Chelsea Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Andrea Belotti and Stefan de Vrij

Chelsea are one of three Premier League clubs reportedly keen on signing Torino striker Andrea Belotti. The Blues, who are nine points clear at the top, are joined by rivals Arsenal and Liverpool in the race for the prolific Italian attacker, who is also said to be wanted by Serie A side AC Milan.

A report from TransferMarketWeb (h/t Alex Harris of the Daily Star) placed Chelsea in the mix alongside the Gunners and the Reds. However, the trio have to contend with interest from the Rossoneri, who are close to being backed by a new Chinese consortium, according to the reports.

None of the interested parties will find it easy to convince Torino into selling a player who, as Harris pointed out, is set to command a monster transfer fee: "Italy international Belotti is under contract until 2021 but has a release clause that non-Italian clubs can activate for £83.7 million."

Chelsea's interest in a striker Harris credits with 15 league goals in just 20 matches this season makes sense. For one thing, manager Antonio Conte will be aware of Belotti from his own time in Serie A, as well as the time spent in charge of the Italian national team.

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It's also true Chelsea may be on the hunt for a striker in the near future. After all, Conte has to be wary about the future of Diego Costa, after the star centre-forward was linked with a mega-rich move to the Chinese Super League, per David Hytner of the Guardian.

The possibility of swapping England's top flight for China generated some tension between Costa and Conte, per Hytner.

It would be smart to replace Costa with a striker just as ruthlessly efficient in front of goal. Conte's table-topping Blues are built on defending resolutely and making the most of their chances on the break. The formula demands a predatory finisher who won't waste his opportunities.

It's a description applicable to Belotti, who continues to impress with his range of movement and scoring instincts. He's an active striker whose movements are subtle but always put him into the positions of maximum danger.

There's something reminiscent of Ruud van Nistelrooy in the way Belotti finishes confidently in a variety of ways. His deceptive pace and underrated aerial power also invoke memories of the prolific Dutchman.

Chelsea have every reason to at least keep tabs on Belotti, but they must be aware of the other interested parties. Arsenal were even said to have bid £56 million by Torino president Gianluca Petrachi in January, according to Sky Italia (h/t Sky Sports News HQ).

However, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger quickly dismissed the mooted bid as "fake news," per Jack de Menezes of The Independent.

Stefan de Vrij to Stay at Lazio

One Chelsea transfer target looking less likely to move is Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij.

The Netherlands centre-back is open to staying with the Rome-based club beyond this summer, according to TalkSport: "However, it has now been claimed that Lazio have not received any official approaches for De Vrij and, according to reports in Italy, the defender has not ruled out staying at the Stadio Olimpico."

A previous report from Italian source Il Messaggero (h/t TalkSport) revealed how Chelsea and Premier League rivals Manchester United were keen on 25-year-old De Vrij, who is valued at £30 million.

Conte could use another natural central defender for his 3-4-3 formation. The Italian currently trusts converted full-back Cesar Azpilicueta alongside centre-backs Gary Cahill and David Luiz.

De Vrij would be a natural fit in a system he was well-suited to when helping the Netherlands finish third at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Of course, Conte does have options in his existing squad, including veteran skipper John Terry and 22-year-old Frenchman Kurt Zouma.

Yet the Blues would surely be stronger at the back if they added one more natural centre-back to their defensive ranks.

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There aren't many obvious ways Chelsea can improve on what is already a squad good enough to be running away with the Premier League title. However, Conte has to have one eye on the next campaign, a concern that could prompt going after Costa's potential replacement now.