Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Wesley Fofana, according to reports, as they take a step closer to completing a deal for the defender.
The Blues have had a busy summer so far, signing Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella for a combined £136.5m.
Thomas Tuchel is keen to bolster his squad further before the transfer window closes on September 1.
Another defender is a priority for Chelsea, who have also been linked with attacking duo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Anthony Gordon.
Fofana is thought to be at the top of Tuchel's wish list, and the player himself is said to be keen on a move to Stamford Bridge.
According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have already agreed personal terms with the defender.
But they are yet to have an offer accepted by Leicester, who are keen to keep hold of the 21-year-old.
The Foxes have already rejected two of Chelsea's bids, neither of which was thought to be close to the club's valuation of the player.
Leicester are said to be holding out for more than £80m for Fofana, who is under contract at the King Power Stadium until 2027.
The centre-back put pen to paper on an extension as recently as March, and Brendan Rodgers views him as an integral part of his plans.
Leicester are especially determined to keep hold of Fofana because this has been a difficult summer for the club, for whom back-up goalkeeper Alex Smithies remains the sole arrival.
It is not clear whether Chelsea are willing to meet Leicester's asking price, and a deal on those terms would make Fofana the most expensive defender in the history of the game.
The Blues may also seek to add another midfielder to their squad following N'Golo Kante's hamstring injury.
The France international will be out of action for several weeks after being taken off in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday.
