Chelsea asking for ‘over €20m’ to allow forward to leave – Player’s boot sponsor could help club seal deal

Having already offloaded a number of players to Saudi Arabia, with more on the way, Chelsea are also finding allies in AC Milan.

The Serie A side will have a bit of money to spend this summer after the deal for Sandro Tonali goes through, and both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic are being targeted.

As has been previously explained, the midfielder’s move is nearly done, but the negotiations for the American winger are still ongoing, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Italian newspaper explain on Thursday that Milan are ‘trying to close’ the deal for €15m, but that hasn’t been a success so far.

For now, Chelsea are sticking to their ‘over €20m’ demands, and ‘we have to wait a few days’ to try and find an arrangement.

One thing is clear, however, which is that nothing will happen in June ‘for budgetary reasons’.

There is also an unlikely ally that could help a deal go through, however, and that’s Puma, who make the boots worn by the USA international.

They are also Milan’s ‘technical sponsor’ and ‘the detail can become relevant’, because the forward ‘already sells a lot in the United States’, where he is ‘probably the best known face of the national team’.

For the Serie A side, who are ‘developing collaborations and initiatives in the United States’, this is something they ‘can take advantage of’.

Either way, work is still underway to see if a deal can be struck, and there’s a good chance Pulisic leaves Chelsea this summer, whether it be to Milan or somewhere else.