Will.i.am has claimed that Rihanna and Cheryl Cole will team up together when they’ve found the right song.

The Black Eyed Peas frontman, who is now the Girls Aloud star’s manager, told the Daily Star that he’s been busy bigging up his protégée to the 'Umbrella' hit-maker:

“Rihanna and Cheryl will be great when it happens.

“I first told Rihanna about Cheryl in 2009 when I said she’s like the princess of England. No disrespect to the real royals but Cheryl’s the pop princess and I’ve been telling Rihanna, so hopefully it will happen soon.”

Rihanna recently confessed she has a little crush on the former X-Factor judge in an interview with Esquire magazine, admitting:

“Cheryl Cole is hot. I would just like to watch her work. Preferably cleaning things on the floor. Picking up stuff on the floor. Bending over.

“She’s hot! I mean, literally — she’s so beautiful.”