The Blues swooped in to hijack Inter Milan's near-complete deal for Serie A's best defender, offering roughly double the salary
Chelsea has agreed in principle to sign Marco Palestra from Atalanta for a base fee of approximately £49 million plus add-ons, handing the 21-year-old Italian right wing-back a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
How Chelsea hijacked the deal
Inter Milan had been closing in on Palestra for weeks. The Nerazzurri had agreed a fee with Atalanta in the region of €45 million plus €5 million in add-ons, and Palestra himself had already agreed personal terms with the club.
Chelsea reportedly offered Atalanta a base fee exceeding €50 million, which translates to roughly £49 million, surpassing what Inter had on the table. The real clincher was the personal salary offer to Palestra, which was approximately double what Inter Milan had proposed.
Reports from June 23 indicated that Chelsea and Atalanta were expected to finalize the agreement within 24 hours of key discussions.
Who is Marco Palestra?
Palestra is a 21-year-old Italian right wing-back who plays for Atalanta. He won the Serie A Best Defender award for the 2025-26 campaign and is an Italy international.
What this means for Chelsea and the broader market
For Inter Milan, this is a painful outcome. They agreed terms with both the selling club and the player, and still lost out. Inter now has to pivot to alternative targets.
For Atalanta, Chelsea’s intervention drove the price above what Inter was willing to pay. The base fee alone exceeds the €45 million Inter had agreed to, and the add-ons could push the total even higher.
