6th May, 2016
Nemanja Matic looks set to quit Chelsea this summer after a fee believed to be £20m was agreed upon with Italian champions, Juventus.
But Juan Cuadrado will be coming back from the Turin club, where he has been on a successful season-long loan.
The Colombian will be given a fresh start by new boss Antonio Conte.
Serbian star Matic looked a Blues legend in the making last season as he helped Jose Mourinho land the title after rejoining the club from Benfica in a £21m deal.
But the 27-year-old has been one of the many flops at the club this campaign and has made just five starts in the last two months.
It now appears Chelsea are ready to take let Matic go for around what they paid for him, with Conte ready to embark on a major rebuilding programme at Stamford Bridge.
It is thought he is ready to listen to offers for attacking midfielder Oscar and also not totally convinced about hothead striker Diego Costa.
John Obi Mikel has an offer from Turkey he may be encouraged to take, while skipper John Terry’s amazing career at the club looks to be coming to an end, with no sign of a new deal and the centreback being out of contract at the end of the season.
Conte, though, is adamant Chelsea hold onto Eden Hazard with the club’s hierarchy confident the under-performing Belgium ace will stay and try to rebuild his career under the current Italy manager.
Cuadrado, 27, will be given a another chance to claim a regular place in the west London club’s team, following a successful spell at Juve, who he has helped win the Serie A title.
Conte is understood to have been impressed with the winger’s performances.
Cuadrado – who starred in the 2014 World Cup, where he was joint top on four for the most assists, along with Germany’s Toni Kroos – was signed from Fiorentina in February 2015 in a £27m deal.