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Chelsea will sell Romelu Lukaku this summer to help fund a record move for Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani.

Lukaku has netted 26 Premier League goals on loan at Everton and West Brom over the last 18 months – but it is believed Stamford Bridge boss Jose Mourinho has decided that the Belgian is not of sufficient class to play regularly for the west Londoners.

The Special One is intent on signing a world-class striker in the summer – and wants to beat Manchester United to Uruguayan star Cavani, who is fed up with being played out of position with PSG.

Lukaku, 20, is aware that he is likely to be sold by Chelsea at the end of the season if the Blues receive a bid of around £23million.

There is plenty of interest in the player at home and abroad, from clubs including Tottenham, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.

Mourinho is unafraid to off-load popular players – as proved by his decision to sideline Juan Mata and then sell him to Manchester United.

He admits Chelsea will seek to sign a frontline striker in the summer but insists the club will not make a panic buy before the current window shuts on Friday night, because the right player is not available.

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Cavani, 26, has been closely scouted by the Blues this season and Mourinho is a huge admirer of his work-rate as well as his goalscoring ability.

Cavani would cost a British transfer-record fee of more than £50m but Chelsea have made a profit in January after the sale of Mata and will boost their coffers by selling Lukaku as well as either Fernando Torres or Demba Ba this summer.

Mourinho admits he does want to sign a top-class striker within the next year.

He said: “It is something we have to do in the next transfer windows. Of all our three strikers, no one is the future for the next ten years like we have in other positions.

“Demba Ba is 28, Samuel Eto’o is 32, Torres is 29, so not one of them is the player for ten years, like Eden Hazard or Willian [will]. Normally one of these three strikers will be replaced with somebody who can be here long-term. So when we do sign a striker, we will do the right thing. But the right time is not now, for sure.”