Bologna Want Chelsea Midfielder Nemanja Matic On Loan

Bologna is targeting a possible loan deal for Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

The 21-year-old signed a four-year contract with the Blues last summer, but made only three substitute appearances last season.

Bologna is keen to strengthen their team after finishing only a place above the Serie A relegation zone last season.

Matic has already won two caps for the senior Serbian national side, despite his youthful age, but missed out on selection for the World Cup 2010 squad.

Father Of Neymar Angry After Santos Reject Chelsea Bid For His Son's Services

The father of Santos starlet Neymar has spoken of his dismay after the Brazilian club rejected a transfer offer from Chelsea without even consulting the player.

Sr. Neymar da Silva feels that Santos should be listening to the wishes of his son, and at least communicating with him over the current situation.

The Premier League giants had an offer in the region of £17 million officially rejected on Tuesday, leaving the 18-year-old’s father far from impressed over the whole affair.

“Santos just said ‘no’ before even talking with us,” he said to Lancenet. “Why would they do that?

”They must listen to Neymar to know what he has to say about it.”

Many Brazil fans wanted the starlet, who has gained a reputation as one of his country's most promising young forwards, to play in this summer's World Cup — but former national coach Dunga decided to leave him out of the squad for South Africa.

Despite having their bid rejected, Chelsea reportedly remains interested and was hoping their bid would at least serve as a starting point for negotiations.

However, when the rejection was announced on Tuesday, Santos made it clear they were not keen on selling to anyone.

"Santos FC states that, in the in the late morning of Tuesday (20), we received an official offer from Chelsea FC of England for the economic rights of striker Neymar," a statement on the club's official website read.

"President Alvaro Luis Ribeiro de Oliveira has sent response to the English club thanking them for the interest and reiterating that the Santos FC has no interest in opening trading."

Lancenet reports that Neymar, his father and Santos president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro will hold an informal meeting tomorrow to discuss the player’s ‘career plan’ and how the current transfer situation with Chelsea is set to proceed.

Sr. Neymar insists that whatever happens, there cannot be any regrets in the future over how the situation was handled.

“What about his future? Whether he is staying or even if he is moving, there cannot be any regrets from either side,” he said.

Dinamo Bucharest Star Marius Alexe On Chelsea Radar

According to a report in ProSport, Premier League champions Chelsea are considering making a move for promising youngster Marius Alexe, currently under contract with Romanian titans Dinamo Bucharest.

The 20-year-old attacker is considered to be one of the most exciting youngsters around in European football and he's even been touted as 'the new Adrian Mutu' in his native country.

Alexe was in superb form in the 2009-10 season and his good performance apparently left a mark with the rest of Europe. Chelsea have scouted the attacker on several occasions and the Blues are reportedly impressed with the young attacker's potential.

The Romania under-21 star has an ongoing contract with Dinamo Bucharest and the White and Reds are reluctant to let go of their star attacker. However, Dinamo could be tempted to cash in on Alexe if an offer in the region of €5 million comes in.

Mancienne Still A Target

Wolves have not yet given up on agreeing a deal to take Michael Mancienne from Chelsea.

If Mancienne does return to Molineux this season it would be the third season he has been part of our squad. Which of course might prove pivotal if we are to get him, as surely he probably feels more at home amongst the Wolves squad than he does with his Chelsea teammates?

But while Michael Mancienne may well want to join us on a permanent switch, Chelsea are yet to agree a fee for the England under-21 international.

Wolves have been fairly open with our evaluation of around £4million, but Chelsea (because their skint these days) want more.

The negotiations though can continue for a while longer, as the Express & Star believe we have to sell before we can buy anyway.

The paper also believes that it isn't a case of either signing Guirane N`Daw on loan or buying Michael Mancienne and that Mick McCarthy may well want to bring both players to the club.

But the shape of McCarthy's squad isn't likely to take its full shape until after the close of the summer transfer window as Mick looks to do some late wheeling and dealing.

Chelsea Chase £20m Ramires And £17 Million Neymar In Brazilian Double Raid

Chelsea have offered Benfica £20 million for Brazilian World Cup star Ramires, reports the Daily Mail.

The popular 'Blue Kenyan' is also being courted by Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Representatives of the 23-year-old say moving to Stamford Bridge would be a 'dream move' for the Brazilian.

Ramires himself is quoted as saying: "It would be a dream for me to play for a big club such as Barcelona, Real Madrid or Chelsea."

Ramires caught the eye when he embarked on an impressive run before setting up Robinho to score in Brazil's 3-0 victory over Chile during World Cup 2010.

Meanwhile Brazilian side Santos has told the Blues their £17m bid for wonderkid Neymar does not reach their valuation.

Santos want £30m but the 18-year-old is keen on a Premier League move and the World Cup star could force his club's hand.

If Santos Starlet Neymar Wants To Join Chelsea We Will Try To Make It Happen - Agent

Santos starlet Neymar will make the final decision on his transfer to Chelsea after the club failed to meet his £29.5 million buyout clause, according to his agent.

The Premier League champions have already seen a £16.9 million bid rejected for the highly-rated Brazil youth international yesterday. After scoring 12 goals in 35 appearances for the Sao Paulo-based outfit, manager Carlo Ancelotti is believed to be eager to bring the player to Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to the SporTV television channel, agent Wagner Ribeiro confirmed Chelsea's previous offer and then insisted Neymar's will would go a long way to deciding his future if he decides to force through a transfer.

He said: "Today, I'm going to have a meeting with the boy's parents and also with a senior manager at Santos, Pedro Luiz Nunes Conception. But the more important [aspect to] this story is the will of the boy. If he says he wants to leave we will talk with the president [Luis Álvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro] and Pedro Luiz. Hence, we must also talk to the investor to negotiate with Chelsea."

Ribeiro also went on to confirm that an offer of £17.7m would not be enough to conclude the deal as the player is part-owned by the SONDA agency. This figure would only meet the 60 per cent owned by Santos, and would fall short of the overall figure of £29.5m needed to meet the release clause for all parties.

Feyenoord Confirm Interest In Chelsea Striker Franco Di Santo

Feyenoord's technical director Leo Beenhakker has confirmed that the Eredivisie giants are interested in signing young Chelsea attacker Franco di Santo on a one-year loan deal.

The Rotterdam side is in the market for a new striker following the retirement of Roy Makaay earlier this summer and head coach Mario Been supposedly sees Di Santo as the perfect replacement.

"The team is looking pretty good at the moment. We only need one more striker and we're done on the transfer market. Di Santo is indeed one of the players we're interested in, but there's a lot of competition in the race for his signature," said Beenhakker to Voetbal International.

The 21-year-old Di Santo joined Chelsea from Audax Italiano in January 2008, but the Argentinian striker has so far failed to make an impact at the Blues. He was farmed out on loan to Blackburn Rovers last term and scored one goal in 22 league appearances.

Feyenoord reportedly face competition from Wigan Athetic and Twente in the race for Di Santo's services.

Petr Cech To Miss Start Of Premier League Season With Calf Injury

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is set to be sidelined for the start of the Premier League season after tearing a calf muscle in his right leg, the club has confirmed.

Cech, 28, suffered the blow in training yesterday and is expected to be missing for the next month. This has ruled him out of the remaining pre-season friendlies, the Charity Shield clash against Manchester United on August 8 and at least the opening fixture in the defence of their league crown against West Bromwich Albion on August 14.

The Czech Republic international endured a similar knock in the last campaign against Inter in the Champions League and missed several weeks of action between February and March. Reserve shot-stoppers Henrique Hilario and Ross Turnbull will now compete to fill in between the posts at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea Won’t Sign Cech Replacement

Chelsea are not intending to buy a new goalkeeper during the transfer window despite the confirmation yesterday that their first-choice No 1, Petr Cech, will miss the start of the season through injury.

Chelsea is confident they have enough cover after Cech was ruled out for a month with a tear in his right calf.

The 28-year-old sustained the injury in training on Tuesday and scans revealed the damage would eliminate him from the rest of the club's pre-season build-up.

Cech will also miss the Community Shield against Manchester United at Wembley on August 8 as well as the start of Chelsea's defence of the title against West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge the following weekend.

The Czech Republic's player of the year was out of action for two months earlier this year with a similar injury he sustained during Chelsea's Champions League match against Internazionale. He was replaced by Hilario for the remainder of the opening leg in Italy but Ross Turnbull played in the return leg, which Chelsea lost 1-0, after the Portuguese keeper also collected an injury.

A spokesman said: “Scans have shown Petr has torn a calf muscle in his right leg and is expected to be out for a month. He suffered the injury yesterday in training and is now expected to miss the start of our competitive season, as well as the remainder of our pre-season friendlies, the next of which comes at Ajax on Friday.”

Henrique Hilário Steps Up After Petr Cech Is Ruled Out For A Month

Henrique Hilário is in line to start the new season in goal for Chelsea, after the club confirmed that Petr Cech had torn the calf muscle in his right leg and would be sidelined for the next four weeks.

Carlo Ancelotti, the manager, is expected to prefer Hilário to his other back-up goalkeeper, Ross Turnbull, for the Community Shield fixture against Manchester United two weeks on Sunday and the Premier League opener at home to West Bromwich Albion the following Saturday. If Cech's rehabilitation goes according to plan, he should be back for the game at Wigan Athletic on 21 August.

Cech had returned to Chelsea training on 5 July, together with Hilário and Turnbull, and he had hoped to benefit from a full pre-season, as a side-effect of the Czech Republic failing to qualify for the World Cup. But after playing for 30 minutes in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday he will now miss the club's remaining friendlies against Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg.

Hilário was put through extra training yesterday by the goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon, after Cech felt his calf muscle tear during a routine jog and the 34-year-old Portuguese, who made 11 appearances in all competitions last season, is preparing for a return to the spotlight.

Kakuta Feels No Guilt

Chelsea attacker Gael Kakuta believes he has nothing to feel guilty about following his controversial transfer from Lens.

The 19-year-old Frenchman moved to Stamford Bridge back in 2007, although the Ligue 1 club was outraged at his switch to the Premier League.

Lens claimed the player's move was in breach of his contract and last year Fifa banned Kakuta from playing for four months and barred Chelsea from making any signings in the next two transfer windows.

The sanctions were subsequently rescinded following an appeal from the Blues to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, ruling that he did not have a legitimate contract with Les Sang et Or despite spending eight years with the club.

Kakuta does not believe he did anything wrong regarding his transfer, and does not feel guilty.

He told L'Equipe: "I was calm. I had nothing to feel guilty about.

"I couldn't care less. I went on working. That is football, you know."

All To Play For In France

Chelsea's band of Under 19 internationals were in action again on Wednesday, with a win, a loss and a draw.

Gael Kakuta once again played the full 90 minutes for hosts France, who recorded their second big win in four days, this time destroying Austria 5-0.

Just like on Sunday, Kakuta's fine solo work ended in a goal, though this time not for himself, as after beating three men before passing to Alexandre Lacazette to finish the move six minutes after the hour. That was the second of the game, and Lacazette would claim another before the final whistle, Antoine Griezemann also netting a brace before Enzo Reale completed the rout.

It guarantees France's place in the semi-finals prior to their final group game against England, who were beaten 1-0 by Holland despite the presence of Chelsea midfielder Jacob Mellis, who started after an impressive stint as a late sub on Sunday.

In his 83 minutes on the field, Mellis created two decent opportunities for team-mates but neither was converted, meaning Noel Blake's side must beat France if they are to progress into the last four.

Ten-man Italy are still looking for their first goal of the tournament but they did pick up a point with a goalless draw against Croatia.

Fabio Borini once again captained the Italians and went close early on with an effort cleared off the line, but could find no breakthrough, even after the introduction of club colleague Jacopo Sala with 21 minutes remaining.

It meant a clean sheet for Chelsea-bound Croatian goalkeeper Matej Delac, who twice denied forward Mattia Destro, the top scorer in qualifying.

The final round of group games take place on Saturday, when Croatia meet Portugal and Italy take on Spain, who secured a 2-1 win against the Portuguese.

Chelsea Warn Ashley Cole The Grass Is No Greener In Madrid

Chelsea chairman, Bruce Buck, believes Ashley Cole would not escape the intrusion into his private life with a transfer to an overseas club.

The Chelsea and England left-back feels hounded in England, where his every movement is tracked by the paparazzi and he has been installed as public enemy No1 in some quarters following his separation from his pop-star wife, Cheryl.

Cole has three years to run on his contract at Stamford Bridge and he loves playing for Chelsea but cannot tolerate the manner in which his private life has been placed under the most unforgiving of microscopes. Quite simply, He is unable to live his life and friends believe the situation has become so bad that he would seriously consider a move to a leading club on the continent.

Real Madrid, who are managed by Cole's former manager at Chelsea, José Mourinho, have an interest in him, although they have yet to make any official contact with the relevant figures at Stamford Bridge. Cole has maintained a good relationship with Mourinho. Buck, however, is not only adamant that Cole is not for sale but he is determined to work with the player to help him to find and enjoy some tranquillity off the pitch.

"Ashley is a superb player. He is a delight to deal with around the football club, he gets on very well with everyone, he trains very well and he is really a model athlete," Buck said. "Obviously, he is not happy with how his private life has become the focus of everything around him and I think we'd like to work with him so that he has a bit of a lower profile. We don't think the problem will change if he went to somewhere else outside of the UK, so I think we want to work with him here to make his personal life more enjoyable."

Buck was asked whether there was the recognition at Chelsea that Cole needed such help. "We say to all our players that might have personal issues that we want to help them as much as we can and even Carlo [Ancelotti, the manager] has said that on several occasions," Buck replied. "There is a limit to what we can do but obviously we want to support our players and we want them to be happy not only on the pitch but also in their private lives. If you are not happy in your private life, it's hard to focus on your professional life."

Were Cole to decamp to Madrid, for example, it is unlikely that the paparazzi would leave him alone, knowing that he might continue to make the news in the United Kingdom. It could even make the situation worse. Buck added he was "not worried" that the intrusion and controversy would drive Cole away. "Ashley Cole is not for sale," he said. "That's the bottom line on that. There's no doubt that he's going to be a Chelsea player this season."

Buck had a similar message over Didier Drogba, in the wake of one of the striker's advisors claiming to have had "direct contact" with Manchester City over a possible move for the striker to Eastlands. Thierno Seydi's comments have been rubbished by City and greeted with faint amusement behind the scenes at Chelsea.

"The club position is pretty straightforward," Buck said. "Didier had the golden boot, Didier had a great season, Didier is an important part of our plans for this season and the future and he is not for sale."

Chelsea have grown weary of being linked to every big name in world football and the latest one came today, when the Brazilian club Santos said they had rejected a bid from Stamford Bridge for the highly rated 18-year-old striker Neymar. Reports in Brazil said that the offer to the club was in the region of £17m.

Buck admitted Chelsea were "looking at some things", having released Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti, and with Deco being heavily linked with a move to his native Brazil. Yossi Benayoun, signed from Liverpool, is the club's only summer acquisition thus far, but Buck does not envisage "anything major" in terms of transfers.

"We're very happy with the squad we have now," Buck said, "so if there are any more additions, it will be fine-tuning. Whether or not they'll work out, who knows? We'll just see how it goes over the next six weeks."

Chelsea Insist That Didier Drogba Is Not For Sale Amidst Manchester City Rumours

English champions Chelsea have released a statement indicating that star striker Didier Drogba is staying put at Stamford Bridge.

This follows media speculation on Tuesday suggesting that Manchester City were lining up a bid for the player.

Drogba's agent, Thierno Seydi, said in a radio interview that he had had contact with City.

However, this claim was refuted by the Citizens on Tuesday and now Chelsea themselves have stated that 'the Drog' is not for sale.

"It is all irrelevant, Didier Drogba is not for sale," said a Chelsea spokesman, according to Sky Sports.

Drogba was a key player in the Blues' Premier League success last season.

Real Madrid Prepared To Sweeten Ashley Cole Deal By Offering Kaka To Chelsea

Real Madrid are prepared to break Chelsea's resolve to keep Ashley Cole by offering Brazil superstar Kaka in exchange, according to The Mirror.

The England World Cup 2010 left back is understood to be determined to leave the country due to the press attention following his split from wife, Cheryl. After bringing him to the Blues in 2006, new Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho is reported to be ready to seize the chance to have a reunion with the former Arsenal player.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has declared he has no intention of letting Cole go even for a reported £30 million. This position could be weakened, however, if Kaka was sent to Stamford Bridge in an exchange.

The attacking midfielder endured a debut campaign of disappointment at the Bernabeu after suffering a decline in form and fitness. Ancelotti brought the best out of the £56 million signing at AC Milan and could be tempted by the opportunity bringing the best out of him again.

Chelsea Could Join Manchester United & Manchester City In Race To Sign Inter Striker Mario Balotelli

Chelsea are believed to be lining up a late bid to sign Inter forward Mario Balotelli, should their pursuit of Liverpool hitman Fernando Torres end in a failure to sign the Spaniard.

The 19-year-old Balotelli endured a difficult time under former boss Jose Mourinho, as he was frozen out of the squad on numerous occasions - including a Champions League game against Chelsea.

And despite the appointment of a new manager in the form of Rafael Benitez, the rising star is still being linked with a move away from the San Siro. The Spaniard was recently non-committal about whether or not the former Lumezzane man is set for an exit from the Milan-based club.

Now The Daily Mail reports that the west London club is closely monitoring the situation surrounding the young set-piece specialist's future, as an alternative if they are unable to land Liverpool forward Torres.

Inter were previously reported to be asking £34 million for Balotelli.

Chelsea Fail To Get Neymar From Santos

Chelsea have had a £17million offer for Brazilian teenager Neymar rejected by his club Santos.

The Brazilians claimed Chelsea tabled a bid for the youngster yesterday but it was turned down by Santos, who insists they want £30m for the player regarded as one of the most promising prospects to come out of the country in years.

Chelsea have been following striker Neymar, 18, for a year, and West Ham last week failed with a bid.

Chelsea are also chasing Liverpool star Fernando Torres but Neymar, who has scored 27 goals in all competitions since the turn of the year, would fit the bill of bringing in the world’s best youngsters to the club.

Mourinho Plots Bid For Chelsea Star

Jose Mourinho is preparing another attempt to land Ricardo Carvalho, this time for new club Real Madrid.

The former Blues boss tried to land the Portuguese defender last summer only for the proposed deal to fall through but Chelsea might be more open to an offer in the vicinity of £5million this time round.

Another of Carvalho's former team-mates at Porto, midfielder Deco, also seems finally set to leave Stamford Bridge after two seasons, with Fluminese expected to land the Brazilian-born 32-year-old.

Deco said: "It's been 13 years since I left Brazil for playing in Europe. Now I want to go back home and play in my country because I have never been able to win a title there.

"I want to return to Brazil most of all because of personal reasons but I am still in contract at Chelsea and I have to resolve that.

"Without doubt I know that I owe it to my career to win a title in Brazil. I expect to have my situation resolved before July 26 for being able to travel to Brazil as soon as possible."

Cech A Doubt For Chelsea Opener After Injuring Calf In Training

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech suffered a calf injury in training on Tuesday and could be ruled out for the champions' first Premier League game of the season against West Bromwich Albion.

The Czech Republic international pulled up while running during a session at the club's training ground in Cobham and was taken for a scan to determine the damage with his right leg covered in a protective boot.

Cech, 28, fears the injury could be a recurrence of the tear he suffered last season during the first leg of the Champions League tie with Internazionale in Milan. The injury ruled him out for four weeks during a vital stage of the season and he missed five games, including the return leg against Inter in which Chelsea were eliminated.

Chelsea, whose next game is a friendly against Ajax on Friday, will play against Manchester United in the FA Community Shield at Wembley on 8 August before starting the defence of their Premier League title against West Brom on 14 August.

Sturridge Stepping Up

Despite being one of Chelsea's more senior players at Crystal Palace on Saturday, Daniel Sturridge remains a relative youngster in the first team squad.

The 20-year-old arrived at Stamford Bridge a year ago after leaving Manchester City, and has made steady progress in that time, picking up the first medals of his professional career.

As he explained to the Official Chelsea Website, merely being in the presence of some of his team-mates has aided his development.

'I think all the players have helped me, in some way or another. They all give their input, and the little things that you need to hear,' said the forward.

'It helps a lot, we have a lot of world-class players here, and they always will help the younger players progress in every way possible. This is a good club to learn things off the bigger players.

'As time goes on, those things you learn go into your game, and you end up becoming a better player just off natural instinct. Just training with these players makes you a better player, and the skills that you learn are a huge bonus on the field.'

Now he hopes to put into practice on a regular basis what he has picked up over the past 12 months, and he feels he is not alone in knocking on the door for a regular place. An early pre-season with our World Cup players missing is the perfect opportunity to impress Carlo Ancelotti, who fielded only six players aged 21 or over against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

'Hopefully, now is the time for me to step up and show what I've learned from last season, and to show everyone what I can do,' Sturridge said.

'We have a load of good, young players - Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt, Gael Kakuta - that can step in, they just need an opportunity.

'They need a lot of patience, also, in actually getting into the team, because it's not easy. Now is just one of those situations where a lot of players get their chance, and they're all working very hard. We've got a lot of players here that can make the grade, and all the young players should get an opportunity to show that.'

Manchester City Deny Interest In Signing Chelsea Star Didier Drogba

Manchester City have moved to distance themselves from the speculation linking them with a possible swoop for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba this summer.

Drogba's agent Thierno Seydi had stated that he had had "direct contact" with City and that there might be some surprising events before the end of the transfer window.

However, City, whose prime striking target this summer appears to be Inter's Mario Balotelli, have denied that they are lining up a bid for the Ivorian front man.

"We can categorically state we have no interest in signing Didier Drogba and any suggestion of an approach is entirely without foundation," City's director of communications Vicky Kloss told The Times.

Rafael Benitez Open To Mario Balotelli Sale As Chelsea Try To Hijack Manchester City's Deal

Inter coach Rafael Benitez has opened the door to Mario Balotelli leaving the club as Chelsea cut across Manchester City's path for the striker.

Massimo Moratti and the player's agent Mino Raiola ran the rule over the hitman after suggesting he was likely to leave.

The club chief said City's interest was real, whereas Raiola confirmed on Monday his client was heading out as "all doors remained open," hinting other clubs were on standby in case City talks crumble.

And Benitez has joined the chorus of voices as he holds the door from closing. The Spaniard's words, aware Balotelli is negotiating with City who are in Italy to close a deal, suggest he is relying on Samuel Eto'o for next season.

The coach also admitted he would be powerless to stop Balotelli from being sold as he steps away from talks.

"Balotelli? Let’s wait and see what happens. The club decides the transfer market and I adapt. The fact remains that one player doesn't make the team, and Inter have plenty of strong players," Benitez told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I have spoken to Eto'o. He is a great professional and is ready to do what the team needs."

City appear strongest to sign the striker, but Raiola's throw-away line of "all doors remain open, there are other clubs," has led to reports claiming Chelsea are trying to stop City and shop the hitman.

Gazzetta reports Inter have received a substantial offer from City, but they are waiting for Chelsea to make their move and respond.

They are keen on "Supermario" as coach Carlo Ancelotti feels he will be a better partner for Didier Drogba compared to Fernando Torres - the Blues other notable target.

It seems Inter are hoping the trio of clubs, Manchester United are also hovering, contend each other in a bidding frenzy as they press for the best possible deal.

Sky Sport Italia claim Balotelli will not leave with the team for their friendly tour at the weekend, adding further weight that he will seal his transfer to the Premier League by the end of the week.

Chelsea Plan £25m Bid For Santos Striker Neymar

Chelsea are set to splash the cash to land £25 million-rated Santos starlet Neymar, according to The Express.

Neymar, 18, is regarded as one of the most exciting youngsters in world football and has already helped himself to 12 goals in 35 first team appearances.

This form had seen Manchester City agree a first option for the player with Santos — which expires when Robinho's loan ends on August 4 — and prompted West Ham United to make a £16 million bid, which was rejected, earlier this month.

Chelsea were rumoured to be behind this offer, and had planned to loan the striker to the Hammers for next season.

After this deal fell through, Carlo Ancelotti is understood to have sanctioned another massive bid which would see the player arrive at Stamford Bridge immediately if accepted.

Chelsea Winger Scott Sinclair Hoping For 'Look In' At The Club Next Season

Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair is hopeful a strong pre-season can make him a first team fixture at the club.

Sinclair, 21, has been sent out on loan to a number of sides since signing from Bristol Rovers in 2005. After grabbing one goal in 18 Premier League appearances for Wigan Athletic last season, the England youth international is hopeful for a shot at success at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to the club's website, Sinclair hoped to build on his 30-minute cameo in the 1-0 weekend friendly victory against Crystal Palace — where he spent a spell on loan in 2008.

"I thought I gave them a few problems and I got a free-kick which I thought was a penalty," Sinclair said.

"It was in the box but the ref said he gave them the benefit of the doubt.

"It was nice coming back to Palace and seeing a few players I know and it is good to be back at Chelsea. Hopefully I will get a look in for the start of the season.

"The double training sessions are getting harder and harder as we go along. I am fit anyway and in a couple more weeks I should be up to a high standard of fitness."

Chelsea On Alert As Kaka And Rafael van der Vaart Near Madrid Exit

Real Madrid are once again ready to twist the knife into Roman Abramovich's grand plans with an £18million move for Germany's World Cup star Mesut Ozil.

The 21-year-old Werder Bremen midfielder is the most coveted player in Europe, but Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has made a bold move to line up Ozil, plus his national team-mates Sami Khedira of Stuttgart and Mario Gomez from Bayern Munich, for a combined £58million.

Not satisfied with wrecking Chelsea's Champions League dream with Inter Milan last season, the former Stamford Bridge darling is destined to leave his old employer bristling with envy once again.

The fall-out at Real Madrid will be intriguing. As Sportsmail revealed last month, the entrance door for Liverpool's Steven Gerrard no longer seems ajar as Madrid president Florentino Perez demands younger players of better value.

Chelsea targets Kaka and Rafael van der Vaart may be heading for the exit. With Khedira to come, Xabi Alonso pivotal and Angel Di Maria competing with Cristiano Ronaldo on the wing, there will be little room for manoeuvre.

Chelsea may have little desire to take scraps from the Real Madrid table but Kaka is no mere crumb of comfort while Van der Vaart still has plenty to offer as one of his fans, Chelsea director of football Frank Arnesen, will testify.

When Ozil left Gareth Barry and Co floundering during their World Cup humiliation, England took notice.

Abramovich was transfixed and decided then this was the player Chelsea had to have. A devout Muslim of Turkish descent, Ozil's quick feet and speed of thought have long marked him out as a star. Bremen thought as much when they splashed out £4million for him as an 18-year-old - a record German sum for a teenager.

'He's like a ghost, the way he arrives into the box unnoticed,' said one Manchester United scout. Yet it seems the obvious luxuries and the allure of the Premier League are not enough for the wunderkind from Gelsenkirchen.

Arsenal have watched him for two years; Manchester City, of course, were interested; Manchester United asked to be kept informed - having first courted him as a teenager - but Ozil, the self-confessed Barcelona fan who Franz Beckenbauer compares to Lionel Messi, has instead set his sights on becoming the new idol of the Bernabeu.

All eyes are now on Ozil and his fellow Germans to see which way they jump. Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs says he has not given up the 'ghost' but Madrid insiders claim the deal is close.

Allofs said: 'I have been told by the newspapers about these reports. But I insist that we have received no enquiries or offers for the player.

'We remain in regular contact with Mesut and his agent. We had our ideas but we have not been able to bring this to an end. We are not angry, no way. We intend to keep on trying.'

It looks like the Special One has beaten everyone to it.

Joe Cole Secures Liverpool Move

Liverpool have signed former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old England international left Stamford Bridge at the end of last season after failing to agree a new contract with the club and has agreed personal terms on a four-year deal at Anfield.

The England midfielder will undergo a medical in the next 48 hours.

Cole was linked with a number of Barclays Premier League sides, including Arsenal and Tottenham, but has opted to move to Merseyside.

He could have gone to a team offering Champions League football but has chosen to join new Reds boss Roy Hodgson at Anfield even though they can only offer the Europa League this season.

The capture of Cole was seen as being a key factor in proving to the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who have both been linked with departures after a disappointing seventh-placed finish in Rafael Benitez's final season in charge, that Liverpool can still compete for quality signings.

Cole is the second summer arrival at Liverpool after Serbia forward Milan Jovanovic joined following the expiration of his contract with Standard Liege.

Cole will be seen as a direct replacement for Yossi Benayoun, who coincidentally moved to Chelsea for £5.5million earlier this month, and only time will tell who got the better of that exchange.

Hodgson is still on the look-out for a new left-back with Fabio Aurelio having left and Emiliano Insua on the verge of completing his move to Fiorentina.

After that the Liverpool boss will hope to secure commitments from Gerrard and Torres about their futures.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp, whose father Harry was keen on signing Cole for Spurs, said reports the player was holding out for the most lucrative contract were unfair.

"From what I know, compared to other players in the Premier League now, he's not being greedy at all,'' Redknapp told Sky Sports News.

"He just wants a good deal and rightfully so - he's a free agent and he's worked that situation nicely - but I know he's not asking for anything astronomical, like what is being portrayed in the press.

"He's just looking for the right club and he needs to play football now.

"He missed a lot of time at Chelsea last season with his knee injury and didn't quite get back to the level he showed previously.

"He needs to go somewhere, be loved, and play football and get back to being the Joe Cole we all know.''

Young Plymouth Argyle Squad's Late Strikes Stun Chelsea

Substitutes Lewis Coombes and James Golby scored late goals for Argyle Under-18s in an impressive, if unexpected victory over FA Youth Cup holders Chelsea, at Cobham.

The Surrey success was the junior Greens' second successive 2-1 win over Premier League Academy opposition, after their triumph at West Bromwich Albion.

Argyle assistant youth coach Kevin Nancekivell said: "We weathered the storm in the first 20 minutes and needed Ollie Chenoweth to produce three fantastic saves.

"Once we got through that we found our feet and gradually imposed ourselves.

"The second-half was very even. We looked bright and threatened as much as Chelsea and, in the end, got our reward."

Nancekivell added: "I have to say the attitude and application of the lads in the first two weeks of pre-season has been absolutely outstanding."

The Pilgrims had to survive an opening blitz from the Blues' youngsters during a one-sided first 20 minutes.

They emerged unscathed due to some wayward shooting from the home forwards and three fine saves from goalkeeper Chenoweth.

First-year professional Chenoweth, 18, from Liskeard, was playing his first pre-season match action after being omitted from the senior squad's trip to the Netherlands.

The powerful defending of centre-back Curtis Nelson and ball-winning attributes of midfielder Jordan Berry came to the forem, as the Greens began to turn the tide.

Right-back Jack Stephens, left-winger Jake Baker and striker Matt Rickard all threatened to open the scoring. And, on the stroke of half-time, centre-back Sam Sawyer sent a header from a right-wing free kick thudding onto the Chelsea crossbar.

Midfielder Jordan Copp and Rickard went close to breaking the deadlock early in the second half, but the Greens had to wait until the 81st minute to pierce the home rearguard.

Second-year apprentice Coombes, who lives in Lipson, drifted to the near post to sidefoot a right-wing corner from Copp into the net.

Three minutes later Argyle doubled their advantage when Sawyer set up Golby, a 16-year-old trialist from Somerton in Somerset, to coolly lob the home keeper from 20 yards

Chelsea pulled one back a minute later from the penalty spot, after Nelson was adjudged to have brought down his opponent, but it was too little too late to deny the cock-a-hoop Pilgrims.

Next up for the young Greens are games against two Championship Academy sides — at Watford, on Thursday, at their London Colney training ground (1pm) and on Saturday at Reading at their Hogwood Park training complex (11am).

Argyle: Ollie Chenoweth, Jack Stephens, Connor Clifford, Dan Hart (Jordan Copp, 46), Curtis Nelson, Sam Sawyer, Jed Harper-Penman, Jordan Berry (Tom Hurley, 67), Matt Rickard (Lewis Coombes, 67), Jared Sims (James Golby, 60), Jake Baker.

Keepers On The Up

First team numbers at Cobham may be low, but the goalkeeping department has a 'perfect situation' with a full complement available to coach Christophe Lollichon.

Petr Cech, Hilario and Ross Turnbull each played half an hour of Saturday's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace after reporting back for pre-season training on July 5, weeks earlier than the Chelsea men who played at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

It means Lollichon has been able to get down to work quickly, and he is delighted with how things are coming together.

'It is a perfect situation with the goalkeepers because we can work how we want. If we had just one or two goalkeepers we would have to work a lot to catch up and have the same preparation. Now it is perfect, we have lots of time and good organisation,' he said.

'For the pre-season I like them to start with the other players because I think it's important the goalkeepers work with them to be a part of the group, and to play with their feet. It is very interesting and is a good thing to work the cardiovascular system. After that, the work is different in the gym, and we started to work specifically in the second week.

'The match on Saturday was very good, it was a good way for the goalkeepers to play for the same time and the atmosphere in this group is fantastic. I am happy after the game because I liked their positions and they were like leaders with a lot of young players.

'They all talked very well, the goalkeepers are like the grandfather of the young team because they play behind the defence and have to talk all the time with intelligence.'

As previously, Cech will begin the season as undisputed number one, though Lollichon has identified targets for each of his three men to focus on.

'We have three different goalkeepers. We have Petr Cech at the top and two substitutes,' he explained. 'These two substitutes are not similar, they are at different stages.

'Ross continues to learn his job and showed a good improvement last year, Hilario knows the situation and I have to be careful to manage his work, it is not the same as Ross, his best target is to maintain his quality.

'For Petr Cech he has to stay on top of the world, he has tactical and physical targets, but technically it is difficult to improve.'

Czech Republic's failure to qualify for the World Cup has left Cech, 28, with an unexpected football-free summer, which Lollichon believes will be beneficial in the months ahead.

'It is not a good thing for him because he loves all competitions, and I think he has a big target in his career to win an international tournament,' he argued. 'But, no World Cup gives him a very good rest. It is a good consequence. In training he is very fresh, but I think he would have preferred to play in the World Cup.'

The next match action comes on Friday at Ajax, with Cech again expected to start behind an experimental young side.

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.