Chelsea defender, Branislav Ivanović, has struggled for regular games under Antonio Conte this season and he is all set to leave the club in the January transfer window.
Ivanović has made only 13 appearances for the London giants this season. However, most of them have come in the form of late substitutes. He is in the final six months of his current one-year deal with Chelsea, and several European clubs have shown an interest in him.
Last week, Daily Mail reported that Everton are considering the possibility of signing the 32-year-old defender. Everton skipper, Phil Jagielka, is all set to leave the club in January, and the Toffees are monitoring Ivanović’s situation.
According to reports from Russian outlet, Sport Express, Ivanović has agreed a personal deal with Zenit St Petersburg. He will sign a two-and-a-half year contract, and will pocket €5m per year. The Serbian is open to leaving the club, and the deal is likely to be formalised within the next few days.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea allow Ivanović to leave in January. He may not be playing regularly, but he is a reliable backup option for Conte. The Chelsea manager would love to retain the full squad at his disposal, as he is aiming to win the Premier League title.
Premier League club, West Bromwich Albion, are looking to challenge Zenit for his signature. The club believe Ivanović could commute from his home in Surrey, which might be preferable to his family. The defender may very well opt to continue in England than move elsewhere.
In the end what really matters is how Ivanović sees his career shaping up. He is not getting regular games and so there is a temptation of jumping the boat, but at the same time he may want to end his Chelsea career on a high, as he has a golden chance of picking up another Premier League trophy.
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