Chelsea manager Lampard wants to sign Serie A midfielder

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard wants to sign Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic if the club's FIFA-imposed transfer ban is lifted in January, claims The Daily Mirror.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] will hear Chelsea's appeal against a two-window transfer ban later this month against charges relating to the recruitment of underage players.

Lampard was unable to sign players during his first summer in charge of Chelsea but the club are hopeful their transfer ban will be lifted in time for January and the Blues have even started identifying potential targets for the new year.

The 41-year-old wants to bolster his midfield options for the second half of the season despite the fact Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are closing in on first-team returns from injury.

N'Golo Kante also started his first league match in nearly a month at the weekend but Lampard is keen on signing Lazio star Milinkovic-Savic, who has previously been linked with a move to Manchester United.

The £70m-rated midfielder has made a strong start to the season with Lazio and has played an integral role in getting the club into third in Serie A ahead of November internationals.

Milinkovic-Savic has played a direct hand in five goals in 12 league appearances from central midfield this season and has won the WhoScored Man of the Match award on three occasions.

Moreover, only LASK defender Gernot Trauner (7.7) averages more aerial duels won per game than Milinkovic-Savic (7.3) in the Europa League this season.

Furthermore, the Lazio midfielder has won the WhoScored Man of the Match award twice in four appearances in the competition this term.