Freiburg forward Luca Waldschmidt has asked to leave the Bundesliga side, according to reports in the German media.

The 23-year-old was linked with a move to Chelsea last month, but it is believed they will now face competition from RB Leipzig who are also keen on snapping up the player.

Waldschmidt is a fully-fledged German international but reports of a move to Stamford Bridge did come as a surprise due to his relatively poor goalscoring record in senior football.

He has excelled playing for Germany Under 21’s having scored seven goals at last summer’s European Championships, and it seems the Blues believe he has the potential to improve.

It is said that no club has so far made a concrete proposal for Waldschmidt but he could be available for around €15m (£13m). The fact that he has asked to leave will no doubt help in negotiations if Chelsea do decide to sign him.