Juventus respond to Chelsea’s player-plus-cash offer for Matthijs de Ligt

Juventus have turned down the opportunity to sign either Timo Werner or Christian Pulisic and will only accept a straight cash offer from Chelsea for Matthijs de Ligt, according to reports.

Thomas Tuchel has made a new centre-back his top transfer priority this summer having lost two cornerstones of his defence, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, on free transfers.

After long being linked with a move for Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, Juventus defender De Ligt has now emerged as Chelsea’s top choice to reinforce their back-line.

The Blues are believed to have opened the bidding with a player-plus-cash deal worth £40million plus the choice of either Werner or Pulisic.

However, Italian newspaper Tuttosport claim Juventus’s hierarchy have rejected the proposal and made it clear that neither player is of interest to them.

Chelsea were conscious of the fact that Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri wants to sign a striker and a winger this summer, but the Italian coach is ‘not crazy’ about either player.

Allegri wants a more traditional striker with physicality and strength who has similar characteristics to Dusan Vlahovic and can fill in for the giant Serbian frontman.

But Werner does not fit that profile and Allegri would rather sign Marko Arnautovic, who netted 14 goals for Bologna last season.

Similarly, Pulisic is not particularly highly rated by Juve and Allegri’s top target to play on the wing is Angel Di Maria, who is available on a free transfer, while there have also been links with a sensational swoop for Neymar.

With a player swap deal off the table for De Ligt, Juventus – who do not want to sell – will only accept a massive cash offer.

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