With Matthijs de Ligt costing over €100m and Milan Skriniar heading to PSG, Chelsea have reportedly turned to Napoli hero Kalidou Koulibaly instead.
The Blues seem determined to get their new centre-back from Serie A this summer, but are finding it a more expensive situation than they had previously believed.
Juventus could sell De Ligt after failing to agree a contract extension, but they want at least €100m to approach the release clause, turning down the offer of cash plus Timo Werner.
Another candidate was Inter defender Skriniar, but he is reportedly close to Paris Saint-Germain, who agreed personal terms and should reach the €70m asking price with add-ons.
Sky Sport Italia therefore report this evening that Chelsea have turned to another alternative, Napoli star Koulibaly.
His contract will run out in June 2023 and so far he has not been able to agree a renewal, largely because the Partenopei want everyone at the club to take a massive pay cut.
This already pushed Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens out, with Koulibaly potentially following out of the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Koulibaly has said clearly he wants to remain, but like Mertens, the club may well have other ideas and would accept a €40m fee.
If he was to leave, it would be to go abroad rather than their rivals Juventus, which gives Chelsea the upper hand.
Fans and local media are determined to get Napoli to push a little harder and pay the €6m wage demands.