Chelsea owner Abramovich will ask Real Madrid to name their Bale price

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to ask Real Madrid to name their price forGareth Bale.

With Antonio Conte complaining his Chelseasquad is short of numbers, Abramovich has instructed his directors to intensify their transfer plans in the final weeks of the market.

Don Balon says on their shopping list remains Bale, whose future is still in doubt after a low-key performance in Real's Supercopa victory at Barcelona on Sunday. Indeed, it's suggested the Welshman's display made up Real president Florentino Perez's mind that he needs to make another attacking signing this month.

Abramovich is a fan of Bale and also likes the idea of trumping Jose Mourinho's Manchester United to a long-term target.

It's been suggested Florentino would be willing to sell for less than €100m to make room for his next striker signing.,

Chelsea could cash in on major windfall, £36m bid incoming for bit-part ace

Lille are reportedly set to make a £36m bid for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi, with the Belgian offered a chance to move on just a year after joining the Blues.

Despite only scoring five Premier League goals last season, the 23-year-old ended up scoring the one that secured the title and remains a popular figure amongst supporters.

However, Chelsea now face a difficult decision as to whether to keep hold of him, or sell and use those funds to bring in another alternative.

With Antonio Conte bringing in Alvaro Morata this summer, Batshuayi’s chances of being a regular starter in the line-up are slim, and that may well force him to consider his options too with the World Cup coming up next summer.

A move to Lille would offer him the chance to work with former boss Marcelo Bielsa, while for Chelsea it would mean a profit despite his struggles in England, as detailed by the Mirror, following his £33m move to Stamford Bridge last year.

Selling the former Marseille man would leave Chelsea light of options up front though, and so if they were to allow him to leave, then Conte will surely be pressing for the club to have a replacement ready.

Having bemoaned the lack of depth in his squad already this summer, it doesn’t seem to make too much sense to sell more squad players, but there still seem to be question marks hanging over Batshuayi as he looks set to play second fiddle again this season.