Chelsea are investigating allegations that their striker Daniel Sturridge has been the subject of racial abuse by their own fans.

A club spokesman said: "We have had a new complaint from a fan that we are taking very seriously indeed. We are carrying out an immediate investigation led by our head of security that is likely to involve the police as well. We will not tolerate any form of racism and have encouraged our supporters to help identify those responsible and we will track them down."

According to the Daily Mail, the abuse of Sturridge is believed to have occurred during the Champions League game at Genk on 1 November and to have come from the section at the top of the main stand reserved for executive club members and sponsors, where one of the fans is alleged to have shouted: "They are bringing on the monkeys," as the striker, 22, prepared to come on as a 66th-minute substitute.

The club's chief executive, Ron Gourlay, received the complaint via email from another Chelsea fan who had been sitting nearby and who described the perpetrator as a well-dressed, middle-aged man.

Sturridge is set to make his England debut at Wembley against Sweden on Tuesday night, in a game in which his club captain, John Terry, himself under investigation for racial abuse, resumes the national captaincy.