Chelsea are planning for the possibility of missing out on Aaron Ramsey by targeting Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
The Blues are believed to be keen on bringing in 27-year-old Ramsey, who has a year left on his current Arsenal contract, in a deal that could cost £30m.
Ramsey will be available for free next summer, but according to the Mail, manager Maurizio Sarri is already looking around for alternatives and likes the look of Kovacic.
The player wants out of Madrid because he has not played as much as he would have liked. “I want to play more and the best thing is to leave Madrid,” he was quoted as saying in June. “I love football and being on the pitch, I want the opportunity to be a starter for another team. If I do not play, I’m not happy.”
Kovacic, a member of Croatia’s World Cup finalists, has also attracted interest from Manchester City.
One target Chelsea have missed out on, though, is Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain who is believed to be joining Milan on loan ahead of a £32m move next summer.