Spurs are understood to see the Italian keeper as the solution to a weak area of their squad. However, they are struggling to agree a deal with Chelsea before the end of the transfer window.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp has been desperately searching for another keeper to provide competition for Heurelho Gomes.

Cudicini represents an ideal opportunity as the Chelsea stopper is out of contract in the summer and has spent the last five years as a back-up to first-choice Petr Cech at Stamford Bridge.

Cudicini has started only 25 league games since Cech joined from Rennes in 2004 and is unlikely to be offered a new deal by Chelsea.

But Tottenham's opportunity also presents Chelsea with something of a dilemma. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari would be left with only Portuguese keeper Hilario and Wales Under-21 international Rhys Taylor as cover for Cech.

An injury to Cech would leave Chelsea vulnerable as they prepare for a vital second half of the season in the Barclays Premier and Champions League.

However, the chance to earn £1million for a player who will be a free agent at the end of the season may be too tempting to resist for the now cash-conscious Blues.

Spurs keeper Gomes has settled down after a nightmare start to his Premier League career, where he made a number of high-profile errors. Redknapp kept faith with the keeper as he had little in reserve.

He has recently been playing with a groin injury while his understudy, Cesar Sanchez, has been allowed to join Valencia until the end of the season.

That has left Spurs with only 22-year-old Ben Alnwick, expected to make his debut in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg at Burnley tonight, as cover.

Meanwhile, midfielder Joe Cole has already begun rehabilitation work after rupturing his cruciate ligament against Southend in the FA Cup third round last week.

The midfielder is out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on Saturday morning but club doctor Bryan English revealed it is vital he starts on the road back to full fitness as soon as possible - even if it is merely flexing his muscles.

"For Joe, where the work is just beginning is keeping his knee straight," said English. "He has had his medial collateral ligament (a pre-existing injury) operated on as well and must get 60 degrees inflexion, minimise the swelling and keep the muscles activated from day one.

"It is a long process. You want to protect initially from too much movement and being over zealous.

"There is no period of rest, work begins straight away, but it is very low grade, maybe just squeezing the leg to activate the muscles.

"A quicker rehabilitation afterwards can happen if you bite the bullet after surgery and put up with a bit of discomfort."