Fiorentina step up pursuit of Chelsea’s Cesare Casadei

Cesare Casadei, the young Italian midfielder, may be on his way back to Italy after a two-year stint with Chelsea. The 20-year-old, who left Inter Milan in 2021, has found himself on the fringes of Chelsea’s squad despite the arrival of Enzo Maresca, his former coach at Leicester City, as the new manager.

Currently training alone while awaiting a potential transfer, Casadei’s priority is to return to Italy and make his Serie A debut. Fiorentina has emerged as the frontrunner in the race to secure his services, with Torino also showing interest.

Calciomercato report that Fiorentina’s approach involves a loan deal with a potential option or obligation to buy, contingent on certain performance targets. Discussions between the parties took place last week, with further talks expected in the coming days. While a permanent transfer has been considered, it remains unlikely given Chelsea’s significant investment of around €20 million in the player.

To facilitate the loan move, Fiorentina is contemplating covering Casadei’s entire salary, which stands at €1 million net plus bonuses. For the young midfielder, a return to Italy could provide an excellent platform to showcase his talents and potentially catch the eye of national team coach Luciano Spalletti.

While there is some interest from Premier League clubs, Casadei has not seriously considered these options at present. Another possibility that has emerged is a move to Strasbourg, a club affiliated with Chelsea.