Chelsea blow in transfer hunt for AC Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma as Serie A giants reveal new contract talks
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CHELSEA'S pursuit of Gianluigi Donnarumma has suffered a blow as AC Milan have opened talks with the goalkeeper over a new contract.
The Blues are reportedly interested in signing the Italy international - who is out of contract at the end of the season - and are said to have made contact with him.
But Milan are desperate to keep the 21-year-old at the San Siro and have begun talks with him over a bumper new deal.
Their director of sport, Frederic Massara, told DAZN: "We’re confident to reach an agreement with Donnarumma and Calhanoglu in order to extend their contracts in the next weeks."
Despite Donnarumma being out of contract at the end of the season, Milan have been in no rush to tie him down to a new deal.
In September, Milan’s technical director, club legend Paulo Maldini, said: "He has played 220 games with Milan at his age, that's absolutely uncommon.
"The more he goes on, the more he becomes a leader. He is a leader in training and with his behaviour. His growth has been truly exponential.
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"We must try, it could happen in a week, ten days, 20 days, we are not in a hurry.
"We are in this situation now, we know, so ten or 15 more days won't change anything."
According to reports, Milan have offered Donnarumma a deal worth £6.3million-per-season to entice him to stay.
But the stopper's agent, Mino Raiola, is said to also be fielding offers from Italian champions Juventus and AC's fierce rivals Inter.
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Raiola hinted his client could leave Milan late last month, saying: "Donnarumma's contract?
"His future will be a sunny future. The sun of Milan? The sun is everywhere, the important thing is that there is the sun."
Chelsea's reported interest in Donnarumma is surprising given they recently signed Edouard Mendy to replace Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Donnarumma and his Milan team-mates will be back in action on Tuesday night, welcoming Torino to the San Siro for their Coppa Italia round-of-16 tie.