Chelsea are keen to snap up Manchester United striker Anthony Martial on a free transfer this summer.

The Frenchman is expected to leave Old Trafford when his contract expires in June and the Blues believe he is the ideal player to strengthen their forward line.

Martial has spent a good deal of time on the sidelines with injuries over the past four years, having missed 357 days of action during that period.

The forward (who cost United £61.5m in 2015) is currently recovering from a groin operation that has kept him out of action since the end of January.

The recruitment team think Martial is a perfect fit for the first-team squad

The Blues have a lot of injury-prone players, with manager Mauricio Pochettino having had to contend with a lengthy absentee list during his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.

Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Reece James and Romeo Lavia have spent a lot of time together in the treatment room over the course of this campaign and the club’s scouts believe Martial would fit in perfectly.

Chelsea are keen to have a complete XI working in the gym

After Martial, it is said that the Blues could go after the likes of Bayern Munich keeper Manuel Neuer, Manchester United’s Luke Shaw and Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara.

While many would fear the consequences of having so many players who struggle to stay on the pitch for any length of time, the club feel that having them all working together in rehab could help build camaraderie in the squad over the long term.

This deal will take place at the beginning of a future transfer window, or perhaps not. As you may have gathered, this is an April Fool’s story. Have a good day and don’t believe everything you read on the internet!