Chelsea have reportedly fallen behind Inter Milan in the race to sign Lazio star Antonio Candreva, while Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda appears to be on his way to Crystal Palace on a free transfer.According to Gazzetta World (h/t Daily Star's Alex Wood), Inter are willing to offer 16.2 million for Candreva, who is currently working with incoming Blues manager Antonio Conte as part of Italy's UEFA Euro 2016 squad.Lazio value the player closer to 20 million, and Chelsea are said to be very much in the thick of the racealthough the Nerazzurri have now taken a clear lead.The 29-year-old midfielder, who mainly plays as a winger but can also play in a central role or as a full-back, has been with Lazio since 2012 and has played 150 matches for the club from the capital, per Wood. His versatility and remarkable work rate are his biggest assets, but he's also a superb passer, dribbler and a set-piece specialist.Here's a look at some of his highlights:Candreva is at his best when he has space to run into, acting both as a distributor or finisher on the counter-attack. He is a consistent ball-winner who is not afraid to do the dirty work in midfield.As shared by OptaPaolo, his importance to Italy's Euro 2016 chances can't be underestimated:While the reported asking price of 20 million is relatively high for a player who will turn 30 next year, Candreva's all-round skill set means he should age well and still be productive in three or four years.He's a favourite of Conte, who is expected to overhaul the Chelsea squad ahead of the upcoming season and would be aided in his attempt to guide the Blues back to the top of the Premier League by working with players he knows understand his system.Other clubs have taken note of his abilities as well, however, and per David Amoyal of GianlucaDiMarzio.com, Chelsea will have to act fast:Inter have struggled in Serie A in the last few seasons, and while a move to the club would be a step up for Candreva, one has to assume he'd rather join an elite team like Chelsea. The Italian is good enough to be a smash hit virtually everywherehe could do better than Inter.Elsewhere, L'Equipe (h/t Daily Express' Jack Staplehurst) reported Mandanda will spurn Chelsea and Everton to sign for Crystal Palace, despite sitting down with the Blues to discuss terms earlier this month.The France international spent the better part of the last decade with Marseille but has decided to leave his long-term club, and he's expected to announce his next destination after Euro 2016. New Everton manager Ronald Koeman was said to be interested, although most fans and pundits assumed he was headed for Stamford Bridge.The proposed move never made much sense, as Mandanda has been France's second-best keeper behind Tottenham Hotspur's Hugo Lloris for years. The 31-year-old would likely start for the majority of Premier League clubs todayjust take a look at his highlights:With Chelsea, Mandanda would likely have been Thibaut Courtois' main back-up, while he has a great chance of starting over Julian Speroni or Wayne Hennessey at Selhurst Park.Per Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror, his future will ultimately come down to the role he desires:At the age of 31, he could elect to cash in before it's too late, but Mandanda is too good to be a bench player. A move to Crystal Palace appears the right one for his career, and if he plays up to his talent with the Eagles, another big-money move to an even bigger club could be in store in a year or two.Follow @ReverschPass
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