Journalist claims midfielder was ‘forced’ to join Chelsea – Slams club for letting player ‘slip away’

Italian youngster Cesare Casadei was ‘forced’ to join Chelsea, according to transfer expert and journalist Marco Conterio.

He made this claim in his column for TuttoMercatoWeb when discussing why Serie A sides have failed to sign or retain young talents.

Conterio highlights that Juventus weren’t keen on signing Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham when they were at Molde and Birmingham City respectively. When discussing Italian youngsters, he uses Casadei’s move to Chelsea as an example.

The Blues took the midfielder from Inter Milan in 2022 and initially included him in their U21 side, before sending him out on loan to Reading in January, where he made 15 appearances.

Casadei wasn’t able to find his way into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans and Chelsea allowed him to join Leicester City on loan in the last window. The 20-year-old has managed a goal and an assist from 10 appearances this season for the Foxes.

Conterio believes the Chelsea owned player has already shown that he’s ‘ready for high levels’ with the Italy U21 and also with the Championship side.

He adds: “Yet Inter let him slip away, only to continue the million-dollar search for an interpreter in the role this season too. Has anyone from Serie A knocked on the Nerazzurri door for Casadei? No, Chelsea did it to the tune of millions.”