The list of Serie A players being linked with Chelsea is never ending, and new details of interest over the summer are slowly filtering through now the transfer window is shut.
At least, that is what Il Tempo are reporting on Friday, claiming Chelsea did indeed make a strong attempt to sign the 31-year-old over the summer, only to be blocked by Claudio Lotito, Lazio’s owner, who refused to sell him.
The midfielder has now become an asset for the Serie A club after signing in 2014 from Parma, and is a guaranteed starter under Simeone Inzaghi, having missed only two minutes of football in the league since the start of the season.
Lazio are currently fourth in the Italian league, only losing to Juventus and AC Milan so far.
With a contract already running until 2019, Lazio are now interested in getting him to sign a new five-year deal, which would keep him at the club until 2021, when he would be 36 years of age.
If that isn’t a sign of faith, we’re not sure what is.
