Chelsea target Petit

Chelsea are interested in signing Emmanuel Petit from FC Barcelona.

The former Arsenal midfielder left London last summer as part of the deal which saw Barca sign Dutch winger Marc Overmars from the Highbury club.

But Petit has failed to win any sort of regular place in the Barcelona team and has already been linked with a move back to England with Fulham.

Chelsea want Petit to perform the role which his World Cup winning team mate Didier Deschamps performed at the club last season before leaving to join Valencia and sit in front of the defence to add protection to the back line.

Chelsea have already contacted Petit's agent to ask if a summer move could be likely for the French international and Barcelona do not want to keep him.

Petit has regularly criticised the club and its coach Llorenc Serra Ferrer in the press but knows that current boss Serra Ferrer will be removed from first team duties for a management job at the end of the season.

The player could then see his former AS Monaco and Arsenal mentor Arsene Wenger arrive at Barcelona to coach the first team.

Barca have been keen to appoint Wenger after a poor fan reaction to moves to make current Valencia coach Hector Cuper the new Camp Nou leader.

Wenger has one more year to run on his Arsenal contract and will be given an ultimatum soon by Barcelona to decide if he wants to take on their job or stay at Arsenal. Wenger has spoken of staying at Arsenal and has often been linked with a return to Japan to work with their national team. He joined Arsenal in 1996 from the J-League and won the league and cup double in 1998.

Arsenal remain in contention for the FA Cup and Champions League and are well placed to qualify again for the Champions League next season. But a heavy defeat last month at Manchester United brought home to Wenger how far his side is away from the champions and Barcelona have been in touch with the French coach since that defeat.

Wenger's arrival at Barcelona would make Petit keen to stay but a £5 million bid from Chelsea could come in soon.