Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly keen for Chelsea to move for Inter Milan centre-forward Lautaro Martinez during this summer's transfer window.
The Blues are expected to confirm the appointment of Pochettino as their new head coach in the coming weeks, and the Argentine will allegedly have funds to put his mark on the squad this summer despite the club's vast spending over the last couple of windows.
Chelsea are expected to prioritise the signing of a new centre-forward due to their goal struggles during the 2022-23 campaign, which has contributed to them being down in 12th spot in the Premier League table.
The London club have lost each of their last six matches during a disastrous run, and they are set to be absent from European football for the 2023-24 campaign.
No player has scored double figures for Chelsea this season, with Kai Havertz top of the charts on nine, while Raheem Sterling has seven in his first campaign with the club.
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Romelu Lukaku is set to return to Stamford Bridge this summer following a loan spell at Inter, but it is unclear whether he will remain part of the squad next season.
According to football.london, Pochettino has given Chelsea the green light to start negotiating a deal for Martinez, who has also been linked with Manchester United.
A recent report claimed that Inter are open to offers for the Argentina international, with the Italian side keen to refresh their squad during the upcoming market.
There have been suggestions that Martinez could be available for a fee in the region of £70m, although Chelsea would have to convince the World Cup winner to spend at least one season out of the Champions League.
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The 25-year-old has again been in impressive form for the Black and Blues this season, scoring 23 goals and registering nine assists in 48 appearances in all competitions.
Martinez has 19 goals and five assists in 33 Serie A appearances, while he has managed two goals and three assists in the Champions League, with Inter preparing to face their bitter rivals AC Milan in the semi-finals.
The South American made the move to Inter from Racing Club in July 2018, and he has represented the Italian giants on 229 occasions, scoring 97 goals and registering 33 assists in the process.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to leave Chelsea on a permanent basis this summer, with the 33-year-old only managing three goals during a disappointing campaign.
Frank Lampard's side will be bidding to avoid a seventh straight defeat when they head to Bournemouth in the league on Saturday afternoon.
Matt Law
