Juventus and Chelsea put together the Denis Zakaria deal on deadline day and could do more business together in the same role in January. The Swiss midfielder has quickly fallen out of favor, mainly due to the ousting of Thomas Tuchel, La Gazzetta dello Sport relays.
The 25-year-old moved on a €3M loan, with the Blues covering his wages. The Bianconeri didn’t have many hopes his €28M option to buy would be activated, but they were content to save on his salary and eventually get €1M add-ons.
The two teams will discuss the early return of Zakaria in the next few weeks, and Juventus will propose Adrien Rabiot to Chelsea. Even though he’s a linchpin, he’s for sale since his contract expires at the end of the season. The next window will be the last opportunity to cash in on the Frenchman. His role figures to be less pivotal once Paul Pogba returns.
According to the publication, the Blues have some interest in the ex-PSG man. He’s keen on transferring to the Premier League, but coming to terms with his camp is not easy. The Old Lady has yet to decide on his extension, which may hinge on Massimiliano Allegri staying at the helm. They surely can’t match the €10M per year he asked Manchester United.
Our Take on the Rumored Deal Between Juventus and Chelsea
The Bianconeri shouldn’t have offloaded Zakaria in the summer, as they have had depth issues afterward. The swap makes sense for them both financially and technically, especially if Pogba shows well. It remains to be seen whether Chelsea like Rabiot and if he will accept a January transfer rather than pick his next destination on his own in the summer.
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