Chelsea eye Suarez

CHELSEA have already begun looking for a replacement for Cesc Fabregas, with AC Milan stepping up moves to sign him next month.

Manager Maurizio Sarri does not want the 31-year-old to leave Stamford Bridge but the Spanish international is keen to play more first-team football.

Former Arsenal and Barcelona playmaker Fabregas, right, has lost his regular starting place to

Italy midfielder Jorginho this season and is ready to consider offers from other clubs in January, with his contract running out at the end of this term.

One player the London club have looked at as a possible replacement is former Manchester City midfielder Denis Suarez, who wants to leave Barcelona after making only one substitute appearance in La Liga for the Spanish giants this season. He would cost around £15million. Fabregas is valued at around £11m by Chelsea but Milan, who also took his midfield colleague Tiemoue Bakayoko to the San Siro on loan at the start of the season, are not keen to pay that sort of fee for the Spaniard, especially with the Italian club about to spend around £31m on Flamengo star Lucas Paqueta.

Fabregas has started only seven games this season under Sarri, and just one in the league. He was brought to Chelsea when former manager Jose Mourinho signed him from Barcelona in June 2014.