Carney Chukwuemeka’s contract at Chelsea includes £40m release clause amid interest in the midfielder.
Chukwuemeka has struggled to establish himself at Chelsea since arriving in a £20m deal from Aston Villa in 2022, with the 20-year-old having started just four Premier League games in two seasons at Stamford Bridge.
AC Milan are understood to be interested in signing the England youth international, though Chelsea have rejected any approaches to take Chukwuemeka on loan.
The West Londoners are insistent that the midfielder will not be allowed to leave on a temporary deal, unless the agreement includes a purchase option. Chelsea have already rejected several loan approaches for Chukwuemeka.
However, Fabrizio Romano has revealed any side interested in signing Chukwuemeka this summer can do so for a fee of £40m, due to a release clause in the player’s contract with the Blues.
It remains to be seen whether Milan, who have signed Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fikayo Tomori and Olivier Giroud from Chelsea in recent transfer windows, are willing to meet that asking price.
The Italian side have also shortlisted out-of-contract Juventus star Adrien Rabiot and Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana as options to reinforce their engine room.
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