Chelsea were last night locked in negotiations with Roma over Mohamed Salah after stepping up their interest in Colombian Juan Cuadrado.
Egyptian winger Salah has failed to impress since joining from Basel last year and is edging towards a winter loan move to the Serie A outfit this January.
Blues are looking to receive around £550,000 for Salah’s services until the end of the season with a view to recouping the £11million they spent on the midfielder in the summer.
A dispute over who represents Salah is causing problems and SPOCS sports consultants’ Oliver Kronenberg is expect to make a formal complaint to the Football Association.
Roma director Walter Sabatini flew out to for talks yesterday but sources in Italy suggest the initial loan fee could be a sticking point.
Should Chelsea manage to offload Salah, manager Jose Mourinho is expected to conclude the transfer of Cuadrado from Fiorentina.
The Viola are insisting the player is not for sale and boss Vincenzo Montella has publicly expressed his belief there are “no possibilities” Cuadrado will leave.
However, the winger has a £26.8million buyout clause in his Fiorentina contract and Montella would be powerless to prevent a move if that is activated.
Selling Andre Schurrle, wanted by both Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund this month, could also facilitate a swoop for the Colombian ace.
Schurrle is happy to remain at Stamford Bridge despite having played a reduced role under Mourinho this term, with the German also having been hampered by illness.
Meanwhile, reports this morning suggest Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Douglas Costa is also on Chelsea’s radar. The Blues have allowed youngster Nathaniel Chalobah to join Championship side Reading on loan until the end of the season.
Blues target Cuadrado featured in our World Cup transfer target gallery in the summer - view the whole list below.
