CHELSEA have reportedly been tracking Aurelien Tchouameni ‘for months’ ahead of a possible summer move.
However, the Blues face stiff competition for the Monaco star from several clubs – including Premier League rivals Liverpool.
Foot Mercato claims Thomas Tuchel is searching for a new holding midfielder.
And the German boss is a huge fan of Tchouameni, 22.
It’s now said Chelsea have been keeping close tabs on the anchorman for months.
Jorginho is being linked with a summer move to Juventus, while N’Golo Kante is out of contract in 2023.
WELCOME OFFER Get a £50 bingo bonus plus 50 free spins when you sign up to Sun Bingo todayBLUES NEWS Nick Candy ‘significantly increases’ Chelsea bid as John Terry backs consortium
West Ham’s Declan Rice is also of interest, but he could cost over £100million.
Any new recruits at Chelsea this summer will be hugely dependent on who the club's new owners are – and how willing they are to invest in playing staff.
But if they are in a position to chase £42m-rated Tchouameni, the Blues will find he has admirers elsewhere.
Liverpool are thought to be Chelsea’s biggest challengers, with Jurgen Klopp needing long-term cover for ageing stars Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara.