Chelsea are “willing” to offer €40m (£35m) and Emerson Palmieri in their attempts to sign Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella this summer, according to Calciomercatoweb.it.

The Italian website report that the Blues value Palmieri at around €15m (£13m) making the total offer worth around €55m (£48m) for the Italian international.

It is believed that Chelsea are looking to take advantage of Inter’s poor financial situation, with the Nerazzurri having lost over €100 million last year due to the impact of the global health crisis.

Barella is, though, one of their prized assets, having scored three goals and provided 10 assists in 30 appearances for Antonio Conte’s title-chasers this campaign.

Whether the Serie A side would accept such a proposal from Chelsea for a key player may well depend on how badly they need to raise funds. The Italian had been on loan at the San Siro, until September, when his move from Cagliari was made permanent for £25m.