Chelsea have continued to be linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland throughout the summer.
Blues boss Thomas Tuchel is apparently keen to bolster his attacking options ahead of next season, with the Norwegian having been talked up as a priority signing.
However, a deal to bring the Dortmund hitman looks somewhat tricky with the German giants set to demand an extortionate fee for his signature.
This has forced Chelsea to make the decision to look elsewhere and according to Fichajes, an alternative has been identified in the form of Villarreal striker Gerard Moreno.
As per the report, Tuchel is a fan of the Spaniard and sees him as a ‘plan b’ should a deal not be attained for Haaland.
Indeed, the Villarreal man would also represent a much cheaper option for Chelsea with transfermarkt valuing the 29-year-old at £36million with two years remaining on his contract at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
Despite his far more advanced years, Moreno has been a prolific goalscorer in the top tier of Spanish football for the last couple of years.
He enjoyed one of his best campaigns in 2020/21 as he netted 30 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions as the Yellow Submarine lifted the UEFA Europa League title against Manchester United.
In all, Moreno has scored 92 goals in 236 La Liga appearances.
That form has finally seen him establish himself on the international stage having made his debut for Spain back in October 2019.
He has now scored five goals in 13 appearances for his country and notched an assist as the Spaniards drew 1-1 with Switzerland last week at Euro 2020.
