Chelsea target wantaway Serie A-winning midfielder

Napoli's Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa is said to be pushing for a move away from the Serie A title challengers and Chelsea are reportedly at the front of the queue for the talented midfielder.

Anguissa was a key fixture of Luciano Spalletti's top-flight champions in 2023. After enduring the same dip in form which gripped the rest of his teammates last season, Antonio Conte has helped the all-action midfielder rediscover his best performances.

Despite maintaining his status as an undisputed starter for Napoli, dovetailing to devastating effect with Scott McTominay in a box-crashing midfield role, Anguissa would "like a change of scenery", according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

Napoli have no intention of parting ways with such a key figure. Conversely, the Serie A outfit are said to be keen on extending his contract with a "generous" wage bump, although no agreement has been reached as of yet. Instead, Napoli have reportedly activated the two-year extension clause in Anguissa's contact to extend the deal until 2027 and thereby avoid losing him for free this summer.

In the public sphere, Anguissa has been full of praise for Conte's man-management skills. "The coach made us realise we are a great team and we must all do more," the Cameroonian midfielder revealed earlier this year.

"We just need to prove that we are a great side, take it one game at a time and not think about Atalanta or whoever is on top. We are concentrated only on ourselves, that is what really matters."

Yet, there are no guarantees that Conte will remain in Naples himself. The outspoken former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss has already laid the groundwork for his potential departure this summer, regardless of the team's top-flight title aspirations. Conte recently admitted that "there are some things you cannot do" at Napoli, later criticising the club's transfer strategy.

"I cannot live on miracles rather than planning," he sighed. "I don't want to be massacred. I saw looting of our projects."

Napoli's firm stance on finances may also complicate Chelsea's approach for Anguissa. If that contract extension is made official, the Italian club can set the terms for any transfer. Chelsea have already recruited a defensively minded midfielder in the form of Dario Essugo from Sporting CP, although he doesn't boast anywhere near the same experience as Anguissa.

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