Chelsea 'willing to pay £35m for Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson'

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has reportedly been given the go-ahead to sign Callum Wilson from Bournemouth in a £35m January transfer.

The 26-year-old, whose form this season has earned him a first call-up to England's senior squad, was first linked with a move to Stamford Bridge earlier this week.

Sarri is said to be after an alternative option through the middle and considers Wilson a good player to bring in midway through the campaign.

According to The Sun, Chelsea are prepared to spend big to land the former Coventry City academy product, although the £35m outlay is still under half of what Inter Milan wanted for Mauro Icardi.

Wilson would be expected to hit the ground running, it is claimed, having netted six goals in 11 top-flight outings this season and 25 in 59 starts since Bournemouth earned promotion from the Championship in 2015.