Chelsea could reportedly turn their attention to Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni if their pursuit of Declan Rice is unsuccessful.
Rice is thought to be keen to secure a transfer back to Stamford Bridge after leaving the club's youth setup eight years ago, but West Ham United are supposedly holding out for a £100m bid for his services.
As a result, Thomas Tuchel could be forced to look elsewhere in his search for midfield reinforcements, and according to The Athletic, Tchouameni is being eyed up as a potential target.
The 21-year-old established himself as a mainstay in Niko Kovac's setup last term and formed an effective partnership with Youssouf Fofana in the Monegasques' midfield.
Tchouameni registered two goals and four assists in 36 Ligue 1 starts as Monaco qualified for the Champions League, and he is supposedly under 'serious consideration' by the Blues as Monaco seek to raise funds.
Tchouameni rose through the youth ranks at Bordeaux before securing a transfer to Monaco in January 2020, and his deal with the principality side does not expire until 2024.
Ben Knapton
