Bundesliga side Schalke are in pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek for a season long loan.
Schalke are ready to tempt Chelsea into letting them have the England international for the rest of the campaign since they still have about three weeks to the end of the German window.
Loftus-Cheek came off the bench against Huddersfield a match which his side won 3-0 and it remains to be seen how much first-team football he will have to play under new manager manager Maurizio Sarri this season.
Chelsea want to keep Loftus-Cheek but an offer from Schalke – or any other European club – to take him on a temporary basis would leave the Blues with a decision to make.
The signing of Mateo Kovacic on loan from Real Madrid has added further competition for Loftus-Cheek, though the exit of Tiemoue Bakayoko has created an extra space in the Chelsea squad.
Loftus-Cheek is minded to stay and fight for his place but Kovacic’s arrival could yet force him into a rethink.