Chelsea eye free transfer of Inter Milan star - Reports

Chelsea are among the clubs interested in signing Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar on a free transfer next summer, according to Italian outlet CalcioMercato.it.

The January transfer window is just around the corner, but the Blues will also have an eye on the summer. Owner Todd Boehly is seemingly prepared to back manager Graham Potter ahead of what will be his first full season in charge of the club.

One area the London giants will look to strengthen ahead of the 2023-24 season is central defense. Thiago Silva is nearing the end of his career, while Kalidou Koulibaly is on the wrong side of his 30s as well.

It appears Chelsea have already identified a target to bolster their options in defense next summer. According to the aforementioned source, they are keeping tabs on Skriniar's situation at Inter.

Skriniar has been on Inter's books since the summer of 2017 and has often even captained the side. However, his contract with the Serie A giants is expiring at the end of the current season.

The Nerazzurri are determined to tie the Slovakia international down to a new deal, but have struggled to reach an agreement so far. They are hopeful that they can convince the player to put pen to paper on a fresh contract soon.

Simone Inzaghi's side are said to be in regular contact with Skriniar's representatives and have even tabled an offer. They are prepared to hand the defender a four-year deal with a salary of €7 million a season, including bonuses, as per the report.

Inter, though, are not willing to break the bank to keep the 27-year-old at the club. Meanwhile, the player reportedly wants to assess his options before making a decision.

It is worth noting that Skriniar can open talks over a pre-contract with other clubs from January onwards. Should the opportunity arise, Chelsea could snap him up on a free transfer.

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Chelsea could face competition for Skriniar

As Skriniar could possibly be available on a free transfer, Chelsea are not the only club interested in signing him. As per CalcioMercato.it, Tottenham Hotspur are also in the mix for the defender.

Real Madrid have been credited with an interest in the former Sampdoria central defender as well. Los Blancos are keen to strengthen their defense next summer and have already been linked with RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol.

Skriniar also has interest from France, with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) said to be his long-term admirers. The Parisians were heavily linked with a move for the Slovakian last summer.