Leicester defender Wesley Fofana is on Chelsea’s radar as they plot a defensive rebuild when Antonio Rudiger departs Stamford Bridge this summer.
Rudiger will leave Chelsea when his contract expires at the end of the season after the club made an unsuccessful attempt to tie him down to a new deal.
Andreas Christensen is also set to leave Chelsea this summer and is poised to join Barcelona on a free transfer.
The departures of Rudiger and Christensen will force the next Chelsea owners to spend heavily to reinforce the defence. Sevilla’s Jules Kounde is Chelsea's top defensive target but Fofana is also being considered.
Fofana has impressed since returning for Leicester earlier in April after seven months of rehabilitation from a broken leg and damaged ankle ligaments.
The centre-back, who turned 21 at the end of last year, recently signed a new five-year contract at Leicester so will be difficult to prise away from the King Power Stadium.
But Chelsea have been impressed with Fofana since his £30million switch to Leicester from Saint-Etienne 18 months ago and he is among their targets.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel has admitted it will be a challenge to replace Rudiger.
“Even when the sanctions are in the past, it will be incredibly difficult,” he said. “Toni is what he is. He is a big personality, a big leader. He takes the fear away from other people, gives you confidence when he is next to you, and has played 50-60 matches over 90 minutes with incredible consistency.
“So it will be challenging, but like always, no matter how much I love Toni and how big a role he played, there will be Chelsea without Toni Rudiger and we will find solutions.”
