£70M Price-Tag On Torres

Fernando Torres will have to put in a transfer request if he wants to quit Anfield.

And Liverpool will only let him go if they receive a mega bid in the region of £70million to force through a move to Chelsea.

Roy Hodgson will speak to his star striker and his representatives after the World Cup Final in an effort to keep him.

But if Torres says he wants out, he'll be told only a formal transfer request and a huge offer can make the deal of the summer possible.

The Merseysiders are not shifting from their hard-line stance that the sale of Torres is not on the agenda.

But there are fears the 26-year-old will ask the club to negotiate with the champions.

Privately, Liverpool concedes the dynamics will shift if the player declares he wants to go.

They're well aware of the player's concerns about the future of the club and the interest in him from Carlo Ancelotti, although they have had no indication yet he's seeking to leave.

No opening bid has been made and Anfield sources are describing suggestions Chelsea could lure Torres for around £30m as 'laughable'.

Germany's Captain Is Michael Ballack - Bastian Schweinsteiger

Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger has indicated that he wants veteran Michael Ballack to retrieve the captain's armband when he returns to die Mannschaft.

The former Chelsea midfielder has been replaced by Philipp Lahm as Germany's captain for the 2010 World Cup as he was forced to miss the showpiece event with an injury.

Lahm says he would like to continue as the team's skipper beyond the World Cup and that he would not return the armband to Ballack unless he was told so by coach Joachim Loew.

Schweinsteiger has now declared that, despite Lahm's good job in South Africa, it is up to Ballack to captain the squad after the event.

"He [Ballack] is the captain of the national team and, if he returns, he will also recover the armband," Schweinsteiger told Welt am Sonntag.

"Philipp assumed the role due to Michael's injury and he has been doing a good job, but two captains are too much for just one position.

"For me, the captain of the team is Ballack."

Cech: Spain Have The Spine

Petr Cech was one of just a few Chelsea internationals not playing at the World Cup Finals but that did not prevent him attending the tournament, nor predicting who will lift the golden trophy.

Our star goalkeeper spent three days in South Africa last month, partly for an Adidas event in Johannesburg but he was also in the stands at a match involving one of tonight's finalists - Spain's group-stage win over Chile in Pretoria to be precise. Now back in England, he gives the Official Chelsea Website some of his World Cup views.

'Before the tournament I said that Spain was going to win it,' Cech claims.

'Let's see but they are in the Final even though they didn't start the tournament well. Game by game they play better and better and the last game against Germany they were brilliant so I think they have a big chance.

'They know each other. They have a team that has a spine with a lot of people from Barcelona so for me that is what makes them good.

'They have been playing together for years and automatically they do things. They don't lose time by thinking about it.'

Cech joins his club manager in tipping the Spaniards to triumph ultimately but he admits to being a little more selective in his match viewing than Carlo Ancelotti.

'When I came back from South Africa I saw the Germany v England game on the telly and I started watching more from the quarter-finals onwards, but before that I really wanted to switch off from football.

'I didn't like the atmosphere in the stadium in South Africa,' he admits, 'because you can't hear the people. The excitement from the atmosphere we are used to is the crowd singing and shouting and cheering when you have a chance. Because of the vuvuzela you hear none of this.

'I asked the Spanish players and they said it is harder to hear on the pitch. That is why they have to understand more each other's game. They say when everyone is blowing the vuvuzelas there is no chance they can hear anything.'

Naturally when he has been World Cup watching, Cech has given plenty of attention to the men who have helped make it a low-scoring tournament - the goalkeepers.

'Iker Casillas is doing very well because he is always decisive whenever he needs to make the save and he has made it so far,' assesses the Chelsea stopper.

'From the goalkeepers in the whole tournament of course there have been a few mistakes but overall I think they have done well.'

Ricardo Carvalho Set To Sign For Inter Milan As Chelsea Move For Bruno Alves

Chelsea is set to move for Porto defender Bruno Alves after agreeing to sell his Portuguese team-mate, Ricardo Carvalho.

Carvalho arrived in Milan on Friday night amid confusion as to whether he was in talks with both Serie A clubs, but it is understood he is likely to join European champions Inter. Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti blocked Carvalho’s departure to Inter last summer, partly because they did not offer a fee for the 32 year-old.

Chelsea have long admired Alves, however, who declared two days ago he wanted to leave Porto. Alves, 28, has two years left on his contract and Porto had hoped to secure a fee of £15 million for him, but such is his desire to leave that they may now have to settle for less.

Ex-Chelsea Winger Miroslav Stoch Claims He Turned Down Manchester City And Real Madrid To Sign For Fenerbahce

Ex-Chelsea winger Miroslav Stoch has claimed he turned down Manchester City and Real Madrid to sign for Fenerbahce.

Stoch, 20, joined the Istanbul giants last month for £2.5 million on a four-year contract. After impressing on loan at Steve McClaren's Eredivisie-winning FC Twente, a number of sides had been in the chase for the Slovakia World Cup 2010 winger.

Speaking to reporters, he stated he had spurned the advances of some of Europe's most famous teams to make the move to Fenerbahce.

"Among them were Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Ajax and Sevilla," Stoch said.

"I considered everything, from all angles, but Fenerbahce were the best choice."

Chelsea Will Not Sign Barcelona's Zlatan Ibrahimovic Or Real Madrid's Kaka - Carlo Ancelotti

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has revealed he wants to sign Kaka, but conceded there is little prospect of that happening because Real Madrid will not sell.

"Kaka would do well for my cause and I have spoken with him on a regular basis," he told Il Giornale.

"But unfortunately he cannot come: firstly Real Madrid doesn’t want to sell him, and secondly we would need consent over the transfer, and thirdly it would be a multi-million operation. None of these conditions exist."

Reports claimed Zlatan Ibrahimovic had come into view after Ancelotti extended his transfer scope from Madrid to Barcelona.

But the coach kicked that idea into the long grass, insisting there is no plan to sign 'Ibra'. Ancelotti prefers to stick with Didier Drogba as he whips his team into line.

"If you have someone like Drogba who scores 37 goals then why should I look for another [striker]?" he said.

Clubs in England have been moving cautiously on the transfer market with many finding themselves at the sharp end of cuts.

But one club Ancelotti feels will welcome big spending is Manchester City as they continue to pull in the stars.

"They spend plenty and Roberto Mancini is equipping a great squad. Wait and see, they will also sign [Aleksandar] Kolarov and [Edin] Dzeko," said the Ancelotti.

Annan Calm Despite English Interest

Chelsea and Manchester United are both reported to be chasing Ghana World Cup star Anthony Annan.

The 23-year-old defensive midfielder currently plays his club football or Rosenborg in Norway but has seen his stock rise on the back of an impressive tournament in South Africa.

Annan made five appearances as the Black Stars reached the quarter-finals and is also believed to be interesting French club Lyon.

"I am fine at the moment. I've heard a lot about me going every summer but nothing is fazing me," he said.

"It is good to hear about Man United, Chelsea and Lyon, but nothing is official.

"It is flattering, Lyon are a big team in Europe. But I have a contract with Rosenborg until December 2011 so let's wait and see."

Chelsea And Arsenal Threaten Tottenham Hotspur Push For Barcelona Reject Gai Assulin

Chelsea and Arsenal are set to muscle in on Tottenham Hotspur's move for Barcelona reject Gai Assulin, according to his agent.

Assulin, 19, failed to have his contract renewed this summer after spending seven years at the Nou Camp. Despite the set back, the attacking midfielder remains one of the most highly rated youngsters in Europe.

Previously, Spurs had been expected to swoop up the player's signature but London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea are now set to enter the race.

Speaking to reporters, agent Pini Zahavi confirmed the chase to land Assulin. He said: "The decision not to renew Gai's contract was mutual. At the moment we are considering his options."

Alexandre Pato Insists He Is Focused On AC Milan & Not Potential Moves To Chelsea

AC Milan ace Alexandre Pato has insisted he is dedicated to the Rossoneri, despite European heavyweight Chelsea being credited with an interest in securing his signature.

The Brazilian hitman has been tipped to leave the San Siro in a big-money move this summer, but the striker has revealed he has no plans at all to leave the club.

"I have a contract with Milan until 2014 and I intend to respect that," Pato told Eband TV.

"Maybe one day I will return to Brazil to close my career with Internacional, who are the team I support."

Pato was overlooked by Brazil at the World Cup, but he is confident of protecting his interests with the national team so he can play a key role in their 2014 World Cup on home soil.

"I am focused on playing for Milan, but I hope the next Brazil coach keeps me in mind," he concluded.

Chelsea Join Race For Dutch Ace Sneijder

Chelsea have joined Manchester United in the chase for Holland World Cup star Wesley Sneijder.

The Blues have contacted midfield dynamo Sneijder via third parties at the Dutch HQ in South Africa after Mirror Sport revealed United wanted him.

Sneijder has been made aware Chelsea will match any United offer and increase his wages to land a player that owner Roman Abramovich is willing to break the bank for.

And while Sneijder has claimed his ‘heart’ is with Champions League winners Inter Milan, Chelsea believe they are in with a strong chance if it becomes a bidding war.

United made an approach for Sneijder, 26, after being tipped off that he was interested in a move, and Sir Alex Ferguson rates him as his No.1 target.

Inter President Massimo Moratti has admitted to United’s interest and have not slammed the door shut in case new boss Rafa Benitez has other plans or a massive offer comes in.

United would want to pay around £25million, but Chelsea are capable of going well beyond that.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is hoping to land Kaka from Real Madrid, but there is also a vacancy for Sneijder if he gives the Blues the nod.

Mikel Obi: It's All Good

John Mikel Obi is happy to be back in the groove at Cobham, after sitting out the end of last season with injury.

Ankle and knee problems sustained in April meant the Nigeria international was sidelined as we secured both the Barclays Premier League and the FA Cup in May, and he had to return home from the World Cup before the competition had started.

Since then he has been in rehabilitation, and is pleased to report the problems, which required minor surgery, are now behind him.

'It was really frustrating to miss out but at the same time I was obviously happy that we won the Double,' said the 23-year-old.

'Since I came home from South Africa I've been here, working hard on my knee and making sure I am ready for the start of the season.

'I'm fully involved now with pre-season training and have started the double sessions. It is going really well, the training is good and the weather has been fantastic, and we are all working hard. I look forward to the rest of the squad joining us and I hope it can be another good season.'

In a similar position to Mikel is Michael Essien, who has not featured since December but like his fellow midfielder is nearing a return to full fitness, and has been fully involved in training so far.

Asked whether this means more competition for a midfield place this year, Mikel said: 'I don't know, I'm working hard and whatever decisions there are are for the manager.

'It is very good to have Essien back. He has been out for a long time, and I hope we can play together in the middle, that would be great.'

It remains to be seen whether the pair will be back and ready for match action in time for our first pre-season friendly at Crystal Palace on July 17, but with Michael Ballack departed, their presence in the centre of the park will be as important as ever come the season's start.

Chelsea Players Delighted Essien Available For Start Of Pre-Season

John Obi Mikel says Chelsea players are delighted Michael Essien is available for the start of preseason training.

Essien has not featured since December but like his fellow midfielder is nearing a return to full fitness and has been fully involved in training so far.

Asked whether this means more competition for a midfield place this year, Mikel told chelseafc.com: "I don't know, I'm working hard and whatever decisions there are for the manager.

"It is very good to have Essien back. He has been out for a long time, and I hope we can play together in the middle, that would be great."

Chelsea Prepare £30m Offer For Liverpool Star Fernando Torres

Chelsea is set to open the bidding for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres by offering the Reds £30 million, according to a report from The Daily Star.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich has taken a strong personal interest in the deal, the report claims, and is currently in South Africa where he plans to attend Sunday's World Cup final.

The Russian was also at Spain's semi-final victory over Germany, when Torres played the concluding nine minutes of the game after coming on as a substitute.

The Spaniard has insisted that he will not discuss his future until after the World Cup, when new Reds boss Roy Hodgson has indicated that he will have serious discussions with the player about whether or not his future lies at Anfield.

Chelsea In Danger Of Losing Battle With Bayern Munich For Ajax Star Gregory Van Der Wiel

Chelsea could lose out on Ajax defender Gregory van der Wiel as Bayern Munich have swooped for the Netherlands World Cup right-back.

The Bavarian giants and Ajax have agreed to a £14 million deal for the 22-year-old and Bayern hopes to finalise the deal before the World Cup final on Sunday, according to The Sun.

Van der Wiel will not negotiate with the Bundesliga champions as he is concentrating on playing in the final against Spain.

However, Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti will have to offer Ajax a better deal if he wants to acquire one of football’s hottest prospects this summer.

The first-choice right-back has appeared in four matches for the Netherlands in South Africa and his great form on the international and domestic level has piqued the interest of the Premier League champions.

Redknapp Confirms Levy And Joe Cole Talks

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has not given up on signing Joe Cole with the White Hart Lane chief hopeful his Chairman can beat North London rivals Arsenal and Roy Hodgson’s Liverpool to the former Chelsea midfielder’s signature.

Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly Spurs main contenders for Cole’s signature, with Redknapp thought to have the edge in the race for Cole having given him his big break at West Ham United as a schoolboy.

Redknapp told talkSPORT radio station: “We’re interested in Joe [Cole). I know Daniel [Levy, Spurs chairman] was talking to his people and we’re interested. If the chairman can pull a deal off I’d love to have him at Tottenham.

“But it all comes down to if we can do a deal. I don’t get involved in the financial side; the chairman can do that with Joe’s people. Hopefully there is a deal that can be done because we would love him at White Hart Lane.”

Manchester City Looking To Make Stunning £20 Million Swoop For Chelsea Hitman Didier Drogba

Manchester City are preparing a £20 million bid for Chelsea star striker Didier Drogba.

City manager Roberto Mancini has been a big fan of the Ivory Coast international and hopes to bring him to the Eastlands club, according to The Sun.

Drogba won the Premier League’s Golden Boot after scoring 29 league goals for the Blues last season, helping lead Chelsea to the Premier League and FA Cup titles.

The Ivorian striker would sign a three year deal worth £18 million is he made the move to City, who have already spent £60 million to secure the services of David Silva, Jerome Boateng and Yaya Toure this summer.

The 32-year-old still has two years remaining on his current Chelsea deal and would form arguably the best strike partnership in the world if he paired with City and Argentina star Carlos Tevez.

Towering Centre-Half Drops Exit Hint As European Juggernauts Circle

Porto stalwart Bruno Alves has put a host of his Premier League suitors on red alert by suggesting he would like to leave Portuguese football. The towering centre-half has been coveted by some of the biggest clubs on the continent, most notably Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid, with Manchester City also retaining an interest in the man widely tipped to be named Cristiano Ronaldo’s successor for the Portuguese captaincy.

The 28-year-old is regarded as one of the finest centre-halves in Europe, and although Portugal flattered to deceive on occasions during the World Cup finals, Alves emerged with his reputation very much intact. The defender is thought to have a €35 million buyout clause which seemingly deterred Manchester United and Chelsea from following up their alleged interest back in January, but it appears he may now be ready to engineer a move to a big European club this summer.

Capped 35 times by Portugal, Alves has shone for FC Porto for the last four years having graduated from their B team via three loan spells, most notably at AEK Athens, but now the player has hinted his ready to cut his teeth in one of the major leagues in Europe.

Alves told O Jogo: "I have a permanent contract, but I am ambitious,"

"I hope for a European club."

The Portuguese press suggests Manchester City may be ready to make a lucrative offer to FC Porto in order to lure the talented defender to England, but claim Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is a huge admirer as well. Real Madrid have been strongly linked with Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic but O Jogo intimate that the self-proclaimed 'Special One' may decide that Alves is more viable alternative to the Old Trafford stalwart.

Chelsea's Ashley Cole The Only Englishman In David Beckham's Team Of World Cup 2010

David Beckham has named a team of players he believes have made the biggest impact at this World Cup, and has included only one Englishman.

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is the only member of the Three Lions squad to have made Beckham's cut, after Fabio Capello's squad crashed out to Germany in the second round.

Beckham was with the squad as part of the backroom team, but it is predominantly Germans and Spaniards who caught the LA Galaxy midfielder's eye.

"I also enjoyed watching Portugal's Fabio Coentrao, but Ashley for me is the best left-back in the world and probably England's star performer in South Africa," Beckham told The Sun.

"He never stops running and, while he is a very good defender, he loves to attack opposing full-backs."

Another Premier League defender makes it into Beckham's back four in the shape of Sunderland centre-half John Mensah, a star of Ghana's march to the quarter-finals.

"The Ghana captain was very solid as they progressed through the tournament and were unlucky in their quarter-final with Uruguay," Beckham explained.

"The rugged defender, on loan at Sunderland last season, leads by example and is not afraid to put his body on the line for his team."

Beckham also hailed the displays of his former Manchester United team-mate Diego Forlan, in many people's eyes the striker of the tournament so far.

"A striker who has got better and better over the years," said Beckham of the Uruguayan.

"I was lucky to play with Diego at Manchester United and we could all see what a talented player he was. Now he has supreme confidence.

"With four goals and several assists, he's had a great tournament."

Forlan has been partnered in attack in Beckham's team with David Villa, the former England captain having been highly impressed by the striker's all-round attacking talent.

"With five goals taking him joint top of the scoring charts so far, he has proven he is one of the world's best finishers," he added.

"He can play off either foot and is devastating in front of goal. It's frightening that he is joining what is already a great Barcelona team."

Ancelotti: French Pair Anelka & Malouda Crucial To Double Glory

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti says French pair Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda were big influences on last season's Double.

Ancelotti says the willingness of both players to take on different roles boosted their prospects.

"After 10 to 15 games, the opponents knew how to play against the Christmas tree and so the space in the middle of the pitch was very closed," Ancelotti told Chelsea magazine. "So from this moment we started to use wingers instead.

"We had the possibility to change a lot of players into different positions on the pitch so we made this our advantage.

"A surprise for me was Anelka in the role he played from the beginning until we changed the system in January," he adds. "He did very well alongside Drogba, when he did a different role, not just striker, and then he also did a good job as a striker when Didier was at the Africa Cup of Nations.

"Also Malouda was a surprise for me because after starting well he played with continuity in different positions - he played very well for all the season. For both players it was their versatility above all that surprised me, that they could perform different positions for the team."

Chelsea Keeper Petr Cech Feeling Fresh And Rested Ahead Of New Season

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is looking forward to the new season after a summer spent in part helping youngsters at the Petr Cech Football Academy back in the the Czech Republic.

Cech is heading into his seventh season at Stamford Bridge feeling refreshed after a long, arduous but ultimately successful campaign last time around.

"I played 50 games last season including internationals so it was a long season and as well it was a lot of pressure because the last games we had to win all of them with no mistakes," he told the Blues' official website.

"That is always hard. I was really happy with the way we finished the season of course but as well I was very happy that the season was over.

"Of course I was disappointed not to be qualified for the World Cup but it was good to have a longer break. I am fresh and rested so this is what I needed.

"Almost I don't believe it," he admits when reflecting that he has been at Chelsea since 2004.

"I am not one of the oldest by age but I am one of the longest-serving players and when I joined Chelsea it was my target to stay as long as I can in one of the best teams in the world.

"We have won quite a few trophies during that time and this is one of the most important things. I hope that the next season will be the most successful again."

The work with the academy back in his homeland has proved rewarding for Cech, but he is not sure that it means he will be looking at a career in coaching when he retires from playing.

"[It's] too early to say. Only time will tell," the 28-year-old mused.

"Now I might think I'm going to be coach but maybe three years later it's not what I want. Only time will tell.

"But the idea of working with the kids, this is the vision I have got because the kids will be the future of football. If you teach them and prepare them and they learn how to play and have good habits - then the base will grow and you have a bigger chance to have good players and this is the aim.

"This is just the start. It is a good start and it gives us a lot of pleasure because it is open to the public and the people really appreciate it, but once I stop playing I will have time to make something deeper."

Wolves Ponder £4m Swoop For Chelsea Youngster Michael Mancienne

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy is readying a bid for Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne, according to a report from The Sun.

The 22-year-old impressed during his second loan spell at Molineux last season, occupying a holding midfield role for much of the campaign as Wolves ensured their Premier League survival.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has expressed an interest in making a permanent move for the player and is reported to be pondering a £4 million offer.

Chelsea now seem ready to offload the player, who has been an England Under-21 regular since 2007 and was also called up to the senior England squad for the friendly with Germany in 2008.

Bayern Munich To Hand Thomas Mueller Pay Rise To Stave Off Manchester United And Chelsea Interest

Bayern Munich's sporting director has declared Thomas Mueller will be handed a pay rise to stop Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea from snatching him up.

Mueller, 20, has been one of the stars of World Cup 2010 after grabbing four goals for Germany on their route through the tournament. Such has been his influence, his absence through suspension for the semi-final contributed to Joachim Loew's side's 1-0 defeat to Euro 2008 winners Spain.

These performances had not gone unnoticed by Europe's top clubs, and the English pair were reportedly prepared to test Bayern's resolve. After a £25 million fee was slapped on Mueller's head, Christian Nerlinger has also insisted the attacker will receive a boost to his deal, which runs until 2013, to keep him at the Champions League runners-up.

"We are going to give Thomas Mueller a raise, Bayern Munich is known as a club that will always come up with a reaction when there have been impressive performances," Nerlinger told Sport BILD.

"I am still very fine on that; we have not extended the contract of Thomas Mueller for no reason.

"Thus far we have not received any concrete bid for the player, we do not intend to sell him."

Chelsea Linked With Move For £8m England Under-21 International

Chelsea are rumoured to be interested in making a move for Southampton’s highly rated England Under 21 international Adam Lallana. Carlo Ancelotti has been looking to bring in new British talent to help fulfill the new ‘homegrown’ ruling quota for the new season and has been linked with a move for the pint sized attacking midfielder.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has also been linked with a move for the St Albans born playmaker and the League One side face a tough fight to keep hold of the extremely talented youngster.

For the past two seasons Lallana has been a fixture in the Saints set up and had an excellent run of form last term where he netted 20 goals from the midfield and has attracted interest from a host of Premier League sides.

Valued at around £8m he would hardly dent the Stamford Bridge budget and whilst Lallana wouldn’t be Premier League ready from the outset but has a great deal of potential and could be turned into a very attractive prospect if given the chance.

Laurent Blanc Will Not Discard Nicolas Anelka From France Plans

Nicolas Anelka may have been sent home in disgrace from the 2010 World Cup, but France coach Laurent Blanc has indicated that he will start his reign with a clean slate for all players and will not necessarily discard the player once known as the ‘Incredible Sulk’.

A dressing room bust-up with former trainer Raymond Domenech at half-time of les Bleus’ 2-0 defeat against Mexico proved to be the spark for a dramatic collapse in the French side, with widespread allegations in the press that ‘Nico’ had seriously insulted the coach. Despite this murky history, Blanc has not moved to distance himself too much from the Chelsea forward.

Speaking to TF1 on Thursday evening, Blanc stated that Anelka’s actions at the World Cup were “intolerable”, though he also noted that the striker can still win a place in the squad provided he “demonstrates that he is the best in his position, reflects my philosophy of play and changes his behaviour”.

Additionally, ‘Le President’ indicated his first object in charge of the side. “[I want to] find a core group of four, five or six players with experience, a sufficient level of talent, of course, but above all a state of mind which is similar to mine and of everyone who loves football,” Blanc indicated.

Les Bleus' first friendly under Blanc comes in early August away to Norway.

Michael Essien Is Crucial For Ghana; They'd Have Made Semi-Final With Him

Former Ghana coach Claude Le Roy believes the Black Stars could have made it to the World Cup semi-final with midfielder Michael Essien.

He said the Chelsea ace is of a class of his own and would have made a difference to the team but was full of praise for his former side despite losing to Uruguay.

“If Michael Essien had been there, I’m certain Ghana would have reached the semis,” Le Roy said to FIFA.com as one of the experts analyzing the African teams.

“They lacked a player of his calibre as he’s one of the most complete players in the world. He’s not only capable of doing everything, he does it all well.”

Le Roy, who took over Ghana after their first World Cup appearance in 2006, said midfielder Anthony Annan and Richard Kingson stood out among their peers.

“I was dazzled by Anthony Annan. I found him at Hearts of Oak when he was playing as a right winger and as soon as I moved him into defensive midfield, I felt he could be great.

“He’s an extremely intelligent player.”

The Frenchman, who quit the West African side in 2008, said the team has grown with maturity and demonstrated great balance in the tournament.

“I’m extremely sad for them. I called the players right at the end of the game and told them they could be proud. It must be a terrible feeling to come so close to a World Cup semi-final and miss out.

“The team demonstrated plenty of maturity and were very well balanced. They played the kind of football that was expected of them. The defence was very satisfying and Richard Kingson was top quality; he’s an underrated goalkeeper.

“They need to continue working and keep pushing themselves to avoid resting on their laurels. The goal now is to win the next Africa Cup of Nations,” he noted.

Ancelotti Looks Back On 2009/10

With the World Cup finals, in South Africa, slowly but surely drawing to a close, we can all start to turn our attention back to domestic football soon enough. Even though the world tournament has played it's part in helping us through the barren summer months, it'll come as no surprise to hear that we're positively gagging for the 2010/11 campaign to kick off next month.

For Carlo Ancelotti, 2009/10 is going to prove incredibly difficult to surpass; in his first season in English football, the Italian secured a league and Cup double at Stamford Bridge, an unprecedented achievement in the club's history. However, like all great football managers, he'll be eager to come again for the top prizes this year. Yet, before all attention turned to the preparations for the new season, Ancelotti was keen to relive some of the highlights of his first twelve months in West London.

'I know how important an achievement the Double is in English football and so we are obviously very happy for this,' he started, in an interview in the latest edition of the club's official magazine.

'It was a fantastic season,' he declared.

The former AC Milan boss' incredible first-season success in SW6 is probably made all the more impressive when you consider he took the unique decision to leave his backroom team at the San Siro behind, and inherit the staff already in place at the Bridge. Commonly, particularly for foreign managers new to a country, there will be legions of staff in hot pursuit, however Carlo felt little need for what he calls 'an entourage'.

'Bruno (Demichelis, the one backroom staff member he did bring from Milan) is my entourage!,' he joked. 'As you can see he's not small, he's a big man. No, at the beginning the club proposed to me that I have a look at the staff who were already here before I made my decision about it. I was very happy with everything here because there is a very good organization at Chelsea. I had fantastic support from everyone so I didn't need new support.'

On the subject of support, Ancelotti spoke about how his blossoming relationship with the Chelsea fans grew over the course of the campaign as well.

'At the beginning it was not easy for me, as a new manager, to have a good relationship immediately,' he said.

'But after that, the supporters here learned to know me as the season went on and our relationship got better and better and now I feel a real connection, especially when we were celebrating our trophies.'

It wasn't all celebrations though,

'We missed the Champions League,' Ancelotti went on. 'We were upset, but we were able to change our focus and after that we were more focused on the Premier League. I think that defeat helped us to stay focused on the league and improve our condition physically, because we did very well at the end of the season with a team of fit players until the last game.'

With the title wrapped up in flamboyant style at home to Wigan, it was off to Wembley to secure part two of an historic Double-winning season. However, despite the match-up of top-vs-bottom of the league, it was one of those strange ninety minutes that football tends to throw up every so often.

'I was nervous in the first half,' admitted Ancelotti, 'because I think that we played a good game and yet we didn't score. I know football very well and, sometimes, when you are not able to score with a lot of chances, you can lose the game in the end. To hit the post five times in one half and not score, that's never happened to me before.'

However, Didier Drogba's 59th-minute free kick, coupled with Kevin Prince Boateng's spot-kick miss, meant Ancelotti's Blues were victorious in the end, on what was a special day for all concerned.

'It was special because there is a lot of passion from the fans and they were there to enjoy it,' said the manager. 'It was really special for me as well because in Italy it is totally different. I think the organisation of the competition, with having the semi final and the final at Wembley, makes it absolutely special for everyone who goes.'

A special day, at the end of a very special season indeed. A season which, finally, exorcised the ghost of José Mourinho, and saw the rising of a new special one; King Carlo.

Italian And Russian Views In New Madazine

One year ago Carlo Ancelotti and Yury Zhirkov walked into the lives of Chelsea supporters. What followed was a year like none before for their new club.

There were far more ups than downs for the manager as he steered the team towards the Double and although Yury Zhirkov did endure some injuries, his settling-in season culminated in some strong spring performances.

The latest edition of Chelsea magazine speaks to both at length about their debut season in SW6. It is suggested to Zhirkov that it all came right for him personally in March's 7-1 blistering win against Aston Villa and in the following home game when Bolton were defeated narrowly. That evening the left-back was voted man of the match having played much of the game with a heavily-bandaged head.

'I don't know, but I trust my fans,' Zhirkov responds.

'For me every game was very important and I was giving 100 per cent in each one. I don't separate the games I've played into important and unimportant, and I'm talking about both league and cup games.

'Maybe the knock on the head [in the Bolton game] gave me a system re-boot and that was why I started playing so well and got Man of the Match!'

His answers become more serious when Zhirkov discusses how he came to Chelsea's attention in the first place, and when he gives his views on the positions he plays in Ancelotti's side, but he smiles once more when last winter is discussed, the first time in his career a league season has ploughed on through the coldest months.

'At some times actually it was worse here [than Russia] because of the wind-chill factor,' he explains to the magazine.

'We have lots of cold-resistant players at Chelsea who are happy to play in the cold, like John Terry. Maybe he was actually born in Siberia!'

Ancelotti, as manager, was never going to enjoy the type of acclimatization period often afforded players who have moved to a new country. Happily he had no need for one as the team got off to a flyer in the league campaign

In this month's cover interview the Italian talks tactics with Chelsea as he explains what happened when the results eventually took a dip.

'After 10 to 15 games, the opponents knew how to play against the Christmas tree and so the space in the middle of the pitch was very closed,' Ancelotti reports. 'So from this moment we started to use wingers instead.

'We had the possibility to change a lot of players into different positions on the pitch so we made this our advantage.

'A surprise for me was Anelka in the role he played from the beginning until we changed the system in January,' he adds. 'He did very well alongside Drogba, when he did a different role, not just striker, and then he also did a good job as a striker when Didier was at the Africa Cup of Nations.

'Also Malouda was a surprise for me because after starting well he played with continuity in different positions - he played very well for all the season. For both players it was their versatility above all that surprised me, that they could perform different positions for the team.'

The manager also tells readers of Chelsea what he and the team were able to do in England that they would never have got away with had they been an Italian club. He also reflects on the day at Wembley when the Double was completed and is asked if he is relieved to have had some time away from pressure over the summer?

'The pressure is normal when you manage an important club like Chelsea. Now we have to take time to think about next season, about the future because I think this could be the beginning of a fantastic cycle. I think we can improve our play and our confidence with these victories behind us.'

In regular features, Graeme Le Saux is the subject of this month's 'A to Z' and in discussing 26 subjects, he discloses behind-the-seasons manoeuvrings prior to Chelsea's Uefa Cup match in Tel-Aviv in 2001 when six of the squad didn't travel, and discusses key figures from Chelsea past such as Ruud Gullit, John Hollins, Ken Bates and Pat Nevin.

The 'Top 10' is focuses on Pint-Sized Blues, recalling former players short in stature but not lacking in impact at the club, and the young player featured is Ben Sampayo - a full-back who played a part as a substitute in the cup run that resulted in the FA Youth Cup triumph.

Elsewhere in the August edition there are interviews with two Chelsea fans from the world of music. William Orbit, producer of albums for the likes of Madonna, Robbie Williams, Blur plus many other chart-topping act also creates his own music but football at Stamford Bridge is another big passion. He talks about how Chelsea are 'a bit of a music biz team'.

James Ewers, lead singer with indie band My Luminaries, is another who shares time between appearing on stage and supporting the Blues from the stands. He speaks to Chelsea too.

There is plenty more in the 86 pages including news, a 'Tactics Board' on reading the game with Mickey Thomas discussing Frank Lampard and a look back at Chelsea is the 1970s.

Chelsea - Linked With A Legend!

This Sunday Vital Chelsea enters un-chartered territory.

For the first time in our existence as a fans web site, we will be taking part in the 'Fans Football Tournament` at Cobham.

To say it’ll be an experience is probably an understatement!

If you’ve considered plying for us but still haven’t registered an interest then please get in touch and we’ll provide details of how to get there.

For the event, the participating teams are allocated an ex-Chelsea player as a team manager; we’re reliably informed that we’ve been allocated a Chelsea legend in the shape of Clive Walker

Clive, who now regularly appears on Chelsea TV, was a flying winger who appeared for Chelsea during the period 1976/77 through to 1983/84 playing 191 games and scoring 65 goals.

To those familiar with Chelsea’s history, it was Clive that scored the goal, in May 1983 up at Burnden Park that prevented the club from slipping intro the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.

Others will remember the goal Clive scored against Liverpool in a memorable 4-2 FA Cup victory as his claim to immortal fame.

After leaving Chelsea, Clive went on to play for Sunderland, Queens Park Rangers, Fulham and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Whilst at Sunderland his claim to fame will always be scoring the goals that saw Sunderland overcome Chelsea in a dramatic League Cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Here at Vital Chelsea we look forward to meeting Clive this Sunday but we have to wonder if he seriously knows what he’s let himself in for agreeing to manage a team that might well be considered the rank under-dogs for the tournament.

Mesut Ozil Transfer Bids Expected 'From Arsenal, Spurs And Chelsea'

Werder Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs has admitted he is expecting to receive offers from a number of clubs for in-demand playmaker Mesut Ozil - but has claimed there have been no concrete bids yet.

Bremen, who must qualify for next season's Champions League, are eager to renegotiate Ozil's contract, which expires in 12 months time.

But they look set to face a tough decision if he opts to hold out, with the three London clubs to have qualified for Europe's top competition - Spurs, Arsenal, and Chelsea - all expected to express an interest in the player.

Allofs is already playing hardball, however, saying he would rather risk losing the player on a free next summer than compromising on a price for the 21-year-old during the current transfer window.

"Now he is playing a fantastic World Cup campaign, there is definitely increasing interest," Allofs told German newspaper Bild.

"But when it comes down to concrete bids, nothing has been done. We want him to stay on and actually there is no news.

"There are no indications he does not want to see out his contract at our club."

Ozil has emerged as one of Germany's leading lights at the World Cup - pulling the strings for the national team in much the same way as he already does for his club side.

And Werder chief Allofs said he is determined to keep the current squad together to reach the lucrative group phase of the world's premiere club competition.

"We need to have success on the field, especially in Champions League qualification," he added.

"For this we need to have a good team."

Bayern Warn Chelsea Off Schweinsteiger & Muller

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has warned clubs they have no chance of signing the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller this summer.

Having reached the Champions League final and now the World Cup semi-finals with Germany, Schweinsteiger and Muller have been linked with big-money moves to the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea.

However, Rummenigge said: "If any club should make an approach for one of our players, it would be useless. Our reaction would always be the same - no way, absolutely no way.

"We are not eager to start any negotiation about our players. We won't sell any of these players. The quality of our team is important and we are in a very comfortable situation in that we don't have financial pressure at all."

Ballack Ousted From Team Camp

Michael Ballack has been ousted from the Germany camp after a massive rift with captain Philipp Lahm.

The crocked ex-Chelsea star faces a bleak international future after Lahm insisted he will not give up the captain's armband next season.

Boss Joachim Low, preparing his side for Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final against Spain, revealed Ballack was asked to leave as team doctors did not have time to treat his ankle injury.

The midfielder will not be present for the showdown in Durban to decide who faces Holland in Sunday's final.

Ballack, 33, joined up with the German squad last week to act as a cheerleader.

But his presence has caused tensions in a group who have done brilliantly without him.

Lahm piled on the pain by insisting: "I won't give back the armband to Ballack. They will have to take it off me."

Chelsea Sign Czech Youngster Tomas Kalas

Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea have confirmed the transfer of promising defender Tomas Kalas from Czech Republic side Sigma Olomouc. The 17-year-old will stay in his homeland on loan next season before moving to Stamford Bridge.

Details about the transfer fee paid and the length of the young defender's contract with Chelsea have not been disclosed. However, according to a report on BBC Sport, Chelsea will pay Sigma Olomouc a fee in the region of €5.5 million for Kalas.

Kalas is considered to be one of the best players around in his age category and clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen, Arsenal and Milan were reportedly also keeping tabs on the centre-back.

Neil Bath, Chelsea academy manager, was very satisfied with the capture of Kalas.

"We feel there is a lot of potential in the player, and we feel at the minute it is the right time to get him," said Bath on the official club website. "But it would be good for him to stay there and get first team experience, and we look forward to him joining us next year. Obviously we will stay in touch and he will come across here when appropriate. He is a right-sided centre-half who can play right-back."

Chelsea Defender Ricardo Carvalho Set For Inter Switch

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is prepared to sanction Ricardo Carvalho's transfer to Inter as he prepares to shake up his defence, according to the Daily Star.

Carvalho, 32, has been an important part of the Blues' defence since he followed Jose Mourinho to the club six years ago. In recent seasons, however, a succession of injuries have restricted his appearances and he missed much of last season with damaged ankle ligaments.

Despite these problems, new Inter head coach Rafael Benitez is believed to be ready to bring the player to the San Siro. This transfer will see Alex becomes John Terry's partner at the heart of Chelsea's rearguard.

Keeper Out On Loan

Reserve squad goalkeeper Rhys Taylor will begin the season on loan at Crewe Alexandra.

The 20 year-old this week begins a two-month stay at the League Two club who are managed by former Chelsea coach Dario Gradi.

Last season Taylor made eight appearances for our reserves and spent six weeks on loan at Queens Park Rangers but was an unused substitute for their first team.

All In The Planning

With pre-season back underway it is a busy time at Cobham, and for none more so than fitness coach Glen Driscoll, who has been explaining the club's training regimes.

The players not on World Cup duty reported at 9am on Monday for their first day back at work, though they had been expected to be keeping in shape while enjoying their holidays, and after a series of medical tests it was out onto the field to get going.

'It starts from off-season when the players have their programs. They came in early on Monday and split into three groups where they were assessed by the medical department,' Driscoll explains.

'They go out and do the yo-yo test, which is like the bleep test, but we don't do the one that goes on until they drop, it is just to get an idea of the levels they hit in six minutes and from there we gauge how they are doing aerobically. Afterwards they will do power tests and then we're pretty much straight into the football.'

The trips of the early '80s to Aberystwyth where the local sand dunes provided a suitably gruelling regime are now consigned to history, certainly at Chelsea anyway, where our staff prefer to use footballs as early as possible in their work.

'We don't run these days, I am sure other clubs still do, but here we get them straight back into the football,' Driscoll says.

'It is more specific, and we can understand that you can get fit by the football. We have a lot of detail and planning gone into every session for the whole of pre-season.

'That came from towards the end of last season, from about March we started to meet with Carlo and all the science team, and we could tell you now including Carlo's tactical sessions, how it all adds up and gives the players their strength and aerobic qualities they will need for the season.'

That is certainly a great deal of planning, but do things get harder with the staggered return of our World Cup players?

'We have a whole group of players coming back later, which is a challenge we have,' he says, 'but having done last season with Carlo it helps to make it easier and not being on a long tour gives us a lot more control.'

With August 8 the date of our first competitive fixture, there is a month before our backroom staff know if their hard work has paid off, but having helped secure the Double last time around, there is every confidence the same can be delivered.

Run For Charity In Royal Parks Half Marathon

Chelsea's charity partners Right To Play and Help A London Child are gearing up for the Royal Parks Half Marathon which takes place on October 10.

The 13.1 mile run goes through four of the capital city's Royal Parks - Hyde Park, St. James' Park, Green Park and Kensington Gardens - just as the seasons are turning and the parks are at their best.

The money raised will help children that need support, love and education both in London and in the poorest countries around the world.

If you have never run before this is the run for you - with excellent training and fundraising support, plus a running vest, goody bag and free massage. You'll not even notice you've run over 13 miles!

Werder Cool Ozil Exit Rumours

Werder Bremen has denied receiving any offers for Germany World Cup star Mesut Ozil.

The 21-year-old playmaker has been one of the standout performers in Germany's impressive march to the semi-finals in South Africa.

Spanish giants Barcelona and several Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester City, are reported to be interested in signing the former under-21 international.

However, manager Klaus Allofs has denied reports that the Bundesliga club have already started to fend off official interest from suitors.

"Mesut had appeared in the focus of clubs before the World Cup had kicked off," he said. “Now he is playing a fantastic World Cup campaign, this is definitely increasing interest.

"But when it comes down to concrete bids, nothing has been done. We want him to stay on and actually there is no news. There are no indications he does not want to see out his contract at our club."

Ozil has scored one goal in five World Cup appearances for Germany in South Africa.

Spanish Report: Chelsea To Launch Kaka Bid

Following Brazil's exit from the World Cup, Chelsea will renew their interest in Real Madrid midfielder Kaka.

Kaka struggled at Real Madrid last season following his £56-million switch from AC Milan last summer. A troublesome thigh injury limited Kaka’s chances and the feeling at the Bernabeu is that he has yet to begin to pay back the hefty fee paid for him.

Reportedly, Kaka does not fancy his chances of regular first team football under new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, and the 28-year-old would apparently welcome a reunion with his former AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea. Under Ancelotti, Kaka enjoyed a highly successful spell at the San Siro, becoming one of the world's top players.

Spanish daily 'Sport' reports that Chelsea will make a move for the Brazilian, particularly as Stamford Bridge chief Roman Abramovich "has always had a fondness" for the player, having previously attempted to sign him during his AC Milan days.

Mourinho would reportedly not stand in the way of Kaka’s sale. Meanwhile, Bernabeu chief Florentino Perez would apparently welcome a bid for from a club like Chelsea who has the means to enable him to recoup some of the fee paid out for Kaka last summer.

Linesman Saddened By Lampard Error

The linesman at the centre of England's disallowed goal storm has admitted he was caught out by the speed of Frank Lampard's shot.

Uruguayan official Mauricio Espinosa failed to spot Lampard's effort had bounced over the line after crashing down off the underside of the bar during England's 4-1 last-16 defeat to Germany in Bloemfontein.

Had the goal been given, England would have drawn level at 2-2.

Fabio Capello is convinced his side could have then gone on to win the game.

It turned out to be the last game Espinosa was involved in as FIFA did not include him on their retained list for the last eight and beyond.

He told El Pais: "It was a very fast shot that I did not see properly, even though I was located in the right place.

"We didn't see a replay in the dressing room at half-time but you could sense what had happened.

"It was only when we saw the TV that we realized what happened.

"I feel quite sad about it because we had prepared for such a long time for the World Cup.

"It could have happened to anyone, unfortunately it was us. You just have to accept it. Life goes on."

Chelsea - More Players Released

Chelsea, today, announced the departure of 5 more players.

After last week's departures of Ballack, Belletti, Cole and Nana Ofori-Twumasi; Liam Bridcutt, Nikki Ahamed, Nicolas Heimann, Aldi Haxhia and Kenny Strickland have all left Cobham.

Goalkeepers Heimann and Haxhia have been rivals for the sub goalie jersey both at youth level and reserves. With Jan Sebek, Sam Walker and Rhys Taylor all securing more playing time, both will be hoping for more opportunities at their new clubs. So far only Heimann has signed on with Red Star Salzburg of Austria.

Ahamed, Strickland and especially Bridcutt have all experienced youth and reserve team playing time. Bridcutt also turned out for Watford, Yeovil and Stockport on loan. Their next destinations are currently unknown.

This news follows the signatures of 8 academy prospects for professional contracts. Over the next season they will be hoping for solid reserve team action as well as possible trips with the first squad. Loan moves will also be distinct possibilities as they continue to develop.

Roman Abramovich Heads To South Africa To Capture £50m Fernando Torres

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has flown to South Africa to try to secure the signing of Fernando Torres for a British record of £50 million.

The extraordinary fee still falls short of Liverpool's £70 million valuation of their prize asset in what is set to be a summer of turmoil at Anfield. Javier Mascherano is also understood to be adamant that he wants to leave and Steven Gerrard is still attracting very strong interest from Real Madrid.

Abramovich's presence here shows how seriously Chelsea are taking their pursuit of Torres, who is hoping to keep his place in the Spain side for Tuesday's semi-final in Durban against Germany despite a series of indifferent displays in the tournament.

Chelsea have long-coveted the striker and have spent months discussing the best strategy to sign him.

Their interest will, probably, be rivalled by Manchester City but the allure of playing Champions League football makes them the favourites to secure Torres who wants to remain in England should he leave Liverpool.

Barcelona is also interested but they are struggling to raise the funds while the 27 year-old is unsure he wants to return to Spain yet.

Despite a stream of denials by Torres's agents Bahía Internacional – including a statement yesterday by his agent Juan Antonio Martín – both Chelsea and City have been led to believe that he wants to leave this summer.

However because Chelsea are set to bid below the valuation anticipated by Liverpool, it may mean Torres will have to push for a move which could make things messy.

Torres laid down a marker in what is turning into a protracted exit strategy when he said he wanted Liverpool to recruit half a dozen high-calibre players this summer to avoid last season's disappointment.

But he has said he will speak to new manager Roy Hodgson before resolving his future.

Liverpool have already sold Yossi Benayoun to Chelsea for £5.5 million but the departure of Torres would represent a significant admission by the club that they are struggling to compete especially if Mascherano – who is wanted by Rafael Benítez at Inter Milan – also leaves.

Matters are, of course, complicated by Liverpool's limited finances and the attempts to sell the club by their American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Abramovich was in South Africa for the start of the World Cup but has now returned to show Torres and his representatives how serious his intent is.

He is hoping to meet with Torres' agents over the next few days. A source close to the deal said last night that the Chelsea owner was "pushing very hard" to complete the deal.

Chelsea Eyes Sami Khedira

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is leading the chase for Germany playmaker Sami Khedira.

The midfielder, 23, has emerged as one of the stars of the World Cup after replacing injured Michael Ballack in the German's side.

And Stuttgart boss Christian Gross is ready to sell his £12million-rated star now rather than lose him on a free when his contract expires next year.

Ancelotti sees Khedira as the perfect man to step into the Blues midfield after letting Ballack, Joe Cole and Deco go.

But he faces a battle with Alex Ferguson who wants Khedira as a replacement for 35-year-old Paul Scholes at Manchester United.

Former Spurs boss Gross admitted: "It would be very painful if Sami left on a free.

"If he has two more great World Cup games, all the big clubs will come for him."

Ancelotti: Chelsea Can Build England Team Of The Future

Carlo Ancelotti believes Chelsea’s Double winning season is the start of a dynasty at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues boss also aims to give Chelsea’s English academy players the chance to become the World Cup stars of the future by integrating them into his team following the club’s first FA Cup Youth win for 49 years back in May.

While Manchester City have already splashed out a staggering £60million on two players ahead of their shot at the title, Chelsea plan to follow the Sir Alex Ferguson route of blooding their home-grown stars alongside their experienced campaigners.

Creative midfielder Josh McEachran, who has been training once a week with the first-team squad, is in Ancelotti’s plans.

Wideman Billy Clifford is also thought to have a big future while 19-year-old Berkshire-born defender Sam Hutchinson is already in Ancelotti’s first-team squad.

The Chelsea boss said: “I was at the Final and it was very important for the Academy which is working well at the moment.

“We need them to have important moments like this because it was another fantastic success and this is another reason to say it was a fantastic season for Chelsea.

“We have some talented young players here that work every day with the first team in training and they are very close to stepping up to the squad on matchdays.

“This is our aim - to put more players from the Academy up into the first team in the future, so this success was very important for us.” Chelsea ended Manchester United’s run of three successive Premier League title wins with a stunning victory two months ago.

The Blues followed up the success by beating Portsmouth to the FA Cup.

While his Italian compatriot Fabio Capello has been derided for England’s struggle to score goals at the World Cup, Ancelotti’s

Chelsea smashed 102 goals - a Premier League record - last season.

Now the Stamford Bridge boss wants to maintain his domination of English football’s top prizes and insists he has the firepower to achieve it.

While Frank Lampard endured a disappointing World Cup with England and Florent Malouda’s France struggled, Ancelotti maintained both players will be key in his bid to retain the title.

Speaking to Chelsea’s official magazine, out now, he said: “We have to take time to think about next season, about the future because I think this could be the beginning of a fantastic cycle.

“We have a very good squad but I think we can improve our play and our confidence with these victories behind us.

“We scored over 100 goals this season because we have in this team a lot of players who can score goals, midfielders as well as attackers.

“Lampard has scored 27, Malouda 15, so for this season we are confident we can score a lot of goals every game.”

Ancelotti also believes Chelsea’s defeat in the Champions League to former boss Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan was actually a blessing in disguise in terms of their Premier League bid.

He went on: “We missed the Champions League. We were upset, but we were able to change our focus and after that we were more focused on the Premier League.

“I think that defeat helped us to stay focused on the League and improve our condition physically, because we did very well at the end of the season with a team of fit players until the last game.”

Ancelotti: Time For Work

Carlo Ancelotti has been discussing the training schedule for the next few weeks as he welcomes his players back in for pre-season training.

The last time we saw the manager he was atop a double-decker bus singing his heart out having just won the Barclays Premier League and FA Cup in his first season.

Now after a few weeks off it is back to work again as he aims to build on those successes, and although he is without his full complement of players for the commencement of pre-season preparations, the manager's mood is extremely positive.

'We started on Monday, last year we started at the same time and we need maybe five weeks to prepare the team, to do the best physical preparation,' the Italian explained. 'We will have the other players on July 22 and 26, but for the first games of pre-season they will not be involved.'

That means our first fixture with Crystal Palace on July 17 will see us without 11 first-teamers still on holiday, though coming into the group will be Yossi Benayoun, who joined up with the squad yesterday, as well as a number of youngsters who have either been enjoying loan spells away from Chelsea, or partaking in FA Youth Cup successes.

'It could be a little different this year, a little difficult because we don't have all the players to start the season but we can still do a good job,' Ancelotti said.

'Benayoun I think is a good player, we need to have a player with quality who can play in the midfield.

'He can play in every position in midfield and for this I think he will be a very good player for us for next season.'

It may be just over a month away, but like pre-season, the start of the new campaign will be here before we know it. Ancelotti will be sure to have his men ready.

Blues Deal For Lalkovic

Slovakian youngster Milan Lalkovic has signed a three-year professional deal with Chelsea.

The 17-year-old forward joined the Blues in 2007 and has come up through the youth academy at Stamford Bridge.

Lalkovic is focused on breaking into the Chelsea first team and hopes to follow the example of compatriot Miroslav Stoch, who spent four years with the London club.

"I signed the contract in the facilities of the first team and was accompanied there by my father and my agent," said Lalkovic.

"It is a fantastic feeling, a dream come true, and I have been dreaming of this moment ever since I came to Chelsea.

"With the help of my family, agent and friends I have achieved that. Now I must make the most difficult step - to get into the first team.

"In the upcoming season my aim is to play as much as possible for the reserve team, but also for the youth team in which I want to be one of the leaders and contribute to a win in the FA Youth Cup.

"I want to score on a regular basis and work hard on myself. I am following Miroslav Stoch's footsteps and hope that I will do as good as he has."

Fluminense President Confirms Terms Have Been Agreed With Chelsea Midfielder Deco

Fluminense have revealed that Deco has agreed terms with them as the final details of his move back to Brazil from Chelsea are resolved.

The 32-year-old stated recently that he wanted to return to the land of his birth and was about to negotiate a release from his contract with Chelsea, whom he joined in 2008 on a three-year contract.

The playmaker now appears set for an imminent return to South America after spending the last 13 years of his career in Europe, where he won international recognition with Portugal.

"As Deco himself said, the deal is well under way," Celso Barros, the president of the group which owns Fluminense, informed the press.

"It depends only on him being released by Chelsea and passing the medical tests, because the salary and length of contract have already been agreed.

"We will not talk this Wednesday, but in principle Deco will go to London to try to expedite his release with Chelsea. That done, he has asked Fluminense for at least a week to be with his children in Brazil and then he will report for medical tests and to start training."

Mesut Ozil To Spark Manchester United And Chelsea Battle After World Cup

Mesut Ozil is set to be inundated with offers from some of the Premier League's biggest clubs after a star turn at the World Cup - but he has said he will only be interested in transfers to Chelsea and Manchester United.

The Germany international, at just 21 years of age, has emerged as the lynchpin of a side who have reached the semi-finals of the world's biggest football tournament.

And he is already talking himself up for a move to either of the Premier League's two largest clubs in the summer - even if he has ruled out any serious discussions until next week.

'When I get back we can think about my future, but for for now it's not something I want to give a lot of thought to,' he told the Sun.

'To the top players the Premier League is attractive but the World Cup is all that matters at the moment.'

Referring to his prospective clubs, if he decides to quit Werder Bremen, he continued: 'You look at what Manchester United and Chelsea have achieved over the last five years and you see it would be easy to be successful at two clubs like that.

'I see what Michael Ballack achieved at Chelsea and the quality of players he played with and the temptation becomes obvious.'

Ozil is thought to have been the subject of a bid from Arsenal already this summer, which was rejected out of hand by Bremen.

However, he has hinted he would be more prepared to make the move to England if the last two Premier League champions came calling.

'Trophies are what matter to me,' he added.

'There are two teams in England always at the top and of course that's attractive.'

Cech Happy With Yossi Deal

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is pleased the club have managed to secure the services of midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

The 30-year-old Israel international moved for a reported £5million from Premier League rivals Liverpool and has joined up with the squad for pre-season training this week.

Benayoun has signed a three-year deal at Stamford Bridge and Cech is looking forward to seeing him in action.

"I think he is a very intelligent player, very technical, different from other types of players we have in the squad," he told Sky Sports News.

"For me he is a very good player so I think he will be very welcome."

Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti opted to sign the Israeli after he decided to release fellow midfielders Michael Ballack and Joe Cole at the end of the campaign.

Cole is a wanted man and speculation surrounding his future is rife, as Tottenham close in on the skilful attacker.

Cech does not believe Benayoun is a direct replacement for Cole, but says there are similarities between the two players.

"Well I was surprised because he's been at Chelsea for many years. I think he's been a great player for us and a great team-mate," he added.

"Yossi's a different player, although he is very technical and has skills like Joe Cole, he has got a different type of movement on the pitch and I think this is maybe what the manager wanted."

On other possible departures out of Chelsea this summer, Cech remarked: "As a player I only hope that if somebody leaves, he will be replaced with a player at least with the same quality or better.

"I think this is important for the group then you know that if someone leaves, their departure will not create any gap between the quality of the last season and the new season."

Chelsea Set To Sign Raul Meireles For £15m

Chelsea are reportedly set to land Porto midfielder Raul Meireles for a sum of £15 million.

The Portugal international had previously been linked with a move away from the Estadio do Dragao, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid believed to be in the chase to sign the 27-year-old.

However, recent reports indicated that the White House had pulled out of the race to sign the former Boavista man, as manager Jose Mourinho was believed to have turned his attention to bringing in Inter and Brazil defender Maicon.

Now The Mirror reports that the west London club is on the verge of signing the player for £15m, and so thwarting interest from their fellow competitors in the Premier League.

The potential move is believed to be due to the exits of Joe Cole and Michael Ballack from Stamford Bridge.

Defoe Wants Cole Arrival

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe admits he would love to see Joe Cole in a Spurs shirt next season.

The 27-year-old forward is keen to see the out-of-contract midfielder make the switch to White Hart Lane this summer, following his release from Chelsea.

Cole, 28, has been linked with a number of clubs, but London-based Tottenham and rivals Arsenal are thought to be leading the chase.

The former West Ham attacker only started 14 Premier League games for Chelsea last term and was deemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.

Following England's departure from the World Cup, Cole can now focus on sorting out his domestic future, and Three Lions team-mate Defoe wants him onboard.

"When we were in South Africa (you could see) every day his passion and his drive to want to improve," he told Sky Sports News.

"In training he was sharp and he was strong, he just loves football - that's Joe. So if we could get someone like that at the club it would be good for everyone."

Cole could be persuaded to move to Spurs after they finished fourth last season and qualified for a place in the UEFA Champions League.

Defoe admits the lure of top European football is a great boost for Tottenham, and he cannot wait to get started in the competition.

He added: "That's massive for everyone at the club, I'm really looking forward to that, it's really early in the season.

"We want to have a good run in the league as well, last year was fantastic and I really think we can do it again."

Agent: Torres Could Move To Chelsea Or City

Fernando Torres' agent says he could quit Anfield for Chelsea or Manchester City.

Jose Antonio Martin said: "It is very likely Fernando will stay in the Premier League but I cannot say it will be with Liverpool.

"We are working on his future right now but right now you cannot guarantee he will stay with the club."

Both Chelsea and City are claimed to be readying £70m bids for the 26-year-old, who has failed to fire at the World Cup and admits he is carrying an injury.

New Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson wants to keep the Spaniard but knows a huge offer might be impossible for the debt-laden club to resist, especially for a player who spends so much time on the treatment table.

Academy Takes On Fresh Talents

As Carlo Ancelotti and his squad prepare for the beginning of pre-season training this morning, so too does the Academy and its fresh intake of youngsters.

There is often a 'first day back at school' feel to pre-season training at Cobham. Spare a thought then for the first-year scholars in the Academy, who begin their full-time football education this morning.

Academy manager Neil Bath and his assistant Jim Fraser give us the run-down on the seven lads joining us at our state-of-the-art facility for 2010/11, and one who joins but returns to his former club for the season ahead.

Amin Affane (Date of birth - 21/1/94)

Amin is a left-sided player, but predominantly an attack-minded central midfielder who comes in from Sweden, his former club was Lärje/Angereds IF.

Jamal Blackman (27/10/93)

A goalkeeper from Croydon, Jemal is 6ft 5in already, very agile and joined the Academy fairly late at Under 13. Also involved in the England setup, he played for Chelsea in the Cobham Cup, the international tournament we hosted in August 2008.

Todd Kane (17/9/93)

Toddy has been at the club since he was an Under 8. He comes from Cambridge and is a very quick right-back, comfortable on the ball and tenacious in the tackle. He also played in the youth team last season.

Reece Loudon (2/10/93)

A lad from Stevenage, Reece is a left-midfielder, made his debut at left-back for the reserves last season and joined the Academy at Under 13.

Archange Nkumu (5/11/93)

A boy from North London who joined the Academy at Under 10, Archange can play holding midfield and has played most of the last year as a centre-half for the Under 16s.

Danny Mills Pappoe (30/12/93)

Danny featured many times for the reserves last season and was an important member of the youth squad, though he missed the Youth Cup Final through injury. Hailing from Deptford, he joined us at Under 12 and is a solid centre-half.

Danny Stenning (18/2/94)

A central midfielder from Tulse Hill, Danny joined the Academy at Under 14, and is a tidy little player who doesn't give the ball away a lot, has a great attitude and is strong in the tackle.

Tomas Kalas (15/5/93)

Tomas has signed but will spend the first year on loan at his club, Sigma Olomouc in the Czech Republic.

He is now going into the Under 18s, and made his first-team debut last season. Very athletic and quick, he is a very good one-on-one defender and comfortable on the ball.

We feel there is a lot of potential in the player, and we feel at the minute it is the right time to get him, but it would be good for him to stay there and get first team experience, and we look forward to him joining us next year. Obviously we will stay in touch and he will come across here when appropriate. He is a right-sided centre-half who can play right-back.

My Favourite Games: Daniel Sturridge

In the latest instalment of our players' favourite games, Daniel Sturridge reveals why a memorable clash with Barcelona and Chelsea ranks high up on his list.

Both his favourite game to watch and his favourite match to play in are courtesy of European competitions, namely the Champions League and Uefa Cup, as the striker explains.

Favourite game played:

'When I was at Man City we played Schalke away,' explains Sturridge. 'We went there as underdogs and it was one of those games where we thought it was going to be very difficult.

'We were playing away from home in a big stadium with great fans, it was a closed off arena so it was really humid inside and there was a great atmosphere but we went there and won.

'All the boys were delighted with the victory, there was loads of banter on the way home and everyone went home feeling good about themselves.

'Also, because I started that game, I was really happy to help the team win, it was a really good game. Overall we played better than them and we worked so hard as a team it was great to do that.'

Favourite game watched:

His favourite game to watch was a meeting in Europe's elite tournament and took place in a ground he would one day call home, when Chelsea hosted Barcelona in 2005 for a 4-2 win.

'I came down to watch when Chelsea played Barcelona because my brother is a Chelsea fan.

'It was the one when Ronaldhino scored two goals, the first one was a penalty and the second one was that little flick. I was in the Barcelona end for that game and it was amazing to see those types of players playing live.

'And the atmosphere was amazing, absolutely amazing. I was in the Barcelona end and it was mad being in the Spanish fans but the way the Chelsea fans got behind the boys was brilliant.

'The Barca fans were just going mad; they didn't know Ronaldhino scored when he did, so that was a really crazy game, it has to be up there as one of my favourites.'