Chelsea have expressed a genuine interest in singing Mohammed Kudus from Ajax this summer, The Athletic have reported.
The Premier League have made contact with Ajax to express an interest in signing the attacking midfielder but are yet to submit an offer to their Dutch counterparts.
The reports added that initial dialogue has taken place.
Kudus, 23, is among a number of options Chelsea are considering and an agreement with the Ghana international on personal terms is close.
The former FC Nordsjaelland forward under contract to Ajax until 2025, rejected a one-year extension in April and is keen to leave the Johan Cruyff Arena.
The 22-year-old scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in 42 appearances in all competitions for Ajax last season.
He also scored twice for Ghana in a 3-2 win against South Korea in the group stages of the World Cup in Qatar in November.
Kudus has played as many as seven positions since his debut in Dutch football, operating all the way from a deep-lying No 6 to an out-and-out centre-forward, with the majority of his time spent out on the right-wing running at the full-back.
Meanwhile, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Brighton are also interested in the signature of the forward.