Reports in Germany claim Bayern Munich are bracing themselves for a summer transfer duel with Chelsea and their new manager Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel has two defensive targets in the upcoming transfer window. The first is Dayot Upamecano of Red Bull Leipzig, with Chelsea battling Bayern and also Liverpool for the 22-year-old’s signature.

Tuchel’s second target, according to German publication Bild, via the Mail, is Bayern’s Niklas Sule – a centre-back and Germany international.

Sule, 25, arrived at the German champions in July 2017 as part of a double swoop on Bundesliga rivals Hoffenheim, joining alongside Sebastian Rudy.

He’s 6ft 5ins and has been an ever-present force at Bayern in his three-and-a-half years at the club, also winning 29 caps for Germany.

Upamecano, meanwhile, is widely expected to depart Leipzig at the end of the season and has a release clause of £38million.

Leipzig have already secured his replacement in Mohamed Simakan of Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, who will head to Germany in the summer.

Bayern’s chief executive, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, underlined the club’s interest in Upamecano on transfer deadline day but admitted they face competition.

“There are two quite attractive competitors besides Bayern Munich. You now have to wait and see how things develop,” Rummenigge told Sky Sports.

“The fact is that the player is interesting, of course. It is also a fact that we will lose at least David Alaba at this position. Whether we will have other departures at the position, I can not seriously predict at this point.”