Chelsea will have to spend considerably more than £20m to sign Southampton defender Cedric Soares this month.

Standard Sport first revealed in April that the Portugal defender is being lined up to compete with Victor Moses for the right wing back position this season and they are now stepping up their interest.

Chelsea are prepared to pay in the region of £15m-£20m for Soares, who still has three years left on his contract.

However, it is understood that Southampton will only consider selling should they receive a 'silly offer'.

t is believed that Soares is interested in a move to Stamford Bridge, but only if an agreement can be struck.

Chelsea's first choice acquisition from Southampton for several months has been Virgil van Dijk, but chairman Ralph Krueger insisted earlier this week that he won't be sold.

Southampton have just been taken over by a Chinese consortium, but there is some hope for Chelsea in that there is a suggestion coach Maurico Pellegrino has been told he will have to sell before buying any more players.

Meanwhile, Juventus have confirmed that they have rejected another approach from Chelsea for Alex Sandro.

Standard Sport revealed earlier this week that Chelsea had made another enquiry for the 26-year-old left back.

Chelsea are willing to give Sandro a contract worth in excess of £100,000-a-week and were relying on the Brazil international to ask for a move to push the deal through.

But Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta claims that they turned Chelsea down after Sandro informed them he wants to remain with the in Serie A champions.

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Marotta explained: "Sandro said he wants to stay at Juventus and this is a real big deal. So we automatically rejected the sender's request."