Chelsea fail with £87.5m bid for Gonzalo Higuain

Premier League holders Chelsea have failed with a shock approach to sign Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentine joined the Old Lady from Napoli last summer.

Higuain, 29, was successful during his debut campaign with the Bianconeri last season as he guided them to their sixth successive Serie A crown whilst also lifting the Italian Cup.

According to Tuttosport, the Blues lodged a club-record £87.5m bid to sign the Argentine striker but their attempt ended up in vain with Juventus deeming the offer to be short of their valuation.

Max Allegri's side have already agreed the club-record sale of Leonardo Bonucci to AC Milan, and it looks highly unlikely that they will disintegrate the squad by losing another of their key players.

Chelsea are in the desperate need to recruit a new marksman this summer and this has brought the likes of Alvaro Morata and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang onto their focus over the past few days.

The English champions are due to part ways with Diego Costa in the transfer window, but they are waiting to recruit a new striker first before sanctioning his move back to Atletico Madrid.