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Axe to grind

Chelsea transfer news: Juventus make last-ditch attempt to sign Axel Witsel — with Nemanja Matic and Blaise Matuidi as back-up options

Serie A giants will move for Belgian in January but are desperate to bring in a midfielder after losing big names

JUVENTUS are preparing one final offer for Zenit St. Peterburg’s Axel Witsel in January — with Nemanja Matic and Blaise Matuidi as back-up options, according to reports in Italy.

The Belgian came close to moving to the Serie A champions on the final day of the summer’s transfer window but a deal fell through.

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - NOVEMBER 30: Axel Witsel of FC Zenit St. Petersburg celebrates after scoring a goal during the Russian Premier League match between FC Spartak Moscow and FC Zenit St. Petersburg at the Luzhniki Stadium on November 30, 2012 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Dmitry Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images)
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Axel Witsel's contract at Zenit St. Petersburg runs out in June and he will leaveCredit: Getty Images

Witsel has less than one year left on his contract with the Russian club and has already decided he will not be staying beyond the June expiry date.

And report Juve will return with a take-it-or-leave-it £5.5million bid in in the next window.

If the Serie A leaders fail to land their man, they will wait until the summer and snap him up on a free.

Football Soccer - Liverpool v Chelsea - International Champions Cup - Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, United States of America - 16/17 - 27/7/16 Chelsea's Nemanja Matic Reuters / Mike Blake
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Max Allegri would be interested in signing Nemanja Matic in JanuaryCredit: Reuters


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Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder Blaise Matuidi controls the ball during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Saint-Etienne at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on September 9, 2016. / AFP / FRANCK FIFE (Photo credit should read FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images)
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Blaise Matuidi's agent, Mino Raiola, enjoys a strong relationship with JuventusCredit: Getty Images
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 24: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea waits for kick off during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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Cesc Fabregas is Juventus' No.1 target for next summer, but he wont be cheapCredit: Getty Images

The situation will be a blow to Zenit as they agreed a £25m fee with Everton over the sale of Witsel in the summer — only for the 27-year-old to turn the move down.

Juventus are in desperate need of a midfielder, having lost Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba in the last two seasons.

And Gazzetta add that a failure to land Witsel in January would see Max Allegri turn to either Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic or Paris Saint-Germian’s Blaise Matuidi, whose agent, Mino Raiola, enjoys a strong relationship with Juventus.

It is another Stamford Bridge midfielder which the Bianconceri boss truly wants — but any move for Cesc Fabregas would have to be put on hold until the summer.

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