Carlo Ancelotti Sets Sights On Historic Treble After Chelsea's 'Early' Euro Exit Last Season

Carlo Ancelotti led Chelsea to the Double in his first season in English football but now wants to go one better and win the Champions League.

The Chelsea boss believes his squad can defend their Premier League and FA Cup titles and improve on last season’s defeat by Inter Milan in the knock-out round of Europe’s elite club competition.

Ancelotti said: ‘Our aim is to do better than last year in the Champions League. We went out too early. It is not so easy to be competitive in every competition.

‘We have to defend the Premier League title. We want to do our best in all the competitions.’

The 51-year-old taunted Premier League runners up Manchester United with claims Manchester City could be pushing Chelsea for the title next May.

‘I think they will do better in respect to last season,’ he said. ‘They have a lot of fantastic players and could be an important opponent.’

The Italian would not comment on reports linking Chelsea with Liverpool’s Fernando Torres, insisting he does not need another striker.

Ancelotti also rebuffed suggestions of Ashley Cole joining Real Madrid.

‘Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka come back in the next days, and we also have Daniel Sturridge — so I don’t think we need other strikers. I’m happy to have this squad at the moment.

‘Cole will be important for us next season. 100 per cent. We have to maintain the same feeling.’

Chelsea began their pre-season campaign by beating Crystal Palace 1-0 on Saturday, thanks to a left-foot Michael Essien drive after 60 minutes.

It was the 27-year-old’s first appearance since injuring his left knee training with Ghana for the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

He said: ‘The knee is good. There is no more pain.’

Nigeria midfielder John Mikel Obi completed his comeback after a knee operation in May. Centre-half Alex, who is also returning from knee surgery, played an hour.

Chelsea Boost As Ozil's Werder Talks Collapse

Mesut Ozil could join Chelsea or Real Madrid after his club Werder Bremen failed to strike a fresh deal with the player.

The 21-year-old has entered the final year of his contract and talks to extend the deal failed to succeed at the weekend.

Ozil can now leave on a free transfer next summer, prompting Bremen to cash in on one of the stars of the World Cup.

Interested clubs would have to cough up around £22million.

“We had hoped to reach agreement after the World Cup, but we could not find a solution,” said Klaus Allofs, the Bremen sporting director.

Chelsea Youngster Jeffrey Bruma To Sign Loan Deal With Wolfsburg

Chelsea starlet Jeffrey Bruma is reported to be close to going out on loan to Wolfsburg.

The manager of the Bundesliga club, Steve McClaren, was interested in the young defender during his time at Twente, according to The Mirror.

And he is now believed to be viewing the 18-year-old as an important target during the current transfer window.

It is believed that the Blues do not see the versatile defender - who can play at right-back as well as in the centre of defence - as a player who could break into the first-team in the upcoming season, and are consequently willing to let the talented Dutchman go out on loan to the German heavyweights.

Bruma made an appearance for Chelsea in their 1-0 pre-season friendly victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Wigan Athletic Plotting Loan Move For Chelsea Striker Franco Di Santo

Wigan Athletic are reported to be interested in signing Chelsea striker Franco Di Santo on loan.

The tall forward spent last season on loan with Blackburn Rovers, but managed to score only once in 22 appearances in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old is now rumoured to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, and has been linked with moves away from the club.

The Mirror reports that the Latics are interested in taking the former Audax Italiano hitman on loan to the DW Stadium, amidst interest from Bolton Wanderers, Feyenoord and Twente.

If the potential transfer of Di Santo reaches fruition, the striker could be paired alongside fellow Argentine forward Mauro Boselli by Wigan manager Roberto Martinez.

Former Chelsea Striker Ben Sahar To Rejoin Hapoel Tel Aviv

Former Chelsea striker Ben Sahar is set to rejoin his boyhood club Hapoel Tel Aviv.

IMScouting has learned that the deal between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Sahar's current club, Espanyol, will be finalized in the next 48 hours.

Espanyol are demanding €100,000 for a one-year loan, while Hapoel just want to pay his €400,000-per-year salary, but the two sides are close to an agreement.

Maccabi Haifa - the former club of new Chelsea signing Yossi Benayoun, Everton striker Yakubu Ayegbeni and ex-Souhampton, West Ham, Celtic and Manchester City star Eyal Berkovitz – were also interested in Sahar, but the 20-year-old appears to be heading to the Israeli Double winners.

The player was initially reluctant to leave La Liga, but after a talk with Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino, he understood it would be the best move for his career.

"His dream is to play every weekend and we cannot promise that," said Pochettino. "Hapoel can assure him first-team football, whereas here we have many players vying for his position."

"He wants to grow while remaining a member of Espanyol, and this is his opportunity," he continued.

Sahar has failed to settle since leaving Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2006 in a dream move to Chelsea.

After two years and just three appearances for the Blues, Sahar went out on loan to QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth and Dutch side De Graafschap Doetinchem, before signing for Espanyol for €1 million in 2009.

Sahar made 22 appearancs for the La Liga outfit last season, scoring just the one goal.

Carlo Ancelotti: Joe Cole Left Chelsea Because Of An 'Economic Problem'

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Joe Cole's decision to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of last season was purely down to economics and was nothing personal.

Ancelotti maintains that he enjoyed a positive working relationship with the England midfielder and was more than happy with his performances for the team.

The Italian admits that he would have preferred the player to stay but also asserts that the 28-year-old's exit was nothing to do with him.

"No, because the problem was economic," Ancelotti told reporters.

"It was a problem between the club and Joe Cole, not me. We spoke about this but when the problem is with money, it is not my problem.

"It is difficult to keep a player all the time in one squad.

"I think Joe Cole, like Michael Ballack and Julian Belletti, did a fantastic job. I want to thank them but now is the time to change."

Crowds Boo Ashley Cole At Campbell's Wedding

Love rat Ashley Cole was booed when he turned up at old team-mate Sol Campbell's wedding.

Crowds gathered to watch guests arrive for the marriage between Arsenal and former England defender Sol and girlfriend Fiona Barratt.

Man United's Rio Ferdinand, old Arsenal heroes Martin Keown and David Seaman and celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott all got a cheer.

But when Chelsea's Cole, 29, arrived at the church just a few miles from where estranged wife Cheryl Tweedy, 27, grew up he was greeted by jeers.

One onlooker said: "The crowd was having real fun cheering famous guests. But when Cole arrived he got booed. He definitely heard it."

Sol, 35, wed Fiona, 29, granddaughter of housebuilding tycoon Sir Lawrie Barratt, at St Andrew's Church in Corbridge, Northumberland.

Local Jane Brooke, 32, said: "She looked beautiful."

The couple have been together since 2005.

Mixed Results For Young Blues

There was plenty of Chelsea involvement in the first round of matches of the European Under 19 Championships in northern France.

Gael Kakuta got the hosts off to the perfect start against Holland, opening the scoring with a fine solo goal after 20 minutes of their 4-1 win and going on to play the entire game.

Jacob Mellis was a 77th minute substitute for England in their 3-2 win over Austria, replacing Tottenham's John Bostock in midfield. Former Chelsea Academy player Frank Nouble scored twice to secure the win for the English.

Fabio Borini captained Italy against Portugal and Jacopo Sala also started, but the Blues pair were on the wrong end of a 2-0 result that leaves them plenty of work to do if they want to reach the semi-finals.

Sala was substituted on 54 minutes, Borini on 80.

In that group's other game, Spain beat Croatia 2-1. Matej Delac, who has signed a pre-contract agreement to play for Chelsea, played the entire 90 minutes in goal for the Croats.

Chelsea Coach Carlos Ancelotti Rules Out Signing Of Fernando Torres From Liverpool

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has indicated that he is not interested in signing striker Fernando Torres from fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool this summer.

The Spanish international striker, who won the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with a number of top European clubs supposedly keen on signing the former Atletico Madrid forward.

Last season's Premier League winners Chelsea were one of the clubs reportedly keen on landing Torres, but Blues' coach Carlo Ancelotti has now ruled out a move for the 26-year-old.

Speaking at a press conference after Saturday's 1-0 friendly win at Crystal Palace, the 51-year-old Italian said, "I don't think we need any other strikers. Nothing has changed, because in the next few days [Didier] Drogba, [Nicolas] Anelka and [Salomon] Kalou will return - and we have [Daniel] Sturridge."

Ancelotti Hails Returning Star And Fires Message To Mourinho

Michael Essien made a goalscoring return to action following his six-month lay-off to give Double winners Chelsea victory at Crystal Palace.

Ghana midfielder Essien, out since December with a cruciate knee ligament injury and who also missed his country’s World Cup heroics, managed an hour as Chelsea kicked off their pre-season.

Essien, 27, who started in a side made up mostly of reserve team players like Ryan Betrand, scored with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area and was substituted immediately afterwards.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “Michael is very important to this team. He has come back very well and is a fantastic player.”

With one star back, Ancelotti is bent on keeping another, warning Jose Mourinho that he is wasting his time pursuing Ashley Cole. Former Chelsea boss Mourinho is eager to be reunited with Cole and the Real Madrid coach is weighing up a £30million bid for the England ­left-back.

Ancelotti said: “I haven’t spoken with Ashley – we don’t need to.

“He had a fantastic season last year and is going to be an important player for us this season. He will remain with us, 100 per cent.”

Ancelotti has also cooled his interest in Fernando Torres, with the price tag proving the major stumbling block. Liverpool wants at least £50m for Spain’s World Cup winner Torres and now Ancelotti claims he is happy with his current squad.

He said: “Nothing has changed. We have lots of good strikers so we don’t need more. The transfer window is still open but I am very happy to continue with this squad who has won the Double.

England World Cup flops John Terry, Frank Lampard and Cole are back this week. But Ancelotti said: “The World Cup is in the past. It was not good for them but I think the club is a different story.”

Holloway Eyes Sinclair Reunion

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway is plotting an ambitious bid for Chelsea starlet Scott Sinclair.

Holloway discovered the England Under-21 winger as a 10-year-old schoolboy when in charge at Bristol Rovers and he played under the Tangerines boss during a loan spell at Plymouth in 2008.

He spent last season on loan at Wigan but failed to convince Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti he is ready to command a regular role at Stamford Bridge.

The Blackpool boss also has designs on strengthening his back line with West Ham's Danny Gabbidon earmarked as a potential target.

However, West Ham's valuation of the player may scupper the deal with the newly-promoted Seasiders wanting to capture him for less than £500,000.

Chelsea Join Manchester Duo In The Race For Mario Balotelli

With no secrets being made of the potential bidding war that could break out between Manchester United and Manchester City as the pair look to sign Inter hitman Mario Balotelli, it now seems that Chelsea may also throw themselves into the ring, according to the player's agent Mino Raiola.

"I have had contact with a few teams," Balotelli’s agent declared to SkySports.

“The papers keep talking about Manchester United and City, but I will keep the names of the others to myself.”

Raiola was then probed as to whether Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea are one of the other contenders looking to secure the services of the hitman.

"Are Chelsea keen? Why not?” Raiola concluded.

Fabio Expects Terry Axe

John Terry's future in the England team is under severe threat, according to former Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro.

Ex-skipper Terry incurred the wrath of manager Fabio Capello during England's dismal World Cup campaign when he suggested the players were ready to confront the Italian over his tactics and team selection.

The Chelsea centre-back was forced to back down after Capello called his comments a 'big mistake', but kept his place in the side before England were bundled out of the tournament in the second round after a 4-1 humbling by Germany.

Cannavaro, who lifted the World Cup with Italy in 2006 before suffering a humiliating group stage exit in South Africa, knows Capello well after working under his compatriot at Real Madrid.

And the experienced defender believes the strict disciplinarian will begin preparing for the 2012 European Championships by making sweeping changes to the Three Lions squad, with Terry the most at risk.

"My thoughts are that John Terry won't be on the team sheet," Cannavaro told the Daily Star Sunday.

"You don't cross Fabio and he won't want anybody disrupting his tournament again.

"It was absolutely the correct decision for the English FA to keep Fabio on. He can make this England team his own now - and I would actually make them the favourites for Euro 2012.

"When he joined Real Madrid he brought a lot of players in the first season like myself and Ruud van Nistelrooy and the result was instant success but internationally it takes time to build your own team.

"I don't want to speak for Fabio but I'd be surprised if more than five of the players who started against Germany start the opening game of Euro 2012.

"For me, the only two players that can be guaranteed to start in 2012 are Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney.

"By then Fabio will have had enough time to build his own team and I think it will be unrecognisable compared to what it was at the World Cup.

"Spain will be there but if Fabio gets rid of egos, I think England will see exactly why it was a good decision to keep him on."

Match Report: Crystal Palace 0 - 1 Chelsea

Chelsea's pre-season campaign began with a victory at Crystal Palace on Saturday thanks to a goal from the returning Michael Essien.

It was our first fixture of 2010/11, and Essien's first appearance in a Chelsea shirt since December, rounded off nicely with a smart second-half goal that put the gloss on an impressive performance from the Ghanaian.

The emphasis was always going to be on form and fitness rather than results, but manager Carlo Ancelotti will be delighted to have started with a win despite the inexperienced look of his side.

Without his World Cup players, the manager took the opportunity to examine some of Chelsea's emerging talent while welcoming back from injury Essien and John Mikel Obi, two players who missed the end of last season.

Petr Cech took the captain's armband in goal, with Alex accompanied by Patrick van Aanholt in central defence. Jeffrey Bruma was at right-back and Ryan Bertrand on the left.

In midfield Nemanja Matic joined Essien in the middle with Mikel behind, and Josh McEachran was in behind the front men. Franco Di Santo, back from a loan spell with Blackburn last term, joined Daniel Sturridge in attack.

Missing due to injury were Yossi Benayoun (groin), Yury Zhirkov (knee) and Michael Mancienne (thigh).

Palace began the game with a number of trialists in their squad, including former Chelsea midfielder Liam Bridcutt, who left Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, on the bench.

Due to a higher attendance than the home side had anticipated, kick-off was put back 15 minutes. When we did get going it didn't take long for the game to come to life, Van Aanholt hooking just past his own goal in the Chelsea area, and then Di Santo testing Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni inside the first couple of minutes.

McEachran was looking comfortable in his first senior appearance, demonstrating his smart footwork early on before sending over a right-wing corner that Essien headed over the bar.

It was the youngster's pass that sent Sturridge through on 20 minutes, but the forward was unable to find his way past defender Adam Barrett. Moments later Di Santo stuck a half-chance wide at the near post, as some rusty passages of play gave way to some more creative moves.

In the 27th minute Essien came close again, very close, as he let rip with a looping half-volley that clipped the crossbar on its way over, about three inches from repeating that wonder goal against Barcelona in the Champions League in 2009.

Just after the half-hour Ross Turnbull replaced Cech in goal as Ancelotti sought to give all three of his goalkeepers a chance. Essien took the armband as Cech received a warm applause from the home support on his way back towards the dressing room.

A foul on the lively Sturridge brought a shooting opportunity from the right, 25 yards from goal, and though it favoured the left-footer it was Alex who strode up, nearly decapitating the defender in the wall who was unfortunate enough to get in its way.

Sturridge for Chelsea and Darren Ambrose for Palace flashed efforts wide before the break, and then our England Under-21 wasted a good chance after it following Essien's precise pass, failing to get his shot away as Speroni narrowed the angle.

Bruma shot high and Sturridge saw a volley blocked as Chelsea started the second half on top, the only change in personnel being Bertrand and Van Aanholt switching positions.

On 58 minutes Chelsea took the lead, and it was Essien who made it the perfect return, curling a low finish into the bottom corner after McEachran and Sturridge had worked the ball to him on the edge of the area.

That was his last involvement as Ancelotti made five changes. Alex, Di Santo, McEachran, and Turnbull were all withdrawn, replaced by Jack Cork, Milan Lalkovic, Scott Sinclair, Conor Clifford and Hilario.

This prompted a change in shape also to 4-3-3, Sturridge the lone forward with Lalkovic on the right and Sinclair the left, Clifford joining Mikel and Matic in the centre, with Cork at right-back and Bruma in the middle.

Bridcutt appeared for the final 16 minutes and immediately created Palace's best opportunity, intercepting a loose Mikel pass and playing in Claude Davis who shot hard but straight at Hilario, who parried.

Three more Chelsea changes followed, Bruma, Matic and Sturridge giving way to 15-year-old schoolboy and England Under 17 international Nathaniel Chalobah, Aliu 'Kaby' Djalo and Gokhan Tore but there would be no more major action.

All in all it was a successful start and a good experience for the young Blues. Next up is a trip to Ajax in six days' time.

Essien Delighted With Comeback

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is confident he has made a full recovery from an injured-ravaged past season.

The Ghana international has been sidelined since December with a knee ligament injury which also forced him to miss the World Cup.

Essien made a goalscoring return to action in Saturday's 1-0 friendly victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and was delighted by his comeback.

"It feels good, it's been a long time but I am back in full training now, everything is good and there is no reaction from the training, so things are looking good for me," he told the club's official website.

"I didn't have any holidays because of my rehab, but it will be good to start up again and I am looking forward to the rest of the boys coming back as well.

"I'd love to have been there playing at the end of the season, it wasn't easy for me but I supported my team-mates to win their matches, that's all I could do.

"I became a supporter and to end the season with two trophies was amazing and I was enjoying it like everyone even though I didn't play the whole season."

The Spotlight Shines On Josh McEachran!

With all the World Cup participants yet to return to Cobham for pre-season training there was always the possibility that Carlo Ancelotti would give a few youngsters the chance to play on Saturday.

However, one youngster who made the team sheet might well have been more than a little surprised to get a start.

Josh McEachran earned rave reviews in our successful FA Youth Cup campaign last season and is marked down as one for the future.

At 17 years of age, the lad who has been at Chelsea since he was 8 (does that make him due a testimonial next season?) certainly has time on his side.

But, given his chance on Saturday, Josh didn’t disappoint.

Playing in front of a large crowd, so large it’s the first time I can recall a friendly being late kicking off due to crowd congestion, young Josh showed glimpses of the remarkable talent he possesses.

Playing in the hole behind the striking partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Franco Di Santo, as early as the third or fourth minute he showed a sublime piece of skill with fleet of foot to create space and bamboozle two Palace players closing him down.

As Chelsea pushed Palace back young Josh seemed to be at the heart of everything, probing passes, deft flicks and even the commitment to regain possession when one dalliance on the ball saw it lost.

The youngster even had the audacity to claim an assist for Michael Essen’s fine strike laying the ball back into his path so the Ghanaian could smash it home from eighteen yards out.

Yes there were errors, some ambitious long passes went astray and one dart into the box saw Josh not completely able to control the ball first time but when he was withdrawn, shortly after the goal, he’d done enough t more than justify his inclusion in the starting eleven.

With the next game scheduled for Friday, and a fixture against Ajax Amsterdam, we’re not sure if Josh will get a starting berth, especially if Yossi Benayoun has overcome the injury that kept him on the sidelines on Saturday, but remember the name because if young Josh continues his remarkable progress it’ll soon be on everyone’s lips!

Ancelotti Wants Reunion With Superstar

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has been very outspoken about his admiration for Real Madrid playmaker Kaka. Under the tutelage of Ancelotti, the Brazilian went from a developing youngster to a global superstar at AC Milan. Now, with the Blues set to pull out of an expensive deal for Liverpool’s injured forward Fernando Torres, Kaka’s chances of securing a move to the Premier League have increased significantly.

Merely two days ago, Ancelotti acknowledged his desire to coach Kaka once again but conceded that the transfer was unlikely to happen due to the player’s importance at Santiago Bernabeu.

“Unfortunately he cannot come: firstly Real Madrid don’t want to sell him, and secondly we would need a consent over the transfer, and thirdly it would be a multi-million operation. None of these conditions exist,” said the man who led Chelsea to a domestic double in his very first season in England.

Fresh reports coming out of the Spanish media suggest otherwise. It is actually believed that Los Blancos manager Jose Mourinho rates Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart as a more important player to build the team around. Therefore, the highly rated Kaka can possibly be deemed surplus to requirement in the coming days.

If that ends up being the case, it is expected that Mourinho will also consider cut-price deals for the former Ballon d’Or winner. Without a doubt, this rumor is poised to begin the biggest transfer saga of the summer as the football world will keep its fingers crossed to see whether or not Kaka will join his former coach Ancelotti at Mourinho’s former club.

Ibrahimovic Laughs Off City And Chelsea Talk

Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has insisted he is staying with the Spanish champions and quashed speculation linking him with a move to the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City.

Ibrahimovic has been strongly linked with a move away from the Nou Camp following a disappointing first season at Barcelona and the club's summer signing of Spain striker David Villa.

But, speaking at a press conference announcing his return to the Swedish national team, Ibrahimovic said he has no intention of leaving the Catalan giants.

"I was a Barca player when I left (to go on holiday) and I'll be a Barca player when I go back," Ibrahimovic said. "I have four years left on my contract.''

The former Inter Milan forward also took a swipe at the press for their constant publication of stories linking him with other clubs.

"I want to congratulate everybody that has used my name, because it's fun to have been at Chelsea, at Manchester City, without having been there,'' he said.

Chelsea Weighing Up £25m Neymar Bid

Chelsea are contemplating a £25 million bid for Brazilian starlet Neymar, a deal that would see the highly-rated striker become the most expensive teenager in world football.

Neymar, 18, has impressed at Santos over the past 12 months, and his performances led to widespread calls for Dunga to call him up to Brazil's World Cup squad.

He didn't make the plane to South Africa but that hasn't stopped Chelsea working on an offer to bring one of the world's hottest prospects to England, with the Blues thought to be deep in discussions about a possible move.

Neymar's current contract runs until 2014, but Santos is happy to cash in. The club insists they will not do a deal for anything less than the striker's £28.4 million release clause, but if Chelsea come anywhere close to that figure, the Brazilian side are certain to sell.

"Chelsea want the boy, but wanted him to gain some experience in English football first with another club," A source close to the transfer told Soccernet. "That doesn't look likely, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise if they buy him outright, and a bid anywhere over £20 million is sure to persuade Santos to sell."

Under rules in Brazil, Neymar was prohibited from registering for a team outside Brazil until his 18th birthday, but with the first transfer window since he turned 18 in February now open, Chelsea are considering a bid.

West Ham had been making all the running to acquire the teenager, but, clearly the Hammers couldn't afford to buy Neymar outright, and the door is now open for Chelsea.

Neymar's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, masterminded the deal that took Robinho from Santos to Real Madrid in 2005, as well as the same player's subsequent £34 million British-record transfer to Manchester City - and now he is behind an astonishing move to bring Neymar to English football.

The boy's father, Neymar da Silva Santos, has appeared happy with the arrangement to let his son settle into a completely new environment, which could still include a learning curve with West Ham before heading on to Stamford Bridge.

A potential stumbling block is that the boy is 40% owned by a group of investors, and to qualify to play for a club in England, the third party owners would have to be bought out entirely.

Chelsea Offer £50m For Torres

Chelsea has made a club record £50million bid for Fernando Torres. Liverpool turned down a £40m offer for the Spanish striker, 26, last week.

And the Anfield club made it clear they would not welcome any further approaches for their World Cup-winning star.

But that will not deter Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich from stepping up the pursuit of his top target this summer.

A top Stamford Bridge source said: "It's true Liverpool have knocked back the first bid of £40m but it's highly unlikely that will be the end to it.

"Let's see what happens when an offer of £50m lands on Christian Purslow's desk."

Red Rom is now on holiday after spending two weeks at the World Cup finals in South Africa but will test Liverpool's resolve by upping his offer.

He is hoping a significantly improved offer will concentrate minds at a club that has failed to qualify for the Champions League.

They are also £350m in debt and made a £55m loss in the last financial year.

Torres, who joined Liverpool for £21.5m from Atletico Madrid three years ago, met with new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson and managing director Purslow this week in Spain.

But that did little to stifle speculation surrounding his future.

And if the Kop favourite comes out publicly and demands to leave Merseyside, then Liverpool may reluctantly consider doing a deal.

But sources close to the hitman, who will be out for three weeks after tearing an abductor muscle in the World Cup final, say he is in no rush to commit himself either way yet.

A Liverpool insider said: "The club was quick to reject Chelsea's £40m bid and tell them Torres is not for sale.

"Fernando could kill the deal stone dead by coming right out and committing himself to the club. Hopefully he'll do that sooner rather than later."

Newcastle In For Chelsea Starlet

Newcastle United has been linked with a move for Chelsea's teenage left-back Patrick Van Aanholt.

The Dutch Under-21 International impressed during a month long loan spell in January last year, when he deputised for injured first choice left back Jose Enrique.

It now appears that Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is keen on bringing the 19-year-old, who can also play on the left wing, back to St James' Park ahead of the new Premier League season.

It is not clear whether Hughton wants to sign the youngster on loan or permanently but any deal could rest on the future of Ashley Cole, who has been linked with a £30million move to Real Madrid.

Should Cole make the move to Spain then Chelsea may prefer to keep the young Dutchman at Stamford Bridge.

Annan Eyes English Move

Ghana midfielder Anthony Annan is hopeful of winning a move to the Premier League this summer.

A number of clubs have been linked with a move for Annan after he impressed at the World Cup with Ghana.

The likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have been credited with an interest in the Rosenborg ace and the 23-year-old admits he would be interested in a move to England or any major European league.

"I am keeping my fingers crossed, but I don't know the future yet," Annan told Sky Sports News.

"I am still playing and the transfer market is not over yet.

"I am just hoping one or two things happen before the close of the transfer market and just hoping good things will come out of that.

"I think if I have opportunity to play there [England] I would be very grateful. If not Germany, Italy, Spain, everywhere. I think I will be ready to play over there.

"My agent knows what's going on and I will have a meeting with him and discuss what is happening with my future."

Crewe Loanee Rhys Taylor Keen To Stay For Entire Season

Chelsea goalkeeper Rhys Taylor says he is keen to extend his two-month loan at Crewe Alexandra for the whole season.

Taylor, 20, told BBC Radio Stoke: "I would like to stay if the manager [Dario Gradi] wants to keep me.

"I want to have a good season with no injuries and I want to play as many games as I can for Crewe."

Taylor is likely to start the season as Crewe's number one goalkeeper while experienced stopper Steve Phillips recovers from a shoulder operation.

The Wales Under-21 international was recommended to the Alex by former Crewe first-team coach Steve Holland, who now takes charge of the reserve team at Chelsea.

"He's been great with some of the young players," added Taylor.

"It can be difficult at a club like Chelsea, dealing with young players who are getting upset because they're not playing.

"He's done well and he's been a massive part of getting me to this club."

Taylor, who has yet to make a first-team appearance for Chelsea or Queen's Park Rangers, where he spent six weeks on loan last season, has set his sights on eventually succeeding Petr Cech and becoming the number one goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge.

"It's a big target but I'm still only 20 and for a keeper that's only a baby," said Taylor.

"I want to get some experience and some league games. I've been playing in the reserves at Chelsea since I was 15 so I've been doing that for a while and I think it's time to step it up."

Profiling the Future - Daniel Sturridge

Sturridge signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2009 from Manchester City for a fee set by the tribunal at £3.5million. Sturridge from his very childhood was a football person. He signed for the Aston Villa Academy at just 8 years of age and spent 4 years with them before joining Coventry.

Even then Sturridge did things with the ball that much older kids could only dream of. City were so impressed by his work they paid £30,000 for the 13 year old to join their youth set-up.

A year later, aged just 14 he took part in the Nike Cup, the worlds greatest U-15 football tournament. He single-handedly led City to victory as he picked up both 'Player of the Season` and the 'Golden Boot` award.

Aged 16, in their 2005/2006 FA Youth Cup Sturridge scored 6 times (including 2 in the final) to help City finish runners up for the first time in 11 years.

Immediately drafted into the reserves by City he impressed mightily scoring 9 times in 6 games including a hat-trick. His first real impact for City came in his first start for the club in 2008/2009 as he scored 2 in 2 against Derby and Sheffield.

The English media began to rave about the performances of the young lad.

Despite continuing to impress as a City first team member he enjoyed having a part in their Youth Cup run and again finished top scorer, including a goal against the young blues in the final.

He made 16 league appearances meanwhile for City that year scoring 4 and making 3. He was voted their Young Player of the Year.

Sturridge, along with Turnbull, was one of the young Englishmen the blues decided to bring in. Upon his arrival Danny fit right in with the big names at the Bridge. He felt he was finally fulfilling his potential and upon his move he said:

'Chelsea is the right move for me, I have earned this chance. They already have great strikers in Anelka and Didier. One can learn a lot from such names.'

Sturridge came in with the right attitude and was rewarded for his efforts. He scored in pre-season on his debut against Seattle, set up perfectly by Anelka. He also proved a handful for Jose's Inter, winning a penalty that Lampard slotted home.

Sturridge was very impressive in the Reserves League for the blues scoring 6 times in 5 appearances. This however was nothing to his FA Cup run where he scored 4 times in 3 matches to help Chelsea make it to the semi-final.

He however did not get his chance to match the great Peter Osgood's record as he did not play any part in the semi or the final as Chelsea lifted the trophy. He was our top scorer.

In the League Danny was very impressive, showing his versatility in playing in several positions. He proved equally effective down the right, left or in the centre. His talent on the ball and pace proved tough for opposition to deal with and whenever he came on the tempo of the game usually went up a notch.

He scored his first Chelsea goal in the win over Stoke 7-0. It was the 6th as a perfect Didier pass was found by his agile feet and he delicately rounded the keeper Begovic and slotted home. His celebration was worth watching.

In a total of 13 Premier League appearances he scored once and had 3 assists. Danny, at 20 still has a long way to go in his career. The early signs suggest that he is a man gifted with insane quality and if he gets his chance, with as many appearances as some of the senior lads, he can easily cross the 20 goal mark.

Essien: Back For Good

Yesterday was the day for Michael Essien as the midfielder makes his long-awaited return from a knee injury.

The midfielder has not appeared in Chelsea colours since December, enduring a frustrating time on the sidelines while his team-mates lifted the Premier League and FA Cup Double and then headed to South Africa for the World Cup.

For the Ghanaian, it has been a summer of rehabilitation rather than relaxation, but the hard work looks to be paying dividends as he anticipates his return against Crystal Palace yesterday afternoon.

'I know now I will play, and it will be nice to have 45 minutes like the other guys to test my fitness,' said the 27-year-old. 'It feels good, it's been a long time but I am back in full training now, everything is good and there is no reaction from the training, so things are looking good for me.

'I didn't have any holidays because of my rehab, but it will be good to start up again and I am looking forward to the rest of the boys coming back as well.

'I'd love to have been there playing at the end of the season, it wasn't easy for me but I supported my team-mates to win their matches, that's all I could do. I became a supporter and to end the season with two trophies was amazing and I was enjoying it like everyone even though I didn't play the whole season.'

Essien acknowledges that being given the go-ahead today will mean he is one of the more senior players on show with the majority of his first team colleagues still on vacation.

'We're still waiting for the rest of the other players from the World Cup but we have a lot of good young players here as well,' he said.

'I think it's good to start the pre-season games with them and to see them play, so the manager can see how good they are. I think the club has a great future with those players and I can see in training they are doing well at the moment.'

While his team-mates were taking plaudits for their work on the field, Essien has been taking impressive steps off it - this week he has been announced as a peace ambassador for 2010 by the African Union.

'It's great to be appointed an ambassador in Africa and I am looking forward to working with them, I hope everything will go really well and I can help get the message across for peace in Africa,' Essien explained.

'They requested me to meet them for a meeting but I am busy with pre-season so one of my representatives is there for a meeting and will come back and talk to me about it soon. From now you will have to call me Ambassador Essien!'

With the prospect of seeing him back in Chelsea blue, this new title seems a very small price to pay.

Alex Convinced Yossi Benayoun Signing Will Help Club Retain Premier League Title

Chelsea defender Alex has been impressed with new boy Yossi Benayoun in pre-season training and is convinced "he will help" the club retain the Premier League title.

Alex, 28, has been preparing with the rest of the squad for the campaign ahead without the club's World Cup 2010 contingent. Despite missing the likes of John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, he has been kept on his toes by the signing from Liverpool.

Speaking to the club's official website, Alex praised the Israeli international's impact since being snapped up by manager Carlo Ancelotti.

"He is a good man, he is experienced and I think he will help us this season. We need players of this quality,' Alex said.

"He is difficult to mark when we do this in training - attackers v defenders - and I have to have more concentration in defence."

New Chelsea Starlet Tomas Kalas Admits To Snubbing Premier League Rivals Arsenal

New Chelsea signing Tomas Kalas has revealed he rejected Arsenal to make the £5 million switch to the Premier League champions.

Kalas, 17, has joined the Blues from Czech side Sigma Olomouc on a contract that runs until 2016. As one of the most highly rated young defenders in Europe, he had a pick of teams to move to.

Despite visiting the Gunners - as well as German sides Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim - the childhood fan was determined to force through a move to Carlo Ancelotti's side.

"There were rumours flying around already during the spring, but at that time there were more clubs around me," Kalas told iDnes.cz.

"It became more specific only after the U-17 European Championship in Liechtenstein in May. Chelsea scouts were present there.

"Then I, my dad and Olomouc were proposed a specific offer. But Mr [Frank, sporting director] Arnesen told me I had been on the list already before the Euro and they had been following me for two years."

Kalas has only made one appearance in the Czech top flight so far and will stay at Sigma on loan next season. He further revealed he not only rejected Arsene Wenger's advances, but a pair of moves to the Bundesliga.

"Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim from the Bundesliga and apart from Chelsea also Arsenal," Kalas added.

"I have been to both German clubs and also Arsenal, but the best impression was left on me by Chelsea.

"People say that Arsenal are famous for their academy, but from what I could see during my days at Chelsea, that really impressed me.

"Even my dad thought of Chelsea as the best option. Moreover, I have been a Chelsea fan since I was a little kid.

"I am convinced I have made the right decision by joining Chelsea. After all, by this I am making my dream come true."

Olympique Marseille Pursuing Audacious Move For Chelsea Star Didier Drogba

Olympique Marseille remain interested in tempting Didier Drogba away from Chelsea and back to Ligue 1, according to a report from France Football.

The French outfit apparently contacted the Ivorian a few weeks ago, but at that stage it looked like his wage demands would prove prohibitive.

However, OM are trying to reduce their wage bill and trim their squad, which may create room in the budget for Drogba.

The striker, 32, knows that the Blues are looking for a new, younger centre-forward and Marseille might offer him a longer contract on slightly lower wages, similar to the strategy employed by Paris Saint-Germain when they snapped up Claude Makelele.

The move is at present on ice, according to the report, although Drogba remains on Marseille's shortlist, with the French club believing a fee of around £12.5 million (€15m) could be enough to snare the striker.

France's Nicolas Anelka Refuses To Apologise About Player Strike

Nicolas Anelka has refused to apologise for his role in the players’ strike that undermined France’s World Cup campaign.

Anelka was sent home from the World Cup after a verbal confrontation with manager Raymond Domenech during France's 2-0 defeat to Mexico.

The rest of the squad subsequently refused to train in protest at Anelka's expulsion and finished their campaign bottom of Group A with just one point and one goal to their credit.

There were calls in France for Anelka to be banned from representing his country for the rest of his career, though new coach Laurent Blanc has since hinted the door may still be open for a return.

However, last night Anelka insisted the atmosphere inside the France camp at the World Cup was like a time bomb.

“If it hadn’t been me that brought it to a head, someone else would. It was waiting to happen," Anelka said.

"Everyone, and I really mean everyone, was as one. If there were some players who wanted to train, let them speak now. But I’m 100 per cent sure that nobody will want to.”

Anelka’s France team-mate Jeremy Toulalan publicly attacked Domenech’s methods at the time and recently admitted he played a direct role in the training ground boycott.

"I'm not proud of what I did but I accept responsibility," Toulalan said.

"There were no ringleaders and no slaves, no good guys and no bad guys. We were all involved and we are all responsible because nobody said a word [against the boycott]. Whoever says otherwise is a liar”.

Profiling The Future - Jeffrey Bruma

Bruma signed for Chelsea from Feyenoord aged 15 for a paltry £100,000. His skills were evident even then as he plied his trade in their youth setup having appeared for their B team aged only 14.

Youth Coach Mario Been was devastated at the loss stating:

'I am not happy that the board has let him go, I expressed his importance to the future of Feyenoord to the board. He was the jewel of our setup, but it is not my decision.'

Joining Chelsea at this tender age, he had little problems adapting to the friendly environment at Cobham. He began the 2007/08 season admirably and aged just 16 he managed to make a place in the reserves set-up.

He played in almost every game for the Youth team and made 3 appearances for the reserves.

In the 2008/09 season Bruma was involved in every game in our run to the Youth Cup Final defeat scoring 2 headed goals en route to the final. He made further reserve appearances and his form was so impressive that having barely turned 17 he was called up to the Holland U-21 team.

He has been selected to start for almost every game since. 2009/10 was the breakthrough year for Bruma as much as it was for all the other youngsters. The arrival of Carletto, saw him get his chance to impress with the first team... perhaps in his case, more deserving than any other youngster in the squad.

In a team with amazing defenders of the likes of Carvalho, Terry, Ivanovic and Alex, Bruma was still able to stake a claim for himself as he made 2 league appearances for the blues, helping them keep clean sheets against both Wolves and Blackburn in 40 minute spells.

He played in the Carling Cup exit to Blackburn as well, coming on as a substitute for Belletti. The management were very impressed by his performances in each. Meanwhile, he was also taking part in the Youth campaign. He played in almost all games in the FA Youth Cup triumph and scored in the Final first leg at Villa Park.

Bruma has not been in the game very long but he has all the qualities to be one of the best defenders of the coming era and if he continues to improve at this rate.... even the best. His qualities being showcased at such an age suggest that if Chelsea can hang on to this one and nurture him that £100,000 spent can be increased at least 500 times in value.

Alex: Back Among Young

At 28 years of age Alex is all set to be the old man at the heart of the Chelsea defence when the pre-season games kick off tomorrow at Selhurst Park.

John Terry, Ashley Cole, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira and Branislav Ivanovic are all yet to return to training following World Cup action and Jose Bosingwa has yet to rejoin full training.

He is in the final stages of recovery from knee surgery so the likes of Michael Mancienne, Sam Hutchinson, Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt and Ryan Bertrand come into the frame for defensive positions alongside the Brazilian for the match at Crystal Palace.

Several possible combinations have been worked upon in training Alex reports.

'It is good to start the pre-season games after two weeks everyday with training,' he tells the Official Chelsea Website.

'We start with what I think is a difficult game and we don't have many of the other players here yet, but we have a good group with the reserve team coming in to play a part and it is important to win the first game of pre-season.

'It is good for us in training games because the young players never stop running,' he smiles. 'They are always up and down the pitch and it is good for your condition. You always have to pay attention.

'It has been good working together with players like Jeffrey and Michael Mancienne who are sometimes also as left back and right back.'

Alex as much as anyone is pleased to have joined the preparations from day one having seen this stage disrupted by injury the last two years.

'When I arrived here two weeks ago the doctors spent one training session with me in the morning but I felt good and I trained normally. I had a problem the last two pre-seasons but this season it's very good.

The Future In France

The international football continues to come thick and fast as this weekend Chelsea youngsters embark on their pursuit of the Uefa Under-19 championship in northern France.

After coming through two rounds of qualifying, Gael Kakuta (France), Fabio Borini and Jacopo Sala (Italy), Jacob Mellis (England), plus Matej Delac (Croatia) who has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Chelsea, will all be monitored closely by sporting director Frank Arnesen and our Academy staff.

Their involvement follows off the back of having 12 senior internationals representing us at the World Cup in South Africa, a number that would have been higher but for injuries, and England's success at the Under 17 European Championship, in which Josh McEachran and schoolboy Nathaniel Chalobah featured.

'In the last few years we have increased our number of players on the international level very much, and for the Academy last season was fantastic, two players as Under 17 champions, and now players in different teams battling for the Under 19 title in Europe,' says Arnesen.

'These are very important players in their own teams - Mellis has done very well for England, at one stage he played four games and scored in all four. Then we have Borini, the captain of Italy, and Sala, the vice-captain, which is very good.

'If you take Borini, he has already played at Under 21, which is unusual at his age in Italian football. Then we have the host of the tournament, France, and Kakuta. He is one of the most exciting players at this level, he proved that at Under 17 when they lost the Final to Spain.'

Goalkeeper Delac has been a regular in the first team at Croatian side Inter Zapresic for over a year, and has signed a pre-contract agreement so he is due to arrive at Stamford Bridge next season.

'He is not so well known and it will be very good to see him at that level, he has a lot of experience, he has played one-and-a-half years of senior football in Croatia, and is looking good,' Arnesen explains.

'Holland is also qualified but haven't taken Jeffrey Bruma, because the Dutch thinking is that he is already playing regularly at Under 21, he has passed that stage and moved up, so it could have been more players, a fantastic achievement for us I think.'
The former Denmark international goes on to add that for the club it is no problem to release young players at this time of year rather than the busier periods during the calendar.

'It is very awkward if Fifa and Uefa arrange championships during the season, it is very poor because everyone knows players are already playing at the highest level, so they have to consider that clubs will withdraw them, but this is a good time to do it.

'We think it is a good experience for them. July is a good month, they have had their holidays, they can play the tournament and hopefully one of our guys will win.'

On Sunday England play Austria, France play Netherlands, Croatia play Spain and Italy take on Portugal.

Fans Take To Pitch At Cobham

Chelsea fans from around the world descended on the Cobham training ground to participate in the third annual supporters' tournament.

Teams made up from supporters groups across the UK and beyond competed in the largest tournament yet, featuring 11 sides, all battling it out to win the top prize.

With former Chelsea stars Clive Walker, Colin Pates, Gareth Hall and Steve Finnieston on hand to get involved with the teams, soak up the atmosphere and even join in with a spot of refereeing, and with some gloriously sunny weather, the stage was set for a fantastic contest and we were not disappointed.

With the teams being split into two groups and the top two sides progressing to the final and plate trophy respectively, competition was fierce and tackles were soon sliding in with enthusiasm.

The day kicked off in Group A with the Powerday cfcuk team roaring out of the traps with a 3-0 victory over the travelling men and women of Chelsea Italia, who had flown in specifically for the tournament.

Elsewhere CFC Net and the Chelsea Staff side edged out a narrow 0-0 draw. In Group B the goals came thick and fast with Chelsea Supporters Group defeating the KR Swingers 4-1 and Bucks Chelsea handing out an 8-0 drubbing to Vital Chelsea.

All the players from all sides gave a great account of themselves, leaving everything on the pitch whilst keeping up the buoyant atmosphere at the training ground, despite many tired legs and sunburned faces. A special mention to the staff of St John's Ambulance, who were on hand throughout the day, dealing with players' niggles, injuries and strains.

Alongside the football on display, it was an opportunity for many Chelsea fans, young and old to get together, share stories from the terraces and show their excitement and anticipation of the season to come.

Darren Mantle of cfcnet.co.uk shares his thoughts on the day: 'The tournament was really well run and it was good to play against other Chelsea fans, the turnout was fantastic and it was a nice touch having some Chelsea old boys there too.'

After a series of hard fought games, the group stages ended with Powerday cfcuk topping Group A on goal difference by a single goal over the unlucky Blue and White Army, whilst Chelsea Supporters Group ran out as comfortable winners of Group B with Bucks Chelsea finishing second.

With anticipation for the final building, fans and supporters enjoyed food and drinks from the Chelsea Wagon and gathered to watch Blue and White Army take on Bucks Chelsea for the Plate Trophy. An enthralling contest finished up with Bucks Chelsea as winners by a score of two goals to nil.

So to the final and in an engaging and thoroughly entertaining end to the tournament, Powerday cfcuk emerged as deserved champions after a 4-1 victory over the battle weary Chelsea Supporters Group.

In addition to all of the action, a raffle was held to raise funds and awareness for the outstanding work that Help a London Child do, and over £200 was donated to the charity.

Overall the day was a resounding success and the event organizer, Cliff Auger, had praise for the victors, whilst looking ahead to next year.

'Peter Trenter and I were once again entrusted with organizing the Chelsea Supporters' Tournament and the day went very well and largely without any major mishaps. It obviously takes a lot of hard work but the club has been wonderful with their help and support.

'Congratulations to the two competition winners, Powerday cfcuk and Bucks Chelsea and we look forward to next year and to an event that is becoming firmly established in the Chelsea calendar.'

Chelsea Unconcerned About Rumours Of Real Madrid Move For Ashley Cole

Chelsea believe they are well positioned to resist interest in Ashley Cole from Real Madrid, even if the England defender decides he wants a new challenge abroad.

Cole's displeasure at the intense media focus on his private life in England has raised hopes in Madrid that a deal is possible this summer, with Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas saying he was "confident" that a deal could be done that would reunite the defender with former boss Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea, though, have had no indication from Cole that he wants to leave, and manager Carlo Ancelotti still regards the England left-back as integral to his plans for next season.

Cole signed a new four-year contract only last September, although the interest from Madrid could still be used to negotiate improved terms.

The 29 year-old has been on holiday in the United States and, as is the case with all the Chelsea players who were eliminated in the knockout phase of the World Cup, is not due back for pre-season training until July 26.

Captain John Terry, however, decided to return to the club's Cobham training base this week to begin working on his fitness.

Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel, who both missed the World Cup with knee injuries, have also resumed their pre-season and there is confidence that they will both be available for the start of the Premier League season against West Bromwich Albion on Aug 14.

The return of Essien, in particular, would be a major boost after he missed the entire second half of last season and eventually required surgery to correct ligament damage.

"There should be no problem whatsoever," said Ray Wilkins, the Chelsea assistant manager. "Mikel is slightly in advance of Michael Essien but they are both working very well indeed."

Wilkins also stressed the importance of carefully managing the pre-season schedule of the nine Chelsea players who did play in the World Cup in South Africa.

"Normally after a World Cup, you find with those players who come back from it, it is about December when they seem to hit a wall," he said. Chelsea play their first pre-season match of the summer against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Chelsea Set T Sbmit £25m Ofer Fr Inter Sriker Mario Balotelli

Chelsea are ready to submit a €30 million (£25m) bid for Inter striker Mario Balotelli, according to internews.it.

The teenager, already reportedly the envy of both Manchester United and Manchester City is also wanted by the London club. The mega-bid comes just days after Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti said he would like to coach the player.

Balotelli's future at Inter has been up in the air after several disciplinary problems last season and the player recently dropped out of the Italian Players' Association (AIC). However, new boss Rafael Benitez recently suggested that the 19-year-old was important to the club.

Considered one of the best prospects in world football, it's unlikely that Balotelli will be sold on the cheap if indeed he leaves the Giuseppe Meazza. He has an impressive record of 20 goals in 59 appearances during his first three seasons in Serie A.

After featuring for the Italian Under-21 team over the past several months, there are also suggestions he could be in line for a call-up to the senior national side under new coach Cesare Prandelli.

Ramires Eyes 'Dream' Chelsea Switch

Highly-rated Brazil international Ramires insists it would be a "dream" to play for Chelsea, Barcelona or Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old's agent revealed earlier this month that the Blues and Bayern Munich had spoken to Benfica over a deal for the midfielder.

Ramires says he isn't surprised by interest in his signature and hopes to play for one of Europe's biggest clubs.

"My agent has told me that a number of clubs are interested in signing me, but this didn't surprise me," he told Record.

"We all know that the World Cup is the perfect stage to prove your worth.

"One good game could be enough to attract the interest of a big club. I don't know the names of the clubs that are after me, but it would be a dream for me to play for a big club such as Barcelona, Real Madrid or Chelsea."

Werder Bremen Admit They Could Sell Germany Star Mesut Oezil

Werder Bremen have admitted that they could yet sell Mesut Oezil this summer, despite previously ruling out any transfer.

Clubs such as Real Madrid, Chelsea and Juventus are all closely monitoring the situation of the playmaker, following his superb performances for Germany at the 2010 World Cup.

The Bundesliga outfit had made it clear that they were determined to hold on to their star player, by stating that Oezil was not for sale at any price. However, general director Klaus Allofs has now seemingly had second thoughts, revealing that the 21-year-old could leave the Hanseaten after all.

"We're keen to hold on to Mesut for a couple more seasons and we want him to sign a new deal with us," Allofs was quoted as saying by Bild.

"However, if that turns out to be impossible, we might have to look at other solutions."

Oezil's current contract with Werder runs until June 2011, but the Bundesliga outfit could cash in on the gifted midfielder this summer if an offer in the region of £17 million comes in.

Lukaku Set To Snub Chelsea Switch

Belgian wonderkid Romelu Lukaku has been strongly tipped to join the Ancelotti revolution at Stamford Bridge this summer, since it emerged that Didier Drogba had called the Anderlecht teenager earlier this week.

What FIFA will make of Drogba’s comments in light of Chelsea’s recently overturned transfer ban, imposed originally due to the ‘tapping up’ of french winger Gael Kakuta, remains to be seen. Any chance of a transfer, however, has seemingly been scuppered by Lukaku’s father Roger, who is also his agent.

He has stated that 17 year old Lukaku will stay at the Constant Vanden Stock Stadion until he is 18, by which time he will have completed his final school exams, a stance revealed by Anderlecht’s General Manager Herman Van Holsbeech.

A move to Chelsea must have been tempting; Lukaku’s father had reportedly been offered ‘help settling in the area’ and employment, and Lukaku himself the chance of playing alongside his idol Drogba in a title winning side, in addition to a considerable financial package. Lukaku is also known to be a Chelsea fan, having been pictured wearing the clubs strip in the Chelsea conference room.

Nonetheless, it now seems that any transfer will have to wait another 12 months, by which time 6ft 4in Lukaku will have spearheaded Anderlecht’s Champions League campaign and potentially added millions of pounds to an already hefty £10m price tag.

Porto Determined To Cash In On £15m Rated Chelsea Target Raul Meireles

Porto are reportedly determined to flog star midfielder Raul Meireles to the highest bidder, with Manchester United and Chelsea interested in securing his signature.

Meireles, 27, was one of the bright spots of Portugal's World Cup 2010 campaign and is rated as one of the best ball winners in European football.

With an eye for goal to boot, the £15 million-rated player has been linked with Real Madrid as well as the Premier League duo.

According to O Bola, Porto have virtually transfer listed the player as they look to cash in on his exploits in South Africa.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is understood to see Meireles as a replacement for injury plagued battler Owen Hargreaves, who has suffered yet another set back in his bid to overcome a chronic tendonitis problem in his knees.

Belletti Agrees Terms With Fluminese

Former Brazil international Juliano Belletti has agreed terms with Fluminense in his homeland after being released by Chelsea at the end of last season.

The 34-year-old is set to sign a two-year deal with the Rio de Janeiro-based club if he passes a medical later this week.

Belletti moved to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona three years ago and went on to score five goals in 94 appearances for the west London outfit.

He started his career at Cruzeiro before moving on to Sao Paulo, Atletico Mineiro and then Villarreal.

Belletti spent one season with the Yellow Submarine before joining Barca in the summer of 2004 and went on to feature in 91 matches for the Catalan giants.

He was one of three players to be released by Chelsea at the end of last season. Michael Ballack has already joined Bayer Leverkusen while Joe Cole is still without a club.

Fiorentina's Adrian Mutu Will Not Give In To Chelsea

Adrian Mutu is adamant that he will not give in to Chelsea's demands over his proposed ban as a result of debts and the Romanian will not allow the Premier League champions' pressure affect him when his season begins, according to violanews.

The Fiorentina man's ban for testing positive for banned substances will finish at the end of October and the striker is keen to start his season for the Viola.

An on-going trial is looking at the possibility of wage reductions to allow Chelsea to be compensated the claimed €17 million that the London club believe they are owed. If a decision fails to be made final, the hearing will then go to an arbitration panel. The player pleaded his defence last month but it could be a long wait to find out whether FIFA will look into a possible ban.

Profiling The Future - Nemanja Matic

Matic was signed by Chelsea in the summer of 2009 for a reported fee of £1.5million from Slovakian club MFK Kosice. The 6 foot 5 inch midfielder was courted by Tottenham, Middlesbrough, Bayern Munich and Valencia before he agreed to join us.

Having started his career at Serbian side Kolubara Lazarevac, he became their youngest ever debutant aged 15 years and 11 months. He went on to play 3 seasons for them making an impressive 19 appearances with 1 goal to his name (coming in a friendly) and 1 assist.

His contributions saw Kosice gain interest and in his 2 years with them he made 67 appearances with 4 goals and 12 assists to his name. He was truly their midfield general, sitting deep, making perfect passes to open up play and running in to link up with attack on occasions.

Having impressed a great deal with his playing style, it was no surprise that he found himself at Stamford Bridge for the 2009/10 season. He was drafted into the reserve team, hoping that with his performances would merit a place in the first 11.

For the reserves Matic made 10 appearances with a goal to his name, a beautiful effort against Arsenal reserves. So far it stands as his only goal in any Chelsea shirt. He also had 2 assists to his name.

The reserves team had a lot more fluency whenever he was on the pitch, with Reserves manager Steve Holland describing his importance to the side after a 4-1 win over the reserve Hammers:

'Matic is quite a talent already, his passing won us the game today.'

Matic made his Premier League debut for us in a 4-0 win over Wolves after replacing Malouda for the last 20 minutes. He was impressive on the day and involved in some good attacking play at the end.

His only other appearance was in the 8-0 against Wigan also after 70 minutes as he continued where Ballack left off in helping with 3 more goals for the blues. He was also involved in the 5-0 demolition of Watford in the FA Cup. Sadly, injuries on a consistent basis meant that these were his only appearances.

Internationally Matic has represented Serbia at both U-19 and U-21 level, even making it into the final 30 of Serbia's World Cup list. His exclusion from the final 23 was inevitable as he was in direct competition with quality players like Kacar, Kuzmanovic and Stankovic in his position.

He has made 10 appearances at junior level with 2 goals in his first three games as well as 4 assists overall. For Serbia's national team he has 2 appearances to date. While compared to our last two profiles Matic seems an unattractive option, he is probably the most crucial and maybe even the likeliest to take his chance.

The void of the legendary Ballack is great but if anyone can fill it, it's Matic. His slow progress has mainly been down to injury problems. If he can overcome that, Ancelotti will have at his disposal a player similar in nature to Pirlo but with a more imposing physique.

A bit of hard work and Matic could be the answer to many questions posed by the loyal blue supporters.

Iker Casillas Confident Chelsea Left-Back Ashley Cole Will Make Move To Real Madrid

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is close to securing a £30 million move to Real Madrid, according to the Spanish club's goalkeeper, Iker Casillas.

Cole was one of Chelsea's outstanding performers last season, helping the club to a Premier League and FA Cup double, but has reportedly grown disillusioned with English football.

Cole has become a public hate figure since he was caught cheating on his wife, Cheryl, last year and is eager for a move abroad.

And Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas believes a £30m transfer to the Bernabeu may be imminent.

"From what I am hearing the signs look good," Casillas said to the Sun.

"I have only briefly spoken to people at the club but I am confident that he can be a Real Madrid player next year. I think it will be the right move for him both professionally and personally.

"A clean break from England is hopefully something he is very interested in."

If Cole does join Real Madrid, it will see him reunite with his former Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, who brought him to Stamford Bridge from Arsenal in an acrimonious transfer saga four years ago.

"It will be his last big contract and who better to sign for than his old coach Mourinho at Real," Casillas added.

"He will know better than anybody this club will be successful under Jose. Jose has proved he buys players and makes them the very best in the world in their position.

"With Ashley he doesn't need to do that because he's already the best left-back in the world. Jose knows all about him and it comes as no surprise to me he is very much on Madrid's radar."

Paris St. Germain President Hopeful Of Keeping Arsenal And Chelsea Target Stephane Sessegnon

Paris St. Germain president Robin Leproux is convinced Arsenal and Chelsea target Stephane Sessegnon would enjoy a "magical season" if he stayed at the club.

Sessegnon, 26, has been linked with a switch to the Premier League duo after he stated his wish to leave the capital club this summer. The midfield schemer has been in impressive form since joining from Le Mans two years ago and has grabbed eight goals in 63 Ligue 1 appearances.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is understood to see the £10 million-rated star as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas, while Carlo Ancelotti wants to add some creativity to his team. With Tottenham Hotspur and Everton also interested, the Benin international is not short of English suitors.

Speaking to RMC radio, however, Leproux was optimistic Sessegnon would spurn a transfer.

"I spoke to Stephane before the holidays," Leproux said.

"He is a great player, he has fantastic qualities and makes fans dream on the field.

"He is capable of a magic season for us and I told him that. We know we can count on him."

Chelsea Pull Out Of Race To Sign Germany & Werder Bremen Star Mesut Oezil

Chelsea are believed to have stopped pursuing Werder Bremen midfielder Mesut Oezil.

The 21-year-old was a pivotal force for Germany in the 2010 World Cup, scoring once and excelling as a creative playmaker as he helped his country to a third place finish in the tournament.

The youngster's contract with Werder expires next season, and he recently maintained that he would honour his deal with the Bundesliga club.

Now the Sun reports that Premier League/FA Cup double-winners Chelsea have pulled out of the chase to procure the services of the former Schalke player.

However, it has also been reported that Chelsea are still interested in the services of Oezil's Germany team-mate, the Stuttgart midfielder Sami Khedira.

Carlo Ancelotti Backs Milan Coach Massimiliano Allegri To Succeed

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti believes Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri will succeed in recasting the mindset at San Siro following a failed campaign last term.

The Rossoneri ended up empty handed as hands appeared tied. But ex-Milan boss Ancelotti has said Allegri will break the shackles and help the club refind its feet as a new era begins.

"Allegri is in the right frame to express all his possibilities given the organization at the club. He can do his best," Ancelotti told Sky Sport Italia.

While Allegri's ambition to revive the embers of success is the key to development, the Blues man is assured the learning curve will deliver top marks.

"Milan are going through a period of transition and I think players that were not great last season will produce more this year," he concluded.

Ray Wilkins Confirms Jon Obi Mikel & Michael Essien Are Close To Returning For Chelsea

Chelsea midfielders Jon Obi Mikel and Michael Essien are set to give manager Carlo Ancelotti a boost ahead of the new season, with Blues' assistant manager Ray Wilkins confirming that the two African stars are nearing returns from injury.

Both players were forced to miss the World Cup with knee injuries this summer, but both could be available for Chelsea's opening Premier League fixture against West Bromwich Albion on August 14.

"Jon Obi is slightly in advance of Michael Essien but they are both working very well indeed," Wilkins told his club's official website.

"They have been working double sessions for the last week and we will get them really firing before the season starts."

One new arrival at Stamford Bridge this summer has been Israeli winger Yossi Benayoun, signed from Liverpool.

The new boy is apparently enjoying the way pre-season is handled at Stamford Bridge - in contrast to what used to happen at Anfield.

"Yossi is doing well. He has said the pre-season training here is so different to what they did at Liverpool where they didn't use a ball," Wilkins explained.

"They ran and they ran and they ran. But here we use the ball all the times and we feel we get the best out of the guys by using the ball day in day out. I think Yossi is quite enjoying himself."

Meanwhile, Ancelotti's assistant at Chelsea also admitted that managing the fitness of those Blues stars who have been at the World Cup would be a challenge this season.

"Normally after a World Cup you find those players who come back from it, it is about December when they seem to hit a wall," he added.

"It is very important we manage them in the correct manner and we get them to a level where they won't be as fit as we want them to be, but as they creep into the new year their fitness will come back.

"The players we have got here now, we have to get them into the right fitness condition so that they are prepared to play, because we might not be able to use the guys coming back from the World Cup for the first couple of games.

"These young men have to be primed and ready to perform."

Cork's Golden Chance!

With the majority of the senior players yet to return to pre-season training after participation in the World Cup, Chelsea TV did a wonderful interview with Jack Cork.

Many suggest that the next month or so could be a seminal moment in the Chelsea career of Jack Cork.

Watched by the management team, in training, Cork knows that this is his chance to impress and perhaps earn the right to spend the season at Chelsea, possibly eyeing up a first team squad spot.

Since joining Chelsea, Cork has flourished but always away on loan. A successful season at Scunthorpe saw him voted their 'Player of the Year` and also their 'Young Player of the Year` in the same season.

Spells at Southampton and Watford followed before last season Cork was given the opportunity to try his luck in the Premier League with Burnley.

Now, Cork could do nothing to prevent Burnley from being relegated, to the Championship, but he still put in some stirring performances and was fortunate to notch up his first Premier League goal, against Spurs of all teams.

When questioned about his ambitions for the season, he modestly replied that he wanted to impress in pre-season training and then see where that took him.

With Chelsea playing Crystal Palace this weekend and with the squad still shorn of several of its big names, this is the ideal platform for Cork to shine.

A decent performance could well see him remain in the starting eleven for the friendly fixtures that follow, if so, this could well be the season that Jack Cork becomes a fully fledged member of the first team squad.

Profiling the Future - Fabio Borini

Borini was signed by Chelsea from Bologna aged 16, with a reputation of being a natural goal scorer who could make perfect runs and finish from the tightest of angles.

With competition from the Italian mega clubs Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus; credit must be given to Arnesen in pulling this one off. He never managed a first team appearance for Bologna but his statistics at junior level were amazing. He scored 53 times in 77 appearances between the age of 12 and 17 at academy and reserve level.

Having been snapped up by Chelsea, he was introduced to the academy level at first but an injury prone first year saw him make little impact on the blues. He made only 3 starts with a goal to his name. This however did not stop him from firing the following year as the 2008/09 season proved to be the wowing year for the player.

At youth level the Italian struck 11 goals in 10 games and earned immediate promotion to the reserve side. Here too he was amazing as he played against the likes of Stoke's Amdy Faye and United's Jonny Evans to still notch up 6 goals in 10+2 games.

People were now taking notice.

The arrival of Ancelotti saw the player rise further in prominence. When asked about the Italian Ancelotti said:

"Borini is an 18-year-old from Bologna who is very, very, very interesting.'

He was included in the Champions League squad and made his debut appearance in the Premier League, in the 89th minute in the 3-0 win over Spurs, though his involvement was minimal.

He got a second chance to showcase his talents with 13 minutes in a win over Wolves. I will never forget the moment in the 91st minute when a defence splitting ball was captured amazingly by Borini who easily managed to round the keeper.

Sadly the pass had been slightly over-hit so having beaten the keeper, Borini found the angle to be too tight and hit the side netting. A glimpse of his ability!

His first start saw an impressive display against QPR and he followed up with short appearances in an FA Cup match and the game against Apoel.

He is yet to score for the first team, though with barely 150 minutes under his belt that is hardly a concern. For the reserves this year he scored 4 times in 6 starts and 2 sub appearances.

Borini's international career has been quite prolific with an amazing 11 in 23 appearances and is one of the youngest players in the U-21 side, now 19 but earning his debut aged 18.

Christened the new Shevchenko by the press, Borini's place in the squad should give blues fans great optimism about the future, given how good the original Shevchenko became under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti.

My Favourite Games: Alex

Overlooked by his country for this summer's World Cup, the Chelsea man still has his homeland on his mind as he picks out two treasured memories, one of a game played in and another watched on TV 16 summers ago.

Favourite game played:

Before he arrived at Chelsea, where he has won two FA Cups and a Barclays Premier League title, Alex had regularly picked up silverware with PSV in Holland and prior to that, with Santos in Brazil where he began his career.

As the club that nurtured Pele, Santos has a fine reputation for developing talent, and also brought through household names Robinho and Elano at the same time Alex was coming through.

Back in 2002, our man was a raw 20-year-old central defender as his club reached the final of the Brazilian championship, despite finishing eighth in the regular league season. Progressing past Sao Paulo and Gremio, they would meet Corinthians in the final.

The first leg brought a 2-0 victory with goals courtesy of Alberto and Renato, before the second leg a week later, in which the future Manchester City pairing of Robinho with a penalty, and Elano netted important goals on the way to a 3-2 victory.

'It was a big final for Santos against Corinthians, the Sao Paulo rivals, and we won 3-2 and won the league championship,' he recalls.

'For me it was very, very good, my first big trophies as a professional and my friends Robinho and Elano both scored for us.'

Favourite game watched:

Most people who remember this 1994 World Cup Final will recount an uninspiring affair between Italy and Brazil, the sides that had produced such a thrilling spectacle in Mexico in 1970.

Although both sides had chances, the Brazilians for Bebeto and Romario, the Italians for Daniele Massaro and Roberto Baggio, it ended goalless and the World Cup was decided on penalties for the first time ever, in the midday heat of Los Angeles.

Franco Baresi, Italian captain, shot over before Gianluca Pagliuca saved from Marcio Santos to level matters. Claudio Taffarel then saved Massaro's shot and Dunga converted, meaning Baggio would need to score to give his side a chance.

The Divine Ponytail stepped up, and duly blasted his penalty over the bar, handing Brazil their first World Cup success in 24 years. For Alex, it was a major moment in his childhood, having just turned 12.

'The final of the World Cup in 1994, people say it was not exciting but it was very nervous and exciting for Brazilian people, it was a long time since we had won the trophy and it was the first time that I saw it happen,' says the defender.

'We played at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles last summer against Inter, where that final was, and it was a good experience.'