Senior figures at Chelsea have met with one of China's richest companies, who are desperate to invest in a Premier League club.

Sportsmail can reveal the HNA Group — a Fortune Global 500 company with annual revenue of more than £20billion — have sent representatives to Stamford Bridge as they continue to search for an avenue into English football.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck met several members of HNA's mergers and acquisitions team on January 7, the day before Chelsea beat Peterborough United 4-1 in the FA Cup.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck (left) has met members of HNA's mergers and acquisitions team

HNA's mergers were in attendance as Chelsea beat Peterborough United 4-1 in the FA Cup

The group also attended the Peterborough match, sitting in the directors' box and posing for pictures with a replica Premier League trophy in an executive bar at Stamford Bridge.

It was the second meeting between the Chinese group and Chelsea, with Buck believed to have travelled to Asia for talks.

A source confirmed HNA are 'serious about buying a club' and it is thought they have made formal representations to at least one other Premier League side in recent years.

The content of the conversations with Buck remains unclear, and Chelsea insist Roman Abramovich has no plans to sell any part of the club.

However, the Blues have grand plans which could benefit from outside financial support — most notably the Stamford Bridge expansion project that was given the go-ahead last month. The regeneration of the stadium, taking capacity to 60,000, is expected to cost £500million.

Chelsea are enjoying a fine season on the pitch which could enhanced by off-field activity

Forbes valued Chelsea at £1.2bn in May 2016, making a 20 per cent share worth roughly £240m.

Chelsea owner Abramovich bought the club from Ken Bates in 2003 in a £140m deal.

HNA have supreme purchasing power and have been increasingly active in recent months, with foreign and domestic investment over the past two years breaking the £30bn barrier.

Earlier this month, they acquired a 3.04 per cent share in Deutsche Bank worth £590m. Last October, they announced a staggering £5.18bn deal for 25 per cent of Hilton Worldwide Holdings.

Chelsea would become the latest English club to benefit from Chinese investment

The precedent for Chinese investment in top-four Premier League sides was set in January 2015, when a consortium led by China Media Capital Holdings and CITIC Capital paid £265m for a 13 per cent stake in Manchester City.

Chinese investment is all the rage in the English top flight, with several firms lining up for a share of Southampton.

As revealed by Sportsmail, CITIC Securities are among those interested in striking a deal with Saints owner Katharina Liebherr when Lander Sports Development's exclusivity period expires at the end of the month.

Three Midlands clubs in the top two tiers of English football have also received cash injections from China over the past year — West Brom, Aston Villa and Wolves.

Chelsea declined to comment and HNA were not available for comment.