Chelsea are ready to spend big to win the race for Lille attacker Nicolas Pepe.

Pepe is viewed as an ideal replacement for Real Madrid target Eden Hazard.

The Mirror says the French club have slapped a £70m price tag on the 23-year-old, who has scored 19 goals in 33 games this campaign and lifted them to second in the table.

He has been lined up despite the impending transfer ban that circles over Chelsea.

They are fighting the two transfer window ban handed by FIFA in February for breaching the rules around the transfer of minors and are waiting to hear if their appeal for a delay has been successful.