Chelsea have reportedly tried to steal a march on their rivals in the race to sign Hamburger SV striker Jann-Fiete Arp.
The 17-year-old has recently hit the headlines for scoring in successive matches for Hamburger in the Bundesliga, with the teenager's first league start for the club coming against Stuttgart on November 4.
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have previously been linked with Arp but according to Bild, Chelsea are prepared to challenge their rivals for the youngster's signature.
Earlier this season, it was suggested that Chelsea had made a 'lucrative' approach for Arp, but talks are now said to have officially started between the respective parties.
Arp has just a year remaining on his contract, which Hamburger are keen to extend with head coach Markus Gisdol beginning to show faith in the hot prospect in the first team.
