Chelsea have filed their response to Premier League lawyers investigating allegations that Arsenal's Ashley Cole was "tapped up" by a delegation of Stamford Bridge executives including the manager Jose Mourinho.

There is no word from either Chelsea or the Premier League as to the basis of the club's reply to a request for their explanation of events. However, the league's board, in conjunction with independent lawyers, will consider the merits of a prosecution.

It is not Chelsea's only current legal commitment, though the official complaint due to be lodged with Uefa over Frank Rijkaard's alleged discussion with the referee Anders Frisk during half-time in Chelsea's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona has now been put back to Monday.

The Premier League's decision on the alleged illegal approach will be reached after studying the depositions from Chelsea, Arsenal and the News of the World, which initially reported the allegations and whose dossier includes sworn affidavits from "witnesses".

Whatever the foundation for the Cole allegation, Chelsea do have an interest in left-backs. Sources close to Toulouse's France under-21 international Lucien Aubey indicate that the club have been scouting the 20-year-old and his team-mate Albin Ebondo in recent weeks.

Reports in France also suggest that Monaco's left-back Patrice Evra is another potential Chelsea target. He is set to quit them in a £6 million summer deal, with Real Madrid and Internazionale reportedly registering an interest.

Chelsea's weakness at left-back has been highlighted in recent weeks with the double fracture to Wayne Bridge's ankle in the FA Cup fifth-round defeat to Newcastle.

With William Gallas still suffering from a groin injury and Celestine Babayaro having departed to Newcastle last month, it is expected that Paulo Ferreira will be forced to deputise in the position in tomorrow's English League Cup final against Liverpool, with Glen Johnson moving in at right-back.

Chelsea approach the game following defeat in their previous two matches, the first successive reverses of Mourinho's tenure. However, the captain, John Terry, is convinced those disappointments could work in his side's favour. "As a team we must forget what's happened in the last two games and bounce straight back," said Terry. "I think it's a great chance to get that first trophy and it's important that we do because there's such a long way to go in the league and the Champions League: that tie's still not over. If we get this one in the cabinet hopefully people will stop talking, the confidence will grow and we'll go on further in those two competitions."

Terry's last experience of a Cardiff cup final was the 2002 FA Cup defeat to Arsenal, a match he could only watch from the stands. Terry awoke on the morning of the match suffering from vertigo, a condition that causes a loss of balance. "I woke up in the morning and was sick," he recalled.

"It just comes on randomly. I'd never had it before and I've never had it since: so that was some time to get it. Hopefully that won't happen this time and it's a chance for me to go back and not only to soak up the atmosphere but to win the trophy for Chelsea," said the England international.

"I've been here since I was a kid . . . I've cleaned boots, I've cleaned toilets, I've been ball boy and now to be at the top, lifting trophies is the ultimate and hopefully I can do that for Chelsea." Guardian Service