Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has a “good relationship” with Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule and the German is now the “most likely option” as the Blues target a new centre-back, according to The Athletic‘s David Ornstein.

The reliable journalist claims the cost of Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez or Sevilla’s Jules Kounde has led the London club to consider Sule instead, who will be available for around £30m this summer.

With the German international having just one year remaining on his current deal, it is believed he will be sold by Bayern, unless the German club have a change of heart about his future.

Hansi Flick has confirmed he will leave the Bundesliga champions in the summer, and it isn’t known whether Julian Nagelsmann, Flick’s likely successor at the Allianz Arena, would be keener on keeping Sule.

At this stage, though, Chelsea are in pole position to snap up the 25-year-old at the end of the season.