Chelsea is close to signing midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko from French champions Monaco.
Blues manager Antonio Conte has identified France international Bakayoko as a player who can strengthen the Premier League champions’ squad.
Talks have taken place and the transfer – which would be Chelsea’s first of the summer – could be completed this week.
Bakayoko, 22, was part of the Monaco squad that reached the Champions League semi-finals last season.
He joined the club from Ligue 1 rivals Rennes in 2014 and made his France debut in a friendly defeat by Spain in March this year.
Juventus and Brazil wing-back Alex Sandro is also thought to be a target for Conte, and the Blues have been linked with re-signing Everton’s Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku and Southampton and Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk, who Liverpool apologised for approaching earlier this month.
