Chelsea’s senior stars upset by Dzeko contract offer

Chelsea will risk angering their star players in order to give Edin Dzeko the contract he is demanding, according to reports.

The former Manchester City striker is reportedly on the verge of sealing a move from Roma to Stamford Bridge in a £50m double deal which will include full-back Emerson Palmieri.

However, the Bosnia-Herzogovina international is demanding that the Blues breach their usual over-30 contract policy in order to give him a longer deal.

Chelsea currently do not offer contracts of longer than a year to players over 30; a list which includes the likes of Gary Cahill, Cesc Fabregas, Pedro and David Luiz. The aforementioned quartet are all on deals which expire within 18 months.

The Independent claims that Dzeko has been offered a two-and-a-half year deal worth £100k-a-week, and is also seeking assurances over playing time.

Antonio Conte has reportedly been searching for a target man to play second fiddle to Alvaro Morata, with Andy Carroll, Peter Crouch and Ashley Barnes among the players linked.

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