Chelsea transfer news: Blues in for Antoine Griezmann as they are set to hijack proposed Manchester United move

CHELSEA are set to hijack any move Manchester United make for Antoine Griezmann, according to reports.

United have been lining up a move for the Atletico Madrid striker, 25, since before the summer transfer window opened and are still keeping tabs on him.

But reports in Spain claim Atleti boss Diego Simeone could leave the club at the end of the season, leaving Griezmann's future unclear.

While United are frontrunners to land the France star, the Blues are big admirers of Griezmann and could be prepared to meet his £84million release clause.

The massive fee would smash the transfer record £50m Chelsea paid Liverpool to sign Fernando Torres in January 2011.

Antonio Conte missed out on top forward target Romelu Lukaku this summer and was unable to lure Alvaro Morata to Stamford Bridge.

Letting Loic Remy go out on loan to Crystal Palace for the season has left the club short of options up front, with only Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi to lead the line.

Chelsea have a bargaining card in Costa, 27 - who Atletico tried to sign in the window - and could use him as a makeweight in any deal for Griezmann.

Costa admitted he would have welcomed a return to the Vicente Calderon but had his move blocked by Chelsea.

Conte is a fan of Costa but the prospect of being able to snap up Griezmann, top scorer at the Euros with six goals, could prove worth the loss.

Griezmann signed a new contract in June tying him to Atletico until the summer of 2021.