Chelsea Explore Using Lukaku Cash To Tempt Edinson Cavani To Stamford Bridge

Chelsea could launch an audacious bid to sign Paris St-Germain talisman Edinson Cavani using the money the club got from the sale of Romelu Lukaku.

Everton parted with a club-record £28m to land the Belgian striker from Chelsea after making just 10 appearances since signing for the Stamford Bridge club in 2011.

Added to the money from the sales of David Luiz and Demba Ba, Jose Mourinho now has a war chest of almost £80m he could spend on recruiting a strike partner for Diego Costa and the Portuguese manager has reportedly set his sights on Cavani.

Chelsea failed to lure the Uruguayan to the Premier League last season, but after reportedly instructing his agent to look for a future beyond the Ligue 1 champions, Mourinho could again test PSG's resolve with a bid for the striker, the Evening Standard has reported.

The Blues welcomed back Didier Drogba last week on a one-year deal with Mourinho expected to use the Ivorian sparingly as an impact player.

They are also lumbered with Spanish striker Fernando Torres, who the club are unable to find a buyer for and are desperate to shift off their wage bill.

Two foreign players would need to be sold before bringing another one in in order to comply with Champions League and Premier League quota instructions, but the prospect of capturing Cavani could spark an exodus at the Premier League runners-up.

Manchester United had been touted as a possible destination for Cavani, but responding to claims he would move to Old Trafford, the 27-year-old told L'Equipe: "I'm certain that I'll stay - why wouldn't I? I feel very good in Paris, I have a contract to respect at PSG. I'd prefer to be here. I feel good here.

"Like I've already said, that doesn't depend solely on the position of a player but also things that can happen at the club."