Leicester City have not given up hope of securing a deal for Milan midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu, with Brendan Rodgers' side 'closely following' his situation in Italy.
The Foxes had been heavily linked with a move for the Turkey international during the January transfer window, but they were unable to reach an agreement with the Rossoneri for his sale.
Nevertheless, there's a strong probability Çalhanoğlu will leave in the summer, by which point he'll have a year left on his contract at San Siro.
Çalhanoğlu is said to be against the idea of joining an English team, though that hasn't curbed Leicester's interest, with CalcioMercato claiming they continue to 'follow him closely'.
It's understood Milan placed a €20m price-tag on the playmaker's head last month, as they look to start turning a profit after posting their biggest ever financial losses during the autumn.
The report also says the Foxes are 'always' chasing his services, suggesting this could become a strung out transfer saga.
Leicester appear to want Çalhanoğlu far more than he wants them. However, it's clear he wants to jump ship as Milan's struggles persist, with the Rossoneri currently in eighth place in Serie A following a turbulent campaign.
The Foxes will likely return with a bid once the season ends, given his asking price will gradually decrease between now and the summer if he doesn't sign a new contract.
At that point, Leicester will have the task of convincing Çalhanoğlu a switch to the King Power Stadium is worthwhile - they may have the pull of Champions League football by then.
Leicester's board are notoriously difficult to negotiate with, the club hierarchy refusing to submit to the demands of their counterparts, as demonstrated by Harry Maguire's long and drawn-out move to Manchester United.
That makes it difficult to see contract talks going smoothly between Leicester and Çalhanoğlu, who isn't short of options as several European clubs aim to win the race for his signature.
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Source :
90min
