Wanderers are bracing themselves for a bidding war over Gary Cahill with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at the front of the queue.

Cahill’s accomplished performance on his full England debut against Ghana in midweek has further raised the 25-year-old’s stock, and while his talent is certainly no secret among the Premier League’s elite, there now appears to be two clear favourites in the race to sign him.

It is understood both Sir Alex Ferguson and Harry Redknapp are prepared to spend big on the former Aston Villa trainee, who arrived at the Reebok just over three years ago for just £5million.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool have all been mentioned as possible suitors in the past, but Wanderers are expecting the main interest to come from Old Trafford and White Hart Lane, two clubs at which the classy centre half’s progress has been tracked consistently over the last 12 months.

Owen Coyle said during the January transfer window that Cahill would fall into the £20m to £30m bracket on the open market but has consistently suggested that summer would be a more sensible time to move clubs to enable him to settle.

Cahill has remained focused on his work at the Reebok, which has been impressive enough to regularly force him into Fabio Capello’s plans this season.