Como have reached an agreement valued at over £30m for Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.
The 27-year-old is set to agree to a long-term contract with the Italian side, where manager Cesc Fabregas is expected to give him a leading role. Como earned a place in the Champions League after finishing fourth in Serie A last season.
The London club will initially collect £25.7m, while performance-related clauses could increase the fee by another £5.1m after lengthy talks.
The overall value is close to the requested price of £30m plus £5m in bonuses. Several bids have been submitted since early June, while Inter Milan also showed interest.
Fabregas, the former midfielder, has made Chalobah a priority and has been pursuing the defender for more than six months.
The England international is preparing to leave the club he joined as a child, ending an association that has lasted almost two decades.
His departure is part of the Stamford Bridge side’s plan to trim the squad inherited by new head coach Xabi Alonso.
The Blues have already strengthened their back line by recruiting 26-year-old Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52m, bringing additional experience and aerial presence.
Despite that addition, the squad still contains nine senior central defenders, among them Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Acheampong, Benoit Badiashile, Aaron Anselmino, Axel Disasi and Mamadou Sarr.
The club would like to move Disasi and Badiashile on permanently, while Sarr or Acheampong may be allowed to leave on loan, possibly joining another Premier League team.
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