Chelsea have reportedly made an official bid for AC Milan defender Alessio Romagnoli.
The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for a centre-back this summer, with Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly understood to be top of Antonio Conte's list.
However, Chelsea have been put off by the asking price for the Senegal international, and have now switched their attention to Romagnoli, according to respected Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.
The 21-year-old only joined Milan from Roma last summer, but quickly earned his place in the first team and made 40 appearances in all competitions.
The Italian Under-21 international is contracted to San Siro until 2020, but Chelsea have reportedly tested Milan's resolve with a bid of €35m (£30.2m).
However, Milan are thought to be unwilling to sell the youngster, which could force Chelsea to look at Torino's Nikola Maksimovic instead.
Barney Corkhill
