Chelsea are closing in on Nicolas Anelka.

The Bolton striker has long been linked with a £10 million move to Stamford Bridge and with the January transfer window now officially open, a deal is set to be concluded prior to Saturday's FA Cup third round fixture against QPR, reports the Telegraph.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has given the go-ahead for manager Avram Grant to sign the 28-year-old France international within days. Grant is desperate for reinforcements in the knowledge that he will lose Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou to the African Cup of Nations shortly.

Gary Megson, the Bolton manager, has reluctantly agreed to sell Anelka to help raise funds to reinforce his own squad as they battle to avoid relegation.

Chelsea will be Anelka's eighth club in a career that has taken him to Paris St-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Fenerbahce and Bolton.