Radja Nainggolan to Chelsea: Blues step up bid for £31m midfielder and remain confident over deal

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Simon Johnson24 May 2016

Chelsea have stepped up negotiations with Roma over their midfielder Radja Nainggolan.

The Belgium international is regarded by new coach Antonio Conte, who will officially take over after Euro 2016, as one of his primary targets to strengthen midfield.

Nainggolan keeps insisting in public that he is staying at the Serie A club, but Chelsea believe otherwise.

Standard Sport revealed in March that the 28-year-old had been speaking with friends about the possibility of moving to the capital.

One of the reasons for the hold-up in negotiations is Roma are demanding in excess of £31million for his signature.

Chelsea have also been surprised to discover that Nainggolan’s wages are £50,000-a-week after tax, not before.

It means they will have to offer significantly more funds than first thought to lure him to the capital and consider raising their terms from £70,000-a-week to at least £100,000-a-week.

Chelsea are prepared to offer him a five-year deal, though, and remain upbeat about their chances of completing the deal this summer.

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