Chelsea will hope to return to winning ways in the Champions League when they host Spanish champions Barcelona on Tuesday.
The Blues were held to a 2-2 draw by Azerbaijani side Qarabag in their last outing in the competition, and now sit 12th in the group phase table.
Enzo Maresca’s side will need to improve if they are to finish in the top eight and qualify automatically for the knockout stages of the competition.
Domestically Chelsea have been in fine form of late, winning five of their last six matches in the Premier League to move up to second place.
Away from the pitch, it appears that the West London side have also been handed a boost.
According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are ahead of London rivals Arsenal in the race to sign Marseille teenager Robinio Vaz.
The report claims that the two London sides are both showing interest in the 18-year-old forward, however they are taking different approaches to the matter.
Vaz has attracted interest from both Chelsea and Arsenal (Photo: Icon Sport/Alamy)
Chelsea are said to have made initial contact with the player’s representatives, and the Blues have also established communication with Marseille.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are taking a more relaxed approach and regard Vaz as a promising long-term prospect, rather than a player that could make an immediate impact in Mikel Arteta’s first team squad.
Vaz joined Marseille from Sochaux last year and has since made 17 appearances for the French side across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing three assists.
It is claimed that Marseille are reluctant to sell Vaz any time soon and have already rejected an offer from an unnamed European club for the teenager.
The attacker is under contract until the end of the 2027/28 season, and the report suggests that the French side will demand a fee in the region of £17-26 million for the player.