Edinson Cavani’s wage demands are threatening to be a stumbling block in Chelsea’s pursuit of the Paris Saint-Germain striker.

The Blues are exploring the possibility of signing the Uruguay international after he handed in a transfer request seeking to leave the club this month, despite his existing contract expiring at the end of the season.

PSG want around £15million to allow him to depart but the greater problem for his suitors, who also include Atletico Madrid, is Cavani’s reluctance to take a wage cut from his current salary.

Cavani earns in excess of £360,000-a-week and it is understood he wants a minimum 18-month contract. That works out at approximately £19m per season and added to a hefty signing-on fee, the total outlay could easily surpass £50m for a player who turns 33 next month.

Frank Lampard refused to rule out a move, however, with the Chelsea head coach keen to bolster his attacking options.

Lampard said yesterday: “He is a great player, I played against him and I always loved his mentality and attitude, and obviously his goalscoring record speaks for itself. I'm not absolutely aware of what the situation is, so we'll see. He's an experienced player, but so are many others out there.”

Meanwhile, Victor Moses arrived in Italy this morning to undergo a medical ahead of his proposed move to Inter Milan.

Chelsea squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 29 show all Chelsea squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers 1/29 We run you through Chelsea's squad for the 2019-20 season... AFP/Getty Images 2/29 Kepa Arrizabalaga Squad Number: 1



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Contract expires: 30/06/2023 AP 7/29 Danny Drinkwater Squad Number: 6



Condition: On loan at Aston Villa



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 8/29 N'Golo Kante Squad Number: 7



Condition: Fit Contract expires: 30/06/2023 PA 9/29 Ross Barkley Squad Number: 8



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Contract expires: 30/06/2023 REUTERS 10/29 Tammy Abraham Squad Number: 9



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Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 11/29 Willian Squad Number: 10



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 12/29 Pedro Squad Number: 11



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Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Chelsea FC via Getty Images 14/29 Willy Caballero Squad Number: 13



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 15/29 Tiemoue Bakayoko Squad Number: 14



Condition: On loan at Monaco



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 16/29 Kurt Zouma Squad Number: 15



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Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 17/29 Kenedy Squad Number: 16



Condition: On loan at Getafe



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Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 19/29 Olivier Giroud Squad Number: 18



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 22/29 Davide Zappacosta Squad Number: 21



Condition: On loan at AS Roma



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 23/29 Christian Pulisic Squad Number: 22



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Contract expires: 30/06/2021 REUTERS 27/29 Emerson Palmieri Squad Number: 33



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Contract expires: 30/06/2022 PA 28/29 Ethan Ampadu Squad Number: 44



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Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 29/29 Jamal Blackman Squad Number: 40



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Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images 1/29 We run you through Chelsea's squad for the 2019-20 season... AFP/Getty Images 2/29 Kepa Arrizabalaga Squad Number: 1



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Condition: On loan at Aston Villa



Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 8/29 N'Golo Kante Squad Number: 7



Condition: Fit Contract expires: 30/06/2023 PA 9/29 Ross Barkley Squad Number: 8



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Contract expires: 30/06/2023 REUTERS 10/29 Tammy Abraham Squad Number: 9



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Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 11/29 Willian Squad Number: 10



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 12/29 Pedro Squad Number: 11



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 AP 13/29 Ruben Loftus-Cheek Squad Number: 12



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Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Chelsea FC via Getty Images 14/29 Willy Caballero Squad Number: 13



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 15/29 Tiemoue Bakayoko Squad Number: 14



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Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 16/29 Kurt Zouma Squad Number: 15



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Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 17/29 Kenedy Squad Number: 16



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 AFP/Getty Images 18/29 Mateo Kovacic Squad Number: 17



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Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Action Images via Reuters 19/29 Olivier Giroud Squad Number: 18



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 AFP/Getty Images 20/29 Mason Mount Squad Number: 19



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Contract expires: 30/06/2024 AFP/Getty Images 21/29 Callum Hudson-Odoi Squad Number: 20



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Contract expires: 30/06/2020 Getty Images 22/29 Davide Zappacosta Squad Number: 21



Condition: On loan at AS Roma



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Getty Images 23/29 Christian Pulisic Squad Number: 22



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Contract expires: 30/06/2024 Getty Images 24/29 Michy Batshuayi Squad Number: 23



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Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images 25/29 Cesar Azpilicueta Squad Number: 28



Condition: Unavailable (hamstring injury)



Contract expires: 30/06/2022 Action Images via Reuters 26/29 Fikayo Tomori Squad Number: 29



Condition: Fit



Contract expires: 30/06/2021 REUTERS 27/29 Emerson Palmieri Squad Number: 33



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Contract expires: 30/06/2022 PA 28/29 Ethan Ampadu Squad Number: 44



Condition: On loan at RB Leipzig



Contract expires: 30/06/2023 Getty Images 29/29 Jamal Blackman Squad Number: 40



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Contract expires: 30/06/2021 Getty Images

The Italians are close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea to sign the 29-year-old on an initial six-month loan with an option to buy for £8.5million in the summer.

He will link up with former Blues boss Antonio Conte, who is also keen on signing Olivier Giroud if the club sell one of their other forwards.