Aheed Abrar
Chelsea and Manchester United make contact with representative of AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer
Premier League rivals Chelsea, alongside Manchester United, have made contact with the representative of AC Milan star Ismael Bennacer, according to Calciomercato (h/t Manchester Evening News).
The Algeria international recently hired Enzo Raiola as his agent. He is the late cousin of super-agent Mino Raiola. The Blues and the Red Devils have held talks with the 25-year-old’s entourage about a move to the Premier League.
Bennacer’s current contract with the Rossoneri expires in the summer of 2024. However, the Serie A outfit have been unable to tie him down to a new deal. The midfielder has been offered a wage rise as the Italians are keen on keeping hold of him.
The Algerian was pivotal at Milan last season as the Rossoneri lifted the Scudetto after an 11-year drought. He has been an important player for Stefano Pioli. In the current campaign, the 25-year-old has made 21 appearances in all competitions for the Italian outfit.
Bennacer has prior experience of the English top flight. The 25-year-old played for the youth side of Arsenal. However, he made just one appearance for the Gunners’ first team before leaving England.
The Algerian has evolved his role over the years, playing more in the number six position at Milan. At previous clubs, the midfielder used to be deployed a bit further up the pitch.
Chelsea’s engine room has been dominated by the likes of N’Golo Kanter and Jorginho over the years. However, the two are at the wrong side of 30 at the moment.
As for United, we recently signed Casemiro from Real Madrid. The Brazilian has made the defensive midfield position his own in the team.
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While Bennacer is a quality player, the competition for places at the Red Devils is high. Thus, it remains to be seen whether the Algerian opts for a move to Manchester in the near future.
