Arsenal and Newcastle are also eyeing the Venezuelan but are unlikely to be able to afford the £20million asking price.
The 22-year-old is hot property after two impressive seasons in La Liga following his move to Malaga in 2010.
Rondon has scored 25 goals in 67 appearances for the Spanish side and has all the physical attributes to succeed in the Premier League.
Chelsea reportedly sent a team of scouts to watch the forward in action for his country at the weekend, however Rondon did little to impress in a 2-0 home defeat to Chile.
Porto’s Hulk remains another option for the London side, but they face a fight to get him, according to his agent.
‘The Blues [Chelsea] are not the only European club interested and at the moment it all depends on Porto,’ the player’s representative Teodoro Fonseca told the Record.
‘I am in permanent contact with president Pinto Da Costa but there have been no advances on this subject.
‘The club want him to stay and we have received the offer of a new deal. If Hulk stays in Porto then there is no problem as he is happy in Porto.
‘He has had three years of interest from big European clubs and he still plays in Portugal.’
