Chelsea are in talks to sign Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Alex Teixeira in a deal worth nearly £30m, but failure to sign him in the January transfer window will cost them significantly more.

25-year-old Teixeira confirmed that negotiations have already begun with the Premier League club after he caught the eye with a magnificent 26 goals in as many games this season, and the Ukrainian club have addressed the reports regarding his possible departure.

Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu confirmed that the current asking price for the Brazilian sits at €40m [£29m], although he went on to explain that if Teixeira can maintain his current form throughout the rest of the season, then the club will demand closer to €50m in the summer.

“Alex is now worth more than €40m,” said Lucescu.

"I think at the end of the season, were he to continue his performance, his value is €50m [£36.3m].

“If he were playing in a more competitive league, his transfer would be at the same level as that of Di Maria,” added Lucescu, acknowledging the recent transfer of the Argentina international after he joined Manchester United from Real Madrid in 2014 for £59.7m before moving on to Paris Saint-Germain just a year later for a reported £44m.

Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Show all 26 1 /26 Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Schmeichel - 7 out of 10 Was never tested in the first half, but did superbly to start the move - via a long ball up field - that led to Vardy scoring. Then denied Costa when the Chelsea striker was through on goal in the second half. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Simpson - 6 out of 10 Dealt with Costa well in one instance and did well to clear a good Chelsea chance in the second half. However, he failed to stop Pedro from getting the cross in that Remy scored from. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Morgan - 7 out of 10 Used his strength and pace to really shackle and stop Costa from having an impact before working well with Huth to keep a lid on the visitors as they looked to get back in the game. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Huth - 7 out of 10 Like Morgan, enjoyed a great game - barring the one moment when he failed to track the run of Remy for his goal. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Fuchs - 6 out of 10 Made a brilliant tackle to deny Ivanovic at the far post with the full-back threatening to score in the second half. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Mahrez - 9 out of 10 Scored Leicester's second goal with a superb powerful effort after setting up Vardy for the first. Won the battle with Azpilicueta in the match while also tracking back and defending against Hazard and Pedro. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Drinkwater - 5 out of 1 Was only on the pitch for 16 minutes before coming off injured, but did create an early goalscoring chance when he set up Vardy after winning possession in midfield. But he over-hit his pass and Courtois was on hand to deal with it. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Kante - 7 out of 10 The midfielder's sensational season goes on after he was involved in the build-up to Vardy's goal while keeping the likes of Willian and Oscar at bay. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Albrighton - 6 out of 10 Didn't have the biggest of impacts down the left wing, but tested Courtois with one well-taken shot in the first half. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Ulloa - 7 out of 10 Combined with his team-mates to play a part in Vardy's goal and was a nuisance for Chelsea's defence to deal with. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Vardy - 8 out of 10 Remained ready for action despite being shackled well initially and fired in the opener in fine fashion. Got a yellow for a reckless challenge on Costa after having taken Hazard out of the game, but showed why he is one of the most dangerous forwards in the top flight at the moment. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Substitute: Andy King - 6 out of 10 Replaced Drinkwater just 15 minutes into the game and did well to protect Leicester's back four particularly with Chelsea going on the offensive in the second period. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Courtois - 6 out of 10 Was forced into making several last-ditch saves in the first half although he suffered one nervy moment after miscommunication with Zouma with Vardy advancing. Perhaps could have done more to keep out Vardy's opener but was certainly powerless to deny Mahrez. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Ivanovic - 6 out of 10 Used the space he was given on the right flank to send in crosses and help Chelsea in attack, although Albrighton nearly made him pay for losing possession in the first half with a shot at goal. Should really have scored in the second half during a corner but failed to make enough contact at the far post. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Zouma - 4 out of 10 Will be disappointed to have allowed Vardy to run past him for the goal after having used his pace to initially shackle the Leicester striker well. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Terry - 5 out of 10 Failed to keep an eye on Vardy, which gave the striker the space he needed to fire in the opener. Was hauled off for Fabregas in the second half as Mourinho made a tactical change. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Azpilicueta - 3 out of 10 On what was his 100th Premier League appearance, the left-back endured a day to forget. He Was caught out of position for the opener and should have done more to pressurise Mahrez before the winger sent in the cross from which Vardy scored and then failed to close in on Mahrez for the second. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Ramires - 5 out of 10 Did not dominate the midfield areas of the pitch as well as he did against Porto, and allowed the likes of Drinkwater, King and Kante to run riot. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Matic - 5 out of 10 Should have equalised seconds after Vardy scored the opener but headed the ball high. Defensively, the Serbian allowed Leicester's forwards too much space and could not adequately protect the back four. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Willian - 6 out of 10 Provided Fuchs with some trouble down the left flank as he worked hard in offence and defence but could not prove the difference as he so often has this season. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Oscar - 4 out of 10 It was the Brazilian's header to no one in midfield that gave away possession in the build-up to the opening goal while he also disappointed going forwards. Was replaced with Remy as Chelsea looked for a goal to get back into the game. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Hazard - 6 out of 10 Enjoyed a really bright opening period of the game down the left flank - getting into good pockets of space and testing Simpson and Mahrez - but saw his game cut short with half an hour gone following a challenge by Vardy. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Diego Costa - 5 out of 10 ltimately disappointed following a positive performance against Porto. The striker looked frustrated, perhaps rightly so with some of the tackles he was at the end of, but didn't do enough to get into good goal-scoring positions. Saw his one effort at goal thwarted by Schmeichel. Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Substitute: Fabregas - 6 out of 10 Did well to spark the visitors back into life after being dropped from the starting line-up for two consecutive games, linking up well to set up a Costa shot. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Substitute: Remy - 7 out of 10 Provided much more of an attacking threat after being brought on in the second half and went on to score Chelsea's consolation goal. 2015 Getty Images Leicester 2 Chelsea 1 player ratings Substitute: Pedro - 7 out of 10 Did not initially provide the same kind of threat Hazard had before he came on to replace the injured Belgian, but he grew into the contest as it progressed and then sent in the cross that led to Remy scoring.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has already played down doing any January transfer business after claiming he cannot go to the board with a list of transfer targets because he “doesn’t deserve it” due to their dismal form this season, but the admissions by Teixeira and Lucescu suggests that the west London club are pressing on regardless.

Teixeira would fit into Chelsea’s efforts to try and get their front-line firing on all cylinders, with Diego Costa scoring just three league goals this season and Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas both yet to get off the mark.

Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Alex Teixeira is in talks with Chelsea (Getty Images)

Currently uncapped by Brazil, Teixeira is in a rich vein of form and has netted 22 times in just 15 Ukrainian Premier League matches, adding a further four in the Champions League despite Shakhtar dropping down to the Europa League.