Football transfer rumours: Milan Skriniar to Chelsea or Tottenham?

With just personal terms to be thrashed out, Raphinha’s move from Leeds to Chelsea looks as good as a done deal, although the Rumour Mill notes with interest that his Mr 15% is a certain Deco. If the former Portugal midfielder is as contrary and argumentative at the negotiating table as he used to be on the football pitch, it could be a very long day in the Stamford Bridge boardroom.

Once Chelsea have announced Raphinha, interim director of football and club owner Todd Boehly’s thoughts will turn to the acquisition of a couple of new central defenders and the name of Mill regular Kalidou Koulibaly will be added to a mix that already includes those of Matthijs de Ligt, Milan Skriniar, Nathan Aké and Jules Koundé. One of those Serie A staples who is constantly linked with a move to the Premier League without ever showing much inclination to actually play in it, the Napoli stalwart is entering the last year of his contract.

With Skriniar looking certain to leave Inter, he had been expected to sign for Paris Saint-Germain but the French side’s determination to include Julian Draxler as an unwanted makeweight in the deal appears to have thrown a giant spanner in those particular works.

Tottenham are also interested in making a Premier League player out of Skriniar but the glacier like speed with which they move when it comes to making big money signings could allow Chelsea to nip in and steal the Slovakia captain from under their nose. The fabled dilly-dallying of chairman Daniel Levy in the transfer market means Tottenham could also miss out on Djed Spence, with Middlesbrough reported to be growing irritated by the lack of a serious offer and ready to sell their speedy right-back to Nottingham Forest instead.

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