Chelsea have reportedly refused to rule out a loan move for Philippe Coutinho during this summer's transfer window.

The Brazilian will return to Barcelona following his season-long loan at Bayern Munich and he has been fancied to pursue a fresh challenge elsewhere.

Coutinho's agent has already talked up a possible return to the Premier League and ESPN claims that the Blues are still in the running to land his signature.

The west London giants are said to prioritise the purchase of Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen, but they seem to have identified Coutinho as the alternative.

Havertz is currently valued at around £90m and Leverkusen are reluctant to sanction his sale unless his asking price is met. They are willing to accept instalments to cover up the transfer fee.

On the other hand, Coutinho could be available for a loan fee of around £9m with the option to buy next summer. Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with his services.