Antonio Conte’s search for a central defender has led Chelsea to make a £30million bid for Roma’s Toni Rudiger.
The Premier League champions have trailed Germany international Rudiger for more than two years, since he left Stuttgart for the Italian capital.
Conte has seen little progress made in the quest to sign either of his top defensive targets: Virgil van Dijk of Southampton or Leonardo Bonucci of Juventus.
Chelsea have turned their focus to alternatives and are confident they can strike a deal for 24-year-old Rudiger, with his agent making plans to travel to London.