Chelsea are set to go head to head with Liverpool to acquire the services of Bayern Munich playmaker Mario Gotze.
According to The Sun, the Reds are keen on bringing the attacking midfielder to Anfield, with Jurgen Klopp surely enticed by the prospect of reuniting with his former Borussa Dortmund charge.
The Blues, however, also have their sights set on the World Cup winner, and have been handed a boost by incoming Bayern manager—and former Chelsea coach—Carlo Ancelotti.
The tabloid report that the Blues were informed by the Italian manager several weeks ago that Gotze was not in his plans for next season and would therefore be available, with The Sun suggesting that the Bavarians would ask for a fee of approximately £35 million for the attacking midfielder.
23-year-old Gotze has struggled to establish himself under Pep Guardiola this season, managing just 10 starts in the Bundesliga.
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Nonetheless, despite his underwhelming campaign in the German top flight, Gotze—who scored the winning goal as Germany won the World Cup in 2014—should still take his place among Joachim Low’s selection for Euro 2016.