Chelsea have identified Juventus and Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt as a new transfer target, according to reports in Italy.
The 22-year-old was one of the hottest prospects when he moved to Juventus from Ajax back in 2019.
As per Calciomercato via Sport Witness, Chelsea will look to bolster their defence and De Ligt is the 'first name' on the list.
The defender's buyout clause of €120 milion will become active next summer, after three years with Juventus.
If Chelsea agree to play the clause next summer and De Ligt wants the move, Juventus cannot do anything to prevent the transfer from happening.
The news comes as Antonio Rudiger could be on his way out of Chelsea next summer, with his deal set to expire after the 2021/22 season.
The German is yet to agree a contract extension and has attracted interest from European giants Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and more recently, Bayern Munich.
The 28-year-old elite defender believes that his next move will likely be the last 'big-money deal' of his career so is keen to ensure that he will recieve a huge financial package whether that is from Chelsea or elsewhere, leaving the Blues scrambling to find a suitable replacement.
It is thought that the Blues will then reignite their interest in Sevilla's Jules Kounde, who they failed to sign in the previous transfer window if Rudiger departs. However, a move for de Ligt could prove to be a wise one due to the player's high ceiling.
With both de Ligt and Kounde being 22-years-old, the Blues would be in great stead for the future with either signing.