Chelsea are in pole position to sign Franck Kessie should he refuse to sign a new deal at AC Milan, according to a report.
The 24-year-old is due to become a free agent at the end of the 2021-22 season, although he has talked up the prospect of extending his stay at San Siro.
Kessie supposedly rejected the chance to move to Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window, but his future remains up in the air while he is contracted to Milan for less than 12 months.
According to Sportmediaset, Chelsea would be able to offer Kessie a higher wage than Milan are able to table, which would give the Blues the upper hand in negotiations next summer.
The report claims that Kessie could be in line for an €8m (£6.8m) contract plus bonuses at Stamford Bridge, whereas Milan's current offer is €7m (£6m) with bonuses, and Spurs are still keeping an eye on the situation.
The Ivory Coast international made four appearances for his country at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and boasts 30 goals and 15 assists from 184 games in a Milan shirt.
