Kurt Zouma is earmarked for a season-long loan to Crystal Palace but only if The Premier League champions can land Everton centre-back John Stones.
The French centre-back, 20, who signed from St-Etienne in January 2014 for £12.5million, made 17 outings for Chelsea last term, scoring twice.
However many of his most impressive displays were as a central midfield destroyer, most notably when he easily shacked Spurs' hit-man Harry Kane in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley where the Blues ran out comfortable 2-0 winners.
It had been intended that last season was to be his acclimatisation season, but the dip in form of Gary Cahill forced Jose Mourinho to pitch the youngster into the first-team arena earlier than anticipated.
However with Cahill back to close his best, Mourinho is keen to resume the kid's education and send, as originally planned, the centre-back out on loan to a mid-ranking Premier League side where he can toughen up and play regularly.
Crystal Palace are waiting eagerly for the outcome of the increasingly fraught transfer battle for Stones, who at 21, and with four senior England caps under his belt, is seen as a replacement for John Terry.
He made 23 League appearances last season and has four years to go on his deal.
It's believed that a £30million bid could seal the deal for the player who cost Everton just £3million from Barnsley in January 2013.