France boss Didier Deschamps has urged striker Olivier Giroud to leave Chelsea in January amid links to Atletico Madrid and Inter.
Earlier this month, Diario AS said the Frenchman is being considered beyond Atleti’s primary attacking targets while Football.London say that they alongside the Italian club are monitoring the situation.
It follows a report in Cadena Cope that RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner is the ‘primary objective’ for Atleti this January, while other reports claim it is Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani.
“His situation at Chelsea has not changed for two months,” Deschamps told reporters, as cited by the Mirror.
“It would be better for him, obviously, to go to a club where he will have more playing time. If he cannot have this playing time at Chelsea, the idea is to be able to have it elsewhere. It is up to him to decide the solution.
“I don't know what offers he has, where it might be possible for him to get more playing time.
“We saw each other not so long ago. As with every player, he's the one who decides. But keep in mind that it's the daily life of players with their clubs that leads to France selection. He knows it.
“It's up to him to decide the best solution for himself.”
Diego Costa has been sidelined with an injury until February, leaving Atleti short up front and short on goals this season.
The club are at their salary cap and would need to offload players in order to sign anyone, with Santiago Arias and Sime Vrsaljko two players who may be let go.
It is claimed that Costa could be sold to help fund a €60m approach for Werner, while Los Rojiblancos have also been linked to PSG striker Cavani this January.
However, the reports indicate that out-of-favour Chelsea striker Giroud – who has featured just seven times this season, starting three – is now the alternative option.
The 33-year-old has struggled for regular game-time since his move to Stamford Bridge from Arsenal in January 2018 and has just five league goals for the club in that timeframe – but did help France lift the World Cup.
Chelsea and Atleti have conducted multiple deals in recent seasons including those for Costa, Filipe Luis, Thibaut Courtois and Alvaro Morata.