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Chelsea defender Marcos Alonso remains at the ‘top of the desires’ for Inter Milan, but the Blues asking price is proving a problem.

Inter Milan currently find themselves firmly in the Serie A title race, sitting joint top of the table with Juventus but ahead on goal difference.

Antonio Conte is keen to keep up the momentum in the New Year, and investment in the squad in the January transfer window looks likely.

Alonso is a player who has been heavily linked already, with the Spaniard a big favourite of Conte’s from their time together at Chelsea.

He made 81 appearances under Conte, managing 14 goals and seven assists, his best return under any manager he’s worked under by far.

Conte is keen to work with him again, and earlier this week we covered a report from Gazzetta Dello Sport that talks were underway on a €35m deal.

Gazzetta double down on that today and insist Alonso is Inter’s top target, however, Chelsea appear to have upped their asking price to €40m.

Negotiations are ‘a work in progress’ according to the newspaper, although a deal seems unlikely until Chelsea lower their demands.

Earlier reports had suggested that €35m was too much for Inter so that extra €5m will only have made things harder.

Until there’s some movement on the asking price Alonso is unlikely to be reuniting with Conte in Italy any time soon.