Chelsea consider fresh move for Kostas Manolas and set to announce £35.1m Tiemoué Bakayoko deal

Chelsea are exploring a fresh move for Roma defender Kostas Manolas.

The club are expected to confirm the £35.1m signing of Tiemoué Bakayoko at the weekend and are now looking into the possibility of Manolas joining him.

The 26-year-old has been monitored by Chelsea since 2015, but was on the verge of a £26m move to Zenit St Petersburg on Wednesday.

But with the Blues struggling to buy first choice defensive targets Virgil van Dijk and Leonardo Bonucci, they have expressed an interest in the Greek international, who has subsequently backed out of a switch to Zenit for now.

Southampton and Juventus continue to insist they don't want to sell Van Dijk or Bonucci respectively so Manolas may be a more realistic option.

Meanwhile, Nathan Ake is flying back to England to finalise his switch from Chelsea to Bournemouth for £20m.

The Blues and Bournemouth stepped up talks yesterday and agreed to the transfer, which will include a buy back option.