Chelsea have held initial talks with Bayern Munich over a possible swap deal including Christopher Nkunku and Mathys Tel.
The Blues are interested in the 19-year-old who has started just two Bundesliga games so far this season for Bayern.
The French forward has been hampered by fitness issues, but he is also down the pecking order under Vincent Kompany, starting on the substitutes’ bench 12 times in the league and only coming on five times.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Tel has spoken with Kompany and hopes for a successful future in Bavaria, but Chelsea are hovering.
The report states that the Blues asked to be informed on Tel’s current availability and initial talks were held over a possible swap deal.
Among the Chelsea players discussed for a trade was Nkunku, according to German publication BILD.
Any deal is in the very early stages, but talks have been held after initial interest from both clubs.
Nkunku has scored 13 goals for Chelsea this season, but has seen his game time limited in the Premier League.
The France international has been given just three Premier League starts by Enzo Maresca, with 15 more appearances off the bench in the top flight, scoring two goals in those 18 outings.
The 27-year-old has been prolific in other competitions, scoring three in two Carabao Cup outings, one in his one FA Cup game and seven in seven in the Europa Conference League.
He has been taking the opportunities he has been given, but without the reward of many chances in a Premier League starting XI.
Competition for places at Chelsea is fierce and Maresca has not pretended otherwise.
‘The only thing I’ve said since the start is it’s difficult to play games with so many attacking players,’ said the Blues boss. ‘If Joao [Felix] plays it means that Cole [Palmer] doesn’t play, or if Joao plays he has to play with Cole together but it depends on the game.
‘For me it’s quite easy, we have three players that are more or less similar, Joao and Cole and Christo [Nkunku]. Joao has played some games, Christo has played, they both played against Ipswich, they both played Southampton and Leicester.
‘In some games we can play with them all together but not every game.’
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