Miralem Pjanic to Chelsea after £31m buyout clause is revealed

Roma midfielder Pjanic is wanted by Antonio Conte, the man expected to takeover from interim manager Guus Hiddink at Chelsea in the summer.

Chelsea have opened talks with the representatives of Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic over the possibility of springing a move that would trigger a £31m release clause in his contract, according to reports in Italy.

Chelsea director and lead negotiator, Marina Granovskaia, has already made contact with Pjanic’s advisers ahead of a possible summer move for the 25-year-old Bosnia-Herzegovina playmaker.

It’s added that the Blues have begun the initial stages of trying to lure Pjanic to Stamford Bridge after his name was handed to officials at the club by incoming manager Antonio Conte, with the current Italy head coach expected to be named as Guus Hiddink’s successor later this month.

Roma currently placed third on the Serie A log, eight points adrift leaders and defending champions Juventus, and Pjanic appears to be facing yet another season of missing out on the Italian league title since joining the club from French side Lyon in 2011.

Pjanic’s wages wouldn’t be a problem for Chelsea given he is expected to demand around £60,000-a-week, even though the club looks certain of missing out on qualification for next season’s Champions League, providing they don’t win the competition this time around.