Report: European giants maintain interest in out-of-favour Chelsea defensive star

Transfer News: Inter Milan interested in Davide Zappacosta after Achraf Hakimi saga with Chelsea

According to Sky Sports Italia (h/t Sky Sports), Inter Milan hold an interest in signing Chelsea right-back, Davide Zappacosta, in the summer transfer window.

Inter are on the lookout for a replacement for Achraf Hakimi, who is bound to join PSG. The Moroccan full-back was also linked with the Blues recently with Zappacosta’s name suggested in a player-plus-cash deal.

But as it turns out, the 22-year-old is set to join the Ligue 1 runners-up this season in a deal that could rise to £60m – a significant sum for cash-strapped Inter.

And Inter now find themselves linked with Zappacosta as well as Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin. The Italian full-back has found it hard to get game-time at Chelsea ever since his transfer from Torino in 2017. (h/t Sky Sports)

Time for goodbye?

Signed by Antonio Conte, the 29-year-old found it hard to win the trust of Maurizio Sarri and Frank Lampard, and spent the last season out on loan in Serie A at Genoa.

This was his second loan spell in Serie A after joining Stamford Bridge, as he also joined AS Roma temporarily in 2019. As for Chelsea, Zappacosta would be someone who is expendable.

The club already houses a quality right-back in young Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta can fill in at right-back if necessary. While missing out on Hakimi comes as a blow, selling Zappacosta in this window would be a wise move.

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He has just one year left on his current contract which expires in the summer of 2022. That means the Blues can risk losing him on a free transfer if he doesn’t sign a new deal by January. So, an exit would be the best outcome for all parties involved.