Chelsea are keen on securing a deal for Athletico Paranaense midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, and they will pursue the Brazilian if their transfer ban is delayed.
The Blues are facing a two-window ban as a result of breaching regulations surrounding signing young players, but remain hopeful that their punishment will be delayed by at least six months following an appeal.
If they do get such a delay, ESPN claim Chelsea will target 21-year-old Guimaraes, after scouting him in Wednesday's 3-0 victory over Boca Juniors.
The powerful midfielder managed to create his side's second goal, bursting forward on a powerful run before playing a perfect ball across goal for Marco Ruben to tap home.
He regularly operates as a defensive midfielder but, after breaking through into the first team last season, has caught the eye with his playmaking and his ability to dictate the tempo of a game.
Noite marcante!!! Grande jogo de toda a equipe, a luta continua. Obrigado pelo apoio incondicional. Juntos somos mais fortes. ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/Q8p3DwBgNp
— Bruno Guimarães (@brunoog97) April 3, 2019
Guimaraes' rise to power has attracted interest from the likes of Inter and AC Milan, but Athletico have been reluctant to part ways with the Brazilian. He has a release clause of around £34m, and it is thought Chelsea may have to activate that clause to secure a deal for the midfielder.
However, they face serious competition from Shakhtar Donetsk, who also sent chief scout Jose Boto to watch the win over Boca. The Ukrainian outfit have a history of recruiting talent from Brazil, with the likes of Willian, Douglas Costa and Fernandinho all leaving South America to join the club in recent years.
Shakhtar have also shown a willingness to spend heavily on such talent, with recent deals for the likes of Bernard, Fred and Tete all costing sizeable fees.
Guimaraes, who also has Spanish nationality, has made 52 appearances for Athletico in all competitions and has even managed to register four goals and four assists. His style of play has earned comparisons to current Chelsea star Jorginho, but Guimaraes also boasts the attacking capabilities to operate in a more advanced role.
Source : 90min