Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal has urged Wesley Sneijder to accept Jose Mourinho’s offer and join Chelsea, the Express understands.
The midfielder has been long linked with a move to the Premier League, and was subject to a deadline day bid by champions Manchester United which was rejected by his current club Galatasaray.
However, Van Gaal is sure that the Blues remain interested in signing the 29 year old, who enjoyed his most successful spell under Mourinho at Inter Milan.
Sneijder scored his 26th international goal in the Netherlands’ 2-0 win in Turkey on Tuesday evening, and will be keen to feature at what would be his third successive World Cup finals next summer.
Meanwhile, the Express have also reported that the Blues are considering bids for promising French duo Gianelli Imbula and Eliaquim Mangala.
Midfielder Imbula, 21, has broken into the Marseille first team this season and got his first goal for the club in the 2-1 win over St Etienne last month.
Managala, a centre-back who has made over sixty appearances in all competitions for Porto, made his full international debut in a friendly against Uruguay during the summer, and has also been linked with Manchester United, Manchester City and Monaco.