Radja Nainggolan to Chelsea: Belgian midfielder confirms Blues in talks with Roma over deal for £31m midfielder

James Benge4 June 2016

Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan has confirmed that Chelsea are keen to sign him.

Incoming manager Antonio Conte has identified the powerful Belgium international as one of his first-choice targets to reinvigorate Chelsea’s midfield, with Standard Sport revealing in March that the 28-year-old was considering a move.

Chelsea remain confident of securing Nainggolan, valued by Roma at £31million, and are prepared to offer him a five-year deal worth a six-figure weekly sum.

Nainggolan has publically professed his commitment to his current side but this weekend admitted that Roma and Chelsea were in discussions over a transfer fee for him.

“There has been contact between Roma and Chelsea,” Nainggolan told HLN Nina. “But I will not get involved so long as there is no agreement between the clubs.

“Chelsea are keen to strengthen their squad and Conte is a manager who wanted to sign me before. Chelsea are a big club.

“But the transfer is not a done deal so long as there is no signed contract on the table. And it would not be easy to leave Italy after 11 years.”

The players Antonio Conte wants to transform Chelsea this summer

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Conte is expected to have a busy summer in the transfer window when he arrives at Stamford Bridge after Italy’s Euro 2016 campaign and has already submitted a list of transfer targets to the Stamford Bridge hierarchy.

Central defence is among the areas Conte is looking to strengthen. Nainggolan’s team-mate Antonio Rudiger is on a list of targets that also includes John Stones, Marquinhos and Leonardo Bonucci.

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