Nottingham Forest are reportedly closing in on agreeing a £37.5 million fee with the Blues for Omari Hutchinson.
Forest had an offer of £35 million turned down by Town last week but, according to The Athletic, talks regarding a £37.5 million deal for the England U21 international are at an advanced stage.
The fee would be a new record for the Blues, eclipsing the £30 million Chelsea paid for Liam Delap earlier in the summer.
Personal terms are said not to be an issue, while Hutchinson’s former side Chelsea are reported elsewhere to be due 25 per cent of the profit the Blues would make on the £20 million-plus-add-ons fee they paid for the Redhill-born attacker last summer.
However, despite an accord between the clubs being close, both Hutchinson and Forest are reported to still have other options.
Brentford previously had a number of bids turned down, the highest also £35 million, while Everton and Serie A Inter have also been linked.
Hutchinson has appeared certain to leave the Blues this summer having stayed behind when Town travelled to Auxerre for the final pre-season friendly with manager Kieran McKenna revealing on Tuesday that the 21-year-old "didn’t feel that he could contribute” at Bromley, having missed the season opener at Birmingham on Friday due to a throat infection.
Hutchinson is said to be a replacement for Anthony Elanga, who recently joined Newcastle for £55 million, at Forest.