Chelsea are one of several sides interested in Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane, with head coach Thomas Tuchel rumoured to be 'desperate' to sign the Frenchman.
The Blues began plotting to sign a new centre-back well before Tuchel arrived at Stamford Bridge, and despite significant improvement at the back over the past few months, adding a new defender remains high on the to-do list.
Sport Bild's Christian Falk claimed earlier in April that Varane was Chelsea's top target, and that stance has also been taken by Mundo Deportivo - who go as far as to suggest that signing Varane is Chelsea's race to lose.
PSG and Manchester United are both understood to be keen, but it's Chelsea who are said to be pushing hardest - and while that's relatively feasible, here's where the story gets a little confusing.
According to this report, Chelsea are prepared to pay a whopping £61m for him.
At that price tag, you have to start asking questions. Sure, Varane is a great defender, but as a 28-year-old with one year left on his contract, it's hard to see Chelsea breaking the bank. Just because Real did that for Eden Hazard, it doesn't mean the Blues are keen to return the favour.
In the English media, there have been plenty of reports centring around Chelsea's interest in Bayern Munich centre-back Niklas Sule, whose price tag of a little over £20m is far more reasonable for a player entering the final 12 months of his deal.
Those two are by no means the only options under consideration at Chelsea. Sevilla's Jules Kounde, Villarreal's Pau Torres and Gladbach's Matthias Ginter have all been mentioned, as has the expensive Jose Maria Gimenez of Atletico Madrid. If you want a left-field option, Malmo youngster Anel Ahmedhodzic is also on the radar.
It could all come down to money. 90min understands Chelsea have as good a chance as anyone of signing Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, whose price tag sits at well over £100m, while Inter forward Romelu Lukaku is another expensive target.
If Chelsea shell out £100m on either striker, there may not be a lot left in the back to pursue a centre-back, which is why £20m on Sule seems far more likely than £61m on Varane.
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Source : 90min