Chelsea are reportedly hoping to steal a march on Manchester City in the race for Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane.
Pep Guardiola's side are already believed to have had a bid rejected for Kane, who could supposedly refuse to take part in pre-season training as he pushes for an exit from Tottenham.
While City are still believed to be at the head of the queue for the England captain, Chelsea have also been tipped to make a move as they search for alternatives to Erling Braut Haaland.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea could be prepared to use out-of-favour players such as Tammy Abraham in a player-plus-cash deal, which may prove more enticing to Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy than a straight cash offer.
However, the report adds that the Blues are yet to follow up their interest with a formal bid, and Levy is understood to be reluctant to sell the 27-year-old to a direct Premier League competitor, let alone London rivals Chelsea.
Kane scored four goals at Euro 2020 and collected a runners-up medal with England, while he boasts 221 strikes from 336 games in Tottenham colours.
Ben Knapton
