Chelsea have been accused by Reggina of “tapping up” one of their players after they agreed in principle to sign Vincenzo Camilleri. The Serie A club have threatened to make a formal complaint to Uefa and the Italian FA and to seek compensation in court.

Reggina claim that they were going to offer the defender a professional contract when he turned 16 next month, but they were informed that Camilleri had agreed terms with Chelsea when he travelled to London in the past week. The clubs have not agreed compensation for the Italy Under-16 player. Chelsea last night declined to comment.

Pasquale Foti, the Reggina president, said that he was concerned by Chelsea’s predatory approach to youth recruitment. “Another talent from Italian football has been stolen,” Foti said. “It has happened because a deal was started by a club, the Chelsea of Mr Abramovich, at a time when it was not allowed because the player was not yet 16 years old.

“Frank Arnesen [Chelsea's chief scout and director of youth development] used Abramovich’s helicopter to land in our training camp; they plundered him. They used power and money against our daily work and sacrifice. It is easy, on the other hand, to convince a boy who is not yet 16.”

Foti said that he will take up the matter with Michel Platini, the Uefa president. “Reggina will present the evidence to Platini, the president of the Italian FA and the courts of the Italian Republic,” Foti said. “Reggina will ask authorities and federations to take action and claim compensation.”

Chelsea have been accused before over their conduct in transfer deals. They paid Leeds United £5 million in compensation in 2006 for Tom Taiwo and Michael Woods, the England Under-16 midfield players, after Leeds threatened a High Court action.