Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has been identified by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as a signing for next season and could offer Filipe Luis in the deal.
AS reports Chelsea’s sporting director, Michael Emenalo, has watched Koke in person, travelling to Malaga to take in Atletico’s game at La Rosaleda earlier in April.
Atletico will only sell Koke if he asks to leave, however, and he is currently said to be very happy at Vicente Calderon, where he is under contract until 2019 with a €60m release clause.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus and Barcelona have all shown interest in the Spain international and would again rival Chelsea if there was a change in Koke’s attitude.
Chelsea will though try to tempt Atletico into a deal by offering the return of Filipe Luis, the left-back who left the Calderon for Stamford Bridge last summer but has struggled to dislodge Cesar Azpilicueta from the defence.
Atletico have Guilherme Siqueira, Jesus Gamez and Cristian Ansaldi in the left-back department but AS suggest Diego Simeone doesn’t rely on any of them the way he did Luis.
Luis would welcome the return to Atletico but the manner of his departure soured relations between club and player, AS note, and he is nearly 30, which further reduces Atletico’s interest.
