Diego Laxalt
Diego Laxalt's impressive performances for Genoa has attracted interest from clubs across Europe Getty

KEY POINTS

  • Diego Laxalt joined Genoa on a permanent basis from Inter Milan this summer.
  • Oscar is likely to join Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG in January.

Diego Laxalt's agent Vincenzo D'lppolito has confirmed Chelsea's interest in signing the midfielder from current club Genoa in the Serie A.

Inter Milan brought the midfielder from Uruguayan club Defensor Sporting in 2013 but loaned him out immediately to Bologna in the Serie A. Further loan spells followed with Empoli and Genoa, before he joined the latter on a permanent basis this summer.

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Laxalt, who can play as an attacking midfielder or on the left wing, has made 16 appearances in all competitions for Genoa this season and his impressive performances for the Serie A outfit are said to have attracted interest from clubs across Europe including Chelsea. Apart from the Blues, Italian club Fiorentina are also said to be interested.

The Uruguay international's agent, however, has made it clear that he will not leave his current employers during the upcoming January transfer window. Interested clubs will have to wait until the summer to make their move with Laxalt's representative claiming that a bid in the region of €15m (£12.5m, $15.7m) could convince Genoa to part with the midfielder.

"Obviously there are many clubs who follow him. In Genoa there are always plenty of observers. In Italy there is Fiorentina who is keeping an eye on him and already wanted to take him, but it is not the only one," D'lppolito told Italian publication Cacio Mercato.

"Especially foreign demands from the Premier League. Chelsea? it is one of the clubs because Conte saw him in Italy, knows his qualities and would like to bring them to England.

"Surely a club is a club that tends to sell because it thinks so much of its own budget and to generate profits from capital gains," the Uruguayan midfielder's agent added.

According to the Sun, Antonio Conte could make a move for Laxalt as a replacement for Brazilian midfielder Oscar, who is likely to move to China during the upcoming January transfer window. The Italian manager was coy when asked about his future at the club following their win over Sunderland, which made it 10 wins in a row for the Premier League leaders.

"The situation with Oscar, I think it will be clearer in the next days," Conte said, as quoted by Sky Sports.