Chelsea travel to face old rivals Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
Enzo Maresca’s side have enjoyed a positive start to the new domestic season but were beaten 3-1 by Bayern Munich in their first match of the Champions League group phase on Wednesday.
Cole Palmer’s return to fitness and form will be a boost for the Blues, though, with the England international having scored in each of his two appearances since returning from a groin problem.
Ahead of their visit to Old Trafford, it has emerged that Chelsea are interested in a La Liga star that played against Arsenal on Tuesday evening.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes via CaughtOffside, the west London side are plotting a move to sign Athletic Club midfielder Mikel Jauregizar.
Jauregizar has emerged as a target for Chelsea (Photo: ZUMA Press, Inc/Alamy)
The report claims that Chelsea are planning to hold talks over a potential move for the 21-year-old next year.
Jauregizar has progressed from Athletic Club’s academy over the past couple of seasons and has now played more than 60 times for the Spanish side across all competitions.
The Spaniard has been an ever-present for Athletic so far this term, including playing in their 2-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Chelsea are already well stocked in midfield with the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia available to Maresca, however the latter has struggled with injuries ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues could therefore look to bolster Maresca’s midfield options next year, but Jauregizar is contracted to Athletic Club until the end of the 2030/31 season.
Despite Chelsea’s interest, the report suggests that the La Liga side are likely to want to keep hold of Jauregizar, who has established himself as a key player for Ernesto Valverde.