Chelsea close to signing Brighton & Hove Albion defender Lewis Dunk for £40m?

Chelsea have reportedly made an approach to sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Lewis Dunk.

As they bid to strengthen their backline, the Blues have previously been linked with a £40m offer for Ben White, who starred on loan at Leeds United last season.

However, with Brighton said to have no intention of selling the prospect, it appears that Frank Lampard has switched his attention to Dunk, a player valued at the same price.

According to The Sun, Chelsea are pressing ahead with their effort to sign the 28-year-old, who is a boyhood fan of the West Londoners.

Despite rival interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Dunk allegedly expects to complete a switch to Stamford Bridge in the near future.

Dunk has been part of the Brighton first team since 2009, making a total of 306 appearances in all competitions.