Tottenham are reported to be set to make a double bid for Chelsea midfield pair Geremi and Joe Cole.
The new management team at Spurs, headed by coach Jacques Santini and director of football Frank Arnesen, is keen to secure new talent, The Guardian newspaper reports.
Santini has more than £6-million available in transfer funds, a sum set to be bolstered by player sales.
Following the departures of Darren Anderton, Christian Ziege and Gustavo Poyet, Spurs have made a £100 000-a-week saving on wages and hope to benefit from Chelsea’s plan to offload a host of players this summer.
Geremi, a £7-million transfer from Real Madrid, and Cole, a £6,6-million buy from West Ham, were only occasionally used by Chelsea last season.
They could be available for £5-million.
Chelsea’s new manager, Jose Mourinho, wants to trim the first-team squad of outfield players to 21 — it currently stands at more than 30.
France midfielder Claude Makelele is also likely to join the discards.
Fresh signings are sure to follow.
Mourinho might renew his interest in his former Porto midfielder Deco after failing to buy Steven Gerrard from Liverpool, although Barcelona and Real Madrid are also in the running.
Chelsea have also been linked with a bid for England super kid Wayne Rooney. — Sapa-AFP