Thomas Tuchel 'to be handed £260m transfer budget this summer'

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will reportedly be backed by owner Roman Abramovich with a £260m transfer budget in the summer window.

The Blues were among the continent's biggest spenders last year, splashing out more than £220m on Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy.

Chelsea's spending spree has not been enough to close the gap on their title rivals, however, with Frank Lampard paying the price in January when replaced by Tuchel.

The former Paris Saint-Germain boss has made a bright start to his Stamford Bridge tenure and, according to Tuttomercatoweb, he will be given even more cash to spend this summer than Lampard had last year.

It is claimed that Tuchel is keen for the club to go after Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland, which the supposed €300m budget will allow them to do.

Haaland has a £65m release clause in his contract that can be triggered next year, but Chelsea can steal a march on their rivals by placing a big bid in the summer.

Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule is another rumoured target for the West London outfit.