Italian Report Claims Chelsea Will Announce Signing of Roma Defender Emerson Palmieri on Monday

Chelsea look set to announce their second signing of the January transfer window, as reports from Italy have claimed that the Blues will officially sign Roma

Chelsea look set to announce their second signing of the January transfer window, as reports from Italy have claimed that the Blues will officially sign Roma defender Emerson Palmieri on Monday.

As reported by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, via the Metro, the deal has been on the cards for a number of weeks, but the difficulties in agreeing a double deal for Palmieri and Eden Džeko has seen the move stall. 

Desperate to boost their skeleton squad, Chelsea are now believed to be ready to go ahead and sign Palmieri before making a final decision on Džeko.

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The 23-year-old is set to cost the Blues around £18m, with a further £4m in add-on fees. With former second-choice left-back Kennedy now on loan at Newcastle United, Palmieri will have the opportunity to battle it out with free-kick maestro Marcos Alonso to claim the starting full-back spot for the Premier League Champions.

Palmieri has appeared just once for his side this season, as summer signing Aleksandar Kolarov has become the first choice left-back. The former Santos man was born in Brazil, but has switched his nationality to Italian as he looks to earn his first senior international call-up. The 5ft 9' defender is famed for his pace, making him an ideal option for Chelsea at wing-back.

The Blues are still looking to sign Džeko, but his 90k-per-week wage demands have seen the move stall. Arsenal's Olivier Giroud has emerged as another potential target, as the club look to sign a powerful forward. Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is keen to loan out his back-up striker Michy Batshuayi, who has failed to impress since his £30m move to Chelsea last season.

With a number of young stars sold and loaned out at the start of the season, the Blues have been left with a threadbare selection of talents at their disposal. With Manchester City set to romp to the Premier League title in record time, Chelsea may have to focus their attentions on the Champions League - where they face Catalan giants Barcelona in the first knockout round.