Hungary manager Marco Rossi has revealed that Fenerbahce defender Attila Szalai is set to join the reigning Champions League winner Chelsea.
The 23-years-old joined the Turkish side last January for £1.7 million from Apollon Limassol. The defender has made 14 appearances in the Turkish Super Lig, assisting two times.
Speaking with Calciomercato, Rossi said that Despite interest from the other European clubs, Chelsea have finalized a deal for Attila Szalai. He said:
“It’s hard to name just one player, but right now I see very well Attila Szalai, who plays for Fenerbahce, but I think he is joining Chelsea. Clearly, he has been followed by important clubs in Spain, but apparently his move to Chelsea is a done deal. He would be a great player also for Italian football.”
Will Attila Szalai be a good fit for Chelsea?
Following the departure of Kurt Zouma. Chelsea are searching for a new defender and signing Attila Szalai could fill that void for the Blues. However, the youngster Trevoh Chalobah has performed quite impressively in this season.
Meanwhile, signing a player from the Turkish league who does not have much experience of playing in the top European League could be a big gamble for the Stamford Bridge hierarchy. On the other hand, if the defender can perform well then that will be great for the West Londoners.
Chelsea were heavily linked with Sevilla defender Jules Kounde last summer but in the end, the deal collapsed towards the back end of the transfer window and it will be interesting to see if the Blues will reignite their interest in the Frenchman if they secure a deal for the Hungarian defender.
The Blues defence have performed excellently so far this season as they only conceded nine goals in the league. However, they have leaked five goals in the last three games which will be a huge concern for the German boss.
Meanwhile, after a great start to the season, Chelsea have encountered a stumbling block in the last few games as they were held back at home by Manchester United and then lost to West Ham United in the last game. Following these results, the Blues have lost the top spot in the Premier League and are currently sitting third with 33 points in 15 games. Two points behind the league leader Manchester City.
