Italian side Fiorentina are reportedly bracing up for a battle with Schalke 04 to land Ghana and Chelsea defender Baba Abdul Rahman on loan this January.
The left-back is nearing match fitness after a long injury layoff.
German side Schalke 04, for whom he was initially loaned out to for the 2016/17 season before his ACL injury during international duty, remain favourite to re-engage his services for the second half of the ongoing campaign in January.
Sporting director Christian Heidel has hinted the club could go for the Baba again.
“Is Baba ready to help us in the second half of the season? You have to see,” he said.
He managed just 13 appearances for Schalke 04 before suffering the injury with Ghana at the 2017 Afcon in Gabon.
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But Schalke may have to do some extra work to secure the loan deal for Baba who has been left feeling surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.
Italian publication La Nazione is now reporting that Fiorentina are also interested in having Baba wear the purple jersey.
Fiorentina are currently sitting in 12th position on the Serie A table, eight points above the drop zone but 20 off leaders Napoli. They have conceded 19 times this season, and will be hoping that the addition of Baba will help shore up their defence.
Baba Abdul Rahman has hardly pulled up any trees at Stamford Bridge either since being snapped up from Augsburg in 2015.
The 23-year-old has played just 23 games for the Blues in all competitions and fell off the radar during Jose Mourinho’s second stint at Stamford Bridge.
The former Asante Kotoko loanee hasn’t played a single minute in the Premier League since Antonio Conte took over as the Blues’ manager. The emergence of Marcos Alonso as Conte’s preferred left back option this season leaves Baba Rahman no better option than a move away from Chelsea in order to establish some consistent game time.
