Manchester City Deny Interest In Signing Chelsea Star Didier Drogba

Manchester City have moved to distance themselves from the speculation linking them with a possible swoop for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba this summer.

Drogba's agent Thierno Seydi had stated that he had had "direct contact" with City and that there might be some surprising events before the end of the transfer window.

However, City, whose prime striking target this summer appears to be Inter's Mario Balotelli, have denied that they are lining up a bid for the Ivorian front man.

"We can categorically state we have no interest in signing Didier Drogba and any suggestion of an approach is entirely without foundation," City's director of communications Vicky Kloss told The Times.

Rafael Benitez Open To Mario Balotelli Sale As Chelsea Try To Hijack Manchester City's Deal

Inter coach Rafael Benitez has opened the door to Mario Balotelli leaving the club as Chelsea cut across Manchester City's path for the striker.

Massimo Moratti and the player's agent Mino Raiola ran the rule over the hitman after suggesting he was likely to leave.

The club chief said City's interest was real, whereas Raiola confirmed on Monday his client was heading out as "all doors remained open," hinting other clubs were on standby in case City talks crumble.

And Benitez has joined the chorus of voices as he holds the door from closing. The Spaniard's words, aware Balotelli is negotiating with City who are in Italy to close a deal, suggest he is relying on Samuel Eto'o for next season.

The coach also admitted he would be powerless to stop Balotelli from being sold as he steps away from talks.

"Balotelli? Let’s wait and see what happens. The club decides the transfer market and I adapt. The fact remains that one player doesn't make the team, and Inter have plenty of strong players," Benitez told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I have spoken to Eto'o. He is a great professional and is ready to do what the team needs."

City appear strongest to sign the striker, but Raiola's throw-away line of "all doors remain open, there are other clubs," has led to reports claiming Chelsea are trying to stop City and shop the hitman.

Gazzetta reports Inter have received a substantial offer from City, but they are waiting for Chelsea to make their move and respond.

They are keen on "Supermario" as coach Carlo Ancelotti feels he will be a better partner for Didier Drogba compared to Fernando Torres - the Blues other notable target.

It seems Inter are hoping the trio of clubs, Manchester United are also hovering, contend each other in a bidding frenzy as they press for the best possible deal.

Sky Sport Italia claim Balotelli will not leave with the team for their friendly tour at the weekend, adding further weight that he will seal his transfer to the Premier League by the end of the week.

Chelsea Plan £25m Bid For Santos Striker Neymar

Chelsea are set to splash the cash to land £25 million-rated Santos starlet Neymar, according to The Express.

Neymar, 18, is regarded as one of the most exciting youngsters in world football and has already helped himself to 12 goals in 35 first team appearances.

This form had seen Manchester City agree a first option for the player with Santos — which expires when Robinho's loan ends on August 4 — and prompted West Ham United to make a £16 million bid, which was rejected, earlier this month.

Chelsea were rumoured to be behind this offer, and had planned to loan the striker to the Hammers for next season.

After this deal fell through, Carlo Ancelotti is understood to have sanctioned another massive bid which would see the player arrive at Stamford Bridge immediately if accepted.

Chelsea Winger Scott Sinclair Hoping For 'Look In' At The Club Next Season

Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair is hopeful a strong pre-season can make him a first team fixture at the club.

Sinclair, 21, has been sent out on loan to a number of sides since signing from Bristol Rovers in 2005. After grabbing one goal in 18 Premier League appearances for Wigan Athletic last season, the England youth international is hopeful for a shot at success at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to the club's website, Sinclair hoped to build on his 30-minute cameo in the 1-0 weekend friendly victory against Crystal Palace — where he spent a spell on loan in 2008.

"I thought I gave them a few problems and I got a free-kick which I thought was a penalty," Sinclair said.

"It was in the box but the ref said he gave them the benefit of the doubt.

"It was nice coming back to Palace and seeing a few players I know and it is good to be back at Chelsea. Hopefully I will get a look in for the start of the season.

"The double training sessions are getting harder and harder as we go along. I am fit anyway and in a couple more weeks I should be up to a high standard of fitness."

Chelsea On Alert As Kaka And Rafael van der Vaart Near Madrid Exit

Real Madrid are once again ready to twist the knife into Roman Abramovich's grand plans with an £18million move for Germany's World Cup star Mesut Ozil.

The 21-year-old Werder Bremen midfielder is the most coveted player in Europe, but Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has made a bold move to line up Ozil, plus his national team-mates Sami Khedira of Stuttgart and Mario Gomez from Bayern Munich, for a combined £58million.

Not satisfied with wrecking Chelsea's Champions League dream with Inter Milan last season, the former Stamford Bridge darling is destined to leave his old employer bristling with envy once again.

The fall-out at Real Madrid will be intriguing. As Sportsmail revealed last month, the entrance door for Liverpool's Steven Gerrard no longer seems ajar as Madrid president Florentino Perez demands younger players of better value.

Chelsea targets Kaka and Rafael van der Vaart may be heading for the exit. With Khedira to come, Xabi Alonso pivotal and Angel Di Maria competing with Cristiano Ronaldo on the wing, there will be little room for manoeuvre.

Chelsea may have little desire to take scraps from the Real Madrid table but Kaka is no mere crumb of comfort while Van der Vaart still has plenty to offer as one of his fans, Chelsea director of football Frank Arnesen, will testify.

When Ozil left Gareth Barry and Co floundering during their World Cup humiliation, England took notice.

Abramovich was transfixed and decided then this was the player Chelsea had to have. A devout Muslim of Turkish descent, Ozil's quick feet and speed of thought have long marked him out as a star. Bremen thought as much when they splashed out £4million for him as an 18-year-old - a record German sum for a teenager.

'He's like a ghost, the way he arrives into the box unnoticed,' said one Manchester United scout. Yet it seems the obvious luxuries and the allure of the Premier League are not enough for the wunderkind from Gelsenkirchen.

Arsenal have watched him for two years; Manchester City, of course, were interested; Manchester United asked to be kept informed - having first courted him as a teenager - but Ozil, the self-confessed Barcelona fan who Franz Beckenbauer compares to Lionel Messi, has instead set his sights on becoming the new idol of the Bernabeu.

All eyes are now on Ozil and his fellow Germans to see which way they jump. Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs says he has not given up the 'ghost' but Madrid insiders claim the deal is close.

Allofs said: 'I have been told by the newspapers about these reports. But I insist that we have received no enquiries or offers for the player.

'We remain in regular contact with Mesut and his agent. We had our ideas but we have not been able to bring this to an end. We are not angry, no way. We intend to keep on trying.'

It looks like the Special One has beaten everyone to it.

Joe Cole Secures Liverpool Move

Liverpool have signed former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old England international left Stamford Bridge at the end of last season after failing to agree a new contract with the club and has agreed personal terms on a four-year deal at Anfield.

The England midfielder will undergo a medical in the next 48 hours.

Cole was linked with a number of Barclays Premier League sides, including Arsenal and Tottenham, but has opted to move to Merseyside.

He could have gone to a team offering Champions League football but has chosen to join new Reds boss Roy Hodgson at Anfield even though they can only offer the Europa League this season.

The capture of Cole was seen as being a key factor in proving to the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who have both been linked with departures after a disappointing seventh-placed finish in Rafael Benitez's final season in charge, that Liverpool can still compete for quality signings.

Cole is the second summer arrival at Liverpool after Serbia forward Milan Jovanovic joined following the expiration of his contract with Standard Liege.

Cole will be seen as a direct replacement for Yossi Benayoun, who coincidentally moved to Chelsea for £5.5million earlier this month, and only time will tell who got the better of that exchange.

Hodgson is still on the look-out for a new left-back with Fabio Aurelio having left and Emiliano Insua on the verge of completing his move to Fiorentina.

After that the Liverpool boss will hope to secure commitments from Gerrard and Torres about their futures.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp, whose father Harry was keen on signing Cole for Spurs, said reports the player was holding out for the most lucrative contract were unfair.

"From what I know, compared to other players in the Premier League now, he's not being greedy at all,'' Redknapp told Sky Sports News.

"He just wants a good deal and rightfully so - he's a free agent and he's worked that situation nicely - but I know he's not asking for anything astronomical, like what is being portrayed in the press.

"He's just looking for the right club and he needs to play football now.

"He missed a lot of time at Chelsea last season with his knee injury and didn't quite get back to the level he showed previously.

"He needs to go somewhere, be loved, and play football and get back to being the Joe Cole we all know.''

Young Plymouth Argyle Squad's Late Strikes Stun Chelsea

Substitutes Lewis Coombes and James Golby scored late goals for Argyle Under-18s in an impressive, if unexpected victory over FA Youth Cup holders Chelsea, at Cobham.

The Surrey success was the junior Greens' second successive 2-1 win over Premier League Academy opposition, after their triumph at West Bromwich Albion.

Argyle assistant youth coach Kevin Nancekivell said: "We weathered the storm in the first 20 minutes and needed Ollie Chenoweth to produce three fantastic saves.

"Once we got through that we found our feet and gradually imposed ourselves.

"The second-half was very even. We looked bright and threatened as much as Chelsea and, in the end, got our reward."

Nancekivell added: "I have to say the attitude and application of the lads in the first two weeks of pre-season has been absolutely outstanding."

The Pilgrims had to survive an opening blitz from the Blues' youngsters during a one-sided first 20 minutes.

They emerged unscathed due to some wayward shooting from the home forwards and three fine saves from goalkeeper Chenoweth.

First-year professional Chenoweth, 18, from Liskeard, was playing his first pre-season match action after being omitted from the senior squad's trip to the Netherlands.

The powerful defending of centre-back Curtis Nelson and ball-winning attributes of midfielder Jordan Berry came to the forem, as the Greens began to turn the tide.

Right-back Jack Stephens, left-winger Jake Baker and striker Matt Rickard all threatened to open the scoring. And, on the stroke of half-time, centre-back Sam Sawyer sent a header from a right-wing free kick thudding onto the Chelsea crossbar.

Midfielder Jordan Copp and Rickard went close to breaking the deadlock early in the second half, but the Greens had to wait until the 81st minute to pierce the home rearguard.

Second-year apprentice Coombes, who lives in Lipson, drifted to the near post to sidefoot a right-wing corner from Copp into the net.

Three minutes later Argyle doubled their advantage when Sawyer set up Golby, a 16-year-old trialist from Somerton in Somerset, to coolly lob the home keeper from 20 yards

Chelsea pulled one back a minute later from the penalty spot, after Nelson was adjudged to have brought down his opponent, but it was too little too late to deny the cock-a-hoop Pilgrims.

Next up for the young Greens are games against two Championship Academy sides — at Watford, on Thursday, at their London Colney training ground (1pm) and on Saturday at Reading at their Hogwood Park training complex (11am).

Argyle: Ollie Chenoweth, Jack Stephens, Connor Clifford, Dan Hart (Jordan Copp, 46), Curtis Nelson, Sam Sawyer, Jed Harper-Penman, Jordan Berry (Tom Hurley, 67), Matt Rickard (Lewis Coombes, 67), Jared Sims (James Golby, 60), Jake Baker.

Keepers On The Up

First team numbers at Cobham may be low, but the goalkeeping department has a 'perfect situation' with a full complement available to coach Christophe Lollichon.

Petr Cech, Hilario and Ross Turnbull each played half an hour of Saturday's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace after reporting back for pre-season training on July 5, weeks earlier than the Chelsea men who played at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

It means Lollichon has been able to get down to work quickly, and he is delighted with how things are coming together.

'It is a perfect situation with the goalkeepers because we can work how we want. If we had just one or two goalkeepers we would have to work a lot to catch up and have the same preparation. Now it is perfect, we have lots of time and good organisation,' he said.

'For the pre-season I like them to start with the other players because I think it's important the goalkeepers work with them to be a part of the group, and to play with their feet. It is very interesting and is a good thing to work the cardiovascular system. After that, the work is different in the gym, and we started to work specifically in the second week.

'The match on Saturday was very good, it was a good way for the goalkeepers to play for the same time and the atmosphere in this group is fantastic. I am happy after the game because I liked their positions and they were like leaders with a lot of young players.

'They all talked very well, the goalkeepers are like the grandfather of the young team because they play behind the defence and have to talk all the time with intelligence.'

As previously, Cech will begin the season as undisputed number one, though Lollichon has identified targets for each of his three men to focus on.

'We have three different goalkeepers. We have Petr Cech at the top and two substitutes,' he explained. 'These two substitutes are not similar, they are at different stages.

'Ross continues to learn his job and showed a good improvement last year, Hilario knows the situation and I have to be careful to manage his work, it is not the same as Ross, his best target is to maintain his quality.

'For Petr Cech he has to stay on top of the world, he has tactical and physical targets, but technically it is difficult to improve.'

Czech Republic's failure to qualify for the World Cup has left Cech, 28, with an unexpected football-free summer, which Lollichon believes will be beneficial in the months ahead.

'It is not a good thing for him because he loves all competitions, and I think he has a big target in his career to win an international tournament,' he argued. 'But, no World Cup gives him a very good rest. It is a good consequence. In training he is very fresh, but I think he would have preferred to play in the World Cup.'

The next match action comes on Friday at Ajax, with Cech again expected to start behind an experimental young side.