Chelsea will reportedly spend big this summer, with Antonio Conte eyeing moves for Romelu Lukaku and Joao Cancelo from Everton and Valencia respectively.
The Blues look set to reclaim the Premier League title this season, as they boast a nine-point lead over their nearest rivals and look in formidable shape heading down the stretch.
However, with Champions League football set to return to Stamford Bridge and with the tough nature of likely having to defend their crown, Conte knows the importance of strengthening his squad this summer where possible to add depth.
According to Yahoo! Sport, the Italian tactician has requested for Chelsea to buy Lukaku back from Everton, three years on from when they sold him to the Toffees since which the Belgian striker has scored 78 goals in 152 appearances, including the initial loan spell he had at Goodison Park in 2013.
As per the Metro, Lukaku is valued at £70m by Everton, and it seems as though Chelsea could be willing to splash out on him as they see him as a direct replacement for Diego Costa who has been linked with a lucrative move to China at the end of the season.
Another area that Conte will need to look at is his wing-back positions, as with busier fixture schedules, the likes of Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso will need to be rotated to stay fresh as running up and down the flanks two or three times a week will drain them.
In turn, Yahoo! Sport’s report claims that Cancelo is also on their radar, and after having their interest dismissed in January, a sale at the end of the season worth €30m is more likely.
The 22-year-old would be a quality addition for the Premier League leaders, but it’s noted that Barcelona are also monitoring him and so Chelsea may have some stiff competition to fend off in order to take him to Stamford Bridge.