Chelsea is holding talks with CSKA Moscow on buying Aleksandr Golovin as their first signing of the summer.
Juventus had been close to securing the player earlier in the summer, with Arsenal having also been in the picture.
CSKA are seeking £27 million for Golovin.
Leonid Slutsky, formerly Russia’s manager and a close friend of Roman Abramovich, had brought Golovin to CSKA from Metallurg Novokuznetsk and has championed his abilities.