Chelsea Coach Carlos Ancelotti Rules Out Signing Of Fernando Torres From Liverpool

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has indicated that he is not interested in signing striker Fernando Torres from fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool this summer.

The Spanish international striker, who won the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with a number of top European clubs supposedly keen on signing the former Atletico Madrid forward.

Last season's Premier League winners Chelsea were one of the clubs reportedly keen on landing Torres, but Blues' coach Carlo Ancelotti has now ruled out a move for the 26-year-old.

Speaking at a press conference after Saturday's 1-0 friendly win at Crystal Palace, the 51-year-old Italian said, "I don't think we need any other strikers. Nothing has changed, because in the next few days [Didier] Drogba, [Nicolas] Anelka and [Salomon] Kalou will return - and we have [Daniel] Sturridge."

Ancelotti Hails Returning Star And Fires Message To Mourinho

Michael Essien made a goalscoring return to action following his six-month lay-off to give Double winners Chelsea victory at Crystal Palace.

Ghana midfielder Essien, out since December with a cruciate knee ligament injury and who also missed his country’s World Cup heroics, managed an hour as Chelsea kicked off their pre-season.

Essien, 27, who started in a side made up mostly of reserve team players like Ryan Betrand, scored with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area and was substituted immediately afterwards.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “Michael is very important to this team. He has come back very well and is a fantastic player.”

With one star back, Ancelotti is bent on keeping another, warning Jose Mourinho that he is wasting his time pursuing Ashley Cole. Former Chelsea boss Mourinho is eager to be reunited with Cole and the Real Madrid coach is weighing up a £30million bid for the England ­left-back.

Ancelotti said: “I haven’t spoken with Ashley – we don’t need to.

“He had a fantastic season last year and is going to be an important player for us this season. He will remain with us, 100 per cent.”

Ancelotti has also cooled his interest in Fernando Torres, with the price tag proving the major stumbling block. Liverpool wants at least £50m for Spain’s World Cup winner Torres and now Ancelotti claims he is happy with his current squad.

He said: “Nothing has changed. We have lots of good strikers so we don’t need more. The transfer window is still open but I am very happy to continue with this squad who has won the Double.

England World Cup flops John Terry, Frank Lampard and Cole are back this week. But Ancelotti said: “The World Cup is in the past. It was not good for them but I think the club is a different story.”

Holloway Eyes Sinclair Reunion

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway is plotting an ambitious bid for Chelsea starlet Scott Sinclair.

Holloway discovered the England Under-21 winger as a 10-year-old schoolboy when in charge at Bristol Rovers and he played under the Tangerines boss during a loan spell at Plymouth in 2008.

He spent last season on loan at Wigan but failed to convince Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti he is ready to command a regular role at Stamford Bridge.

The Blackpool boss also has designs on strengthening his back line with West Ham's Danny Gabbidon earmarked as a potential target.

However, West Ham's valuation of the player may scupper the deal with the newly-promoted Seasiders wanting to capture him for less than £500,000.

Chelsea Join Manchester Duo In The Race For Mario Balotelli

With no secrets being made of the potential bidding war that could break out between Manchester United and Manchester City as the pair look to sign Inter hitman Mario Balotelli, it now seems that Chelsea may also throw themselves into the ring, according to the player's agent Mino Raiola.

"I have had contact with a few teams," Balotelli’s agent declared to SkySports.

“The papers keep talking about Manchester United and City, but I will keep the names of the others to myself.”

Raiola was then probed as to whether Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea are one of the other contenders looking to secure the services of the hitman.

"Are Chelsea keen? Why not?” Raiola concluded.

Fabio Expects Terry Axe

John Terry's future in the England team is under severe threat, according to former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro.

Ex-skipper Terry incurred the wrath of manager Fabio Capello during England's dismal World Cup campaign when he suggested the players were ready to confront the Italian over his tactics and team selection.

The Chelsea centre-back was forced to back down after Capello called his comments a 'big mistake', but kept his place in the side before England were bundled out of the tournament in the second round after a 4-1 humbling by Germany.

Cannavaro, who lifted the World Cup with Italy in 2006 before suffering a humiliating group stage exit in South Africa, knows Capello well after working under his compatriot at Real Madrid.

And the experienced defender believes the strict disciplinarian will begin preparing for the 2012 European Championships by making sweeping changes to the Three Lions squad, with Terry the most at risk.

"My thoughts are that John Terry won't be on the team sheet," Cannavaro told the Daily Star Sunday.

"You don't cross Fabio and he won't want anybody disrupting his tournament again.

"It was absolutely the correct decision for the English FA to keep Fabio on. He can make this England team his own now - and I would actually make them the favourites for Euro 2012.

"When he joined Real Madrid he brought a lot of players in the first season like myself and Ruud van Nistelrooy and the result was instant success but internationally it takes time to build your own team.

"I don't want to speak for Fabio but I'd be surprised if more than five of the players who started against Germany start the opening game of Euro 2012.

"For me, the only two players that can be guaranteed to start in 2012 are Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney.

"By then Fabio will have had enough time to build his own team and I think it will be unrecognisable compared to what it was at the World Cup.

"Spain will be there but if Fabio gets rid of egos, I think England will see exactly why it was a good decision to keep him on."

Match Report: Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Chelsea

Chelsea's pre-season campaign began with a victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday thanks to a goal from the returning Michael Essien.

It was our first fixture of 2010/11, and Essien's first appearance in a Chelsea shirt since December, rounded off nicely with a smart second-half goal that put the gloss on an impressive performance from the Ghanaian.

The emphasis was always going to be on form and fitness rather than results, but manager Carlo Ancelotti will be delighted to have started with a win despite the inexperienced look of his side.

Without his World Cup players, the manager took the opportunity to examine some of Chelsea's emerging talent while welcoming back from injury Essien and John Mikel Obi, two players who missed the end of last season.

Petr Cech took the captain's armband in goal, with Alex accompanied by Patrick van Aanholt in central defence. Jeffrey Bruma was at right-back and Ryan Bertrand on the left.

In midfield Nemanja Matic joined Essien in the middle with Mikel behind, and Josh McEachran was in behind the front men. Franco Di Santo, back from a loan spell with Blackburn last term, joined Daniel Sturridge in attack.

Missing due to injury were Yossi Benayoun (groin), Yury Zhirkov (knee) and Michael Mancienne (thigh).

Palace began the game with a number of trialists in their squad, including former Chelsea midfielder Liam Bridcutt, who left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, on the bench.

Due to a higher attendance than the home side had anticipated, kick-off was put back 15 minutes. When we did get going it didn't take long for the game to come to life, Van Aanholt hooking just past his own goal in the Chelsea area, and then Di Santo testing Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni inside the first couple of minutes.

McEachran was looking comfortable in his first senior appearance, demonstrating his smart footwork early on before sending over a right-wing corner that Essien headed over the bar.

It was the youngster's pass that sent Sturridge through on 20 minutes, but the forward was unable to find his way past defender Adam Barrett. Moments later Di Santo stuck a half-chance wide at the near post, as some rusty passages of play gave way to some more creative moves.

In the 27th minute Essien came close again, very close, as he let rip with a looping half-volley that clipped the crossbar on its way over, about three inches from repeating that wonder goal against Barcelona in the Champions League in 2009.

Just after the half-hour Ross Turnbull replaced Cech in goal as Ancelotti sought to give all three of his goalkeepers a chance. Essien took the armband as Cech received a warm applause from the home support on his way back towards the dressing room.

A foul on the lively Sturridge brought a shooting opportunity from the right, 25 yards from goal, and though it favoured the left-footer it was Alex who strode up, nearly decapitating the defender in the wall who was unfortunate enough to get in its way.

Sturridge for Chelsea and Darren Ambrose for Palace flashed efforts wide before the break, and then our England Under-21 wasted a good chance after it following Essien's precise pass, failing to get his shot away as Speroni narrowed the angle.

Bruma shot high and Sturridge saw a volley blocked as Chelsea started the second half on top, the only change in personnel being Bertrand and Van Aanholt switching positions.

On 58 minutes Chelsea took the lead, and it was Essien who made it the perfect return, curling a low finish into the bottom corner after McEachran and Sturridge had worked the ball to him on the edge of the area.

That was his last involvement as Ancelotti made five changes. Alex, Di Santo, McEachran, and Turnbull were all withdrawn, replaced by Jack Cork, Milan Lalkovic, Scott Sinclair, Conor Clifford and Hilario.

This prompted a change in shape also to 4-3-3, Sturridge the lone forward with Lalkovic on the right and Sinclair the left, Clifford joining Mikel and Matic in the centre, with Cork at right-back and Bruma in the middle.

Bridcutt appeared for the final 16 minutes and immediately created Palace's best opportunity, intercepting a loose Mikel pass and playing in Claude Davis who shot hard but straight at Hilario, who parried.

Three more Chelsea changes followed, Bruma, Matic and Sturridge giving way to 15-year-old schoolboy and England Under 17 international Nathaniel Chalobah, Aliu 'Kaby' Djalo and Gokhan Tore but there would be no more major action.

All in all it was a successful start and a good experience for the young Blues. Next up is a trip to Ajax in six days' time.

Essien Delighted With Comeback

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is confident he has made a full recovery from an injured-ravaged past season.

The Ghana international has been sidelined since December with a knee ligament injury which also forced him to miss the World Cup.

Essien made a goalscoring return to action in Saturday's 1-0 friendly victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and was delighted by his comeback.

"It feels good, it's been a long time but I am back in full training now, everything is good and there is no reaction from the training, so things are looking good for me," he told the club's official website.

"I didn't have any holidays because of my rehab, but it will be good to start up again and I am looking forward to the rest of the boys coming back as well.

"I'd love to have been there playing at the end of the season, it wasn't easy for me but I supported my team-mates to win their matches, that's all I could do.

"I became a supporter and to end the season with two trophies was amazing and I was enjoying it like everyone even though I didn't play the whole season."

The Spotlight Shines On Josh McEachran!

With all the World Cup participants yet to return to Cobham for pre-season training there was always the possibility that Carlo Ancelotti would give a few youngsters the chance to play on Saturday.

However, one youngster who made the team sheet might well have been more than a little surprised to get a start.

Josh McEachran earned rave reviews in our successful FA Youth Cup campaign last season and is marked down as one for the future.

At 17 years of age, the lad who has been at Chelsea since he was 8 (does that make him due a testimonial next season?) certainly has time on his side.

But, given his chance on Saturday, Josh didn’t disappoint.

Playing in front of a large crowd, so large it’s the first time I can recall a friendly being late kicking off due to crowd congestion, young Josh showed glimpses of the remarkable talent he possesses.

Playing in the hole behind the striking partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Franco Di Santo, as early as the third or fourth minute he showed a sublime piece of skill with fleet of foot to create space and bamboozle two Palace players closing him down.

As Chelsea pushed Palace back young Josh seemed to be at the heart of everything, probing passes, deft flicks and even the commitment to regain possession when one dalliance on the ball saw it lost.

The youngster even had the audacity to claim an assist for Michael Essen’s fine strike laying the ball back into his path so the Ghanaian could smash it home from eighteen yards out.

Yes there were errors, some ambitious long passes went astray and one dart into the box saw Josh not completely able to control the ball first time but when he was withdrawn, shortly after the goal, he’d done enough t more than justify his inclusion in the starting eleven.

With the next game scheduled for Friday, and a fixture against Ajax Amsterdam, we’re not sure if Josh will get a starting berth, especially if Yossi Benayoun has overcome the injury that kept him on the sidelines on Saturday, but remember the name because if young Josh continues his remarkable progress it’ll soon be on everyone’s lips!