Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is reportedly keen for the club to bring in Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella during the January transfer window.

The 21-year-old is considered one of the top young prospects in Italian football and has already been linked with a £35m switch to Tottenham Hotspur.

According to L'Uniuone Sard, Sarri's Chelsea are now also in the running as the ex-Napoli boss and his assistant Gianfranco Zola are both big fans of the talented youngster.

Sarri is said to be pushing the Blues' hierarchy to make a move for Barella next month, despite Cagliari wanting more than £40m.

However, it is claimed that Chelsea also face competition from several teams in Italy, including Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Roma, while Premier League rivals Liverpool may also be on the list of interested parties.

Barella has 61 Serie A appearances under his belt and earned his first senior cap for Italy earlier this year.