Chelsea are set to take their spending on new players even further, with the signing this summer of the French international defender Marcel Desailly.

New manager Gianluca Vialli has already signed Rangers' Danish international midfielder Brian Laudrup to Stamford Bridge on a free transfer.

But next season's Chelsea team could be even more fearsome following Italian reports that Vialli has reached a verbal agreement with Desailly to move from Milan to Chelsea after the World Cup. The tall, powerful 29-year-old is rated at about £5 million. He has 38 French caps and can also play in midfield. He has spent five seasons at Milan where he has picked up two Serie A titles and won the European Cup. He moved from Marseille where he won the French title and also the European Cup.

Chelsea, however, have denied reports linking them with the French international midfielder Didier Deschamps. They were allegedly close to signing the player from Juventus for £4 million.