Chelsea insist their priority is to bring through more English talent.
The London club have been banned by FIFA from making any new signings for two transfer windows after being found guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with Lens in 2007, when the winger was 16.
The club's director of communications and public affairs Simon Greenberg told BBC Radio Five Live: "Our absolute priority is to develop young players, preferably English, preferably London-born players, which is what's at the heart of our team.
"We have a core of English players.
"That is the philosophy of the Chelsea academy. We've always been Brit-centric and I don't think other clubs can necessarily say that. That has always been our preferred option."
