Nemanja Matic is free to leave Chelsea for Premier League rivals Manchester United - if the Red Devils meet the £50m fee required to sanction his sale.
The Sun has claimed that Blues owner Roman Abramovich has stepped in to reveal that he will green light Matic's move to the north-west if United return with the improved offer - a bid which would be £15m higher than their initial offer.
Matic is said to be keen on being reunited with Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, but any chance of a transfer away from London had been in jeopardy after United beat Chelsea to the signing of Romelu Lukaku at the start of July.
Tensions between the two giants are now believed to have cooled, however, and Chelsea would be willing to allow their defensive midfielder to depart Stamford Bridge for the hefty fee.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte had been reluctant to let Matic leave ahead of completing a £40m swoop for Monaco ace Tiemoue Bakayoko and, with the deal signed off on last Saturday, would no doubt let Matic go with his blessing.
A possible switch to Italy with either Inter or Juventus had been on the cards for Matic after United's poaching of Lukaku but, despite both clubs wanting to do a deal for the 28-year-old, could now lose out to United in the battle to secure his signing.
Mourinho has cried foul over clubs holding United to ransom over extortionate transfer fees already this summer, and hinted that he may only be able to bring one more new recruit to the Europa League holders with negotiations in the transfer market proving to be "difficult".
If the Portuguese gaffer manages to snag Matic, though, he will see it as a relative coup and once again be working alongside one of the best mid fielders in England's top tier.
Matic has made 154 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, and has lifted five titles during his time in the capital.
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