Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea’s most wanted striker again as Borussia Dortmund show no sign of altering their “not for sale” stance on Erling Haaland.

As well as trying to negotiate a deal with Inter Milan, who have insisted Lukaku will not be sold, Chelsea are ready to make an official bid for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde if they first line up a deal to sell a central defender.

Kurt Zouma is the most likely to depart. Zouma is one of a host of players, including Tammy Abraham, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Marcos Alonso, for whom Chelsea are willing to listen to offers over the final month of the transfer window.

Thomas Tuchel, the Chelsea head coach, wants a new striker, but with Dortmund digging in their heels over Haaland, it seems his hopes of bringing in a big-money No 9 may rest on whether Inter relent over Lukaku.

Both he and Inter have publicly declared that they expect the Belgian to be in Serie A this season, but that has not yet put off Chelsea, who are well aware of the Italian club’s financial difficulties.

Inter’s asking price for Lukaku is well above what Chelsea would be prepared to pay to take the 28-year-old back to Stamford Bridge.

Should Inter stand firm, Tuchel has not ruled out the prospect of starting the season with Kai Havertz, who scored against Arsenal in a pre-season friendly at the weekend, and Timo Werner as his first-choice strikers. 

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021]