Chelsea Hijack Inter Milan's Deal
Chelsea has moved ahead of Inter Milan in the race to sign Marco Palestra, with the Blues reaching an agreement in principle with the Atalanta wing-back. Palestra has reportedly given the green light to Chelsea's project and is set to join the club ahead of next season.
Palestra Chooses Chelsea Project
Inter Milan almost finalized the player's deal with the Rossoneri, but a late contact from Chelsea changed the fate of the deal. The Blues contacted Palestra’s club, Atalanta, and offered €60 million for the player, including add-ons and bonuses, which is significantly higher than what Inter is ready to offer. Chelsea also offered a salary of €7 million total, bonuses included, to the player, which is twice the salary offered by Inter Milan, according to Matteo Moretto.
Xabi Alonso had direct contact with Marco Palestra and offered a major role for the player in his Chelsea project while Inter took a stance to not raise their bid from €50 million in total package.
Why Palestra Fits the Premier League
Palestra is a tailor-made profile for Premier League teams with his on-the-ball qualities and offensive mindset. He is primarily a right wingback, but he can comfortably play as a left wingback because the player is proficient in both feet.
Earlier Bournemouth identified Palacios as a target last summer, but the transfer didn’t happen that time.
Rapid Rise Through Serie A
The 21-year-old had rapid growth in the last two years with Atalanta and on loan periods with Cagliari. In 2025-26, he received the Serie A defender of the season award for his performance with Cagliari even though the team finished 14th in the league table.
An Elite Attacking Wing-Back
Palestra is comfortable in going forward and coming back to the defense; however, his performance going forward has been exceptional with Cagilari. He has completed 70 take-ons, which puts him in second place in the league behind Kenan Yildiz.
The Italian international excels at cutbacks and crosses to the box. His dribbling in congested areas in the box is also highly appreciated.
He recently received his first-ever call-up to the Italian national team, a significant milestone in his career and a testament to his rapid development.
A Perfect Fit for Alonso's System
Player will be suitable for Xabi Alonso's 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 formations, which he successfully implemented at Bayer Leverkusen; Palestra can also handle fullback roles by utilizing his defensive awareness.