Chelsea Transfer News: Antoine Griezmann, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Rumours

Chelsea will reportedly target Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann, Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alvaro Morata of Real Madrid in their bid to add a new top-class forward to their squad next summer.

According to Matt Law in the Telegraph, defensive additions are the priority for the Blues in January, but the west London club could meet Griezmann's €100 million (£87.9 million) release clause in the summer, with owner Roman Abramovich prepared to loosen the purse strings.

The Blues bid for Morata in the most recent transfer window—with the Spaniard revealing to Bild (h/t Callum Davis of the Telegraph) he would have become "the most expensive Spanish player ever" had Real accepted—and could return for him.

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Meanwhile, per Law, Aubameyang, 27, "has worked his way on to Chelsea’s radar with seven goals already for [Dortmund] this season," not to mention the 25 Bundesliga goals he netted in 2015-16.

Chelsea are overreliant on Diego Costa up front. Michy Batshuayi was brought in over the summer, but it was recently revealed that he was not a signing manager Antonio Conte wanted and was instead identified by the club's sporting director, Michael Emenalo, per Matt Hughes in the Times.

As a result, the 23-year-old Belgian has been limited to only 53 Premier League minutes so far this season, per WhoScored.com.

That is despite expectations that Conte would utilise two players up front at Chelsea, as he has historically preferred to do, per Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe:

But the Italian manager has predominantly used Costa as a lone forward so far this term, a situation that would likely change should he be able to call upon another world-class striker.

Griezmann, 25, continues to prove himself as one of the most creative forwards and effective goalscorers in world football and has made a fast start in the new Liga season in Spain, per the UEFA Champions League:

Meanwhile, Morata, following his return to Real from Juventus in the summer, has been limited in his playing time under manager Zinedine Zidane, starting just one of Los Blancos' last six games in all competitions.

If he continues to play second fiddle to the likes of Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale, the 23-year-old could look to force a move to Chelsea next summer.

None of Morata, Griezmann or Aubameyang will come cheap, but, per Law, Abramovich is ready to "make a mark in the transfer market" again, since Manchester City's and Manchester United's spending has eclipsed that of Chelsea in recent transfer windows.

It is true that, though money has been spent, marquee signings to Chelsea have been conspicuous by their absence of late.

But securing any of Morata, Griezmann or Aubameyang would be a statement of intent that Chelsea are ready to compete again, both in the transfer market and for major trophies.