Chelsea Planning £48m Bid for Napoli Striker Gonzalo Higuain - Report

Chelsea are planning a £48m bid for Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, according to the Metro.

The Blues are in the market for a striker and Jose Mourinho, who has previously worked with the Argentine in Real Madrid, has earmarked the 25-year-old as the man to lead the line.

Chelsea's current strike force of Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba have failed to set the ground alight with their performances and the Portuguese manager is looking at Higuain to come in and make a difference in the latter half of the season.

Higuain has already scored 13 goals in 21 games for the Italian club but manager Rafa Benitez is willing to sell him off should he be offered a price that he cannot refuse.

The Argentine scored for Chelsea in their 2-0 win over Arsenal in the final Champions League fixture which saw them crash in spite of being level on points with the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in what was a very tough group in all aspects.

The Argentine goal scoring machine will boost Chelsea in all regards and go a long way in deciding their fate in the title challenge. The Gunners were also linked with a move for the striker, but Napoli were quick to pounce and make sure that any further approaches from the north London club were fended off.

Meanwhile, Chelsea are also keeping tabs on Porto Striker Jackson Martinez with the player recently stating that he is willing to move should Porto be able to agree a price for the Colombian.

"It is they [Porto] who have to decide what they want to do with me,' he said. 'If it is to continue here, or send it to a transfer depends very much on them. If something happens, and more than thinking in economic conditions, I think there are opportunities that can be taken," Martinez said.

"But I continue to think of the club and now I leave my future in the hands of God. I will only give my maximum and not look to hasten things, because they will happen in due time. For now I do not feel the need to talk with FC Porto. I am calm without denying or closing, or trading any possibility that some part of the club is interested in keeping me," he concluded.