Cole Desperate To Leave Chelsea

Reports suggest Ashley Cole has told Carlo Ancelotti that he is desperate to leave Chelsea and be reunited with former Blues boss Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.

The 29-year-old England international left-back had a short discussion with Ancelotti about his future when he returned to pre-season training last week.

Cole said after the World Cup that he hated life in England and it is now believed he wants to move abroad following the break-up of his marriage to Cheryl and continued lurid stories about his personal life.

A source close to Chelsea told the News of the World: "It was a very amicable meeting, but Ashley made it clear that because of his personal situation he feels it is in his best interests to leave the club.

"He told Ancelotti that he will be very sad to leave and that it had been a privilege playing for the club during such a successful time in its history.

"Ashley was told that he would have to go and see the chairman, which he hasn't done yet and he has not handed in a formal transfer request.

"He knows Ancelotti wants him to stay, but he feels that moving abroad is the only way he can escape the attention after what happened with Cheryl and the other stories about his private life."

Real are believed to be willing to launch a £25million bid for the former Arsenal star.

Double Boost For Blues

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti expects Didier Drogba and Petr Cech to be fit for the start of the new season.

Drogba was a surprise inclusion in the Chelsea squad for their pre-season trip to Germany just one week after undergoing groin surgery.

The Ivory Coast ace was expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks following the surgery, but although he will not figure in Sunday's clash with Eintracht Frankfurt he could be involved in the midweek game with Hamburg.

Cech, who has been struggling with a calf problem, has not made the trip to Germany, but Ancelotti expects the custodian to be available for next weekend's Community Shield clash with Manchester United.

"He [Drogba] is in good condition, he has recovered well from surgery so he will be able to play the next game [against Hamburg]," Ancelotti told Sky Sports News.

"Yeah it is very good he is doing very well.

"All our squad is improving our condition and I think we will be ready for the start of the season.

"All the players in Germany will play tomorrow maybe only 45 minutes, but against Hamburg I want to put out the line-up that will play against Manchester United.

"Petr Cech is good, I think he will be fit for the game against Manchester United.

"I think that all the players will be fit against Manchester United and only [Jose] Bosingwa needs more time to be fit."

Frank Lampard has not travelled with the squad to Germany because of illness but he will link up later next week, while Daniel Sturridge is missing with a minor ankle problem.

Wigan Athletic In The Clear To Land Franco di Santo

According to reports Wigan Athletic are in pole position to sign Chelsea FC striker Franco di Santo.

The Latics were understood to be battling with Bolton Wanderers and Dutch sides Feyernoord and Twente Enschede for the youngster’s signature.

The Mirror claims Chelsea are reluctant to deal with Bolton Wanderers.

In the last few days Feyenoord chief Leo Beenhakker has revealed he would not be pursuing the Argentine.

Ozil Admits Chelsea Move Would Be A 'Dream'

In demand Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil says it "would be a dream" to play in the Premier League and admitted that the prospect of a move to Chelsea greatly excites him.

Ozil, 21, has attracted the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs after emerging as one Germany's most impressive performers at the World Cup in South Africa. The Werder Bremen playmaker has just one year left on his contract and would represent excellent value for money for any potential suitors in an otherwise inflated transfer market.

The Bundesliga club appears resigned to cashing in on their star player now, rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next summer, with Chelsea reportedly among the interested parties. And if either of the Premier League giants were to swoop, Ozil believes it would be difficult to turn down a move to England.

"There are four or five clubs in Europe that you would have to say as a player would be a dream to play for," Ozil said in the Daily Star Sunday.

"When you are looking at moving clubs it's impossible not to pay attention to the Premier League and even more impossible not to pay attention to Chelsea.

"I am a winner and, when I am looking for a new club, I simply look at where I can be the most successful and where I can win the most trophies. If you look at the recent history of Chelsea then it's clear that a player can be very successful there.

"Of course clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona are of huge interest and the Premier League's top two clubs are of serious interest to me when the time comes. I am under contract with Werder for another year and it is impossible for me to say if a deal will be done this summer.

"They may decide that they want to keep me for another season or they may decide to sell me this summer so they can get some money for me. That is up to the club."

Kalou Happy To Be Back

Ivorian forward Salomon Kalou is relishing being back at Chelsea following his summer break.

Kalou, who has started his pre-season preparation following three weeks off after the World Cup, joins his team-mates as they travel to Germany on Saturday.

And the 24-year-old, who arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2006, has enjoyed linking back up with his colleagues in training following the Blues' Premier League and FA Cup Double last season.

"We haven't been with the team for two-and-a-half months so you long to come back and catch up with the other players," Kalou told Chelsea's official website.

"After we won the Double we never really got the time to be together so we didn't have the time to enjoy more the winning so it's good to be back with the players."

Kalou believes Chelsea have a squad more than capable of challenging for the Champions League trophy this term as they look to complete their silverware collection.

He added: "I believe that it can be a great season for us again if we can keep everyone fit; we have the team to do better than last year by winning the Champions League because it's very important everyone is hoping that the club win that trophy."

The forward, who netted 12 goals last season, is looking to better his scoring rate as well as establishing himself as a regular starter this term.

"I want to score more goals than last year, between 15 and 20, and I think my personal goal is to be an important player for the team like in the end of last season and to continue at that level and play well for the team," he said.

Kalou's other hope for the season is to see team-mate Jose Bosingwa return to action after being ruled out with a knee injury since last October.

"He hasn't played for so long," added Kalou.

"We want to see him back on the pitch doing his thing, and he will be like a new signing because it is such a long time since he played."

Carlo Backing World Cup Flops

Carlo Ancelotti is relying on Chelsea's World Cup washouts to conquer the UEFA Champions League this season.

The Stamford Bridge manager has set his sights on European glory after guiding the Blues to the Premier League and FA Cup titles last term.

And he believes the Chelsea players that flopped in South Africa will be eager to put that disappointment behind them and help him achieve his dream.

"All my Musketeers, including (Didier) Drogba, (Florent) Malouda, (Frank) Lampard and (John) Terry, have played in a World Cup which has lowered their profile," Ancelotti told The Sun.

"If you look at all the big nations that failed, from England to Argentina, France and Brazil, the coach was trying to get the right balance between the individuals and the organization of the team.

"In my first season with Chelsea, we won the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield. But I missed out on the Champions League, so that is now my dream.

"At the moment everything here in London is good. But I know if we do not keep winning that things will soon change for me.

"So we must quickly rediscover the enthusiasm we had last season and same good football."

Milk Cup: Chelsea Break Club Duck

Chelsea celebrated their first trophy win at the Milk Cup in what was a fitting end to the tournament for them.

The young Blues had dominated the Junior Section and it was no different in the final against Cruz Azul as the boys from Stamford Bridge ran out 3-0 winners.

Victory was as good as assured at half-time with two spectacular goals from Reece Mitchell and John Swift proving the Mexicans’ undoing. Lewis Baker claimed the third by stroking home a penalty in stoppage time.

Head coach Adrian Viveash said: “It’s been a tremendous week, on and off the pitch. We’ve loved being in Ireland.

“This is a new group we’ve brought and they are worthy of the Milk Cup, this competition and its history.”

Scorer Mitchell added: “Hard work is the key to what we’ve achieved.”

Chelsea had the ideal start with Mitchell’s eye-catching goal after just three minutes. It’s not hard to see why he has been offered a scholarship at the West London club.

Swift floated a pin-perfect cross in from the right which Mitchell met with a bicycle kick and hit the far corner of the net.

It was the Chelsea striker’s fourth goal of the tournament and the best of them all.

Swift doubled Chelsea’s advantage on the stroke of half-time when the towering midfielder let fly from 25 yards with a blistering effort which fizzed past Perez and into the net.

Azul started the second period with a bit more urgency, but without threatening the Chelsea rearguard, who seemed content to protect their lead at a canter.

Baker sent Perez the wrong way from the penalty spot to claim Chelsea’s first junior crown.

King Kakuta In France

Gael Kakuta created the winning goal as France claimed the Uefa Under 19 European Championship on home soil with victory over Spain on Friday evening.

The Frenchman joins English Under-17 internationals Josh McEachran and Nathaniel Chalobah in becoming a European champion, following their success earlier in the summer when they also triumphed over the Spanish.

Kakuta played the full 90 minutes as France came from behind to win 2-1 in Caen, northern France, and it was from his cross that Alexandre Lacazette headed home the winner five minutes from time.

Spain had taken the lead early on when Liverpool forward Daniel Pacheco set up Rodrigo to finish, but Arsenal man Gilles Sunu's equalizer four minutes into the second half gave France hope of avoiding their cruel defeat to Spain in the 2008 Under 17 Final.

The Chelsea man forced Spain goalkeeper Alex into a smart save but moments later had the last laugh as he dinked in a delicate cross for Lacazette to head home.

France are the second successive hosts, following Ukraine, to lift the Under 19 title.