By Mark Heys
December 12 2005

Premiership champions Chelsea could be about to launch a £5 million bid for Bolton Wanderers in-form defender Tal Ben-Haim according to reports emerging from Sporting Life. The 23-year old has been in fantastic form throughout the course of this season as the Wanderers have conceded just two league goals at the Reebok Stadium and because of this the Israeli international is believed to have caught the eye of Blues manager Jose Mourinho.

Ben-Haim joined Bolton from Maccabi Tel-Aviv in the summer of 2004 for a nominal fee after impressing in a successful trial spell and he has since forged a consistent partnership with Bruno N'Gotty at the heart of the Trotters defence.

Chelsea have previously stated that there will be no new arrivals to their multi million pound squad in January, whilst Bolton on the other hand are no longer in a position where they have to sell their best players .

However, the Blues will have room for an extra defender in their squad should both Robert Huth and Glen Johnson be allowed to leave Stamford Bridge in loan deals to enhance their chances of making next years World Cup.