CHELSEA will try to steal Franck Ribery from under the nose of Real Madrid in the January transfer window.

SunSport can reveal the Stamford Bridge club will offer a British transfer record of around £45million for the France winger.

Ribery's German club Bayern Munich insisted yesterday that they had already turned down one mega offer from Chelsea.

With the £37.5m signing of Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero all but tied up, the Blues will now focus on Ribery, also a top target for Manchester City.

Real are widely believed to have already agreed a deal for Ribery to join Madrid next summer.

But sources close to Ribery, 26, claim Chelsea have offered a contract worth £172,000 a week, just under £1m more a year than Real.

Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti has told owner Roman Abramovich that the club can survive the impact of a probable transfer ban next summer - IF he can sign two new players in January.

As a result, Chelsea are willing to spend up to £100m in the next available window.

Uli Holness, Bayern general manager, has claimed Chelsea had offered right-back Jose Bosingwa in part-exchange for Ribery.

He said: "The best bid for Franck came from Chelsea - £65m plus their player Jose Bosingwa."