Chelsea are encouraged in their pursuit of Valencia ace David Villa.
The Daily Mail says Chelsea have been handed renewed hope of signing Villa after talks over the Spain star's move to Real Madrid broke down.
Valencia rejected the west London club's advances last week because they were in advanced discussions over a £36million deal to take the striker to the Bernabeu.
However, with interest also being mooted from Barcelona, Manchester City and Manchester United, Villa's debt-hit club are holding out for a fee not much over the £40m that Chelsea were understood to be happy to bid.
The deal would be complicated by the 27-year-old's preference to stay in Spain, but he is running out of options with Valencia keen to sell and Barcelona also well short of the asking price.
John Terry and Frank Lampard have both encouraged Chelsea to sign Villa and, with 87 league goals in 129 appearances for his current club, he is seen as one of Europe's hottest properties.
Valencia have debts of about £470m and hope to maximise the fee for Villa in a bid to hold on to Silva, who is fancied by Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester United.
