Chelsea ‘willing to listen to offers for Jorginho in bid to fund £65m swoop for West Ham star Declan Rice’ as Frank Lampard plots summer overhaul
- Jorginho’s agent admits a reunion with Maurizio Sarri at Juventus is possible
- Chelsea are interested in signing West Ham midfielder Declan Rice this summer
- Yet a move won’t come cheap and Chelsea may need to sell before they can buy
- Jorginho was signed by Sarri in 2018 and worked under the Italian at Napoli
Chelsea are reportedly set to listen to offers for midfielder Jorginho, with the midfielder’s potential departure paving the way for a £65m bid for Declan Rice.
Frank Lampard is firmly interested in bringing West Ham defensive midfielder Rice back to Stamford Bridge, after his time in the academy before he joined the Hammers.
But in order to do that funds need to be raised and Jorginho, who Chelsea signed for £50m from Napoli in 2018, could reunite with Maurizio Sarri at Juventus, according to The Telegraph.
Chelsea midfielder Jorginho is being linked with a reunion with Maurizio Sarri at Juventus
Should Jorginho leave, that could pave the way for Declan Rice to sign for the Blues
Jorginho’s agent, Joao Santos, has also admitted a reunion between the Italian coach and his client could be an option down the line.
‘Everyone knows there is a very strong rapport between Sarri and Jorginho after five years working together, I’d be a hypocrite to deny that, but I also want to remind you that Jorginho has three years left on his Chelsea contract,’ Santos said.
‘Sarri has never called Jorginho personally to talk about Juventus. I know there’s talk in the papers, but we have never had direct contact with Sarri or even director of sport Fabio Paratici.
‘When the directors Paratici and Marina Granovskaia find an agreement, if they find an agreement, then and only then can I talk about the situation.’
Jorginho has still been used regularly by Lampard this season, making 44 appearances in all competitions.
Jorginho signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2018, joining Sarri in the same year from Napoli
But England international Rice, who is best friends with Chelsea attacking midfielder Mason Mount, remains an attractive option, given his potential to also improve at just 21-years-old.
Jorginho, meanwhile, is 29 in December and though he is still in his peak years, Chelsea believe cashing in on him could raise invaluable funds, given the money they have already spent this summer.
Lampard has brought in Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner for a combined outlay of £75m, and with the potential of a £90m move for Kai Havertz to come, the Chelsea boss may turn his attentions to his midfield and defence, with Rice able to play either in a holding role or at centre back.