According to reports from metro.co.uk, Chelsea and Barcelona are battling to sign Juventus star Miralem Pjanic. The 28-year-old is seen as one of the most gifted midfielders in Serie A and Juventus have slapped a  £70m price-tag on him as the Turin giants look to raise funds for other transfers.

Maurizio Sarri appointment as Chelsea new head coach looks so close as the Italian reportedly has selected out the key members to join his backroom staff at Stamford Bridge next season. But the Blues are yet to sack Antonio Conte and Sarri is now  expected to replace his country man at Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge side had a disappointing campaign in the Premier League last season as they finished fifth and will definitely miss Champions League football next season. Nevertheless, Conte’s men ended the season on a high by beating Manchester United to win the FA Cup at Wembly.

Maurizio Sarri, who is known for his exciting and high-pressing style of play, is charged of making Chelsea worthy of challenging for the Premier League title next season. The former Napoli boss is seeking to reinforce the current Chelsea team in the summer.

The midfielder was is also called ‘The Pianist” by Juventus fans, Pjanic has been a star player for the club over the past two seasons after joining from Serie A rivals Roma. He has established himself as one of the finest midfielders in Italy after helping Juventus to another League and Cup double last season.

He is indeed a wizard in midfield, taking control over all aspects of the game and doing so in a fashionable manner. The Bosnian’s creativity, flair and ability to find killer passes has resulted in numerous goals for his team-mates.

As a central midfielder, the 28-year-old also prevails in a more attacking position due to his set-skill. With his vision and passing abilities, Pjanic is the perfect deep-lying playmaker, someone who plays like former AC Milan and Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Also, he is a constant threat from set-pieces.

Despite his creativity which improved last season, he also developed his work rate by contributing defensively with tackles and interceptions whenever required.

And due to his vision, quick and set-piece abilities, Pjanic could be the right replacement of Cesc Fabregas at Stamford Bridge.

Cesc Fabregas at 31, is an important player for Chelsea. But he struggled for consistency last season. The Spaniard showed signs of slowing down in the 2017/18 campaign, and the Blues should bring in an all-action midfielder to replace him next season.

Miralem Pjanic will fit in perfectly for Chelsea. The Bosnian, who is an energetic box-to-box midfielder, could become a long-term replacement for Fabregas. Also, the 28-year-old will be used immediately into Sarri’s style of play.

Chelsea already have the likes of N’Golo Kante, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Fabregas in the heart of the midfield area, and with the addition of Miralem Pjanic, the fans can expect more joy and goals next season.

Photo Credit : Daily Express