Burnley Midfielder Cork Is Ready To Leave Chelsea, Says Father

Alan Cork has revealed that son Jack is ready to seek a permanent move away from Chelsea – and would have no qualms about dropping down to the Championship to play for Burnley again next season.

The former Wimbledon and Sheffield United striker is due at Turf Moor on Sunday to see Jack in action on the final day of the campaign against Tottenham, and has taken great pride in seeing his son take his first steps in the top flight with the Clarets – making them one of a select group of fathers and sons to have both played in the Premier League.

The 20-year-old has impressed since joining from Chelsea in January, having had a spell with Coventry earlier in the season following previous loan spells with Bournemouth, Scunthorpe, Southampton and Watford.

Many Burnley fans hope that Cork could return to Turf Moor on loan again next season. But a permanent switch could also now be a possibility, funds permitting, with the midfielder set to give up on his dream of making the first team at Stamford Bridge – even if he may also attract interest from elsewhere.

“I think he’s pretty much realised now that it’s not going to happen for him at Chelsea,” said Alan.

“He has been there since he was seven but they’ve got about 40 players, and they have just won the Youth Cup so they have a lot of good young players.

“They have Ryan Bertrand who has been out on loan at Reading, Scott Sinclair at Wigan and Michael Mancienne at Wolves.

“If eight or nine of them go back at once they’re not all going to get a game.

“Jack has got two years left on his contract at Chelsea, so it’s all down to what they want to do.

“I think Coventry put a bid in for him previously but they turned it down.

“He’ll go back to speak to Chelsea and Frank Arnesen on Monday or Tuesday and find out what their plans are.

“He has played in a few teams that have been struggling now and I think he would just like to be in a team that is winning more games.

“He would go anywhere.

“I don’t think dropping down to the Championship would worry him.

“It’s been disappointing for Jack that Burnley have been relegated but personally it has gone well for him.

“He has enjoyed it there.”

Alan, now 51, scored goals galore during his time at Wimbledon and is desperate to see Jack break his Clarets duck.

“I scored a lot of goals and that’s the one thing he hasn’t done,” said Alan, who left his coaching role at Bolton when manager Gary Megson was relieved of his duties.

“Jack has got everything else. He can pass the ball, which I could never do, he doesn’t give the ball away.

“He just needs to score some goals! I think he’d love to get one on Sunday.

“I was at Fulham when he came on for his debut for Burnley and he was really pleased about that because he was excited to play in the Premier League.

“They have been good to him there. I know Paul Fletcher from Coventry, and I know Stuart Gray as well because I worked with Steve Wigley at Bolton and those two are close.

“There are only three or four fathers and sons who have played in the Premier League so I’m proud to see Jack doing well.

“He’s a nice lad and he’s played 120 games now so he’s quite experienced.

“I played until I was 36 and made 700 appearances. He’s certainly on course for that.”

Youth Report: Chelsea 4 - 0 Ipswich Town

Chelsea's Under 18 side won their penultimate game of season by thumping visitors Ipswich 4-0 despite the rain pouring down.

FA Youth Cup-winning captain Conor Clifford started in midfield alongside fellow Cup finalists Sam Walker in goal, Aziz Deen-Conteh at left-back and Jacopo Sala up front.

Adam Phillip (pictured) also returned to the starting line-up after missing most of the season through injury.

A 4-3-3 set-up was youth team manager Dermot Drummy's choice as the side lined up against Ipswich.

It was a slow start at Cobham, with the game unfolding in midfield as both sides failed to threaten either goal.

It took 20 minutes for Walker to be tested between the posts when the keeper was forced into an acrobatic one-handed save to deflect a shot from reaching the net.

Then the opening goal arrived when Daniel Philliskirk broke down the centre of the pitch, placing a clever through ball for Phillip to latch onto. The striker then rounded the keeper before drilling into the net.

It was the perfect return to competitive football but not long after Phillip was forced out of the game with injury as he limped off to be replaced by Philipp Prosenik.

Chelsea doubled the lead minutes before half time when Milan Lalkovic won a penalty with some boisterous play down the left, which saw him dance his way into the box before being cut to the ground.

The referee pointed to the spot and the young Slovakian drove a low shot down the centre which the keeper saved but failed to hold onto, allowing 15-year-old Nathaniel Chalobah to net the loose ball.

Drummy then made two changes at half time and rested Sala and Clifford, who were replaced by Anton Rodgers and Todd Kane.

And soon it was 3-0 after Philliskirk, who had received the armband from Clifford, scored a well-worked goal before minutes later Kane made it four.

The schoolboy netted Chelsea's final goal with a left-footed strike after a Lalkovic shot rebounded off the woodwork into the youngster's path.

The game was as good as over early into the second half, and with such a huge deficit to come back from, Ipswich failed to produce any real chances on goal.

Instead the Blues sat back and completed another comfortable victory as they head into their final game of the season against Tottenham this Monday.

Portsmouth Boss Blasts Chelsea

Portsmouth manager Avram Grant has launched a stinging attack on former club Chelsea, insisting he will never forget the way they unceremoniously dumped him.

Grant took over from Jose Mourinho in September 2007 and was handed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge three months later.

Under the Israeli, Chelsea lost just two league games, narrowly missing out on the Barclays Premier League title to Manchester United, who also beat them in the Champions League final on penalties.

Despite Grant's success his contract was terminated, something he believes was a mistake on their part.

"If I had been manager at the start of the season and we had played as well as we had finished the campaign, Chelsea not Manchester United would have been Premier League champions," Grant told the Mirror.

"And how close were we from winning the Champions League? A penalty away.

"So I can tell you with total honesty that I was not happy with the way they treated me in the end.

"There were a lot of negative things that happened, things I didn't like and find hard to forget.

"I was very proud of what I achieved at Chelsea but their big mistake was to take what I did for granted.

"I felt it was important the club had continuity and was looking towards long-term stability.

"I always believed that it would be easier in the second season. But I was never given the chance."

Grant will meet his former club next weekend when Portsmouth take on Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

Despite his broadside, Grant claims he still has many friends at Chelsea, including billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

He added: "I appreciate the owner gave me the chance to manage and then he offered to make me a director which I declined. I don't forget that.

"There were many good things at Chelsea and I still have a great affection for the club.

"After Portsmouth beat Tottenham in the semi-final most of the Chelsea players sent me text messages."

Chelsea Hold No Fears For Passionate Grant

The chances of beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final are slim, but Avram Grant doesn't believe in fear in sports, says Jamie Jackson.

Back in January, Avram Grant was at a low point when he realised he had been misled, as had his Portsmouth team, about the club's ability to make signings during the transfer window.

He called together his players and offered them two choices. "The first is to give up, go to the beach," he told them. "Obviously I will not come as I'm not so skinny. But nobody will blame you for what's happened. This is not football. The second is not to give up. But to do it big time."

Grant would accept no half measures. The players took option B, found their best form in the FA Cup and knocked out Sunderland, Southampton, Birmingham and Tottenham en route to Saturday's final against Grant's old club Chelsea. "For us to come to the FA Cup final in a season like this, playing our best performance in the semi-final against Tottenham -- that is some kind of miracle."

Grant took over from Paul Hart on November 26 with Portsmouth rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and on their third owner of the season, Ali al-Faraj, a Saudi-based businessman who would never visit Fratton Park.

At one point, they had had more owners than home wins in the League. They stayed bottom because of a nine-point deduction for going into administration and are heading into the Championship with debts of £138m.

"There were many problems off the pitch," says Grant, with a hefty degree of understatement. Salaries were unpaid for a third time in December, and a transfer embargo was imposed because money was owed to other clubs, and was only lifted days before the close of the January window.

Looking back to those desperate days, Grant says: "All the players said to me: 'Will we bring players in January?' I said: 'For sure, they (the club's executives at the time) promised.' When you wait for something that's promised you are disappointed when it doesn't come. So this was hard. I decided then only to concentrate on the football, on what I and the players could control."

Grant spent eight months in charge at Chelsea, having followed Jose Mourinho, the act no coach would choose to succeed. An indicator of the widespread derision that greeted Grant's appointment in September 2007 can be found in the front-page headline of an Israeli sports magazine. It read, in capital letters, 'What the fuck?' Grant smiles and says: "The Israelis are very nice guys, but some like to be cynical."

But Grant shows no bitterness. "I was concentrating on my job. I said in my second press conference that the target was the Champions League final and to change the club's image, because even when Chelsea achieved the title everyone said it was not with positive football. We had won nine games in a row and then we lost the Carling Cup final."

Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-1 in extra time, with a controversial penalty equaliser by Dimitar Berbatov and a winner from Jonathan Woodgate after a rare error by Petr Cech. Questions were asked about Grant's team selection.

By May 2008, Grant had lost that Carling Cup final, finished second in the Premier League and taken Chelsea to a first appearance in the Champions League final, a feat beyond even Mourinho during his three seasons at Stamford Bridge. After Chelsea's penalty shoot-out defeat by Manchester United in Moscow, Mourinho reflected on Grant's season in this newspaper and labelled him a loser. "In my philosophy it was a very bad season," Mourinho said, "because, in football, 'almost' means defeat-- and Chelsea almost won the Carling Cup, almost won the Champions League and almost won the Premier League.

"Almost is nothing. After two titles per season for the last three years (for me), there were zero titles, which, in my philosophy, means a really bad season. Maybe in the philosophy of a loser this was a great season."

Now, when speaking of his three months working with the Portuguese as Chelsea's director of football, Grant is generous regarding Mourinho the man. He is not so keen, though, on the Inter coach's style of football, though.

"Jose is a good coach, but I agree with Johan Cruyff, who said the message Mourinho brings is the wrong message. His message is only tactics, only winning. People say football is the winning. Of course, but in big teams you can decide sometimes how to win and play because you have the best players. Barcelona chose a way since Johan Cruyff came (as coach in 1988) and they never change it, the style of the team. They don't play long-ball, never. I agree.

"Jose is a good coach and his strength is to be the underdog. He is the only coach that can come with four of the best Brazilians (Julio Cesar, Lucio, Maicon, Thiago Motta), four of the best Argentinians (Javier Zanetti, Walter Samuel, Esteban Cambiasso, Diego Milito) and still be underdogs."

Grant was surprised at the culture that had enveloped Chelsea when he took over. "They had only just started to be a big club. Manchester United were champions, but I didn't see one of their players say: 'We are the champions.' But every player in Chelsea said: 'We have won two championships.' But that had been a year and a half ago."

The 55-year-old is clear that, despite his surprise appointment, every Chelsea player responded to him, bar one. "I found out after I left he behaved not as a professional and did a lot of things behind my back," Grant says with a shrug. "I won't say who. But one player thought he had so much power, maybe because they gave him the impression. He allowed himself to do things players shouldn't. But the rest were very professional and I enjoyed working with them."

Grant departed within days of the defeat in Moscow. "It was an emotional moment," he says of the penalty shoot-out. "I remember one of the Chelsea directors saying: 'You show emotion.' I said: 'For me it's a compliment, for you it's not.' Emotions are good if you don't lose your judgement. I wanted to bring more soul to the game, for players not to be like computers."

Portsmouth are 11/1 to defeat Grant's former club, which is not surprising given their abysmal form against Chelsea in seven Premier League seasons. "The chance is low, but I don't believe in fear in sports, I believe in respect. And everybody likes romance -- even my wife," Grant says, with a twinkle.

Will he be Pompey manager next season? "Let's wait and see. Football is about passion, it made me stay in January. I knew the team was relegated, there was no reason to stay."

West Ham, Celtic and others are sure to be interested. Pompey fans everywhere will hope the man they call Uncle Avram will stay on. "I cannot tell you," he says, "what a good feeling it is that people are behind you."

Premier League Preview: Chelsea vs. Wigan Athletic

After 37 games, it all comes down to this. Chelsea know that only a victory against Wigan Athletic will guarantee them the Premier League title on Sunday — although depending on how Manchester United fare against Stoke City a draw or even a defeat could still see the crown secured.

But, in front of the Stamford Bridge faithful, Carlo Ancelotti and his players know that only a comprehensive win will end the campaign in the style befitting of champions. Few expect the Blues to lose — Wigan, after all, having nothing to play for — but the intense pressure of closing out a title campaign has caused stranger collapses in the past.

And it is not as if Roberto Martinez's side don't have the credentials to upset Chelsea, having beaten their more illustrious opponents at the DW Stadium last September — Ancelotti's first defeat as the club's manager. On that day the Latics were helped by Petr Cech's dismissal, but Hugo Rodallega in particular proved himself a striker capable of causing major problems to John Terry and the Blues' defence.

Six months later, however, it would be a surprise if Wigan could pull off their own double to deny Chelsea a shot at theirs. In last Monday's 2-2 draw with Hull City the club's players showed some signs of lethargy after securing their top flight future - a symptom that, if it persists, the Blues are more than capable of taking advantage of.

What is more, the Latics have traditionally been poor travellers against top sides this season, losing 5-0 at Manchester United, 4-0 at Arsenal and — most memorably — 9-1 against Tottenham Hotspur. Added to that they head into Sunday's game with a less than full-strength defence to rely on.

With Chelsea having knocked seven past opponents three times this season, all in front of their home fans, Martinez's squad might be heading to west London more with thoughts of avoiding a last day embarrassment than causing a historic last day upset.

FORM GUIDE

The Blues have only conceded two goals in their last five games — both against Spurs in their disappointing defeat at White Hart Lane. With four other clean sheet victories notched up, Ancelotti's side enter the final day in nigh-on perfect spirits.

Wigan, on the other hand, have shipped goals left, right and centre in recent games, despite clinching an impressive victory against Arsenal that knocked the Gunners out of the title race. Defeats to both Fulham and West Ham on their recent travels suggest London isn't a happy hunting ground for them — with little prospect of that changing on Sunday.

Chelsea

Liverpool 0-2 Chelsea (Premier League)
Chelsea 7-0 Stoke City (Premier League)
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
Chelsea 1-0 Bolton Wanderers (Premier League)
Aston Villa 0-3 Chelsea (Premier League)


Wigan

Wigan 2-2 Hull City (Premier League)
West Ham United 3-2 Wigan (Premier League)
Wigan 3-2 Arsenal (Premier League)
Wigan 0-0 Portsmouth (Premier League)
Fulham 2-1 Wigan (Premier League)


TEAM NEWS

Chelsea

Carlo Ancelotti will be without both Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel (who had surgery on a knee injury this week) for the game, which means Michael Ballack will have to continue in his slight make-shift role as the side's holding midfielder.

Both Jose Bosingwa and Ricardo Carvalho continue their long-term absence, but otherwise Ancelotti has a strong squad to choose from.

Didier Drogba has concerns over a persistent groin injury, but will doubtless look to play through the pain barrier in helping his team-mates to a first title since 2006.

Possible starting XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Ballack, Lampard, Malouda; Kalou, Anelka, Drogba.

Wigan

Charles N'Zogbia returns to action after missing the last game against Hull, which will be a major boost for Roberto Martinez as he will be without some other key players.

Both goalkeeper Chris Kirkland (hand) and defender Titus Bramble (stress fracture) continue to miss out with injury problems, while two on-loan forwards, Marcelo Moreno (ankle injury) and Scott Sinclair (ineligible), are unavailable.

Midfielder Paul Scharner will be involved, however, in what will be his last game for the club.

Possible starting XI: Stojkovic; Figueroa, Gohouri, Caldwell, Melchiot; McCarthy, Watson, Diame; Moses, N'Zogbia; Rodallega.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea

Rather than rely on one man, Carlo Ancelotti will be delighted to go into the game with so many players capable of delivering. Contrary to the early stages of the season, no one player has been imperative to the Blues' success in recent weeks. But the pressure of the occasion might see the side revert to type, and as such Didier Drogba has got to be his side's key man.

The Ivorian has been his side's top goalscorer all season, with 26 goals in 31 league games to date, and has frequently been deferred to as the potential saviour when times have been tough. One the first day of the season against Hull the 32-year-old scored twice (the last deep into injury time) to grab an important momentum-building victory — it's not beyond the realms of possibility he will bookend a fine individual season with a similar impact performance this weekend.

Wigan

Preparing to face an onslaught of shots on goal at Stamford Bridge, Manchester United's hopes of a last-day upset rely predominantly on the golden gloves (or otherwise) of Wigan's reserve goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic. Which won't exactly have Sir Alex Ferguson jumping for joy.

The Serbian, currently on loan from Sporting Lisbon, enjoys a questionable reputation with English audiences after a few suspect performances for his current employers. With the 26-year-old hoping to put himself in the transfer window — not to mention his country's World Cup squad — for the summer, Sunday would be a fine time for the 6ft 5in shot-stopper to cut out the errors and put in a commanding display, and perhaps even keep his first clean sheet with the club.

The Last-Day Failure At Juventus That Haunts Carlo Ancelotti Ahead Of Premier League Decider

Perhaps owing to his reputation today as one of the world's best managers, many people tend to forget that Carlo Ancelotti had been regarded as something of a loser in football management until seven years ago, when Milan defeated Juventus on penalties at Old Trafford in a dull 2003 Champions League final.

No moment in his early coaching career shaped this initial perception more than Juve's last-day collapse, which saw Lazio pip them to the 2000 Serie A title.

Having been Serie A runners-up with Parma in 1997, earned successive second-place finishes with Juve in 2000 and 2001 and been eliminated in the semi-final of the Champions League in 1999 by Manchester United - despite leading 3-1 on aggregate in the second leg in Turin - Ancelotti was tagged by the Calcio community as a “nearly-man”.

Much in the same way as another former Chelsea boss, Claudio Ranieri, is still viewed today.

These disappointments eventually led to Carletto’s departure from Juve at the end of 2000-01, with former general manager Luciano Moggi of the opinion that Ancelotti lacked the winning mentality to take his team over the final hurdles.

Moggi brought back 1990s winning machine Marcello Lippi, who immediately reclaimed the Scudetto in his first season after returning and then defended it the following campaign.

While Ranieri has never displayed much bitterness despite all his near misses, you can sense that despite winning two Champions Leagues and a Scudetto post-2003, Ancelotti’s earlier failures still irritate him.

"Do I have to go over it again?" he complained at a reporter in Friday's press conference who asked about the climax of the race in 2000.

The biggest scar was left almost exactly 10 years ago, during one of the most infamous matches in Italian football history.

The venue was the Stadio Renato Curi as Juventus travelled to mid-table Perugia on the final day needing just a victory to see off Lazio in the championship race.

All three points seemed a formality as the modest, unspectacular Umbria outfit, who possessed few star players and a young Marco Materazzi, were already safe from relegation. And in Italy teams with nothing to play for traditionally put up no fight against title challengers or relegation battlers in the closing rounds.

But a huge cloud then emerged, quite literally. Juventus had controlled the first half, with Pippo Inzaghi and Zinedine Zidane (twice) being inches away from putting the Bianconeri ahead.

Before half-time, a beautiful blue sky suddenly turned into a monsoon-like downpour, allied with hailstones and thunder and lightning. The pitch soon became as waterlogged as a World War One trench.

It appeared inevitable that the game would be suspended when referee Pierluigi Collina came out during the break and attempted to bounce the ball, only to see it stop dead in the puddles of water.

Both sets of players waited in the changing rooms for 82 minutes before, incredibly, they were eventually called back out to play the second-half.

The conditions were truly horrific with the ball regularly holding up in the aqua-pools. The match became something of a lottery, and astonishingly Perugia took the lead thanks to a superb volley from Alessandro Calori on 50 minutes.

Juventus laid siege as they looked to salvage the Scudetto, but a string of missed chances (including an Inzaghi sitter), as well as a quite impossible playing field, saw Perugia hold on.

With Lazio beating Reggina 3-0 (and watching almost the whole of Juventus’ second-half on the Stadio Olimpico pitch) Sven Goran Eriksson’s men were crowned champions.

This had been an unlikely triumph for the Swede, whose side had trailed Juventus by five points with three games remaining and nine points several weeks earlier.

Juventus were furious, and protested that the game should never have resumed in such conditions and after such a long delay.

Collina has been detested by the club’s fans ever since. But that was and is no consolation for Ancelotti, who still has a notable sense of exasperation whenever the subject rears its head.

A decade on from sinking in the Perugia whirlpool, he will be determined not to drown again when Chelsea host Wigan Athletic at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Essien In Ghana's Plans

Michael Essien has been included in a provisional 30-man squad for Ghana ahead of the World Cup.

The Chelsea midfielder has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury during the African Cup of Nations in January.

Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has been keeping a close eye on the 27-year-old's rehabilitation and has named him in a squad for a training camp at the end of May.

Rajevac has also selected four players, including three goalkeepers, who play club football in Ghana.

Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has been called up despite previously playing for Germany at youth level, although his inclusion in the final World Cup party depends on a green light from Fifa.

Boateng's brother Jerome was named in a provisional Germany squad earlier this week and the two could play against each other at the World Cup.

Ghana open their Group D campaign against Serbia on 13 June before taking on Australia six days later and then Germany on 23rd June.

Chelsea Set For £40m Raid On AC Milan Striker

AC Milan striker Pato could be on his way to Chelsea after Roman Abramovich gave the go-ahead to a £40m bid.

Carlo Ancelotti has identified the Brazilian as his number one summer target and informal talks between the clubs are believed to have already begun.

The Blues tried to land Pato last summer but had to let their interest cool over doubts about their transfer ban and because Milan did not want to ship out another key player after selling Kaka to Real Madrid.

Yet the Italians are now short of cash and are thought to be receptive to a deal.

Chelsea Starlet Set For FC Twente Loan Spell

Chelsea will send brilliant babe Jeffrey Bruma to Twente Enschede next season to play Champions League football - and come back as a first-teamer.

The 18-year-old Dutch centre half led the club’s kids to FA Youth Cup glory and has also made a couple of first-team appearances for the Stamford Bridge club this season.

But supremo Frank Arnesen thinks Bruma would benefit from a spell of regular action back in his homeland and a deal is teed up - whether Steve McClaren stays as coach or not.

Bruma, who joined Chelsea as a kid, is tipped to be John Terry’s eventual successor but the teenager needs to get games to continue his progress. Twente won the title and will be in the elite competition next season.

Malouda: 'Title Failure Would Be Worst Blow Of My Career'

Florent Malouda has admitted it would be “the worst blow” of his career if Chelsea failed to win the Premier League title.

The French winger has been one of the stars of the Blues’ season which sees them just one win from claiming their first league title since 2006.

Chelsea must keep their nerve to beat Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and Malouda said: “Nobody here even thinks about anything other than a victory. To fail would be a disaster.

“For me, it would be the worst blow in my career, but with our fans at Stamford Bridge behind us we believe that’s impossible.

“If you analyse the numbers and statistics in our season, then Chelsea deserve to be champions and yet we know we must still win on Sunday to confirm our achievement.

“We will forget the nerves and we know we will have to play with our heads and be patient. I am totally convinced we will be champions.”

It has been one of the most exciting title races in the history of the Premier League with the three-way race between Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal developing into a two-horse race in the past three weeks.

Now, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will try to ensure there are no slip-ups against Stoke, meaning Chelsea must win against Wigan to avoid the unthinkable.

But having lost at the DW Stadium already this season, Malouda has been quick to emphasise Carlo Ancelotti’s side cannot afford to take the Latics lightly.

Malouda said: “We know Wigan will not give up against us, but our chance of winning the title should be big enough to overcome any obstacle placed in front of us.

“The key to beating Wigan will be to score the first goal, we must not think about Manchester United and for Chelsea the only interest is our match.”

This season Malouda, 29, has been in easily his best form since arriving from Lyon in a £12million deal in 2007.

And the Frenchman, who has just been voted Blues’ player of the year by his team-mates, hopes a Chelsea title win will only be the first part of a double celebration.

Malouda added: “I came to the Premier League to win titles and personally I am very motivated for Sunday. The day when you can win a title is special for any player, it hardly happens every day.

“The squad is in good shape and we have so much belief and confidence. I’m optimistic but we still haven’t won the title yet.

“United is a tough rival, a great team, but I think we have been consistent – we’ve won twice against them.

“We’re ahead of them by such a small margin and that shows how competitive it has been. We have great respect for them.

“Personally, I am determined to win two trophies this season and if we can achieve that then I will enjoy a really special celebration.”

Lampard Desires Double Glory

Frank Lampard claims he will rate this season as his finest in Chelsea colours if they win the double.

The England international became the first midfielder to breach the 20-goal barrier in the Premier League last weekend when he grabbed the second goal in the 2-0 win at Liverpool to put the Blues within touching distance of the title.

Carlo Ancelotti's side can clinch top spot when Wigan visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday, while an FA Cup final against Portsmouth follows the week after with Chelsea red-hot favourites to win the trophy for the second successive year.

And Lampard insists he is ready to show his worth once again as he bids for glory on two fronts.

"Because of the goals I have scored in this run-in, this season is up there with my best already," the 31-year-old, who has scored nine goals in his last seven games, said in The Sun.

"Last season was my best yet all-round because of the way I played, but then you think how important it is to perform at the business end of the season.

"You always remember the players that turn up for the big games and help win leagues - guys like Wayne Rooney or Thierry Henry.

"So, if we do go on to win it this season, then I would have to say that for the trophies and the goals that this is my best campaign."

Chelsea have endured several distractions this term with John Terry and Ashley Cole subjects of off-field allegations about their personal lives, while the club were forced to fight off a transfer embargo following the signing of Gael Kakuta.

Lampard, however, believes everything which might have thrown Chelsea off course in their pursuit of trophies, has in fact, made them stronger.

"People should realise that it has been a mad season," the former West Ham player added.

"Stuff has happened on and off the pitch to make things more difficult but there has been a positive reaction from all of us.

"True, there have been times when we have not been at our best but who else has scored seven goals three times in the league?

"We have overcome a lot but we are a strong group at Chelsea and if we weren't we would not have pushed ourselves to the brink of winning a Double."

Manchester United Could Launch Audacious Bid For Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka

Manchester United are ready to raid their title rivals for Nicolas Anelka should contract talks with Chelsea break down, according to The Sun.

The tabloid claims that the France international striker, who has one year remaining on his current Blues deal, is a target for United.

Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson is looking for a replacement for Bulgarian mis-firing forward Dimitar Berbatov, who has failed to impress at Old Trafford since his £30.75 million move from Tottenham Hotspur.

Ferguson was thought to be keen to bring the well-travelled Anelka to Old Trafford in 2008, when the Frenchman left Bolton Wanderers for Chelsea in an £18m move.

Anelka has already played for five Premier League teams but could join United for a reported fee of around £8m.

Ferguson is thought to want a strike partner for Wayne Rooney next season and the experienced Anelka, who was the Premier League’s top scorer last season, could fit the bill.

Premier League Is Still The Best, Says Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard has insisted the Premier League is stronger than ever as Chelsea stand on the brink of winning the title for the first time since 2006.

The Chelsea vice-captain rejects suggestions the league is not as strong as in previous years as they prepare to face Wigan Athletic at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

A win for Chelsea, who head the table over Manchester United by a single point, will guarantee them the title in Carlo Ancelotti's first season as coach.

The Italian's team have been defeated six times in league games this campaign, but they are in pole position at the most crucial point of the season.

"This is the position we wanted to be in," said Lampard. "Some people have said the league has gone downhill but I don't think it has.

"The league has improved because the teams in the middle of the table and down the bottom have been fighting even harder and are more organised.

"It has proved more difficult for the bigger teams to win regularly week in, week out, and if we can win one more game it will be a big achievement to win it this year due to circumstances.

"To win the league you can never have it smooth and there are not many seasons when it is plain sailing all the way through.

"You are fighting against big teams in Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and others and there are times you have to stay strong. In the moments when we were down this season we have stayed strong."

Lampard will earn his third champion's medal should Chelsea achieve their aim.

Chelsea, under coach Jose Mourinho, won the title in 2005 and 2006, and another triumph would also end a run of three successive title successes by United.

Watching Sir Alex Ferguson's side take the trophy three times in a row only increased Lampard's desire to win the trophy again.

"Credit to them, they deserved to win it in recent seasons," said Lampard. "We are there to battle with them and we have been in touching distance.

"I was very proud of winning the league twice, particularly the first time because of all the years Chelsea had gone without it.

"It was a huge thing to be part of that group but if we can go and win the Double it will be right up there with that because not many clubs have done it in history."

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba claims he will gladly forego winning the Golden Boot this season if Chelsea can land the League title and then secure 'The Double' by beating Portsmouth in the FA Cup final on May 15.

Drogba is vying for the scoring award with Wayne Rooney on 26 goals and he has already collected the club's player of the year award.

"It has been the best season in my career so far," said Drogba. "When you have a season like this, individual trophies like player of the year are good, but I want more and I want to share with my friends.

"I really want to win the Premier League trophy and the FA Cup again, this is very important.

"I really don't mind if I don't win that (the Golden Boot) and I win the Double. That is really what matters.

"It has been a great season and I am really happy. Everybody knows my history with the fans here and there have been some difficult moments, but really and honestly we are always talking the same language and that is Chelsea."

Drogba also hailed the influence of Ancelotti.

"It is his first year here and it could be the best season in Chelsea's history so I hope that there will be more seasons like this one," added Drogba.

"He put a lot of confidence in this team and a desire to play well, start from the back, short passes - completely different to what we were doing before.

"There are many ways to win football matches and I think this way is one of the best."

Didier Drogba: Our Solidarity During John Terry Scandal Was The Turning Point In The Season

Didier Drogba has admitted that the manner in which the Chelsea squad overcame the ‘storm’ of John Terry’s off-the-field problems proved the turning point in their season.

The Chelsea skipper was the subject of intense media coverage after allegations of an affair with the former partner of Wayne Bridge, once a teammate at Stamford Bridge, broke, resulting in Fabio Capello’s decision to strip him of the England captaincy.

Drogba admits that the Blues performances suffered as a result of the intensity of the situation, but believes that the camaraderie of the squad pulled them through.

“We showed solidarity between us just as we've always done each time the club is in the middle of a storm,” Drogba told France Football magazine.

"I think it was a key moment of our season because we were losing points on the field and Terry was not performing as well as usual."

The club’s top goalscorer insisted that whilst their Champions League elimination at the hands of Inter was a disappointment, the prospect of securing a Premier League and FA Cup double means that the season can still be a success for Chelsea; a campaign which has produced his best performances since he arrived at Stamford Bridge.

"I think it's been by far my best season here... ending the season ahead of Rooney in the scoring charts would be the icing on the cake," Drogba added.

"It still can be a good season because only six teams have completed this double in England until now. If we achieve that, we'll make history.”

Ancelotti: Same Again

Carlo Ancelotti has paid tribute to his side's focus ahead of our final Barclays Premier League game of the season this weekend, and will keep his side unchanged.

The stakes could not be higher as we prepare to entertain Wigan at Stamford Bridge knowing three points will guarantee the title, and the Italian will keep faith with the side that started at Anfield last Sunday.

If the pressure is on, it certainly has not shown at Cobham this week, where it has been very much business as usual, as it was prior to last weekend's win over Liverpool.

'I saw my players focused during the week and they knew very well how important the game was,' Ancelotti said. 'This weekend is the same, to be champions we have to play as we played against Liverpool.

'We have to maintain the same confidence in our play, the same determination because nothing is decided. We have to pay a lot of attention because there are not other games, if you miss this game you do not have the possibility of recovery.

'We are in a very good situation, we wanted to arrive at the end of the season with more points but we can decide our destiny in our home at Stamford Bridge so this is a good thing.

'The team is fit, in good condition and has fantastic motivation for this game. We have to be ready and have to play 90 minutes. We come to play this game and try the best, they have a very good team, they beat us in the last game we played and we have to pay attention.'

With the mention of team fitness came the news that Ricardo Carvalho is expected to rejoin the squad in training next week, though the FA Cup Final may come too soon for him. One man who will definitely miss out is John Mikel Obi who had meniscus surgery this week, but Ancelotti does expect the Nigerian to be ready for the World Cup.

Before then, Ancelotti hopes to have the futures of a number of senior figures sorted, notably Joe Cole who he still expects to remain a Chelsea player.

'I think that Joe Cole will stay here, and I rarely make a mistake,' he began. 'In January I said nobody will come, and nobody came, and I think Joe will stay. We have 10 days to wait because the club will speak with Joe Cole and the other players that are at the end of their contracts after the Cup Final.'

Assessing the season as a whole at this stage is difficult for Ancelotti, though he stands on the precipice of becoming the first man ever to lead us to the Double. Typically modest, he believes it is the work of the players that means it would be fully deserved, and picked out one man in particular whose character typifies the squad.

'This season for me if I have to consider the work of my players I think they worked very well, every one,' he said. 'A lot of players didn't play for five or six months, and when they played they played very well. This means the group works very well during the season and maintains a good motivation. If you want one name, it is [Paulo] Ferreira.'

Ballack Set To Discuss Future

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has confirmed talks will soon take place over his future with the London club, but he has not ruled out moving to another Premier League outfit.

The Germany captain's contract expires at the end of next month and he has yet to find out whether the Blues are prepared to offer him an extension, but he told Germany's WDR radio that his future will soon be resolved.

"After the season, we are definitely going to hold talks with the (Chelsea) decision makers and then we will see where things go from there," he said.

"My primary aim is to stay in the Premier League."

The 33-year-old has been linked with a move back to the Bundesliga with Schalke emerging as a surprise candidate to sign him.

But he says he would "prefer not to comment" on such rumours which "are always around when no decision has been made" about the future of a player who is set to become a free agent in the summer.

Instead, he is concentrating on helping Germany to World Cup glory after a provisional squad of 27 was announced by the national team coach Joachim Low today.

"We, like many other nations, want to win the World Cup," he proclaimed.

"We have qualified with good performances and we will be self-confident.

"We may have had a few dips in form in recent months, but we will prepare ourselves well."

Drogba Is On The Spot For Blues

Frank Lampard will let Didier Drogba be Chelsea's penalty-taker against Wigan on Sunday, with the aim to wreck rival Wayne Rooney's Golden Boot dream.

Ivory Coast star Drogba said: "To finish above Rooney in the scorers' table would be the cherry on the cake.

"Three years ago, I finished above him and we didn't win the league. There was something missing.

"But if there is a penalty to take, I have already agreed with Lampard that I will take it."

Both Drogba and Manchester United star Rooney are locked on 26 goals heading into the final Premiership weekend.

Drogba has been in sensational scoring form for Carlo Ancelotti's men, as they close in on the title.

His killer strike at Old Trafford last month was the turning point of the campaign.

He added: "I think it's my best season here by far. I have been consistent, despite going to the Africa Cup of Nations for a month and a half in the heat of Angola.

"It was hard going from 35C to minus four! You come home and two days later you have to face Hull. It's not easy. Despite this, I've had no bad patch.

"Can Chelsea lose the title? Nothing is done yet. But it would be crazy to let it go now.

"Only six teams have ever done the Double in England. By doing it, we would enter the history of English football."

Joe Cole Will Seek Move Abroad If He Fails To Agree New Chelsea Deal

Chelsea's Joe Cole will seek a move away from the Premier League if he cannot agree a new deal with the club - with Serie A giants AC Milan and Inter both keen on the England midfielder, Goal.com UK can reveal.

The 28-year-old could head of a list of top stars available for free this summer, with his contract set to expire and no apparent progress on an extension.

A host of Chelsea's domestic rivals have been linked with Cole as negotiations have stalled, including Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and his former club West Ham United.

Yet sources close to the player indicate that he would snub all his English suitors and pursue a move abroad if he can't strike a deal to stay at Stamford Bridge.

"A number of foreign clubs have expressed their interest," said the source. "Everyone knows his style would suit the continental game."

Cole has long been linked with a move to the continent, with Claudio Ranieri attempting to bring him to Valencia after returning to the Mestalla from Stamford Bridge in 2004.

Now Serie A rivals Milan and Inter are understood to be monitoring the situation closely. The Rossoneri will again have to strengthen on a budget this summer, so the midfielder's out-of-contract status makes him an attractive prospect. Despite English players having a reputation for often struggling to adapt to foreign climes, the San Siro club were highly impressed by the contribution of David Beckham in his two loan spells in Europe's fashion capital.

Inter have greater means at their disposal and are equally keen on Cole. Jose Mourinho has lost patience with both Mancini and Ricardo Quaresma, and will attempt to offload the pair in the summer. This will in turn create a vacancy for a creative wide player, and the 53-cap England man's profile fits the bill. It was Inter coach Mourinho who made Cole into a first-team regular in his time at Stamford Bridge, and after a difficult opening to their working relationship, a bond of mutual respect was formed.

If Cole does manage to make Fabio Capello's World Cup squad, his stock would rise further and it would give him an even greater choice of prospective destinations.

Few developments are expected until the end of Chelsea's domestic season on May 15, as the club have stated on a number of occasions recently that they will not be entering into contract discussions before that point.

Didier Drogba Keen To See Bayern Munich Star Franck Ribery Join Him At Chelsea

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has revealed that he would welcome Franck Ribery to Stamford Bridge, should the Blues attempt to sign the Frenchman from Bayern Munich in the summer.

Reports yesterday indicated that perhaps the Blues' interest in Ribery may have cooled due to his personal issues, but Drogba insists that the winger would be a positive signing for the west Londoners should Carlo Ancelotti decide to move for the player.

"I know Franck from my time at Guingamp. If he comes to Chelsea, I will be happy. He is hungry. I like hungry players," Drogba told reporters.

Deco Set For Fluminense Move

Chelsea star Deco could be set for a move to Brazilian outfit Fluminense, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

The 32-year-old midfielder is said to be eager for a switch to Brazil, where he was born, in order to be closer to his sons in Rio de Janeiro. Fluminense are believed to have made the first move to give him his wish, with Flamengo — Deco's first club — and Corinthians also interested.

Deco still has a year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge, but with Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti ready to shake up his ageing squad, and with the player himself publicly stating he was ready to leave, the former Barcelona man will be allowed to leave for a cut-price fee.

According to the report, a meeting between Deco and Chelsea officials is planned for after the Blues' final Premier League fixture of the season with Wigan Athletic on Sunday.

Deco is due to meet up with Portugal's World Cup squad soon after the following week's FA Cup final against Portsmouth, and both he and Fluminense believed to be keen to iron out any potential deal as soon as possible.

Twice a Champions League winner - with FC Porto and Barcelona - Deco has made 55 appearances for Chelsea, scoring six goals.

Joe Cole Seeking A Move To Tottenham In The Summer

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole is keen to reunite with Harry Redknapp and join Champions League bound Tottenham Hotspur in the summer.

Cole’s current deal with the Blues expires after the season and with contract negotiations at a standstill the England international would like to join his former manager at Spurs next season.

Tottenham clinched fourth place with a 1-0 win over Manchester City on Wednesday, but Cole was already interested in a move to White Hart Lane, according to The Sun.

Manchester City and Liverpool have also shown interest in the 28-year-old but Cole would join Spurs if they can match the £100,000-a-week salary demands the Englishman has made.

Redknapp managed Cole at West Ham United but if Spurs are steadfast in their refusal to offer the midfielder more than £60,000-a-week they could miss out of the chance to sign him.

Spurs are reportedly interested in City winger Craig Bellamy and Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar in an attempt to bolster their squad for Champions League football next season.

Consistency Is The Key

Ray Wilkins admitted he wouldn't have been able to whittle his vote for Player of the Year down to one footballer on Friday night.

The assistant first team coach has been delighted by the team's performances this season and believes the coherence in the side made it nearly impossible to pick one single player for the award.

'The consistency level the players have shown is the all-important aspect. They have all contributed,' explained Wilkins.

'Everybody has done such a great job this year it was very difficult to choose, whether it's a goalkeeper, defender, midfield player or forward player. Look at Frank Lampard, 26 goals from a midfield player in one season is phenomenal.

'We've had such a consistent season and if anybody deserves to win the double, it's these boys.'

Wilkins went on to explain why he'd have found it hard to pick one player: 'I would have two, either Florent or Branislav Ivanovic.

'Saying that had Ashley not been injured he would have had my vote, in my opinion he was one of the best footballers in the world at the time of his injury.

'But Branislav has had a wonderful season; he's been playing out of position, we have asked him to fill in at right-back and he has done a wonderful job.

'Paulo [Ferreira] is a fantastic footballer but they have different qualities. At times we've needed the subtlety of Paulo and then at other times we've needed the force of Ivanovic, it's worked really well.'

Wilkins also had trouble deciding on his Goal of the Season, which was eventually won by Ashley Cole for his strike against Sunderland.

'It was lovely to see a Conor Clifford goal in there,' said Wilkins, 'he has scored some very good goals, including a fantastically important one here in the FA Youth Cup Final, but for me it would have been too hard to choose.'

Another man who once won the prestigious Player of the Year Award was also at Friday night's event in a different capacity.

Carlo Cudicini attended the dinner to help present Peter Bonetti with a special recognition award and it brought memories flooding back for the Italian.

'Since day one of the first season I was here it was something nice to be part of,' reports Cudicini, speaking of the awards dinner.

'In Italy it doesn't exist so it was something new to me and then, after three years, I was lucky enough to win it which is one of my best memories at Chelsea.

'Being awarded Player of the Year by the fans was fantastic. It is something very special, and it is a night that holds very good memories, it's always nice to be part of.'

Drogba Wins The Big Vote

Didier Drogba has been named Chelsea Player of the Year for the first time.

The striker has been rewarded for another outstanding season that has seen him net 33 goals so far by polling the most votes from the fans. He is the 43rd recipient and was presented with the trophy by Carlo Ancelotti.

'Wow!' began his acceptance speech, delivered after he had invited all his team mates to join him on stage.

'Thank you to all the fans from my heart.

'When I came here it wasn't easy for me, I made a lot of mistakes and they always tried to help me. My only desire was to love this club and win a lot of trophies. This is the happiest I have ever been and I want this moment to continue for years and years.'

Florent Malouda has been declared Samsung Chelsea Players' Player of the Year, decided by a vote among his fellow professionals and the staff who work closely with the first team.

In the first award announced at the annual Player of the Year dinner, held in the Great Hall in the West Stand at Stamford Bridge, Ashley Cole's attacking prowess from full-back gave him the Chelsea TV Award for Goal of the Season, also voted for by the supporters.

His goal at home to Sunderland in January when he took John Terry's excellent floated pass and in three touches controlled it, put his marker on his backside and then chipped over the keeper at the Shed End was the pick of the season's best.

'I had been practicing hard in training with Lamps and Didier and normally they went over the bar,' Cole said about the goal. 'They teach me shooting techniques and at the time it was just instinct to hit the ball with the outside of my foot.

'In training the day before I did the same to a player when JT gave me the ball, I'm not going to name him, and funnily enough I said I was going to score in this game. It was a great ball from JT, we have a good understanding and we try to do that a lot, and the guy dived in when probably he shouldn't have done. As I took the touch I did a 'Cruyff' and luckily the keeper went down and I chipped it over him.'

Cole was presented with a trophy by Kerry Dixon; Malouda's was handed over by Dennis Wise.

Malouda said: 'It has been one of my best seasons and I would like to thank my team mates, they are the best jury, but I prefer collective awards so I ask them to please help me win that Double.'

The Adidas Young Player of the Year quite rightly went to the entire Under 18 squad who brought the FA Youth Cup back to Stamford Bridge after a 49-year wait, thanks to their win over Aston Villa two days ago. Climbing on to the stage was a nice moment for midfielder Kaby who missed Tuesday's Youth Cup trophy presentation having been taken to hospital.

Peter Bonetti was handed a special recognition award for his 729 appearances and important place in the club's history. He was the Chelsea Player of the Year in the award's inaugural year in 1967. His 2010 accolade was presented by three of his successors in goal for the Blues, Carlo Cudicini, Petr Cech and Eddie Niedzwiecki.

There was a new award for Chelsea Contribution which went to press accreditation officer Thresa Conneely who has given 33-years of service.

Kalou Taking Aim At Title

Chelsea's in-form winger Salomon Kalou is in the mood to fire the Blues to their first league title since 2006 after grabbing a first hat-trick for the club in his last home outing.

Kalou smashed a treble as Chelsea demolished Stoke 7-0 and the Ivory Coast international admits he is in the best form of his career in England as the Blues stand on the brink of a Barclays Premier League and FA Cup Double.

Kalou, 24, has started three out of the last four games and is determined to win his first Barclays title by helping Chelsea to beat Wigan in their final home match of the season.

Three points against the Latics would guarantee Carlo Ancelotti's side the Barclays crown in the Italian's first season in England and Kalou is in the kind of form to help.

"I think it is my best form and I think it is because I keep playing," said the Ivorian.

"Before I used to play one game and then not play and then play the next game. Now I have started the last couple of games and I am looking forward to finishing the season strongly.

"I have scored a lot of hat-tricks before with Feyenoord. It was something that I was looking forward to doing at Chelsea and they never came.

"To do it at this part of the season is very important for me and for the team because that win against Stoke gave a boost for the team to go for the title. I hope Sunday will be the same scenario and we will win at home in front of the fans.

"After 10 months of hard work, if we don't capitalise on Sunday all that work will be in vain. Just one game can spoil everything and we have to play like we want to be champions.

"In the whole season you can't play at the same level and be on top every time. The difference in winning the title is when you are not on top form you have to come back to the basics where you fight for every game, and that is what we do well.

"I get better every season and I want to get better every season. I can learn a lot.

"The second season I played better than the first. The third season I scored important goals for the club and this season I think I am playing stronger than I ever did before.

"I think that hard work is paying off and every year I can develop myself as a player and one day become that player people expect me to be at Chelsea."

Kalou insists the Chelsea squad is doing nothing different in terms of their preparation for Sunday's crucial encounter and while other teams may show some fatigue, the Blues are motivated by the prize on offer.

"We are just training like we train before every game and even if it is the most important game of the season, if we play like we know how to play then it should be a nice game to watch," added Kalou.

"We should go there and enjoy the moment because you don't get these opportunities always. Playing for the title in front of your own supporters, we have to enjoy that and make them enjoy it as well and hopefully in the end we can all celebrate together.

"I think everyone feels the season has been a long season but we don't show it because we have a big prize at the end to play for. When you have such a good prize at the end the adrenalin makes you not think about being tired."

If Chelsea clinches the title on Sunday, they can become only the seventh team in the history of the English game to achieve the double by beating Portsmouth in the FA Cup final on May 15 and Kalou is determined to finally start such a massive game.

In 2007, he came on during extra-time in the FA Cup Final and remained on the bench in last year's final success over Everton.

"It's step by step and I have never even started any type of final for Chelsea," said Kalou.

"This could be my first one and it would be a special game for me which I am looking forward to."

Mikel Out Of Cup Final

Chelsea have been dealt a blow with the news that John Obi Mikel will miss the FA Cup final after undergoing minor knee surgery.

The 23-year-old midfielder has been out for the last three weeks following a challenge from Bolton's Kevin Davies in last month's Premier League clash.

He started the next game against Tottenham but was forced off early on after a recurrence of the problem.

Mikel will also miss the last game of the league campaign on Sunday, when a win for the Blues against Wigan at Stamford Bridge will be enough to clinch the title.

The Nigerian has started three FA Cup games this season, against Cardiff, Stoke and Aston Villa, and Michael Ballack could deputise in his place.

Morgan Eyes Blues Deal

Wolves say they are planning to hold talks with Chelsea over the possibility of keeping Michael Mancienne next season.

The England under-21 star has impressed during his season-long loan spell at Molineux and Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is keen to extend the loan into next season as well.

Chelsea are likely to sanction the move but all talks are on hold until the end of the season as the Blues are more concerned about Sunday's final game of the season against Wigan.

"We would like to see Michael again," Wolves owner Steve Morgan said. "There's a conversation to be had with Chelsea. He has been a great signing for us, a first-class player and someone we would love to see wearing a Wolves shirt next season.

"But Chelsea have their hands full at the moment. They aren't ready to open talks yet. It will happen in due course."

Chelsea To Sign Gonzalo Higuain From Real Madrid For £34m Should Bid For Liverpool's Fernando Torres Fail

Chelsea will turn to Spain for alternatives should their bid to sign Fernando Torres from Liverpool this summer fail, and make an offer for Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph.

The report claims that Higuain is known to Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti and that Luciano Moggi, a former Juventus executive who is close to the Chelsea boss, is pushing the claims of the Argentine.

The 22-year-old forward is requesting a salary of €4.5 million (£3.9m), and would also expect payments of €4m to be paid to his agents for brokering the deal, something which could prove to be a sticking point in future given Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's views on such matters.

French-born Argentine international Higuain has probably pushed himself into Diego Maradonna's squad for the World Cup this summer after hitting 20 goals in La Liga with Real.

However, Chelsea are only expected to bid fro Higuain should their attempts to sign Torres stall, whilst their interest in Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero also seems to have cooled with the asking price of €50m being deemed too high by the Blues hierarchy.

Gianluigi Buffon On Chelsea Radars

Juventus goalkeeper Gianlugi Buffon is Premier League-bound with Chelsea ready to land him, according to Italian newspaper reports.

Tuttosport and La Gazzetta dello Sport are claiming €25 million-rated Buffon is heading for the Premier League and he has asked directors to resolve his future before the World Cup in June.

The 32-year-old Italian international said his intention is to remain at the club, but should he be sold his first choice destination would be England.

"My will to leave is the same as Juventus', and if I do then I would like to move to England," he told Sky Sport 24 on Sunday.

That seemed to open the door to his Turin exit, and both Chelsea and United are on stand-by. Carlo Ancelotti is a keen admirer of him having worked with the keeper at both Parma and Juventus.

Buffon's future could be linked to the decision over a new coach at Juventus, with Rafael Benitez, Cesare Prandelli and Luciano Spalletti all linked with taking over the hot seat.

Should the goalkeeper part company with the Bianconeri, the club is looking at Cagliari shot-stopper Federico Marchetti as a first choice replacement. Palermo's Salvatore Sirigu and Udinese custodian Samir Handanovic are also on the list of choices.

Frank Lampard Haunted By England's Penalty Shoot-Out Failures

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has said England need more "self belief" should their World Cup ambitions depend on the outcome of a penalty shoot-out in South Africa.

Since the 1990 World Cup, England have been knocked out of five major tournaments on penalties - losing to Portugal (2004 and 2006) and Germany (1990 and 1996) on two occasions.

Argentina accounted for England on spot-kicks at the 1998 World Cup in France.

Lampard believes England can lift the World Cup but says the fear of being eliminated by penalties does haunt him.

"I think it has become a bit of an issue in the mind,” Lampard told The Sun.

"No matter how well we have played in a match, when it comes down to penalties, you think: 'Oh s*** here we go again'.

"Once you've got that mindset, it is hard to get out of it.

"That's why the Germans are so good at it. They get to penalties and they have a confidence, an arrogance I suppose that they are going to win.

"England need more of that self-belief."

Lampard has been one of England's stand-out performers this season, scoring 21 goals for Chelsea, who are in pole position to clinch the Premier League title on the final day of the season.

Drogba Kicks Off 'Sports In The City' Initiative

Didier Drogba has launched a new sport program to get young Londoners active this summer.

Chelsea's UK charity partner Help a London Child will run a Sport in the City initiative offering thousands of young people aged 7 to 15 the chance to experience taster sessions in sport during the summer holidays.

Utilising funding from the Premier League's Creating Chances program and Chelsea's Community Shield allocation from The FA, a specially-designed program will be drawn up to provide activities in a variety of sports including football, dance, boxercise, tennis, squash, badminton, circuits, basketball, swimming, breakdance, Futsal, trampolining, streetdance, table tennis, cheerleading, kickboxing, netball and hockey.

The Chelsea striker joined children from a Help a London Child-funded project in north Fulham to kick off the scheme.

'It is really important that kids enjoy sport from an early age and I hope this campaign will see thousands of young people continue with sport throughout their lives,' Drogba says.

'Obviously sport can promote health but it also helps bring people together and can help tackle many of the problems that young people face by giving them positive distractions. I hope the scheme goes from strength to strength and more and more people get involved.'

Sport in the City will form part of the Free Sport for All program, launched by 95.8 Capital FM's Help a London Child in 2008, which provides children with the opportunity to take part in sport across London, in particular disabled and disadvantaged children. The scheme will run throughout the summer holidays this year.

Tamsyn Clark, acting director of charities said, 'The new Sport in the City initiative is a fantastic addition to the work that Help a London Child is already doing with Free Sport for All.Sport has such a positive effect on young people, teaching them teamwork and communication skills and with the Olympics coming to London this is an ideal opportunity to get children interested in sport. Players like Didier are an inspiration to young people and we're delighted to have both his and Chelsea's support.'

The day with Didier was made possible by Chelsea fan Luca Doimi who won the prize at Didier's Foundation dinner and donated the coaching session to Help a London Child. Mr. Doimi's generous contribution was the inspiration behind Sport in the City and along with the Premier League and The FA has made this fantastic initiative possible

Chelsea's Academy Hailed By Drummy

Chelsea youth team manager Dermot Drummy has hailed the success of the west London side’s Under-18 side after they beat Aston Villa to win the FA Youth Cup earlier this week.

The Blues have relied heavily on big-money foreign signings to bring success to Stamford Bridge during the Roman Abramovich era but have gradually promoted the rise of their young stars in recent seasons with Carlo Ancelotti stressing the importance of the Chelsea Academy.

Speaking in the aftermath of Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Villa, Drummy told the club’s official website:

"You have to give credit to the young lads for playing that way in front of all those people.

"To take the ball down and play when you might take a risk and the crowd sees you make a mistake takes courage and a strong philosophy.

"They did it admirably. The crowd was absolutely fantastic, they got behind the boys.

"It was a great Youth Cup Final over two legs. Full credit to Aston Villa, they performed very well and scored with a great header.

"The game was played in the right spirit, there was no moaning at the referee and the Villa coaches were very complimentary about us at the end and that was nice.

"I am very pleased for everyone in the academy, especially for (academy manager) Neil Bath, who has been here 14 years.

"It is a fantastic Academy and we have got to keep that going."

Cascarino: Chelsea Won The Title Against ‘Pathetic’ Liverpool Last Weekend

I have been asked numerous times this week whether I think Chelsea will drop points at home to Wigan at the weekend and the answer has to be…no. The 2-0 win at Liverpool effectively means that Carlo Ancelotti’s team won the title last weekend as I cannot see Roberto Martinez’ team stopping the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

People argue that amazing things happen all the time in football and while that’s true, 99% of the time it doesn’t. I have no doubts that Chelsea will beat Wigan relatively comfortably and I would be more than happy to take bets from whoever thinks otherwise. The tough game in this run-in should have been at Anfield but to be honest, Rafa Benitez’ team were pretty pathetic on the day and not what you would expect from what is a great club. Ok, they put up a fight for 20 or so minutes but football is played over 90 minutes and the Reds in this time were distinctly second best. After all, Chelsea didn’t even play particularly well themselves but still won at a canter as Liverpool didn’t manage a shot on target for god knows how long.

Liverpool were there for the taking which is a sad indictment of how far they’ve fallen this season. Fair enough, they lost a draining Europa League semi-final against Atletico Madrid on Thursday night and were without their best striker but a club of their standard should be able to bounce back. The Reds team had the look of a side that would be glad to see the back of what has been a simply terrible season. Even at the end of the match the fans left in droves as a half empty Anfield clapped off their team after a 2009/10 campaign to forget.

Chelsea will win the title but even they haven’t played as well as they can through much of the campaign. They were simply awful at Tottenham when they were really given the run around which you just wouldn’t expect from this Chelsea team but they remain top and will lift the title with the double looking a certainty.

The big four clubs have all been weaker than they have been in recent seasons but out of all of them, Chelsea were weakened the least. Manchester United lost two top quality players in Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo while Liverpool have never recovered from the sale of Xabi Alonso while Arsenal have flattered to deceive but ultimately not rectified the obvious frailties in their squad. Chelsea kept their squad together and although they barely strengthened it, that has been enough.

Next season will be even more interesting with the likes of Tottenham, Manchester City and Everton likely to be up there. All of those teams will strengthen with City definitely looking to bring in more talent which makes them a real threat to the usual status quo. Liverpool are the main team out of the big four that needs to strengthen the most which was backed up by comments from Rafa Benitez that he needed five or six new players in the summer. Now if you have been manager of a club for as long as the Spaniard that is a big statement as he has had enough time to build a capable squad, it’s not as if he has just joined a club that needs an overhaul, this is the team he has built. Those comments are a sad indictment of his own work and surely doesn’t reflect well on his own purchases.

Chelsea may secure the title this weekend but for me, the win at Anfield was the result that means the Blues are on course for a historic domestic double. Manchester United fans will be praying but there won’t be any shocks at Stamford Bridge this weekend.

Cech Proud Of Tough Blues

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has hailed the team's resilience this season as they stand on the brink of an historic League and FA Cup double.

Chelsea's victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday made it six out of six against this season's Champions League-qualified teams - the first time in the Premier League era that a clean sweep over the other three has been achieved.

It is a marked contrast to last season when Chelsea won just one of the corresponding games - away to Arsenal. The other five yielded a home draw to Manchester United and four defeats.

But Cech highlights the team's resilience as another reason why Carlo Ancelotti's side top the Barclays summit with just one game left to play.

Whenever Chelsea suffered a setback, the Blues returned stronger and that is a major boost for Cech.

"We are confident and we know that we shouldn't lose two games in a row," said Cech. "We know that when something goes wrong, we always want to put it right the next game and so far it has worked well.

"We have won all of those big games home and away. Last season, before the change of the manager, we gave points to our rivals."

Sunday's results moved Cech level with Liverpool's Pepe Reina in the race for the Premier League Golden Glove. Both now have 16 clean sheets.

But Cech is putting all thoughts of personal glory aside as Chelsea chase their first title since 2006 this weekend.

Victory over Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Sunday would deliver the Barclays crown in Ancelotti's first season in charge.

"If at the beginning of the season someone had said we were going to play the last game at home and a win would win the league, I think everybody would have signed for it," declared Cech. "So we know what we have to do. We play at home and it is always good if you can win a title at home."

Nicolas Anelka Ready To Sign Two-Year Contract Extension At Chelsea

Chelsea forward Nicolas Anelka is close to signing a two-year extension to remain at the club, according to the Daily Mail.

The French international's current deal expires at the end of next season, and both club and player have been in negotiations for a number of months. Anelka has reportedly been looking for a £40,000 raise from his current £80,000-a-week deal, which the club have been resistant to agreeing to as they attempt to cut costs across the board.

Both Michael Ballack and Joe Cole have seen their contract talks flounder in recent weeks over wage demands, but it appears either Anelka or club chief executive Ron Gourlay have made some compromises as the forward now looks set to secure his future at Stamford Bridge until 2013.

The 31-year-old has scored nine goals in 32 Premier League games this season, adding a further seven assists.

Hernandez Pleased With Chelsea Interest

Spanish international Pablo Hernandez admits he is happy to learn that Chelsea is tracking him.

The 25-year-old Valencia wide man is reportedly high on the Blues' list of targets for the summer.

Sources close to the Spanish club have confirmed that Chelsea scouts have been watching him, although no contact has been made between the two clubs.

Speaking after Valencia's 3-1 win over Xerez on Tuesday, Hernandez admitted he was happy to hear about Chelsea following him.

"Chelsea? It is flattering to me because it demonstrates that I am doing well this season," he said.

"But now is not the moment for me to speak about this subject.

"As normal this news appears at the end of the season but the important thing for me is to continue getting victories for Valencia and to confirm our place in the Champions League."

No Chelsea Approach For Thiago

The agent of AC Milan defender Thiago Silva has played down reports linking the Brazilian with a move to Chelsea.

Sunday newspapers credited Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti, formerly of Milan, with an interest in a reunion with the 25-year-old.

But Thiago's representative, Paulo Fernando Tonietto, insists he has not been contacted by Stamford Bridge officials and that his client wants to see out his current deal at the San Siro, which lasts until 2013.

"Thiago Silva is very happy at Milan and he wants to honour his contract," Tonietto told calciomercato.it. "Galliani says he is not for sale and he is the boss."

On the rumoured interest of Chelsea, Tonietto said: "I know nothing because if there was a team interested in Thiago they should contact AC Milan, I am just his agent.

"I can only say that Ancelotti knows him well, and not only him.

"I think that Thiago Silva is the best defender in the world and these stories are further evidence of his good work this season."

Chelsea Ready To Outbid Manchester City In The Race For Liverpool Striker Fernando Torres

Chelsea will try to blow Manchester City out of the water in the race for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres this summer, planning a bid that could reach £70million to bring the Spaniard to Stamford Bridge.

Introductory talks over Torres have already occurred and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is now ready to do whatever it takes to acquire the 26-year-old star from the Reds, according to the Daily Mail.

The Blues can clinch their third Premier League title under Abramovich with a victory over Wigan Athletic at Stamford Bridge, and still have a FA Cup final against Portsmouth to look forward to.

However, despite the likelihood that Chelsea win the Double this season, Abramovich will be looking to add more stars in an effort to make a run at a Champions League title.

Torres came to Liverpool from Atletico Madrid in 2007 for £20m and recently committed to the Reds by signing a four year contract which pays him £110,000-a-week.

However, a disappointing season in which Liverpool was unable to qualify for the Champions League, and the possible departure of manager Rafael Benitez could force Torres to depart Anfield in the summer.

Manchester City will have a better chance to sign Torres if they beat out Tottenham Hotspur for the last Champions League spot, but playing for established contenders like Chelsea could be a more attractive prospect for the Spaniard.

Chelsea Set For Fight With Top European Clubs To Sign Gimnasia La Plata Star Fabian Rinaudo

Chelsea will have to battle the cream of Europe for highly rated Argentinian holding midfielder Fabian Rinaudo, according to a report in the Daily Mail.

The 22-year-old enjoys a growing reputation in the game, after a solid season with current club Gimnasia la Plata. Compared to Liverpool's Javier Mascherano, the combative holding player has reportedly caught the eye of Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The club will have to move quickly if they are to capture their man as the diminuitive youngster reportedly has a number of admirers around Europe. Spanish side Valencia have reportedly already tabled a £5 million bid for his services, while Galatasaray, Napoli and Juventus have all been linked.

In the past Everton have been tipped with an offer for Rinaudo, although the Toffees are likely to be muscled out by the increased competition if a bidding war starts this summer.

Rinauldo has been capped for Argentina by manager Diego Maradona, and is on his provisional list of players that could be in his World Cup squad.

Schalke Linked With Chelsea Midfielder Michael Ballack

German international Michael Ballack recently admitted that his Chelsea future is in doubt as contract negotiations haven't resulted in a new deal yet and the midfielder could very well leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

The experienced midfielder was previously linked with Inter, but a return to the Bundesliga now also appears to be an option with Schalke having shown an interest in signing Ballack.

"We are indeed interested in signing Michael Ballack. I'm confident that he's ready to accept a pay cut if he decides to return to the Bundesliga this summer," Schalke coach Felix Magath was quoted as saying by Berliner Kurier.

However, the 33-year-old midfielder has not given up on a new Chelsea deal just yet and contract talks are expected to be resumed at the end of the season.

Ballack played for Chemnitzer, Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich before he joined Chelsea in 2006. He has since made over 100 league appearances with the Londoners.

Ancelotti To Present Summer Transfer Target List To Abramovich

Carlo Ancelotti will present his summer transfer target list to owner Roman Abramovich on Thursday.

Abramovich has so far held back his spending plans but with the club on the verge of the Double, he is now expected to loosen the purse strings for Ancelotti.

Among the names Ancelotti is expected to put forward will be AC Milan pair, striker Alexandre Pato and Brazilian compatriot defender Thiago Silva, in a joint deal that would cost the club about £70 million.

He may have to settle for lesser lights, though, with Abramovich known to be reluctant to spend the required £40m on another Ancelotti target, Atletico Madrid and Argentina striker Sergio Aguero.

Roman Abramovich Set To Demand Why Carlo Ancelotti's Chelsea Team Did Not Win Champions League

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti will be asked to explain to owner Roman Abramovich why his side have not won the Champions League - even if the Italian coach manages to seal a Premier League and FA Cup double, according to a report from The Sun.

The Blues will win the league if they beat Wigan Athletic at the weekend, whilst they meet Portsmouth in the FA Cup final on May 15.

Nevertheless, director Mike Forde insisted that there will still be a comprehensive review process at the end of the campaign to establish just why the Londoners failed on the continental stage.

"The day after we win the title we will ask ourselves why we didn't win the Champions League.

"In football it is about getting better every day, that's what we are aiming for.

"[Jose] Mourinho started with this vision years ago and he passed the torch successfully to other big managers like Guus Hiddink and Ancelotti."

Forde also insisted that the club were working well when so many fine coaches appeared to want to come to Stamford Bridge.

"That the best coaches in the world think we are doing a good job is clear," he added.

"Carlo Ancelotti brought only one assistant with him and that tells us we have a good staff of our own - and that's what it is all about in the end.

"So the way we are working, that's not a secret - every club in the world can have a copy of that.

"The real secret, if you can call it that, is the people who work for us."

FA Youth Cup Victory Points To Bright New Age For Chelsea

The next fortnight may be littered with silverware for Chelsea though they are already celebrating their first trophy of the season, slipped in almost under the radar. The FA Youth Cup was won for the first time in 49 years with a pair of superbly executed second-half goals. The senior side will hope this is a sign of things to come.

Aston Villa can take great heart from their 3-2 aggregate defeat here but victory will be seen as significant given the focus placed on – and finance poured into – Chelsea's youth system. Carlo Ancelotti is due to meet the club's hierarchy this week for the latest round of discussions over summer transfer policy, though there has already been a shift in their approach.

Where once there were limitless funds to strengthen, the Italian has already emphasised his commitment to youth development by admitting last month that a quintet of youngsters – he singled out Jeffrey Bruma, Fabio Borini, Gaël Kakuta, Patrick van Aanholt and the 21-year-old Nemanja Matic – will be regulars in his match-day squads next term.

Only one of those five featured here. Bruma, the 18-year-old centre-half who has made two substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, planted a free header wide early on. There were better indications of his quality thereafter but Ancelotti will have been frustrated at the ease with which Kofi Poyser leapt above the centre-half to flick in Villa's opening goal just after the half-hour. Bruma is better than that.

Of those emerging from the academy set-up, the manager has similarly high hopes for Jacob Mellis, the 15-year-old Nathaniel Chalobah and Josh McEachran. The last, who has been training once a week with the first-team squad, will sign a professional contract at the end of the season. He was a blur of clever touches here, growing into the contest. The right-back, Billy Clifford, also impressed while Conor Clifford battered in a fine late winner.

They could yet become familiar names. Ancelotti intends to follow Arsène Wenger's approach to the Carling Cup next season, cramming his side with younger blood. The team that went out of that competition at Blackburn in this season's quarter-final included 11 full internationals, with five players over 30 and none younger than 22. Given that John Terry, in the stands tonight, was the last youth-team graduate to establish himself in the senior set-up at this club, the hope is that times are changing.

Roman Abramovich wants this to happen and his sporting director, Frank Arnesen, is aware of the need to cultivate players capable of making their mark in the Premier League given the investment made in youth team development in recent years. "It's not easy for the coach to bring players in [to the first team]," Arnesen said. "A club like Chelsea is all about winning. You can't have young players in the team and not be winning."

The implementation of the Premier League's Grow Your Own policy, by which eight homegrown players – registered with an English or Welsh club for at least three years before their 21st birthday – must be included in a 25-man squad to be declared on 1 September, will effectively force their hand. "It will give clubs an extra incentive to invest in youth," the Premier League's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, said. In that context the departures of such seniors as Juliano Belletti, Deco and Hilário are more understandable.

Villa, winners of this competition in 2002 when a team that included Liam Ridgwell and Steven Davis defeated Wayne Rooney's Everton, are already an academy success story. Ryan Simmonds drew a fine save from Sam Walker before Poyser's third goal of the cup run – superbly taken after Samir Carruthers' surge and Simmonds' cross – edged them ahead on aggregate. It was a finish of which Gabriel Agbonlahor would have been proud.

Martin O'Neill will have been encouraged by his team's poise and style. They benefited from Chelsea's profligacy, Jacopo Sala dragging a shot wide of the far post and Benjamin Siegrist doing well to tip Aziz Deen Conteh's attempt on to the woodwork, before Marko Mitrovic touched in the excellent Sala's centre to put Chelsea level. Victory, confirmed by Conor Clifford's long-range shot, was harsh on Villa but will have prompted relief of sorts for Arnesen. The Premier League and FA Cup will draw the focus for now but there is clearly promise to be had in this club's longer-term future.