Marseille target Boulahrouz

Chelsea defender Khalid Boulahrouz is a target for Marseille, the French club’s coach Eric Gerets has revealed.

The 26-year-old caught the eye in Holland’s opening game of Euro 2008, a 3-0 win over world champions Italy, after missing out on the original 23-man squad but receiving a call-up following an injury to Liverpool’s Ryan Babel.

Boulahrouz has spent the past season on loan at Sevilla, where it is believed he attracted the attention of a number of other English clubs.

But Marseille have now emerged as serious contenders for his signature after Gerets admitted today that he has asked the French club’s directors to buy the Dutchman.

“I have handed a list of the reinforcements that I want to the board and he (Boulahrouz) is on it,” Gerets told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

“He’s a player who interests us. It is now up to them (the board) to contact Chelsea. I don’t know if that will happen. It could do.”

He added: “I don’t know how much Boulahrouz would cost. That is not my area. But I would really like to have him.”

Boulahrouz joined Chelsea in August 2006, playing 23 times for the Londoners before his loan move to Spain.