Chelsea are closing in on a move for Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas, while Frank Lampard has rejected a lucrative move to China.
Despite signing Demba Ba to help reduce the burden on Fernando Torres, the Blues are still considering their options in the attacking department and have zoned in on Aspas, who is having a really good season with Celta in the La Liga, according to widespread reports in England.
Chelsea scouts were in view watching the player this weekend, and the Blues are reportedly ready to offer around £5 million ($8 million).
It is unlikely that Chelsea will sign another forward in this transfer window, with the Blues expected to make a bid for Radamel Falcao in the summer. The likely option is for the Blues to go for other targets, if they fail in their bid to bring in the Atletico Madrid forward to Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Chinese club Guizhou Renhe have pulled out of the running to sign Lampard. Guizhou had reportedly offered the Chelsea midfielder a lucrative two-year deal worth around £250,000 ($400,000) a week.
However, with Lampard reluctant to commit himself to the Chinese club, Guizhou have withdrawn their offer, according to The Sun.
"The contract offered to Lampard was amazing and he would have been treated like a God out there," a source told The Sun. "It would have been a great adventure for him.
"But although there were a lot of talks, he would never give a definite 'yes' and a couple of weeks ago Guizhou Renhe finally gave up."
Lampard will leave Chelsea at the end of the season when his contract runs out, after being told by the hierarchy he would not be offered a new deal. L.A. Galaxy, Manchester United, Paris Saint Germain, Monaco, Arsenal and a host of Italian clubs have been linked with a move for the prolific midfielder.
Meanwhile, Lampard has bemoaned the fact that Chelsea's standards have dropped over the past couple of years. From being constant title contenders, the Blues only finished in sixth last season, albeit while winning the Champions League, and this year their Premier League title chances are hanging by the slimmest of threads after another inconsistent campaign.
"I hate the idea of standards dropping," Lampard said. "We have been here a long time expecting to be up there to win the Premier League or, if it was a bad year, coming second.
"The minute you drop your standards below that too far then you'll settle for that. There is a desire and determination among the players, staff and the club to keep where we want to be."
The 34-year-old is ever closer to being the all-time leading scorer for Chelsea, moving to within eight of Bobby Tambling's record of 202 goals, after scoring against Stoke at the weekend.
"Everyone is talking about every goal I score now," Lampard added. "People will say I want to do it and it would be something I would be very proud of. But it is certainly not right up there.
"I just love playing in a performance like at Stoke. I really enjoyed it and if I can keep doing that to the end of the season I will be very happy."
