Olivier Giroud's agent in Italy has admitted that Chelsea's pursuit of Napoli attacker Dries Mertens is going nowhere.
Giroud wants to leave Chelsea and has several clubs keen on his services, including Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur, but the clock is ticking on a move away from Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea will not let Giroud go without first bringing in a replacement and they have been in touch with Napoli to try to sign Mertens.
However, Giroud's agent in Italy stressed that Napoli will not let Mertens go and Chelsea's pursuit of the Belgian is at an end.
Vincenzo Morabito, who represents Giroud in Italy, said on Sky Italia: "At this moment we [Giroud and his agents] are stuck.
"Chelsea must first find a replacement – and this will not be Mertens.
"The Blues consider him definitively gone [as a target] because the player's intention is to stay with Napoli."
Mertens is out of contract at Napoli in the summer, but is set to now stay with the Serie A side, who have not given up hope of signing him on a new deal, to see out the season.
