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By Martin Lipton, Chief Football Writer

Chelsea are ready to gazump Arsenal and Liverpool to snatch Barcelona’s David Villa.

World Cup winner Villa has become a Nou Camp outsider after suffering a broken leg last season, making just a handful of first-team starts for the La Liga leaders.

And interim Blues boss Rafa Benitez is now planning a £12million raid for his fellow Spaniard.

Benitez is seeking an out-and-out striker to give Fernando Torres the chance to rest in the second half of the season, and is also keen to land a combative and physical central midfielder.

But the Stamford Bridge chief also wants a player who can operate between the lines in the manner of Manchester City’s David Silva, and has ­identified the Barcelona man as the answer.

Both Arsenal and ­Liverpool have also targeted the 31-year-old star, who cost the Spanish giants £33m in 2010.

Barca sporting director Andoni ­Zubizarretta has insisted: “In January, we will keep Villa.”

However Chelsea, along with Arsenal and ­Liverpool, believe that amounts to little more than a bargaining ­position for a player his club will be keen to offload.