Andrej Kramaric
Andrej Kramaric has scored 28 goals this season. Getty

Chelsea target Andrej Kramaric has snubbed the Blues to join Leicester City instead, the Premier League club confirmed.

The 23-year-old had attracted the attentions of a number of big European clubs after becoming a sensation in Croatia, scoring 28 goals in 31 appearances across all competitions for Rijeka this season.

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Spanish giants Atletico Madrid were said to be interested in his services before signing Fernando Torres, while Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea were also reportedly tracking his developments.

Jose Mourinho had earmarked the Croatian forward as the long-term replacement for Didier Drogba. However the player's father recently claimed he would rather to move elsewhere as the Portuguese boss's intention was to send him on loan for the remainder of the season.

"[Chelsea] are really persistent. The thing we disagree over is Andrej's loan over the next six months. The question is where would he go on loan? We have no guarantee that he would return to Chelsea when the loan ends," the father admitted.

This way Kramaric has decided to pass the opportunity to join the current Premier League leaders to move instead to the bottom side.

Reports on Wednesday confirmed talks between Kramaric and Leicester were advanced, and now the club have made the agreement official, pending the work permit.

"Leicester City Football Club can confirm that an agreement has been reached with HNK Rijeka for the transfer of Andrej Kramaric," the club confirmed in its official website.

"Andrej, 23, has agreed personal terms, undergone a medical and will sign a contract to June 2018 once a work permit has been granted. He will not be available for Saturday's Barclays Premier League visit of Aston Villa."

According to the reports, Leicester have paid a club record fee of £9m to Rijeka after this summer having already paid £8m to Bridgton for Leonardo Ulloa.