Chelsea ready to launch shock summer move for Tottenham striker Harry Kane

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Chelsea are prepared to launch a full-scale attempt to land England hotshot Harry Kane next summer.

The Barclays Premier League champions have joined Manchester United in taking admiring glances at the Tottenham striker.

Stamford Bridge scouts will use Sunday's clash against Spurs to add to their dossier of the striker.

Chelsea are ready to launch a move for Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane (centre) this summer

Kane celebrates with team-mate Dele Alli after scoring in Tottenham's 4-1 win over West Ham on Sunday

The Blues are in the midst of a global search to identify a new first-choice central striker with Diego Costa's future as the club's No 1 forward under review.

Further question marks over Costa's long-term future emerged on Tuesday night following a half-time spat with Jose Mourinho during the comprehensive win against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

And Kane is emerging as a shock name on the west London club's list.

The 22-year-old's rise to prominence has not gone unnoticed by Chelsea. The fact he is English, meaning he fits in with homegrown quota rules, merely adds to the obvious attraction.

Chelsea are in the hunt for a new first-choice striker with doubts over the future of Diego Costa

Tottenham, however, have been absolute in their stance that Kane is not for sale - a message rammed home in the summer as they rebuffed Louis van Gaal's overtures.

Indeed, Chelsea realise getting Kane out of White Hart Lane is likely to prove a mountainous task given Daniel Levy's famed negotiating style.

But if Tottenham were to show any indication they'd be willing to sell, then Chelsea are ready to throw significant resources to land the forward.

The Spurs forward has scored eight Premier League goals this term following his brace against the Hammers

Given Spurs' attempts to break into the top four, Chelsea know any move for Kane in January would almost certainly end in failure.

So any switch will likely occur at the end of the season, despite the fact Chelsea want to sign at least one new striker in January.

Spurs are well aware of Kane's rapidly rising stock across Europe with Bayern Munich also credited with showing an interest.

The forward put pen to paper on new £35,000-per-week contract, which expires in 2020, earlier this year.

Tottenham insist the striker is not for sale and Chelsea know any January move for Kane would end in failure

So Tottenham know they are in a position of strength with regards to rebuffing the inevitable offers that will follow.

However, Levy is known to reward players he believes are deserving of pay increases; a ploy he is likely to use with Kane should he continue his rapid rise.

Given the rivalry between the two clubs any move across London for Kane would come as one of the more surprising transfers in recent history.

The last player to cross the Spurs/Chelsea divide was Carlo Cudicini who swapped west London for north in 2009.