Chelsea Ready To Open Their Cheque Book With Sensational £100 Million Swoop For Kaka And Fernando Torres

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly ready to swoop for Brazilian ace Kaka and Liverpool's Fernando Torres in an audacious £100 million double transfer deal.

According to The People, the Italian hopes to be reunited with Kaka following their successful stint together in Milan, and it speculated that the highly regarded playmaker is ready to quit Spanish giants Real Madrid after just one season.

Despite leading the Blues' to a domestic double winning campaign last season, Ancelotti has convinced Russian owner Roman Abramovich he needs to strengthen the squad this summer in order to launch a bid to achieve the elusive Champions League success.

Kaka has hinted he believes he might not fit into new manager Jose Mourinho's tactical style of play and would possibly welcome a move away from the Bernabeu.

This has alerted Chelsea, who will be first in the queue to sign the Brazilian with an offer of around £50m, with Ancelotti confident he can bring the best out of his former protege once more.

The only stumbling block to any deal will be Mourinho requesting one of his former players moves in the opposite direction as part of any deal.

The Blues' have a huge hole to fill in the centre of their midfield following the release of Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Deco. Having lightened the books with three top-earners ushered through the exit, it is believed Ancelotti will have money to spend this summer.

Opening up their coffers to Ancelotti could also see Liverpool's resolve tested to keep stellar striker Torres. Despite Roy Hodgson's appointment at Anfield, it is speculated the Merseyside outfit are still suffering from financial difficulties and any big money offer would be too much of a temptation to resist.

Should Carlo Look To Uruguayan As The Ideal Foil For Drogba?

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Uruguay forward Luis Suarez has been catching the eye of many during his side’s World Cup campaign in South Africa and Chelsea are just one of the club’s linked with the Ajax man, could he be the perfect foil for Didier Drogba?

Manchester United has previously had the strongest interest in Suarez, but many feel that at £30+ million the Red Devils have been priced out of the market for him.

Suarez joined the list of top scorers in South Africa after his brace against South Korea in the second round took him to a total of three. It is not just his goal scoring that has impressed, but his relationship with fellow Uruguayan forwards Diego Forlan and Edinson Cavani.

It would seem as though Suarez’s performances have caught the eye of Carlo Ancelotti according to reports. Ancelotti thinks that the 23-year-old Ajax forward could be a long term successor for Blues’ hitman Drogba, but there’s no reason to suggest he couldn’t be the perfect foil for the Ivorian considering he isn’t always the main man for his country and performs well with the likes of Forlan.

At Ajax Suarez had been used in a more supporting role for both Klass-Jan Huntelaar and Marko Pantelic, it is only since the arrival of Martin Jol he was made captain and became the focal point of the Dutch club’s attack.

So, he can play a supporting role, but he is also pretty prolific as well scoring an incredible 49 goals in 48 games as well as his three World Cup goals.

However, the Eredivisie can often flatter to deceive and if there is any truth in the links then the Stamford Bridge faithful will be hoping that Suarez is more of an Arjen Robben (a player many Chelsea fans feel they still have not successfully replaced) and less of a Mateja Kezman, who came to west London with an impressive goal record in Holland but failed to make an impact in the Premier League (not for the want of trying though).

It is thought that Ancelotti believes that Suarez has what it takes to achieve on a bigger stage, rather than just the fairly average Dutch league and that he could operate in either 451 or the former AC Milan chief’s preferred diamond formation. Also, Chelsea will have to start thinking about successors for the likes of Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, who are 32 and 31 respectively.

It is not the first time that Suarez has been linked with Ancelotti’s side as there were many rumours circulating ahead of the January transfer window. Many quarters in the Dutch press had suggested that the Uruguayan had signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea in December 2009 and was due to move there during the winter transfer window, but the deal never came to pass.

Chelsea may face some competition if they wish to sign the young forward as Manchester United remain in the frame despite financial worries and also Barcelona, who are willing to buy players out of spite if you believe the stories in the press.

Chelsea - Transfer Targets And Rumours!

Are we worried about the lack of noise in the press about players coming to Chelsea?

All I have read so far this summer is about players leaving the bridge and very little about players joining us.

Even Florent Malouda has asked the question about Joe Cole leaving, a player I am gutted to see go, he was then quick to speak about the youth that are coming through and how this is a good thing for the club. I personally agree with him that youth is the way we must go.

I would rather see Chelsea not win a trophy for the next couple of seasons than spend stupid, unsustainable sums of money on more established players while we sell off or release our young players without giving them a chance.

Stoch is a player that I am also very sad to see go, yes he played a few games for the first team and didn't light the place up instantly but after the season he's has had at FC Twente and then the great displays in the World Cup we have surely let a player with massive potential go for probably a small fee (undisclosed is how it's being described).

I do think that the current first team squad needs a couple of new additions, a striker and a more creative player in the midfield, but I also think that these players can come out of the youth ranks, Kakuta for instance looks like a great prospect.

Or do we need to sign a Schweinsteiger and a Dzeko or even a Milner instead of promoting from the youth ranks.

I am, as we all are, aware that some of the youth team have been promoted into the first team but if we go out and buy these big name players then the game time will surely be limited to the odd cameo and cup chance rather than that of a serious first teamer.

I want to know what other fans think of the situation, while the noises from the club are that we are looking to youth is what other fans want or do you still feel that big transfers are the way forward.

Real Madrid Ready To End Ashley Cole's Chelsea Misery With £30m Offer

Real Madrid have stepped up their efforts to sign Ashley Cole from Chelsea, believing the England left-back is ready to depart the Premier League after a turbulent last year.

According to the Mirror, the La Liga giants are lining up a £30 million offer for the 28-year-old, who signed a four-year contract extension last September.

However, the former Arsenal defender is reportedly unhappy with his life in England after his split from wife Cheryl Cole and would relish a fresh start in Spain.

Should the move happen, the defender would link up with his former boss Blues' boss Jose Mourinho.

Real Madrid are confident they can offer Cole a better deal than his current £120,000-a-week wage, and his strong relationship with Mourinho may be another incentive to move to the Bernabeu.

Cole is alleged to have sent a text message to his friends after England’s humiliating 4-1 defeat to Germany at World Cup 2010, which read: “I hate England.”

Steven Gerrard is also linked with a move to Real Madrid, although the appointment of Roy Hodgson may be enough to convince the Liverpool captain to stay at Anfield.

Harry Redknapp Still Confident Of Tempting Joe Cole To Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has not given up hope of signing Joe Cole on a free transfer this summer, despite Goal.com UK exclusively revealing that he had agreed to join Arsenal last month.

The England international is out of contract after failing to agree terms on a new deal with Chelsea, and despite a move on the cards to join the Gunners, Redknapp is still confident of tempting the midfielder away from their north London rivals.

“I have spoken to Joe [Cole]. I thought he would have done a deal with another club but I don’t think he has. If it’s possible to get him I would like him,” Redknapp told Talksport.

“I think there’s a good chance. Three weeks ago I didn’t think it could happen. He’s got lots of options; quite a few clubs want him. It won’t be easy but we’ve got as good a chance as any.

“I had a good relationship with him as a kid. He’s still got that enthusiasm.”

Manchester United have denied any contact with the 28-year-old former West Ham United player, and recent reports have linked the midfielder with a move to Serie A

Nicolas Anelka Should Never Play For France Again - Jean-Pierre Escalettes

Outgoing French Football Federation president Jean-Pierre Escalettes believes Nicolas Anelka should never play for his national side again.

The Chelsea striker was disgracefully sent home during the World Cup by Raymond Domenech after he refused to apologise for his half-time dressing-room bust up with the former coach.

This event triggered a mutiny within the French camp, with players refusing to train in support of Anelka.

Les Blues went on to lose their final group game against hosts South Africa.

Escalettes, who resigned from his post in the wake of France’s woeful campaign, was speaking to the Cultural Affairs Committee of the National Assembly, which has held an inquest into France’s disastrous World Cup tournament.

“Neither I nor my successor, nor the future coach will forget what happened and everyone will ensure that he can not play for France," Escalettes said at the meeting.

Escalettes found out about the dressing-room incident during France’s second World Cup game against Mexico from reading L’Equipe.

"As soon as I knew, and having made a minimum of checks - a player told me that the remarks were worse than reported - I immediately punished the perpetrator of this insult," he said.

Domenech, who was also at the hearing, was required to explain why he refused to shake the hand of South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira following their defeat.

At the time, Domenech said he was reacting to Parreira’s comments regarding Thierry Henry’s handball against Ireland, which helped them to qualify for the tournament.

"The whole of France being well-meaning and so quick to make moral found no fault with the accusations of Mr Parreira," said Domenech.

"It is important for me to defend the image of the France team. I probably did not measure the negative media coverage of my gesture.

"I probably should have told him directly and discreetly."

Florent Malouda Blasts Raymond Domenech For Failed Tactics In South Africa

France international winger Florent Malouda has revealed that former coach Raymond Domenech did not listen to the players during their disastrous World Cup campaign and that their entire playing system collapsed in South Africa.

Les Bleus suffered a humiliating first round exit from the 2010 World Cup as they finished bottom of their group. Raymond Domenech, who has since then been replaced by Laurent Blanc, was heavily criticised by the media and fans alike for his tactics and strategy.

In an interview with L'Equipe, winger Malouda revealed that the players did not share a good relationship with Domenech and that they were not happy with his tactics and decisions, adding the system failed.

"It's the failure of a system that led to the debacle," the Chelsea winger said.

"The players who play for Chelsea, Barcelona, (Bayern) Munich or (Olympique) Lyon need a high-level environment to blossom.

"It was difficult for me to accept the way the national team functioned compared to a great club like Chelsea. Every time I was called up to the national team, it was back to negative stories and bad vibes".

The 30-year-old continued, "With France, I came to play where I was asked to and that was it. We didn't even try to see the coach to talk about the tactical system, 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.

"It was just 'put yourself there and no arguments'. We did not look for explanations. Never in the last few years did my words have any influence on the coach.

Franz Beckenbauer Feels Sympathy For Frank Lampard

Franz Beckenbauer has expressed sympathy for the controversial manner in which England bowed out of the World Cup and called for the introduction of technology to prevent such injustices in future.

Although Beckenbauer has repeatedly criticised England's tactics during the World Cup, at one stage labelling Fabio Capello's men a 'kick and rush' team who had gone backwards under the Italian, he admits he felt sorry for them after Frank Lampard's strike was not given.

The inexplicable decision not to award Lampard's 'goal', after the ball bounced off the underside of the bar and landed a clear two feet over the line, has been described in some quarters as German revenge for England's third goal, scored by Geoff Hurst, in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley.

Yet Beckenbauer, who was the victim on that occasion, does not see the comparison. He accepts there will never be a definitive answer to whether Hurst's shot crossed the line or not. Everyone knows Lampard's did.

'I was sorry for England that Lampard's goal was not spotted,' Beckenbauer told the South African Times. 'There is no comparison here to the famous Wembley goal scored by England in 1966 in the final against West Germany.

'Whether or not that shot from Geoff Hurst crossed the line is something you can still debate today, even if computer projections have shown that it wasn't a goal. 'That Lampard's shot landed behind the line is much clearer.'

Having ruled out the use of technology to assist match officials, FIFA president Sepp Blatter has conceded the matter has to be looked at again.

The influence of outside forces may end up being strictly limited, but any assistance is a good thing as far as Beckenbauer is concerned.

'I am pleased that the FIFA president wants to open the discussion again on perhaps using videos or microchip technology in the ball,' said Beckenbauer.

'There is also talk of additional match officials behind the goal. 'Whatever helps the cause of justice is also good for football. Just as long as it doesn't get too complicated.'

My Favourite Games: Ray Wilkins

With more than 500 appearances to his name in a career spanning over 20 years, Ray Wilkins has plenty of games to pick from when choosing his favourite.

As for those he watched, it is World Cup season, and he takes us back to a classic in 1982 - one Deco also selected earlier in the week.

Favourite game played:

Not many sides come from two down in a European tie to beat Barcelona, particularly when that Barcelona side contains one Diego Maradona and the West German Bernd Schuster, who would go on to coach Real Madrid, but that is what Manchester United achieved in 1984.

A Uefa Cup Winners' Cup quarter-final first leg had seen the Catalans win 2-0 before having to return to Old Trafford, where they found Wilkins, Norman Whiteside, Bryan Robson and co. in fine form inside a bubbling Old Trafford.

England captain Robson had opened the scoring before adding another after Wilkins's shot had been blocked by the Barcelona goalkeeper, and then Frank Stapleton added a third to send United into the semis.

'My favourite game was for Manchester United against Barcelona in the Cup Winners Cup in March 1984,' he explains. 'We were 2-0 down from the first leg and it could have been 102, against the Maradonas of this world, and seven Spanish internationals, then we played them at Old Trafford with 60,000 people there, and scored the third goal with about two minutes to go and beat them 3-0.

'Steve Holland tells me he was there! We had young Graham Hogg pretty much making his debut and marking Maradona, it was a nerve-wracking experience but a great night, and we went on to lose in the semi-final against Juventus.'

Favourite game watched:

How often do you see the favourites eliminated early when they look nailed on to win? That is exactly what happened to Brazil at the World Cup in 1982, when a Paulo Rossi hat-trick for Italy sent one of the greatest sides of all time crashing out of the tournament, despite the presence of Falcao, Socrates and Zico in a star-studded line-up.

'Probably the best game I've ever seen was Italy and Brazil in 1982, it was a classic football game going one way and another, an Italian smash and grab against one of the best Brazilian sides to have played,' Wilkins recalls.

'Paolo Rossi scored a hat-trick and Brazil didn't really have a centre-forward, the big lump's name at number nine was Serginho, a huge guy, and that cost them a little bit.'