Chelsea ready to rival Liverpool for Wolves' midfielder Matheus Nunes

Chelsea are prepared to compete with Liverpool for Wolves' Matheus Nunes when they step up their pursuit of midfielders in the summer.

The 24-year-old has admirers at Stamford Bridge and they are set to be in the race for him at the end of the season when he comes on the market after just one campaign at Molineux.

Nunes is on a list of potential targets for Chelsea which includes West Ham captain Declan Rice and Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, while Everton’s Amadou Onana is also being looked at for Graham Potter’s squad. They were interested in a Premier League record deal for Enzo Fernandez earlier in the window but could not close a deal with Benfica.

Nunes is on the list of possible signings, as Potter attempts to shape a squad that has been without N’Golo Kante for most of the season through injury, with Jorginho expected to leave when his contract expires in the summer.

Liverpool were close to signing Nunes last summer but a deal did not go through and he ended up joining Wolves for £44million. He is expected to cost at least £55million to land him at the end of the season.

Jurgen Klopp will look to strengthen that area of his team and has a long-standing interest in Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham as well as Nunes, who plays as an attacking midfielder and forged his reputation at Sporting Lisbon before moving to the Premier League.

He has played regularly this season but has also been hampered by a shoulder injury. Nunes made two appearances for Portugal in the World Cup, including a start in the defeat to South Korea in the team’s final group game.

Potter had teenager Lewis Hall in his midfield when he faced Liverpool last weekend, along with England midfielder Conor Gallagher, but it is an area targeted for additions during the next two windows.