Chelsea ready to beat Liverpool and Everton to £30m-rated Belgium international

Chelsea are reportedly ready to beat Liverpool and Everton to the signing of £30 million-rated Zenit Saint-Petersburg midfielder Axel Witsel, according to the Sunday People, via the Mirror.

The Belgium international is set to leave the Russian club this summer and had been heavily linked with a move to one of the Merseyside outfits, however it is now understood that the Blues are leading the race to for the 27-year-old, who would prefer to live in London.

New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is keen to strengthen a squad that finished a disappointing 10th in the Premier League last term, and is looking for a central midfielder – a search that could be intensified if Nemanja Matic, who has been linked with Juventus, leaves the club in the coming weeks.

Witsel, who is also wanted by Napoli, has made 156 appearances in all competitions for Zenit since moving to Russia from Benfica in 2012, scoring 21 goals.