A want to be champion should not play liddis. ITU pun tapaham kah bolo?

Chelsea are considering making a formal bid of about £13m for St Etienne's Kurt Zouma next month as they seek to deflect interest from Arsenal, Manchester City and Monaco in the highly regarded teenage centre-half.

Zouma, a France junior and under-21 international, had featured heavily for St Etienne over the last two seasons but is currently in the middle of a 10-match domestic ban after his tackle on Thomas Guerbert during a goalless draw with Sochaux last month left his opponent with a broken leg. That will keep the 19-year-old out of action until well into the new year, although it has not dissuaded his suitors from the pursuit.

Arsenal and City have been monitoring his progress and were expected to bid for his services at the end of the current campaign, with representatives from Monaco having reportedly already met the defender's agent. Chelsea's instinct would have been to wait until next summer too but, aware that others have declared an interest, they are expected to bring forward an offer in the hope he can be prised early from the Ligue 1 club.

Zouma, who would be eligible for the Champions League this term, described his clash with Guerbert as "an unintentional accident" and apologised to his wounded opponent in the dressing room after the tackle. Yet the teenager's football reputation remains intact, with the France manager Didier Deschamps earlier this year earmarking him as a future captain of Les Bleus.

It remains to be seen what immediate impact, if any, his arrival might have on the likes of David Luiz or, indeed, John Terry whose contract expires next summer. José Mourinho has already indicated he expects both Terry and Ashley Cole to sign new deals at Stamford Bridge, even if no talks have, as yet, taken place.

The Chelsea manager has also stated publicly that he did not expect any major business in the January transfer window, although moves by rivals could yet force his club's hierarchy to act sooner rather than later.

so... tonight is the night r..

I hope chelsea can gimme my engagement present by winning over Arse-nal

It's quite some weird problem we have at our club. Not that our players are not good enuff. They are all quality players (Mata, Oscar, KDB), just not suited to Mou's tactic.

Hope Mou gets it sorted out this January transfer window.