Saturday, 27th October, 2012
AC Milan will have opposition from Chelsea in the race for Steaua Bucharest defender Vlad Chiriches, according to Calcio Mercato.
The 22-year-old Romanian centre-back has been hailed as a potential great and has been wowing scouts from across Europe with his performances for Steaua.
The Romanian club’s owner, Gigi Becali, confirmed over the summer that he had received a personal call from French giants Lyon, enquiring about Chiriches, but Les Gones are just one of a number of sides on the trail of the defender.
Milan have been quick to identify Chiriches as a potential acquisition, but with every good performance in a Steaua shirt, Becali has increased the player’s asking price.
In June the club’s owner said: "The increased demand for Chiriches means he reached a price of €8M. But now I want €10M", adding that: "In the winter he will cost €15M."
It remains to be seen what sum Steaua will eventually accept for the promising defender, but an auction would suit the Romanian club as they try to realise the maximum fee for the 22-year-old.
relatedNewsStoryChelsea are thought to view Chiriches as a potential successor the stalwart John Terry, whose future at Stamford Bridge has been the subject of much speculation in recent days.
And even were the 31-year-old to remain, Chiriches could be viewed as an investment in the future by the Champions League winners.
Chiriches has made the breakthrough at international level, gaining his first senior cap for Romania in 2011 after two years spent in the ranks of the country’s Under-21s.
The defender last featured for his country in this month’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Holland.
Domestically Chiriches has played his part in Steaua’s topping of the Romanian league at present, with the club enjoying the meanest defence in the division, with just ten goals conceded in 12 games.
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