Chelsea rival City for £12m January defender - reports

Bolton Wanderers are expected to field bids from Chelsea and Manchester City for defender Gary Cahill in the January transfer window, according to The Evening Standard.

The England defender was at the centre of speculation all summer, with Liverpool and latterly Tottenham Hotspur both linked with his services.

But now it appears that Chelsea and City, two other clubs interested in Cahill, are ready to bid for the defender, with a potential £12 million fee being linked with the 25-year-old.

Andre Villas-Boas reportedly made signing an English centre-back is top priority in the transfer window, and Chelsea's defensive problems will make him proactive in the upcoming window.

Cahill could eventually be seen as a replacement for Chelsea captain John Terry.

With Cahill in the last year of his contract, The Blues are likely to shirk at the price tag with the player available for nothing in the summer, however City, who paid out £24 million for Samir Nasri during the summer, could be tempted.