Chelsea willing to spend up to £70million on a marquee striker this summer, but are locked in a wrangle over whether to sign Romelu Lukaku or Alvaro Morata

CHELSEA are locked in a £70 million wrangle over which striker will be their number one summer target.

Boss Antonio Conte wants Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata to spearhead the defence of the Premier League title but also to provide firepower in Europe with the return to Champions League football next season.

Technical director Michael Emenalo wants unsettled Everton star Romelu Lukaku back at Chelsea having taken him there in 2011 as a youngster.

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Lukaku’s experience of English football is another huge factor in Emenalo’s argument to go for the big Belgian who is the Premier League’s top scorer with 21 goals.

Lukaku has rejected Everton’s latest contract offer and looks on his way from Goodison Park with team-mate Yannick Bolasie claiming his mate has a ‘big plan’.

Conte wants a big-name centre forward because there is a deep-seated feeling within Chelsea that current striker Diego Costa will leave in the summer despite calling a truce after a row with his boss.

Costa is wanted by top Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian but is also pining for home and a return to Spain with Atletico Madrid.

Conte could be given funds to go for BOTH players but that would prove tricky as it would also mean offloading misfit striker Michy Batshuayi first.

Plus, Morata and Lukaku would find it difficult being anything other than first choice and Conte’s formations revolve around one main centre forward.