Chelsea make £100m-rated ace No.1 target, £40m talks for midfielder this week

Posted Wednesday, May 24, 2017 by Caughtoffside.com

Chelsea are reportedly stepping up their transfer activity as Antonio Conte eyes serious reinforcements this summer to strengthen his squad.

The Premier League champions will be focused on the FA Cup final this weekend, but it seems as though attention is also switching to the summer transfer window.

According to the Evening Standard, Romelu Lukaku has now been made their top choice up front ahead of Alvaro Morata, but it remains to be seen how successful the Blues are given that Everton value the Premier League marksman at £100m.

The Belgian international scored 25 league goals this past season, and the report goes on to add that Chelsea believe that they can acquire him for less than the touted fee above as he looks set for a return to Stamford Bridge after failing to get the opportunities he was desperate for last time out.

Further, the Standard add that Morata is aware that Chelsea's focus is moving elsewhere and so his representatives will explore other options moving forward.

While both strikers are top class in their own right, signing Lukaku would arguably be the better move given Conte knows he can deliver consistently in the Premier League and would fit the system at Chelsea well.

Meanwhile, as per The Daily Mail, Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko could also be heading to west London this summer as Chelsea will reportedly open negotiations over the £40m signing of the Frenchman this week.

The 22-year-old played a crucial role in helping Monaco win the Ligue 1 title this season while also reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.

While he's ruled out the possibility of moving to rivals Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea are considered favourites at this stage as Conte eyes important signings this summer to add strength and depth to his squad.

N'Golo Kante, Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas have had the responsibility of leading from midfield, but with Champions League football back on the fixture list next season, more will be needed to compete on various fronts.