Transfer gossip: Kanté and Zaza among those linked with Chelsea

A round-up of the latest transfer speculation involving Chelsea…

Leicester midfielder N’Golo Kanté and Juventus striker Simone Zaza are among the players today linked with a possible move to Chelsea.

The Daily Mirror say Chelsea are determined to make Kanté, 24, one of Antonio Conte’s first signings and will launch a bid to sign him this summer.

Conte, widely tipped to take over as manager at Stamford Bridge, would like Juventus centre-back Leonardo Bonucci as a long-term replacement for John Terry, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The Telegraph also suggests that Chelsea will look to bring in a striker if Conte allows Diego Costa to leave, and that Juve’s Zaza, 24, is under consideration along with Paris St-Germain’s Edinson Cavani and Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuain.

Meanwhile, The Sun claim Chelsea have failed with a £26m bid for Roma defender Kostas Manolas but have been told the 24-year-old Greece international would be theirs for £35m.

The Daily Express report that Conte will not have full control of transfers at the Bridge.

And PSG’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is also among the many players linked with Chelsea, has been offered to Arsenal, the Mirror say.