Chelsea Gets Ramires In £20M Deal

Benfica midfielder Ramires will join Chelsea this week in a £20million deal.

Boss Carlo Ancelotti wants the defensive midfield player having lost two experienced stars this summer in Joe Cole and Michael Ballack.

Deco is expected to follow – with only Liverpool’s Yossi Benayoun coming in.

Ramires, 23, is heading for Stamford Bridge with the deal expected to be finalized in the next few days.

The Brazilian was one of the big successes of his country’s World Cup campaign as they reached the quarter-finals in South Africa.

Dunga, who was ousted as coach after Brazil’s exit, stressed that Ramires was badly missed after suspension ruled him out of the 2-1 defeat by Netherlands. Ramires is also wanted by Manchester City, who are ready to outbid Chelsea, but a source said: “He has opted to go to Chelsea, and the deal can be done in the next couple of days, certainly by next week.”

Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has met with representatives from Chelsea and Manchester City. But the player has chosen to move to the reigning Premier League champions.

Ramires said recently: “I don’t know the names of the clubs that are after me, but it would be a dream to play for a big club such as Barcelona, Real Madrid or Chelsea.”

Wolves Boss Mick McCarthy Wants To Keep Mancienne

The problems facing England’s future prospects were brought into sharp focus as Chelsea stalled over a potential £4million bid from Wolves for their talented defender Michael Mancienne.

The former England Under-21 star, tipped as the perfect international replacement for his club team-mate John Terry or the injury-jinxed Rio Ferdinand, has now reluctantly asked for a transfer to rescue his future.

He faces stagnating in Chelsea’s reserves if the Premier League champions hang on to a player they tied up on a four-year contract last summer, despite only a handful of first-team starts for them in four years.

That will continue to fuel fears that the future of English football is being stifled, because players like Mancienne are being denied the experience they need, in many cases because of the signing of ‘ready-made’ foreign stars.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy, the former Ireland manager, had 22-year-old Mancienne on loan last season and would now like to make the deal permanent – giving English football a boost in the process. But Chelsea are reluctant to let Mancienne move on unless someone offers them silly money for a player who has played more games for England sides than he has for his club.

Mancienne said: “I’ve been at Chelsea since I was a kid and I’d love to break into the first team, but it’s hard for any young player knowing how much quality they’ve got. I’ve had two seasons on loan at Wolves and had regular games and really enjoyed it. Now I want to be settled at one club.”

It is a situation that former FA technical director Howard Wilkinson warns will have a bleak effect on the national team. “If you want to do well at international level you need to have a big pool of players with the necessary experience of playing at the top,” he said.

“Our young players will not get that in the Premier League if clubs keep signing foreign players at this rate.” The plight of Mancienne and England is echoed at top clubs up and down the country. Manchester United paid Fulham a reported £10m for the emerging talents of England U21 defender Chris Smalling, but will almost certainly leave him at best on the bench for the foreseeable future.

Van der Vaart Ready To Join Chelsea Or Liverpool

Rafael van der Vaart has issued a come-and-get-me plea to Premier League clubs ahead of the new season.

Van der Vaart has made just 31 league starts in two seasons at Real Madrid, and while 12 months ago he was prepared to stay and fight for his place at the Bernabeu he now wants to be playing week-in, week-out.

After losing his place in the Netherlands team due to injury after the group stage - he did not feature against Slovakia or Brazil but did come off the bench in both the semi-final and final - he knows he must return to top form at club level.

With Jose Mourinho likely to ring the changes over the next month, Van der Vaart is prepared to move on.

He told the Daily Star Sunday: "I have heard of the interest from Liverpool and Chelsea - and that is very flattering. If either of them were willing to offer me first-team football, I will be honest that it would be very hard for me to not listen to what they had to say.

"I think I have the relationship with Madrid where they understand my position and would let me hold talks. I expect the majority of transfers to be concluded in the next two weeks, and if Chelsea or Liverpool wanted to talk with me I would at the very least listen to what they have to say.

"They are both giants, and if they could offer first-team football it may prove impossible to turn down. Real Madrid is the most prestigious club in the world and I am happy here and also in Spain, but I am at the age where I have to be playing first-team football.

"I am getting to the point where I will be hitting my peak years and I need to spend those years at a club where I will be playing regularly. The boss knows how much he plans to use me, and if he is willing to listen to offers for me. I wouldn't be willing to play for any clubs in Spain out of respect for Madrid, so in my eyes the only other place to go would be the Premier League.

"It's the only league that competes with the standard of La Liga."

Chelsea Expect Ricardo Carvalho At Training Despite Him Wanting Real Madrid Move

Chelsea insist they expect defender Ricardo Carvalho to report for pre-season training as scheduled despite the Portugal international revealing his desire to link-up again with Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.

Carvalho told Spanish newspaper AS he was desperate to join Madrid and work under Mourinho, who mentored him at Stamford Bridge, and Porto before that.

The 32-year-old also claimed he had a clause in his contract which allowed him to leave Chelsea this summer.

Carvalho said: "If there was a possibility to sign for Madrid, I would go there right now swimming or running. Chelsea have a commitment with me to let me go this summer, for reasons which those responsible at the club and I know.

"It would be a dream to be able to play for Madrid, which for me is the best club in the world, and to do so under the orders of the best coach in the history of football.

"With Mourinho I experienced two marvellous periods at Porto and Chelsea. To have the opportunity to win another Champions League with him at Real Madrid would be something tremendous."

After helping Chelsea to three Premier League titles and three FA Cups, Carvalho believes his time at Stamford Bridge has come to an end.

He has not played for Chelsea since March after picking up an ankle injury – from which he recovered in time for the World Cup – but insists that despite his advancing years he is in the prime of his career.

"I find myself in the best moment of my career, because physically I am at the top and moreover I have a great experience," continued Carvalho.

"I spent six spectacular years at Chelsea and I had the opportunity to experience a glorious period of this club, but I repeat that to sign for Madrid would be a dream.

"I'm very grateful to Roman Abramovich for signing me and making me part of the Chelsea project for six years. He was a very important person for English football and Chelsea, who became one of the best teams in the world."

Chelsea refused to comment on Carvalho's contract claims but were adamant he would be reporting next week with the rest of the club's World Cup players.

Chelsea are unlikely to allow Carvalho to leave with Brazilian defender Alex ruled out for the start of the season.

Jose Mourinho Steps Up His Pursuit Of Ashley Cole

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is refusing to take no for an answer in his pursuit of Ashley Cole.

Chelsea have stated twice in the last week their unsettled England defender is staying put at Stamford Bridge next season – despite Madrid’s £20million interest.

But the hands-off messages, delivered by boss Carlo Ancelotti and chairman Bruce Buck, have fallen on deaf ears in Spain.

New Real supremo Mourinho is desperate to rebuild the Spanish giants, starting at the back. And he views Cole, 29, as absolutely key to those plans.

Mourinho will instruct Real to make their interest in Cole official later this week with an initial £20m bid.

And, though that is likely to be rejected by the Blues board, Mourinho is confident he will soon be reunited with the left-back he controversially took from Arsenal to Chelsea for £25m in July 2006.

A source close to the Bernabeu said last night: “Jose wants Cole. End of story.

“He is certain he will get him before the August deadline.”

And Real superstar Iker Casillas, 29, said he expected to be playing alongside Cole when the season starts.

The World Cup-winning keeper, who is vice-captain at the Bernabeu, said: “It doesn’t surprise me that Chelsea is doing everything they can to try to keep Ashley Cole, I would be as well if I were in their position.

“But it comes down to the fact that it’s very hard to keep a player that doesn’t want to be there.

“If Ashley really wants to be at Real Madrid next season then I expect that it will happen.”

Mourinho’s optimism stems from the fact that, as much as Chelsea doesn’t want to do business, Cole is determined to quit the Premier League.

He returns to the club on Monday after being given an extended break following the World Cup.

And his first move will be to hold showdown talks over his future – and confirm to Ancelotti he wants out now.

Cole’s desire to leave the club has nothing to do with Chelsea but is down to the constant abuse he receives from rival fans across the country.

While he was one of England’s better performers in South Africa, he believes his popularity remains at an all-time low following his high-profile break-up with pop-star wife Cheryl.

And the ex-Arsenal ace did himself no favours earlier in the summer when a text message, in which he slagged off England, was made public and created more unwanted headlines.

Ancelotti and Chelsea are well aware of how difficult Cole is finding life on these shores and they have promised to help him beat the problem.

Buck said: “Obviously he is not happy with how his private life has become the focus of everything around him and I think we’d like to work with him so that he has a bit of a lower profile.

“We don’t think the problem will change if he went to somewhere else outside of the UK – so I think we want to work with him here to make his personal life more enjoyable.”

However, the truth is Cole’s mind is made up and he will not back down – leaving Italian coach Ancelotti little choice but to let him go to La Liga.

Ancelotti Sure Cole Will Stay

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is determined to hang on to left-back Ashley Cole. The England international has been linked with a move to Jose Mouinho's Real Madrid but Ancelotti is confident Cole wants to stay.

In fact, the Italian says he does not feel the need to speak to him about his future when he returns to training in the coming week.

"Ashley is a Chelsea player and nobody wants to sell him. We want to keep him in our squad. I am 100 per cent sure he will be at Chelsea this season," said Ancelotti.

"I consider him to be the best player in his position in the world.

"I don't need to talk to him. He is happy to stay at Chelsea. He never said he wanted to go. There is no chance he will go. No way."

The Blues are having a few issues defensively at the moment, with goalkeeper Petr Cech and centre-back Alex both sidelined by injury and Ricardo Carvalho claiming he has a clause in his contract which allows him to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

He has made no secret of the fact he wants to be reunited with former Chelsea boss Mourinho, and has described his compatriot as the best manager ever.

Gonzalo Higuain: Chelsea Left-Back Ashley Cole Should Make Move To Real Madrid

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain has promised Chelsea defender Ashley Cole that he can escape the backlash over his private life if he makes the switch to Real Madrid.

The England international has not been able to stay out of the news after his much reported divorce from pop star Cheryl Tweedy.

Higuain has urged Cole to get a new start and move to Real Madrid, where he would be re-united with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

"At Madrid, Cole's football will make all the headlines, not his private life. I think that will be a big incentive for him,” Higuain told The Sun.

"I have spoken with a couple of senior players who the club confides in and they are very confident that we will sign him in the next few weeks.

"Once players have played for Jose Mourinho, they seem to want to follow him. Jose is very much like Argentina coach Diego Maradona in the sense that he will lay down his life for his players.

"It's everybody inside the club versus the rest of the world and that protection which the coach offers is a real incentive.

"Ashley will know all about Jose's passion and love for his players and I am sure he is keen to link up with him again."

Mourinho has already secured the transfer of Cole before, luring the left-back from Arsenal to Chelsea in 2006, and Higuain believes that history will repeat itself.

"The vibe around the training ground is that the deal will be done. All the players are very excited about his arrival.

"It does not surprise me that Chelsea say he is not for sale.

"If you have a player who is the best in the world in his position then you do everything you can to try to keep him.

"But when Madrid want a player we usually get our man.

"I was speaking with Cristiano Ronaldo and he told me Cole is the toughest defender he has ever played against.

"So if Ashley Cole decides he wants to join the greatest club in the world and play for his old friend Jose Mourinho again, then I am sure the transfer will go through before the start of the season."

Chelsea Youngster Wants Playing Time

Chelsea youngster Michael Mancienne is finding it difficult to break into Carlo Ancelotti’s first team ever since returning from his loan spell at Wolverhampton. The 22-year old’s case is very similar to that of Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, who impressed on loan at Bolton for the second half of last season.

Both players are now seeking to feature actively in the future plans of their respective managers via means of increased playing time. For Mancienne, settling down at Chelsea also carries a personal connection, as he has been with the club ever since he was a child.

The former England Under-21 international told Express: “I’ve been at Chelsea since I was a kid and I’d love to break into the first team, but it’s hard for any young player knowing how much quality they’ve got.”

He added: “I’ve had two seasons on loan at Wolves and had regular games and really enjoyed it. Now I want to be settled at one club.”

Future Of Communities In Safe Hands

Chelsea Football Club is proud to announce the launch of our new charity to continue and expand our award-winning community, charity and social responsibility work.

Goalkeeping trio Petr Cech, Ross Turnbull and Hilario joined young people from a variety of community projects across the south-east to celebrate the occasion last week.

The Chelsea Foundation has been created as an independent charity to develop the community work established by the football club as well as the health, environmental, anti-discrimination and charitable work the club has developed over the last five years.

Over 800,000 people per year are actively engaged in the UK alone through the club's social responsibility initiatives. These include using football to rebuild communities and providing sport to young people to promote healthy lifestyles, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour as well as drug and alcohol abuse.

The domestic community work of the club has expanded in recent years to include Essex, Hampshire, Sussex as well Surrey and London. The Foundation's international work will see coaches being sent out to Spain, Hong Kong, the US, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Sardinia in the forthcoming months to establish a series of coaching, community and education programs.

The Foundation will build on the groundbreaking work undertaken by Chelsea which includes:

- Award-winning work to help reduce crime through engaging young people through football. Through programs such as Kickz, Positive Futures and Goalz we identify high crime areas and target individuals through our coaching initiatives to provide positive distractions and opportunities for training, education and employment.

- Using football to help educate people of all ages about the benefits of healthy lifestyles and actively targeting older men through a series of health programs.

- Helping the long-term unemployed get motivated and find work using the power of the game to inspire and engage.

- Being the first club to sign up to the Mayor of London's Green 500 initiative and pledge to reduce our environmental impact and have created a liftshare scheme to encourage fans to share cars to games.

- Using football to provide educational initiatives to schoolchildren in English, maths, business studies, languages and IT.

- Helping to tackle racism and discrimination at Stamford Bridge and in our communities.

Importantly the Foundation will be able to accept donations, fundraise and work with a wider range of organizations and funding partners.

All profits and funding will allow the Foundation to develop new initiatives and expand programs increasing the reach of our good work and engaging even larger numbers.

Chelsea now regularly helps to raise over £1.5m for charities annually, part of a corporate social responsibility investment of more than £5.6m each season.

A new website www.chelseafc.com/foundation has been created and to mark the launch, the Foundation will be auctioning off a John Terry shirt signed by the entire Double-winning team and a shirt signed by the three first team goalkeepers.

All funds raised will be ploughed back into grass roots football initiatives.