Chelsea On The VERGE Of Signing €34m Star, Abramovich SANCTIONS Deal

Chelsea have agreed a €34 million deal to sign Zenit St. Petersburg player, Axel Witsel, as per Give Me Sport.

The Blues have been heavily linked to Witsel in recent weeks, and various reports have confirmed Russian billionaire – who is the owner of the club – has flown out for a meeting with Zenit president in order to close the deal for the midfielder.

Metro understands several European heavyweights are also interested in the 26-year old who helped propel Zenit to the top of the table last term, with AC Milan leading the chase. Now it looks as though Chelsea will be Witsel’s next destination.

The report also says Abrahamovich, will utilise his personal relationship with Zenit president Alexander Dyukov Valeyervich to a good extent, in order to make sure Witsel joins the Blues.

The Belgium international’s valuation of around €34 million should not be a problem for Chelsea, given the Premier League champions’ recent domestic success and the lucrative deal with Yohohama Tyres.

Should Witsel move to Stamford Bridge, a couple of midfield exodus will have to follow, with Obi Mikel and Oscar set to leave this summer. Juventus boss, Massimiliano Allegri is known to rate Oscar highly, and reportedly wants him as Vidal’s Bayern move nears completion.

Cesc Fabregas is often deployed in a more withdrawn role by Mourinho, giving Oscar to operate as the club’s No.10. Witsel’s arrival will now mean Fabregas would be allowed to play more in the attacking No.10 role, as Witsel would likely be Matic’s central midfield partner.

Witsel was also an initial target for Man United, but the club has moved to seal the signings of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Scheiderlin instead. This leaves only Chelsea and Milan as the only candidates for the ex-Benfica star.

Witsel is, as per Sport Mole, keen to move to England in order to boost his chance of representing Belgium in Euro 2016.

Chelsea are also chasing Everton defender John Stones, and have had a bid of £20 million submitted to Everton. The Toffees manager, however, slammed the bid, leading Jose Mourinho to confirm the Blues really made a bid.

Mourinho is insisting that Chelsea will up the bid for Stones, and will continue to chase him unless told he is not for sale, Goal revealed.

He told reporters:”We made a bid, we can make it – it’s an open market until September 1. At the moment they say we don’t accept this bid – they don’t say: We don’t accept bids; any bids’.

“If one day Roberto Martinez or the chairman come and say he is not for sale, we don’t accept any bid, then it’s game over”, Mourinho added.

Chelsea begin their title defence with a home game against Garry Monk’s Swansea City on August 8.