Chelsea still want £50m-rated six-time league champion in January

Chelsea’s number one transfer target is still Italy international defender Leonardo Bonucci, according to the Evening Standard.

The Premier League side, who recorded their fifth successive league win at the weekend following their 5-0 thrashing of Everton to move up to second in the English top-flight table, have been continually linked with a move for the Juventus centre-half.

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

The 29-year-old, who has 65 international caps for his country and starred for Italy at this summer’s Euro 2016 Championships in France, has scored one goal in 14 appearances in all competitions for the defending Serie A champions so far this season.

Bonucci, who started his professional career at Italian rivals Inter Milan, is understood to still be Blues boss Antonio Conte’s number one defensive target ahead of the January transfer target, despite Juve valuing their player at around the £50m mark.

However, the report adds that the Serie A giants are in talks with Bonucci over a new contract in a bid to try and ward off his potential suitors.

He has won six Serie A titles, five with Juve, one with Inter.