By OkayGoal 
Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign highly rated Italian fullback Marco Palestra from Atalanta, as per Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues have been rather uncharacteristically quiet in the transfer window, and understandably so, as Xabi Alonso has yet to be unveiled and can only officially start contractually from July 1st.
Still, the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid boss is believed to be keeping close contact with the club’s hierarchy regarding transfer targets.
It now appears their transfer activities are picking up pace, as they’ve reportedly contacted Juventus to sign Andrea Cambiaso and are also showing ‘serious interest’ in Atalanta’s Palestra.
In recent weeks, the 21-year-old, who was named Serie A’s best defender of the 2025-26 season at the Lega Calcio Serie A’s end-of-season awards, has been heavily linked with a move to Inter Milan and reportedly agreed personal terms with the Italian giants.
However, Chelsea have now stolen a march on the 21-time Italian champions as Fabrizio Romano reports that the Blues have ‘hijacked’ the move by reaching a verbal agreement for Palestra’s transfer to Stamford Bridge for £47m on a long-term contract.
Palestra to Chelsea
In a separate report, Italian transfer expert Nicolo Schira reveals that the 6ft 1in versatile fullback is scheduled to fly from Milan to London for his medical formalities following the completion of his paperwork, which also includes a 10% sell-on fee.
A significant part of what makes the Italian such an appealing prospect is his comfort with both feet, affording him the versatility to perform convincingly on either side of the attack.
His defensive output from the previous campaign further demonstrates his credentials. Palestra averaged 7.24 successful duels per game and ended the season with an outstanding 248 duels won, 62 more than João Pedro’s tally of 186, which was the highest recorded by any Chelsea player.
In possession, the 21-year-old is equally assured. An 85.1% pass completion rate and 70 successful dribbles speak to his composure on the ball and his capacity to drive play forward, qualities that would make him a natural fit for Xabi Alonso’s tactical approach.
However, his arrival means Chelsea now have three right-backs, including Reece James and Malo Gusto, while academy prospects Genesis Antwi and Josh Achempong are also options at the position.
With two months left in the transfer window, it’ll be interesting to see which of the available options would be sold to make space for the Italian fullback.
