Kalou being sought by Arsenal and Inter Milan?

I’ve just found this article from extrafootie today which claims that Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho are making overtures to the Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou, who is in the last year of his contract.

The report said: ExtraFootie understands that Arsenal and Inter Milan are both monitoring the situation of Salomon Kalou at Chelsea with the Blues keen to open talks about a contract extension at Stamford Bridge.

The 24-year-old has less than 12 months remaining on his existing contract in West London but Chelsea are hoping to convince him to stay by offering the hitman a new deal that will double his current £30,000-a-week pay packet.

The Blues’ hierarchy have been forced to act now following the transfer embargo placed on the club until January 2011 by FIFA, as well as the growing interest in Kalou from the Gunners and Jose Mourinho’s Nerazzurri.

Arsene Wenger has long been an admirer of the Ivory Coast international with Kalou himself admitting recently that he enjoys the Gunners’ unique brand of attacking football and would welcome a move to the Emirates Stadium.

The fact that he would be available on a free transfer would greatly appeal to Wenger, while Mourinho could also join the race to sign the pacy hitman given the fact he brought him to England three years ago from Feyenoord in a £3.5million deal.

The ‘Special One’ remains a fan and could look to match any lucrative offer made by Chelsea or Arsenal to lure Kalou to the San Siro in time for the 2010/11 season.

Chelsea will be desperate for Kalou to sign a new deal now that they may not be able to add to the squad for 18 months, but Kalou’s agent recently admitted that his client was in no rush to re-sign.

“We will see how his position is developed and take time to make a decision,” the agent said.

Kalou has not had much first-team play at Stamford Bridge lately, although he may have been included in this weekends game at Stoke to emphasise that he remains in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans, but everyone knows that he always be a peripheral figure if he remains at Chelsea. If he wants regular first-team football then it would seem he has no choice but to seek his fortune elsewhere.

There could well be some truth in this story.