Chelsea and Tottenham are both chasing Valencia outcast David Albelda, but could miss out as the midfielder is embroiled in a legal battle.

Albelda is taking the Liga club to court after he, Santiago Canizares and Miguel Angel Angulo were told they would not play again this season by coach Ronald Koeman.

The 30-year-old revealed the London duo wanted to sign him, but said he would not move until his dispute with Valencia was resolved.

"I'm thankful to Tottenham and Chelsea for their interest but I'm not going to talk until I've agreed my departure from Valencia. I have to defend my rights," he said.

The Spanish international said he was baffled by Koeman's decision to exclude him from the squad.

"I'm still waiting for an explanation, for someone to say something," the midfielder said.

"I can assure you that I've never had any argument or incident with Koeman or the president (Juan Soler), but one day I was playing and the next day I was out.

"It's a very difficult situation to be working apart from the rest of the squad and to be marginalised more and more without having any contact with your team mates. It couldn't be worse."

He said he was taking the action in an attempt to prove he has been ostracised for reasons outside of football.

"I've been judged for secondary matters not for sporting ones.... I've gone to the courts because the club has said my situation is normal.

"They don't want to change things because they know Euro 2008 is round the corner and they think I will leave without asking for everything they owe me...." he added.

"I'm taking action against people who have tried to humiliate me without reason or explanation."

Alex Chick / Reuters