Gary Cahill
Gary Cahill wants a swift resolution to his Bolton contract. REUTERS REUTERS

Arsenal and Chelsea target Gary Cahill has revealed that on-going speculation over his future is distracting his Bolton form and he would welcome a swift resolution in January.

Cahill, 25, was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal and Chelsea in the summer and, with his contract at the Reebok Stadium set to expire next summer, the January transfer window is likely to bring a fresh wave of interest from both sides.

Both Arsenal and Tottenham made enquiries about Cahill towards the end of August and Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is also a keen admirer of the England international.

Cahill will be allowed to speak with other clubs about signing on a free transfer at the start of January.

"There's no disguising the fact I am out of contract at the end of the season, so there will always be speculation," Cahill said. "For me, it's just a matter of keeping focused and playing football and trying to play at the top of my game.

"I will deal with it when and if it comes. Nobody has a crystal ball so no-one has a clue what will happen. I am contracted to Bolton and they have been fantastic - we will deal with whatever is in front of me if and when it arrives."

Tuesday brought fresh reports that Chelsea were preparing a January bid for the Bolton defender, as manager Andre Villas-Boas looks to bolster his team's leaky back-line.

Should Cahill move to Chelsea he would link-up with England team-mate John Terry, a move the 25-year-old would relish.

"These occasions [with England] are nice - they're fantastic games to be involved in," he added. "We have kept three clean sheets in four games together - it's really pleasing. He plays on the left [of central defence] and I play on the right - it makes your job a lot easier playing alongside someone like him."

It is understood that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out returning for the Bolton defender, after he had an offer rejected in the summer.

"Cahill is good enough to play the Champions League, but he is not someone I would be interested in," Wenger said earlier this month.

"I have got five central defenders - [Laurent] Koscielny, [Sebastien] Squillaci, [Per] Mertesacker, [Thomas] Vermaelen and [Johan] Djorou. Of this five, four are international players.

"We were in the market in the summer, but at that time they [Bolton] were greedy."