Chelsea are reportedly considering a move for Juventus forward Mario Mandzukic after failing in their bid to re-sign Romelu Lukaku this summer.
Antonio Conte is desperate to add another striker to his squad ahead of the deadline despite having already signed Michy Batshuayi this summer.
As noted by The Mirror, his pursuit of Lukaku now looks set to end in disappointment, and so with the transfer deadline fast approaching, he has quickly switched his attention to Mandzukic.
The 30-year-old started in Juve’s opening game of the season against Fiorentina on Saturday, but ultimately he’s expected to be a back-up option to Gonzalo Higuain this year.
Whether or not he’s happy with that role in Turin remains to be seen, while he’ll also likely be a second or even third choice at Stamford Bridge given the presence of Diego Costa and Batshuayi already in the squad.
The Mirror adds that the Croatian international would cost around £25m, thus representing a much cheaper option compared to the fee being demanded for Lukaku.
Nevertheless, age and goalscoring records come into play, and it will be down to Conte to determine whether or not Mandzukic is worth the fee.
Chelsea have started the new Premier League season with two wins in two games, with Batshuayi grabbing his first goal for the club on Saturday in the win over Watford before Costa scored the winning goal for the second outing in a row.
With just over a week until the deadline, Conte will have to move fast if he is to bolster his squad with the players that he desires.