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Romano says Championship trio want £16.8m Chelsea man on loan, he’d be ideal for Leeds – opinion

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Leeds United will require a complete midfield rebuild this summer with as many as four of last season’s first teamers set to depart.

And according to Fabrizio Romano, three unnamed Championship sides have submitted loan offers for Chelsea’s Cesare Casadei, who would be an ideal signing to begin that overhaul.

Leeds have already lost Weston McKennie after he returned to parent club Juventus, while Marc Roca looks certain to follow him out of the exit door with Real Betis in talks.

Chelsea Training Session
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Tyler Adams is also the subject of plenty of top-flight interest from across Europe, with Adam Forshaw at this stage looking likely to leave after being released, though talks are set to take place over a new deal on lower wages.

The likes of Darko Gyabi and Archie Gray will be looking to make the step up to the first team next season, but even so Leeds will need two new midfielders at the very least.

Three Championship clubs keen on Casadei, he’d be ideal for Leeds

Casadei is currently one of the biggest talents in Italian football with Chelsea having paid around £16.8 million to sign him from Inter Milan last summer, despite having never played for their first team.

He obtained his first taste of senior football at Reading in the second half of last season, and while results were far from ideal in his time there, a side looking to dominate the ball would be far better for him.

FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023
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Casadei is capable of playing anywhere across the midfield, and has an excellent eye for goal, with a great record in the youth teams of both Chelsea and Inter.

He also netted seven goals in as many appearances during the U20s EUROs with Italy this summer, captaining the side twice and reaching the final.

Bringing Casadei in, alongside a couple of more experienced midfielders, would give Leeds the perfect balance in that position, and enough depth to rotate during a gruelling 46-game season.