Chelsea are undergoing a rejuvenation under the guidance of Maurizio Sarri and a surprise deal looks set to take place in the market.
Brazilian outlet GloboEsporte states the Blues will bring Brazil international Bernard to the club as a free agent, following the release from his contract with Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk last month.
The 25-year-old midfielder is highly sought after after a successful few years in eastern Europe, with 12 clubs stated to have made advances, but it is Chelsea who lead the hunt for his services.
Bernard favours a move to Stamford Bridge, where he could find a huge void to fill amidst continued speculation that Eden Hazard and Willian will be moving on from west London.
The pair is attracting interest from Real Madrid and Manchester United respectively.
Other Premier League clubs are also interested, including West Ham and Leicester City, while Bernard also has proposals on the table from Monaco, Benfica, Wolfsburg and others.