Spanish side Atletico Madrid are hoping to agree a new deal with forward Yannick Carrasco amid intense interest from Chelsea, according to The Mirror.
The 23-year-old currently has a contract that runs until 2020, but that does include a £35 million release clause – a fee which is unlikely to put off Antonio Conte’s Blues.
Consequently, Diego Simeone’s side are looking to extend and improve that deal in a bid to thwart Chelsea’s approaches.
Carrasco, who earned his ninth cap for Belgium in their 6-0 win over Gibraltar on Monday, impressed in last year’s Champions League final, and netted the equaliser to force the match against neighbours Real Madrid into extra-time.
He’s clearly a player for the big occasion, as he scored the winner for Atletico in their 1-0 home win over Bayern Munich in this season’s competition as well.
Chelsea boss Conte is looking to strengthen his squad after a mixed start to the new Premier League season. The Blues won their first three matches but have since picked up just one win in four, leaving them seventh in the table.
Although the defence has been the biggest issue, speculation surrounding the future of both Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard may force the Italian to shift his focus towards his attacking options.
The Blues have scored 12 league goals so far this season, with Diego Costa having netted six of these, and Conte may feel that more help is needed in the final third to resurrect their title challenge.
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