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Chelsea have turned to £18million-rated Torino defender Nikola Maksimovic as they step up their search for a central defenders.

West Ham are among the Serbia international’s admirers, but the Blues are interested too with Napoli holding out for over £45m for another of their centre-back targets, Kalidou Koulibaly.

With £50m Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci keen to stay with the Italian champions, Chelsea are examining other options and have also been linked with Lazio's Dutch international Stefan de Vrij.

(Image: Getty)

Maksimovic, 24, stands at 6ft 4in and is able to play as a defensive midfielder as well as in the back four.

Meanwhile, Chelsea forward Bertrand Traore has been targeted by Dutch heavyweights Ajax as a replacement for Arkadiusz Milik.

(Image: AFP/Getty) (Image: Reuters) (Image: Getty) (Image: Reuters)

Poland international Milik is bound for Koulibaly's Napoli after their sale of star striker Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus.

Traore, 20, featured in his club’s friendly win over Liverpool in Los Angeles on Wednesday but is aware that his game time will be limited under new Blues boss Antonio Conte this season.