Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has shown interest in signing midfielder Joao Mario from Sporting Lisbon.

The Portuguese midfielder’s impressive performances which helped his nation to the Euro 2016 title have seen the Blues rediscover their interest in the player.

The Sporting midfielder has been linked with both Chelsea and Manchester United in the past.

The 23-year-old could now be the subject of a £46-million bid from the Stamford Bridge outfit, according to The Sun.

Last season Sporting narrowly missed out on the Liga NOS title to Benfica by just two points, but Mario’s fine form has alerted a number of top European clubs after scoring five goals in 27 appearances.

Photo: Reuters