The story has for days commanded the front pages of British tabloids, which reported that the 17-year-old said she consented to sex with one premier league player, but that seven more from different teams joined in against her wishes.

Police have neither charged nor named any of the accused, but it hasn't stopped fans from speculating about who might have been involved by posting their guesses on soccer Web sites, opening a wider debate over players' privacy and libel.

The Sun astonishingly revealed on Friday that the footballer at the centre of the investigation is a Chelsea player.

He was the one a 17-year-old says she agreed to have sex with.

The Sun knows the identity of the footballer but is unable to reveal his name for legal reasons. Detectives who plan to quiz him soon want to know if he was involved in setting up the alleged gang rape or was an innocent bystander in any attack.

The alleged victim a sixth-former at a London Catholic school told police she agreed to consensual sex with the Chelsea player at the weekend.

She had met him in a trendy bar at the Sanderson Hotel in London before accompanying him to the Grosvenor House Hotel.

The girl told how she drank Coca-Cola with the player and some of his pals before agreeing to let him bed her. They went to room 316 and had sex.

Seven players from the other club allegedly walked in. The girl claimed she was gang-raped and forced to have unnatural sex.

Detectives are awaiting the results of DNA tests on the girl and items in the room.

Meanwhile, Premiership club Aston Villa on Thursday denied involvement in the case. The team played in London at the weekend but a statement "categorically confirmed" no Villa players were being probed.