CHELSEA have offered 17million for Metz striker Habib Diallo, according to local reports.
Frank Lampard is keen to bring in another option up front with Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi both out of favour.
And Republicain Lorrain claims the Blues have tabled a formal bid for Diallo.
Leicester and Tottenham have both been linked with the Senegalese international, 24.
But Chelsea have apparently moved into pole position for the hitman, who has 10 goals in 19 appearances for Metz this season.
Diallo scored 26 to inspire Metz’s promotion to Ligue 1 and his form has continued into the current campaign.
The goalscorer earned his first Senegal call-up in 2018 and has one goal in four caps for his country.
Chelsea have also been looking at Brazil ace Gabriel Barbosa, who SunSport revealed was flying in for crunch talks with inter Milan.
The20million-rated striker has been strongly linked to Lampard’s sideas well as West Ham.
After struggling in Italy, he joined Flamengo on loan and scored 43 goals in 56 games for the Brazilian top-flight side last season.
Barbosa, nicknamed Gabigol, will jet from Brazil to Italy to thrash out terms over the nature of his departure from the Serie A club.
His loan move to Flamengo officially came to an end on December 31 last year and his Inter deal expires in the summer.
