Chelsea have agreed an undisclosed fee to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund as they edge closer to completing his transfer.
The 20-year-old winger, who agreed a seven-year contract with Chelsea earlier in June, is now set to have a medical.
Dortmund previously rejected a £42m offer for the Englishman on 10 June with the German Bundesliga side known to be holding out for £60m.
Gittens was outlined as Chelsea’s primary target to replace Jadon Sancho after he returned to Manchester United following his loan spell, which cost the Blues a £5m penalty fee.
Mykhailo Mudryk also remains provisionally suspended after being charged by the Football Association with violating its anti-doping rules after failing a drugs test.
Gittens would be unable to play in the ongoing Club World Cup because he has appeared in it for Dortmund.
He would be Chelsea’s fourth summer signing, joining striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr, with midfielder Andrey Santos also returning from his loan spell at Strasbourg.
Estevao Willian, 18, will also join Chelsea after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras.
Chelsea will next target a versatile forward with Brighton’s Joao Pedro among those on the list. Brighton rejected two bids from Premier League clubs for the Brazil international, with Newcastle one of those believed to be interested.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus are other forwards admired by Chelsea, while they have not ruled out signing an additional defender.