Chelsea have been handed a blow in the transfer market as Aleksandr Golovin has opted to move to Monaco rather than Stamford Bridge, with the Russia international set to put pen to paper on Friday.

Golovin's transfer will cost the Ligue 1 outfit €30 million (£26.5m/$35m) up front, as per reports, with CSKA Moscow in line to receive a percentage of any future sale of the 22-year-old star.

The player will undergo a medical on Thursday and will sign a five-year deal with the Ligue 1 side, with his presentation likely to be on Friday.

Golovin, tipped to be a future star ahead of the World Cup, had been linked with The Blues for some time, with the London club's Russian links making the move seem all the more achievable.

It is true that Golovin had been in advanced talks with Chelsea, so much so that Juventus were scared away from the negotiating table, but The Blues' decision to sign Jorginho, another midfielder, saw doubt creep into Golovin's mind over playing time.