Valencia have today confirmed Chelsea's interest in their Argentinian international defender Roberto Ayala.
Club president Jaime Orti said the London club enquired about the 30-year-old but said no deal has been struck.
Reports in Spain claim an £8 million sterling package has been agreed between the two clubs for a transfer in January.
"There is an interest in Ayala from Chelsea, however that doesn't mean that Valencia want to sell the player," Orti said.
Ayala has won 75 caps for Argentina and first played in Europe for Napoli before switching to AC Milan where he won the league in 1999.
In the summer of 2000 he moved to Valencia and featured in the team that reached the 2001 Champions League final, losing to Bayern Munich. He was also part of the Valencia team that won the Spanish title in 2002.