Chelsea are chasing Everton midfield star Mikel Arteta.

The People says Real Madrid, Valencia, Villarreal, Newcastle, Tottenham and Chelsea have all checked on the 25-year-old this season, but it's Chelsea who are showing a keen interest despite the Spaniard signing a five-year deal last summer.

Senior figures at Chelsea believe Arteta would have the quality and drive to help take the Blues to the next stage of development, with owner Roman Abramovich insisting the team play a more expansive game.