Enzo Maresca on verge of losing Chelsea midfielder as Torino transfer talks advance | OneFootball

Chelsea are set to complete their first sale of the January transfer window as Serie A side Torino have arrived in London for advanced talks, according to reports.

The winter window was always likely to be one of outgoings for Enzo Maresca's side, with the Italian previously confirming that players would be allowed to leave.

"I cannot say that, not about Kiernan, about all the squad, because when theis open, unfortunately anything can happen," he previously said when asked about Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

"We don't want one of our players to leave, the problem is that sometimes the question is more for them, that if they say, OK, you don't want me to leave, but I'm not happy, I want to play more. So in that case, we are not going to say, no, you have to stay, yes or yes. It's a matter of agreement between the club and the player."

The likes of Dewsbury-Hall, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, Renato Veiga, Cesare Casadei, Joao Felix and Axel Disasi have all been heavily linked with moves away this month.

Now it looks like one of Chelsea's outcasts could be set to depart in search of first team football, with a permanent transfer close to being completed.

As reported by Sky Italy's Gianluca Di Marzio, Torino executives have arrived in London in an attempt to finalise the signing of Casadei.

Cesare Casadei is set to join Serie A side Torino. / IMAGO / Focus Images

The Italian midfielder has been left out of Maresca's selection pool alongside Chilwell as the Italian head coach confirmed that they are both likely to leave in January.

Di Marzio has confirmed that there was a meeting in London between Torino's executives and Casadei, with the club making it clear to the player how much they want to sign him.

Negotiations will continue with Chelsea, with an initial offer on £7.5 million plus a 40% sell-on clause included in the deal, the report reavels.

Casadei is now waiting on both clubs to find an agreement, with Chelsea seeking a higher transfer fee if they are to let the Italian depart.

There is said to be optimism on the side of Torino that a deal can be finalised as they look to bolster their squad before the end of the transfer window.

It remains to be seen as to whether Chelsea will dip into the transfer market to replace Casadei, with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez playing the majority of matches in the Blues' midfield this season while Romeo Lavia battles his injury struggles.