CHELSEA ARE AT IT AGAIN

Tottenham Hotspur are demanding up to £10 million compensation for the impending loss of Frank Arnesen, their sporting director, to Chelsea. They are also considering making a complaint to the FA Premier League for what they believe may have been an illegal approach to the Dane.

Discussions between Tottenham, who have suspended Arnesen from his duties, and Chelsea have reached an impasse, with the Barclays Premiership champions understood to want to pay no more than £5 million in restitution.

Chelsea believe that it is purely a “money issue” and that the matter can be resolved quickly and amicably. However, Tottenham view the situation more gravely and Daniel Levy, their chairman, expressed his anger when he spoke with Chelsea officials at a Premier League meeting last week. He feels that Arnesen must have been approached before Chelsea sent a letter to Tottenham on May 21 — with a copy sent to Arnesen — asking for permission to speak to him. That permission was refused. Peter Leaver, a former Premier League chief executive, accused Chelsea of “a breathtaking display of arrogance”.

Having taken legal advice over the weekend, Tottenham are considering four options. They could complain to the Premier League that Chelsea are in breach of rule U10, which covers approaches to management personnel (it was a different rule, K3, that Chelsea broke in the Ashley Cole “tapping-up” scandal, for which they were fined £300,000). Tottenham could also take action in the civil courts. Levy is compiling a dossier to gauge the likelihood of winning the case.

Tottenham may also insist that Arnesen, who has two years of his contract left to run, completes a period of “gardening leave” before he moves to Stamford Bridge. Once Chelsea’s interest in him had become official, he made it known to Levy that he wanted to leave. He declined Tottenham’s offer to double his basic salary of £600,000 a year.

Chelsea, who are appealing against their punishments in the Cole imbroglio, deny that they made an illegal approach to Arnesen and do not expect the matter to reach the Premier League. It is the fourth route — compensation — that Tottenham are most likely to pursue, but the clubs are poles apart in their valuations.

Tottenham also want to include a clause in the compensation package that bans their London rivals from “poaching” any of their players for the length of Arnesen’s contract at Stamford Bridge, which is likely to be three or four years. Tottenham are particularly worried about losing Jermain Defoe, their England striker.

The Premier League has yet to be contacted by Tottenham but an FA spokesman said last night: “We will be in communication with the Premier League about this matter as it concerns an alleged breach of Premier League rules.” If Chelsea were found to have approached Arnesen illegally, the suspended three-point deduction imposed on them over the Cole affair would not be activated. That would only happen if Chelsea were again found guilty of illegally approaching a player.

Rule U10, under which the Arnesen issue would be dealt, states: “No club shall directly or indirectly induce or attempt to induce any employee of another club or approach any such employee . . . without the consent of the other club.”