AC Milan have stepped up their pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, according to reports in Italy.

Sporting Director Leonardo has spoken to the midfielder’s representatives about a possible move to the San Siro at the end of the season.

Fabregas’s current deal with the Blues expires in the summer, and he will be free to speak to foreign clubs in just over a month’s time.

Milan are likely to be one of those teams, but it is believed that the 31-year-old’s wages could prove to be a stumbling block.

The Rossoneri are looking at other possible options, with Celta Vigo’s Stanislav Lobotka and Zenit St. Petersburg’s Leandro Paredes also being considered.

However, Fabregas is said to be their priority target. The Spaniard has struggled for game time under manager Maurizio Sarri this campaign, having failed to start a single Premier League game.

Chelsea have yet to open talks with the midfielder over an extension to his current deal, and it seems that a move away from Stamford Bridge is a distinct possibility.