Chelsea have been presented with a way to replace wantaway defender Andreas Christensen for free in the summer.
Christensen is one of three Blues defenders who could walk away from the club at the end of the season without bringing in any transfer fee.
Alongside Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta, the Danish centre-back is out of contract on July 1 and is currently free to talk to foreign clubs about joining.
Chelsea want to keep Rudiger and Christensen and have offered the pair new contracts, but they are stalling amid interest from European giants.
Rudiger is being courted by Real Madrid, while Barcelona are reportedly in talks with Azpilicueta over a summer free transfer.
Christensen has been contacted by Bayern Munich and Barcelona and currently looks poised to leave the club he has played for since arriving as a teenager from Brondby in 2012.
Thomas Tuchel has previously expressed frustration with Christensen, urging the 25-year-old to show “commitment” by signing a new contract in November.
That is yet to happen, and although he could yet change his mind and stay put, Chelsea are scanning the market for replacements.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who should Chelsea sign to replace their outgoing defenders this summer? Comment below.
One option has emerged at Bayern Munich, who look poised to lose Niklas Sule in the summer.
The 26-year-old German international is out of contract in July and has decided to leave Bayern, despite the club offering him an improved deal, according to Goal.
Newcastle have expressed an interest in Sule, but he is not keen on a relegation battle and an exchange of free agents with Chelsea now appears to be a distinct possibility.
"We made Niklas an offer. Now it's up to him to accept it or not,” Bayern president Herbert Hainer told Sky Sports on Sunday.
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“Of course it has to be within a certain period of time, because then we have to position ourselves accordingly.
“I don't know the exact date now, but that will certainly be so far in the foreseeable future that he will confess or just say what his wishes are. And then we will talk to him.”
Sule has made 25 appearances for Bayern so far this season and has been playing alongside Benjamin Pavard in central defence in recent weeks.
He joined Bayern from Hoffenheim in July 2017 but now appears set to follow the lead of David Alaba, Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez in leaving the Bavarian club on a free transfer.
