Chelsea have been left reeling in the battle to sign Edinson
Cavani after Paris St Germain lodged an improved near-£50million bid for
the Napoli striker.
Sportsmail Online understands PSG coach Laurent Blanc has followed up his initial £43million approach by offering £49.3m for the in-demand Uruguay frontman.
Chelsea and Man City will now have to smash the British transfer record, which is currently the £50m Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich paid Liverpool for Fernando Torres, if they want to sign the prolific striker.
Wanted: PSG are determined that Edinson Cavani will be scoring in France next season
Cavani is wanted by both clubs but PSG's bid will mean they will have to up their attempts to land the striker.
It is a statement of intent from the big-spending French side that looks like eliminating Chelsea from the race and ensuring Cavani begins next season in French football, rather than the Barclays Premier League.
Manchester City were frontrunners for his signature, before conceding defeat over Napoli’s asking price, while Chelsea have maintained a strong interest, after recently-appointed manager Jose Mourinho earmarked him as a prime candidate for strengthening the Stamford Bridge side’s attack.
Hammer blow: Cavani scored against Chelsea in 2012 and they hoped he would be scoring for them in 2013
£50m dollar man: Chelsea's Fernando Torres is the current record signing for a British club
Deep pockets: Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will have to dig deep to celebrate signing Cavani
But the fortune at Blanc’s disposal looks like proving decisive,
following a fresh bid that almost matches the £53.9million valuation
placed on Cavani by Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Blanc told reporters: ‘[Cavani] is a player that I love, like a lot of people.
'I saw him play several times with Naples and Uruguay, and should he be part of the Parisian team, I would be very happy.'
Sportsmail Online understands PSG coach Laurent Blanc has followed up his initial £43million approach by offering £49.3m for the in-demand Uruguay frontman.
Chelsea and Man City will now have to smash the British transfer record, which is currently the £50m Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich paid Liverpool for Fernando Torres, if they want to sign the prolific striker.
Wanted: PSG are determined that Edinson Cavani will be scoring in France next season
It is a statement of intent from the big-spending French side that looks like eliminating Chelsea from the race and ensuring Cavani begins next season in French football, rather than the Barclays Premier League.
Manchester City were frontrunners for his signature, before conceding defeat over Napoli’s asking price, while Chelsea have maintained a strong interest, after recently-appointed manager Jose Mourinho earmarked him as a prime candidate for strengthening the Stamford Bridge side’s attack.
Hammer blow: Cavani scored against Chelsea in 2012 and they hoped he would be scoring for them in 2013
£50m dollar man: Chelsea's Fernando Torres is the current record signing for a British club
Deep pockets: Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will have to dig deep to celebrate signing Cavani
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Blanc told reporters: ‘[Cavani] is a player that I love, like a lot of people.
'I saw him play several times with Naples and Uruguay, and should he be part of the Parisian team, I would be very happy.'
