Tottenham and Chelsea are negotiating a £40million deal for Conor Gallagher.
The academy graduate has captained the Blues this season and Mauricio Pochettino is a big fan.
But transfer guru Gianluca Di Marzio claims the London rivals are in advanced talks as reports of a January exit refuse to die down.
Gallagher, 23, has featured in all but one of Chelsea’s Premier League games this season and plays an important role in midfield.
But modest returns in terms of goal contributions have reportedly led to long-standing doubts about his ability to produce at the highest level among Stamford Bridge chiefs.
Chelsea have invested heavily in midfield with Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo both arriving in £100million-plus deals.
Pochettino, 51, is under pressure to deliver with an expensively-assembled squad sitting 10th in the Premier League after a dire start to the season.
But he has insistedhe is not desperate to dive into the market this winter, despite needing to fix issues at both ends of the field.
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