Both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are trying to sign Atletico Madrid winger Thomas Lemar on loan until the end of the season.

The Premier League clubs face competition from other European clubs, and in particular from Russia, for Lemar, who has been told he can leave Atletico.

It is understood that Tottenham registered the first interest in Lemar but Chelsea are now ahead of them with an offer for the French international.

The 24-year-old has disappointed since he joined Atletico with coach Diego Simeone admitting he had failed to “live up to expectations” following his €60million move from Monaco in 2018.

Chelsea have shown interest in Lemar in the past – with Liverpool and Arsenal, in particular, making bids to sign him in 2017 – and considered making a move in the January window in 2018 before he joined Atletico.

Signing Lemar on loan would appeal to Chelsea and Spurs, who are both keen to strengthen their forward line this month but may prefer a short-term option before evaluating whether he is worth signing on a permanent basis.