Chelsea lodge £55m bid for Italy midfielder – report

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is trying to lure compatriot Marco Verratti to Stamford Bridge this summer, according to a report.

The Sun  claims the Premier League champions have made a £55million to Paris Saint Germain for the classy midfielder.

The Ligue 1 outfit are prepared to sell the 24-year-old, but Verratti is believed to be happy in the French capital and will need persuading to move to London.

Verratti currently commands a wage of £120,000 a week in Paris – a deal that Comte is willing to improve if the player decides to move to the Premier League.

Conte wants the midfield metronome to add some more creativity to his Blues squad, especially with the challenge of Champions League football back on the agenda next season.

The report though claims that Verratti who is contracted to PSG until June 2021, “is proving harder to sign than anticipated”.

Verratti’s main concern is believed to be the guarantee of game time at the Bridge with Cesc Fabregas, N’Golo Kane and Nemanja Matic all in situ.

PSG could only finish second to Monaco, who claimed the Ligue 1 title last night, while the player only penned a new five-year deal in August 2016.