CHELSEA have told Lyon they will have to come up with at least £17.5million if they want to sign Bertrand Traore.
Lyon have targeted the striker as they prepare for the departure of star player Alexandre Lazazette this summer.
But the Premier League champions have no intention of letting Traore going on the cheap – even though it looks as though they have decided to cash in on the forward.
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Traore has spent the past year on loan with Dutch club Ajax, where he has impressed in a team who finished runners-up in the Eredivise and the Europa League.
The 21-year-old was frustrated that he was sent out on loan by the Blues having been part of the first team squad the year before.
But it appears the Burkino Faso star is not seen as part of Antonio Conte’s plans for next season as the Italian looks to build a squad capable of challenging for the Champions League.
Yet the club will not be letting him leave on the cheap if he does depart from Stamford Bridge.
Lyon have tracked Traore all season as they prepare for life without Lacazette, who finally looks to be leaving the Ligue 1 club in the close season.
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Lacazette is close to agreeing a deal to join Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish club themselves looking to find a replacement for their own star play in Manchester United-bound Antoine Griezmann.
Traore impressed Lyon in close quarters when they crashed out of the Europa League in the semi-finals to Ajax last month.
And they are keen to see if he would swap England for France this summer, should Chelsea be willing to sell.
But they are also monitoring former United striker Javier Hernandez, who looks to be leaving Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
It is understood they have already made a £10m bid for Chicarito, though Leverkusen are said to be holding out for more before they agree to sell.
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