England international Gary Cahill is set to leave Bolton Wanderers in January, with Chelsea having reached agreement with the Lancashire club on a £7 million fee which will take the defender to Stamford Bridge.
Multiple sources have confirmed to FOX Soccer that an agreement is in place, with club and player having also agreed to personal terms.
Cahill's move will end a three-season run at Bolton that has seen the former Aston Villa-man make 127 league appearances for the club. However, with Cahill in the last year contract, a departure from the Reebok had been expected, with the 26-year-old linked to Tottenham, Arsenal as well as Inter Milan and Barcelona.
For Chelsea, Cahill's addition will help reinforce thinning central defense. Branislav Ivanovic was forced from Thursday's game at Tottenham with a muscle injury, while David Luiz (injury) and Alex (transfer request accepted) were not dressed for the game, forcing 34-year-old Paulo Ferreira to make his first appearance of the season.
Chelsea's £7 million fee will increase if Cahill reaches performance-based marks.
Cahill began his professional career with Aston Villa in 2004, spending time on loan with Burnley and Sheffield United before moving to Bolton in January 2008. Since, the Sheffield-born center half has worked his way into the England national team, having made seven appearances since his September 2010 debut.
