Chelsea are considering alternative transfer targets after failing to make any headway in deals for West Ham's Declan Rice and Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland, claims The Athletic.
Thomas Tuchel's side are yet to make a signing since winning the Champions League in May and are worryingly no closer to landing any of their top targets, with Dortmund and West Ham digging their heels in over Haaland and Rice, respectively.
Rice has already rejected two contract offers from West Ham this summer but the Hammers are working on improved terms to try and end any interest from Chelsea this summer once and for all.
West Ham are in no rush to cash in on Rice as the 22-year-old effectively still has four years left to run on his current terms and it would take an offer of £100m this summer to force their hand.
Chelsea are not prepared to pay that much for someone they released from their academy as a teenager and are reportedly now considering a move for Monaco starlet Aurelien Tchouameni.
The 21-year-old was one of the best midfielders in Ligue 1 last season, racking up eight WhoSored Man of the Match awards from his 36 league appearances and five goal involvements (two goals, three assists).
Tchouameni has spent the last 18 months at Monaco after joining from boyhood club Bordeaux in January 2020 but last season was his breakthrough campaign, impressively finishing second in Europe's top 5 leagues for the most tackles (127).
Chelsea are also weighing up a move for wantaway Southampton striker Danny Ings with Haaland unlikely to arrive this summer.
Ings has rejected Southampton's offer of a new contract and is desperate to play Champions League football again, with Tottenham reportedly also keen on the England international.
Only three players have scored more goals than Ings across the last two Premier League campaigns (34), though his arrival is unlikely to enthuse Chelsea supporters having been so strongly linked with Haaland.
