Still more rumors linking Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas to Milan: Is there fire with all this smoke?

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas is linked with a move to AC Milan.

The latest rumor says that Milan have proposed a two and a half year deal to lure the former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder to Italy, but that Milan is still balking at the price that Chelsea is demanding.

Of course, there have been plenty of rumors involving Fabregas in the press right now, most of which because his contract is up in the summer and he’s not getting as much playing time as he had in the past. Maurizio Sarri has changed some of the tactics that the club is playing and has reduced the playing time and role for Fabregas.

If Fabregas is looking to move on at the end of the year anyway, the smart thing for Chelsea to do is to try and sell him in January and get something for him before he leaves on a free. Other teams, however, are aware of the contract situation and might try and play hardball with Chelsea, and with Fabregas able to officially negotiate a new contract with a new club very soon, Chelsea may not have a lot of leverage.

Fabregas is nearing the end of his career, but is still in good shape and would be looking for a last chance at another good sized contract with another “big” club, having moved from Arsenal to Barcelona and then to Chelsea as a senior player. A move to Milan wouldn’t be out of the question, especially with the differences in style of play in Serie A as opposed to the Premier League. An experienced player with good ball and passing skills can extend his career in Serie A a lot easier than he can in the faster paced and physically demanding Premier League.