Chelsea fight for £8m Hleb

Arsenal and Chelsea are set to do battle again - this time over an £8million midfielder from Belarus.

A week after the clubs went head-to-head at a Premier League inquiry into the tapping-up controversy involving Arsenal defender Ashley Cole, both are now keen to sign 24-year-old Aliaksandr Hleb from Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart.

Hleb has been singled out as the Belarus dangerman by Scotland ahead of tonight's World Cup qualifier in Minsk and the midfielder knows an impressive display could accelerate his move to the Premiership.

He has already rejected the chance to join Celtic but the opportunity to move to London would be irresistible.

Stuttgart would like to hold on to the player but their failure to qualify for the Champions League means they will listen to offers. They are presently without a manager after Matthias Sammer quit last month. Arsenal see Hleb as the natural successor to Edu, who has left on a free transfer. There would be no work permit problems as he is a first choice for Belarus.

Manager Arsene Wenger may be able to convince Hleb that he would have more first-team opportunities at Highbury than Stamford Bridge.