Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has reportedly identified his ideal attacking target ahead of next season.
Maresca was recently appointed as the successor to Mauricio Pochettino, who departed Stamford Bridge despite ending 2023-24 with five successive victories.
When agreeing to replace the Argentine, Maresca allegedly accepted during discussions with the club's recruitment team that he was prepared to agree to Chelsea's policy regarding new signings.
The Italian will be expected to use the talent put in front of him, deploying them in a possession-based strategy that aligns with Chelsea's preferences.
Nevertheless, with a new centre-forward required to compete with Nicolas Jackson, it appears that the 44-year-old has been asked for his opinion.
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Openda emerges as 'ideal' target'
According to TEAMtalk, RB Leipzig attacker Lois Openda has been identified as the player with the 'ideal profile' to join the squad.
The report claims that the Belgium international 'ticks a lot of boxes' with the recruitment team and an approach could naturally be made in due course.
Furthermore, it is added that the 24-year-old's versatility across the forward line is deemed to be attractive by the West Londoners' hierarchy.
Openda proved to be a revelation in his first season in Germany, contributing an outstanding 28 goals and seven assists from his 42 appearances in the Bundesliga and Champions League.
Each of his starts came down the middle of the attack, yet he showed he can be a handful on the flank during the second half of Belgium's Euro 2024 fixture against Slovakia on Monday night.
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Can Chelsea reach an agreement with Leipzig?
Last summer, Leipzig committed to a deal with Lens that could reach €52m if Openda activates each of the add-ons that are present in the deal.
Should Chelsea pursue a transfer, they would be expected to pay more than that figure, Openda also having four years remaining on his contract.
With Chelsea having to be conscious of their position with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules, it currently appears logical that they will turn their attention elsewhere.
Aston Villa's Jhon Duran has been heavily linked, yet much will depend on whether the West Midlands outfit are able to sign a Chelsea player in a separate transfer.
Reports emerged on Tuesday night that co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital were also assessing whether to meet Atletico Madrid's asking price for young striker Samu Omorodion.
Darren Plant
