The French striker Loic Remy is a potential component of the deal that Chelsea hope will bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge, but is proving hard for the London club to push through before the start of the season despite the record fee on offer.

Chelsea are prepared to break their 2011 transfer record of £50 million for Fernando Torres to do a deal that could be worth as much as £70 million for a player they sold two years earlier.