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Mattia Caldara’s AC Milan move means Chelsea cannot sign Daniele Rugani

Mattia Caldara’s AC Milan move means Chelsea cannot sign Daniele Rugani

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AC Milan are just a fraction away from completing the signing of Juventus defender Mattia Caldara. In return, Milan captain Leonardo Bonucci will be heading the other way, to his old club Juventus.
 
What this move does mean, is that Chelsea’s purchase of Daniele Rugani can no longer happen. Juventus were only prepared to let one of Caldara and Rugani go and, therefore, Chelsea may need to look elsewhere for a centre-back signing.
 
Chelsea’s current defensive options include Antonio Rüdiger, Gary Cahill, David Luiz, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta – who are all talented and have a lot to offer the West London club still.
 
If Chelsea were to pursue other options, they could keep up their interest in 21-year-old Dinamo Zagreb centre-back Filip Benkovic. The young Croatian was linked with Chelsea earlier this month and signing him would certainly show the club as having an eye to the future; yet would not be close to the same standard as either Mattia Caldara or Daniele Rugani.
 
With Maurizio Sarri’s 4-3-3, Chelsea only have to use two centre-backs; rather than the three they deployed under Antonio Conte. Therefore, they do not have an absolute need to sign another defender, rather the option; and Sarri may opt to invest funds to strengthen other areas of the team first and foremost.
 
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