CHELSEA have made an initial £55million bid for Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, according to reports.
Chelsea are keen to get their transfer business underway before the World Cup, it seems, after a bid for Icardi was made today.
That is according to Spanish newspaper AS, who claim Real Madrid are yet to get their act together over a rival offer.
Chelsea spent £60m on Alvaro Morata last summer but the club hierarchy appear unimpressed with their investment.
And this apparent move for Icardi is a sign the board are not waiting around to get deals in place for the end of the season.
AS quote Italian journalist Fernando Czyz, who has supposedly confirmed the offer.
Inter are expected to reject the bid, which is more of a statement of intent rather than a serious offer, AS claim.
It is said 25-year-old Icardi is on the radar of a number of clubs, with Real one of the frontrunners for his signature.
Icardi’s wife and agent, Wanda Nara, has been a high profile figure in reports the striker wants to leave Inter.
The pair fought for a better contract in Milan last season and he now has a release clause thought to be worth around €100m (£88m).
Mauro Icardi recibió el primer ofrecimiento formal para dejar Inter: Chelsea dejó un piso de 63 millones de euros y sin techo para que el delantero argentino se mude a Londres… que dirá su representante Wanda Nara… sueña con Paris?
— Fernando Czyz (@fczyz) March 21, 2018
Icardi has frequently had to deny he is interested in a move to Real.
As for Chelsea, Antonio Conte is expected to leave the club in the summer but the Blues are likely to push ahead with their transfer targets regardless.
Playmaker Willian is also tipped to exit the club, while Real themselves are keen on Eden Hazard.
Source:www.express.co.uk