Former English Premier League champions Chelsea FC is rumored to be targeting flop Liverpool striker Christian Benteke this summer with the objective of partnering him with Diego Costa in the teams' front line.

The Blues sacked Jose Mourinho in December of last year just months after delivering the Premier League trophy at the Stamford Bridge. The team was then taken over by interim coach Guus Hiddink and the team started to climb up the league table once again. They finished 10th in the recent term and they are set to bounce back next season with Antonio Conte at the helm.

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Reports were out that Conte will be handed a £150 million transfer warchest by the Blues this summer to make the necessary changes in their roster and one of the positions the Italian national team coach is allegedly targeting to improve is the striker spot.

Currently, the team has Costa, Loic Remy, and Bertrand Traoré alternating in the spot, which is evidently in need of an upgrade if they do want to contend for the English championship once again next season.

A report from 90min said that Conte "wants to pair" Benteke, who is currently with the Belgium national team participating in the ongoing 2016 Euro, with the 27-year-old Spaniard "in order to strengthen the versatility of his front-line" next season.

The 25-year-old Belgian arrived at Liverpool with the club and fans having huge expectations, something that he was not able to fulfill during his one season stay at the Anfield.

Speculations abound that current Reds manager Jürgen Klopp is looking to unload him this summer and the Blues are said to be ready to pick him up when that happens.

The Daily Mirror noted that Benteke's style of play is "better suited" to Conte's system than with Klopp's and so a renaissance to the Belgian's career may come in the coming term.

Benteke was acquired by Liverpool from Aston Villa last summer for a reported fee of £32.5 million. There are still no official reports on how much Klopp will be willing to sell him although rumors said that Chelsea could get him for two-thirds of that amount.

TagsFootball News & Rumors, Football News & Rumors 2016, Chelsea FC, Liverpool FC, Christian Benteke