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Chelsea Transfer News: Cesc Fabregas Enquiry Made by AC Milan, Latest Rumours

Matt Jones

AC Milan directors reportedly enquired about Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas on Saturday as the Blues beat Leicester City 3-0.

According to Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard, Rossoneri chief executive Marco Fassone and director of sport Massimiliano Mirabelli were at the clash at Stamford Bridge and used the visit to check up on Fabregas' availability.

"Milan first became interested in the Spain international in the summer and are in need of another midfielder following a serious knee injury suffered by Riccardo Montolivo," the piece continued.

Fabregas has only started one Premier League game for the Blues this season, with manager Antonio Conte seemingly preferring Oscar as the team's creative fulcrum. The former Barcelona and Arsenal man hasn't been used in a deeper role either, with the physicality of N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic favoured.

Conte has used Fabregas sparingly. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Naturally, that's prompted speculation about the 29-year-old's future, and Milan have been tipped as possible suitors.

When used in the right setup, the playmaker can still be a massive asset. As seen here courtesy of WhoScored.com, Fabregas is always looking to probe at the opposition defence:

In Serie A, Fabregas would potentially be very effective. The division is a lot more tactical and technical than English football, something that allows midfielders more time in possession. That's something Fabregas cherishes, and he boasts the quality needed to boss games at that level.

As noted in the report, Conte has suggested previously that he wants to keep Fabregas at the club. However, if Fabregas isn't playing and a club as illustrious as Milan want to bring him in during the upcoming window, he'd surely be keen to embark on a new challenge that would yield more playing time.

                 

Blues Linked with Andrea Belotti

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

According to Calciomercato (h/t Jamie Styles of the Daily Star), Chelsea are one of a selection of elite European clubs keeping a close eye on Torino forward Andrea Belotti.

The report notes some giants of the game have the 22-year-old in their "crosshairs" following a strong start to the season. Any club wanting to land the striker could reportedly have to part with around £35 million to prise him out of Turin, though.

Belotti has been superb for the Granata in 2016 and already has five goals in the current campaign. His recent form earned him a call-up for the national side, and he netted his first goal for the Azzurri against Macedonia recently. Here's a glimpse of what he can offer:

As a player, there are a lot of strings to Belotti's bow. In terms of finishing, he's so composed and varied, while his appetite for the game and work rate out of possession sets the tone for the rest of the team superbly. These numbers from Squawka Football point to the aerial prowess of the Italian international, too:

Currently, Chelsea have two senior strikers on their books in Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi. A lack of depth in the position has prevented Conte from using formations that were commonplace during his time with Juventus and Italy, like 3-5-2 and a diamond 4-4-2, too frequently this term. 

Another striker would allow more versatility to how Conte sets his Chelsea side up and provide more competition to the aforementioned pair. Belotti possesses plenty of skills to suggest he'd be a big hit in English football, although should Torino decide to sell, competition will be fierce for the sharpshooter.

   

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