking Axel Witsel’s signature and are “ready to make a third bid” for AS Roma‘s Radja Nainggolan.

Witsel could arrive instead of Nainggolan, however, after Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb reported the Zenit St. Petersburg anchor may be a cut-price alternative, but a list of Italian giants are also in pursuit.

Serie A champions Juventus are said to be among those chasing the 27-year-old, while Napoli, Inter Milan and AC Milan are also part of the chase for a star who could possess great value this summer.

That’s largely due to the fact Witsel has only a year remaining on his contract at Zenit, and Russian football expert Artur Petrosyan recently expanded upon how much the midfield ace will cost any suitor:

Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic failed to hit his previous heights at Stamford Bridge last season, and incoming head coach Antonio Conte may see the Serb’s former Benfica team-mate, Witsel, as an upgrade in the engine room.

Witsel has previously spoken positively of a move to Italy and addressed rumours he could move to the Premier League, per Goal’s David Manuca:

Russia was a nice adventure, but it’s time for me to change. I don’t know whether I’ll go to the Premier League or to Serie A.

Italian football fascinates me and at 27 it would be the right move. [AC] Milan had looked for me, it’s true, but that’s a story from a long time ago. Now the only thing I’m thinking of is Euro 2016. The next step is to beat Sweden.

Belgium are now through to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 and have impressed of late with a midfield pairing of Witsel and Nainggolan largely running things from the middle of the park. And according to the Mirror‘s Darren Lewis, Chelsea will register a third bid for the latter this week, but Roma are understood to be demanding a figure of £31 million for their star.

Despite the fact the west Londoners have the funding necessary to complete a move at that price, it’s unknown whether Chelsea see value in a move costing that sum.

There’s also the fact Nainggolan seems content in the Italian capital, although Fabrizio Romano of the Guardian has insisted Conte is a big fan of the Serie A ace:

Conte will have personal knowledge of the Belgian bruiser from his time at the helm of sides like Juventus, Siena and Atalanta, with Nainggolan having established himself as one of the most consistent midfield forces in Serie A.

It seems likely Chelsea will look to recruit at least one of the Belgian playmakers this summer, but the heady competition for both Witsel and Nainggolan may yet see the English giants pushed out of a deal.

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