CHELSEA have re-opened talks with Lyon over a deal to sign striker Moussa Dembele this month in case they miss out on Edinson Cavani.
Frank Lampard has told the club to do everything possible to bring in a striker before the transfer window closes to boost his side’s fight for a Champions League spot.
The Blues have contacted Paris Saint-Germain to see if Cavani is available but the Uruguayan striker is expected to join Atletico Madrid instead.
So dialogue is now back open between the Chelsea board and the Lyon hierarchy after the French club insisted that they were not interested in doing business earlier this month.
Lampard has made it clear to technical adviser Petr Cech and director Marina Granovskaia he has to bring in more firepower.
The Chelsea chief fears he must relieve some of the goal-scoring burden off Tammy Abraham’s shoulders in order to ensure a top-four finish.
SunSport understands some at Stamford Bridge have been pushing for the club to make a January move to sign Wilfried Zaha, who recently joined up with super agent Pini Zahavi.
And there is also interest in Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund although any deal for the England star would have to wait until the summer.
Lampard, though, insists it is an out-and-out striker he wants immediately – and with Cavani feared to have already made up his mind to join Atleti, Dembele is the player he covets most.
The 23-year-old has scored 13 goals in 28 appearances for Lyon this season and has also been a target of Manchester United.
Roman Abramovich would have to find upwards of 45million to convince Lyon to do business now, with the window closing in eight days.
The London club are still keen to throw Olivier Giroud in to a package to help sweeten the deal, with the Frenchman’s move to Inter Milan stalling.
Inter are now looking at the possibility of taking Fernando Llorente from Napoli instead, but Giroud is desperate to get out of Stamford Bridge for regular first team football.
