Rumour: Chelsea planning surprise bid for Robin van Persie

Chelsea are among three clubs reportedly weighing up a surprise bid to take Robin van Persie away from Manchester United this summer, according to the Mirror.

Rumours have circulated that the Dutch striker is unhappy at United, having fallen out with David Moyes, while there has been some suggestion that United themselves are keen to offload him due to his attitude.

This news has alerted Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho having made a world class striker his priority for the summer, while Monaco and Juventus are also said to be monitoring the situation at Old Trafford.

Van Persie has repeatedly cut a frustrated figure at United this season, having been unimpressed with the way Moyes has taken training sessions, with people close to him believing he would not have joined United if he had known Sir Alex Ferguson was set to leave the club at the end of his first season with the Red Devils.

He was also critical of his team-mates after the defeat to Olympiakos this month and has reportedly told his agent to locate him a new club.

Chelsea are the surprise candidates having rarely done business with Premier League rivals, but Van Persie offers a cheaper alternative to some of the other strikers mentioned as Mourinho hunts a proven goal-scorer, with United unlikely to ask for anything more than £15million for the Dutch striker.

They will face tough competition from big-spending Monaco however and Van Persie could be tempted by a new challenge, with Juventus also offering him a route to Serie A.