According to A Bola, Chelsea spoke to Rafael Leao’s entourage and promised to pay the €20m fine to Sporting CP if he’d leave Milan this summer.
The Portugal international has this weighing over him due to the legal battle with his former club, having left Sporting as a free agent to join LOSC in 2018.
It also has a crucial element in the on-going contract negotiations with Milan, as his current deal expires in June 2024 and failure to agree terms by the summer will see him sold to avoid losing him for free.
Leao has seemed closer in recent weeks to reaching a deal with the Rossoneri, but Chelsea are still trying to intercept.
Portuguese paper A Bola claims that on Tuesday Sporting CP President Frederico Varandas, vice-president of finance Francisco Salgado Zenha and strategy chief Andre Bernardo were in London to meet with Chelsea and Barcelona directors.
It is reported they discussed the Leao situation and are prepared to pay off the €20m fine if they can get his signature.
However, Tuttomercatoweb are confident Leao is edging closer to an agreement with Milan.