Ancelotti: The Right Philosophy

Carlo Ancelotti hopes the season ahead will provide our promising youngsters with an opportunity to break through into the first team.

The Barclays Premier League has introduced new rules limiting squad sizes to 25 players, a number that can be supplemented by under-21s, which means our emerging talent from the Academy could play an important role in the coming months.

Having seen Manchester United develop their own talent effectively though the Premier League era, the Italian hopes to see Chelsea do the same.

'We want to have the same philosophy,' he said. 'It is the philosophy of the club, I am involved in this philosophy and I agree with this philosophy, I want to bring players up from the Academy. I have a lot of experience and it is good to work with the young players because you can teach a lot of things.

'We have to have courage and everyone has to support these young players, maybe we take a risk, we put them in the squad in maybe important games but we have to take this risk.'

After winning the FA Youth Cup last season, as well as having five youngsters make first team debuts, the future certainly looks bright at Stamford Bridge.

'We want to put maybe three or four players through this year. We have Van Aanholt, Bruma, Kakuta, Borini and they have to improve but we have to be patient with them,' he explained.

'Michael Mancienne is training with us now and he is here. We have to consider him as a Chelsea player. Now he is here and I don't know if for him it is better, we will take a decision maybe next week about his situation.'

Community Shield Preview: Chelsea vs Manchester United

Chelsea and Manchester United meet in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday hoping to collect silverware in their first game of the season.

The Blues secured their first ever Double last season when an emphatic 8-0 win over Wigan Athletic won them the league title for the first time in four years, before a 1-0 victory against Portsmouth at Wembley saw them win the FA Cup for the second successive year.

Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side will be looking to emulate their achievements of the season before last, when they won the Premier League to complete a hat-trick of titles. Last season saw them win the League Cup and finish runners-up to Chelsea in the Premier League, so they will be determined to go at least one better than that. Their task may prove to be more difficult this season, though, as rivals Manchester City have strengthened over the summer and are ready to launch a genuine title challenge.

Both sides have had an indifferent run-up to the new season with players joining up at different times due to their World Cup commitments, but both Carlo Ancelotti and Ferguson have added new players to their squads.

Chelsea have brought in Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool for a fee believed to be in the region of £6 million, and are expected to complete the £18m signing of Benfica’s Ramires in the next few days, while United have signed youngsters Chris Smalling and Javier Hernandez for undisclosed fees.

Ancelotti’s side has had a poor pre-season results wise. A 1-0 win over Crystal Palace has been followed up by three consecutive defeats away to Ajax, Frankfurt and Hamburg, prompting criticism of Ross Turnbull, Hilario and John Terry for defensive errors made in these games.

Manchester United began their pre-season with a tour of America where they beat Celtic, Philadelphia Union and the MLS All-Stars, but losses to Kansas City Wizards and Guadalajara prevented them from leaving the States unbeaten. A 7-1 win over a League of Ireland XI in midweek sends the Red Devils into Sunday’s clash on form and they will be looking to get one over on the Blues, who beat them on penalties at Wembley in last season’s Community Shield.

TEAM NEWS

Chelsea

Petr Cech will miss the start of the season with a calf injury so Hilario will take his place ahead of Ross Turnbull.

Didier Drogba has to settle for a place on the bench, while Alex (calf) and Jose Boswingwa (knee) are ruled out.

Carlo Ancelotti has named his starting line-up and has stuck with the same 10 outfield players who began the 2-1 loss to Hamburg on Wednesday.

Confirmed starting XI: Hilario; Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard; Kalou, Anelka, Malouda.

Manchester United

England captain Rio Ferdinand is again missing with the knee injury that ruled him out of the World Cup.

Brazilian duo Rafael da Silva and Fabio da Silva will also miss the game through illness, while Michael Carrick (ankle) has been ruled out for the first two weeks of the season.

Sir Alex, who has confirmed that Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney will play 45 minutes each, has given Patrice Evra an extra week off following his exploits with France at the World Cup.

Possible starting XI: Van der Sar; Neville, Vidic, Evans, O’Shea; Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Park; Owen, Berbatov.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chelsea

Didier Drogba will undoubtedly play a major role for the Blues this season, and could make the difference this Sunday once again - as he has done so often. The Ivorian enjoyed his best season at Stamford Bridge last season, netting 37 times throughout the campaign on his way to winning the Premier League Golden Boot. Although the Ivorian is starting on the bench, don’t put it past him to be the match-winner.

Manchester United

The Red Devils’ key man against Chelsea could be new signing Javier Hernandez. The 22-year-old starred for Mexico at this summer’s World Cup and has already caught the eye of the United faithful, scoring on his debut after coming on as a substitute against the MLS All-Stars. Sir Alex has a tendency to start the players who did so well for him in the previous season in these kind of games, but the Mexican will be desperate to make an impact if called upon from the bench.

Manchester United And Chelsea To Play On Wembley's New Artificial Pitch

Everyone seems to think Desso is the answer, and when Chelsea and Manchester United contest Sunday's Community Shield the first evidence will be provided of whether artificial fibres can finally solve Wembley's terrible pitch problems.

At a cost of no less than £250,000 and probably closer to twice that amount the Football Association last month turned to a system that employs 20 million artificial fibres to support Wembley's natural grass, having previously relaid the surface an embarrassing 11 times. Every player who experienced it has criticised a surface that Michael Owen, who should feature for United on Sunday, believes caused the ruptured hamstring he suffered in February's Carling Cup.

Yet as Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool are among clubs that use Desso all Premier League footballers happily perform on the surface each week. Helga Webers, a spokeswoman for the company, said: "The system is a proven solution. All Premier League players are used to it as it has been in place already at Arsenal [2006], Liverpool [2001], Tottenham [2002], Manchester City [2003], Aston Villa [1997].

"Obviously the Wembley pitch is still a very young pitch. But from day one of the installation of the Desso fibres into the seeded grass the stabilising effect is present," Webers adds. "And the quality of the total pitch will continue to improve as the roots of the natural grass will further entwine with the artificial fibres."

Huddersfield Town's Galpharm Stadium was the first in the world to have the Desso technology installed. "We had it installed in 1997," said Phil Armitage, whose company oversees the surface. "It is very similar to ordinary pitches but Desso pitches do not take divots as easily as so it is hard wearing, which is obviously a very good thing."

The Galpharm, like Wembley, is a multi-functional venue that hosts football, rugby and pop concerts. Armitage said: "With the two sports some years we might have 65 or 70 matches – which is more than twice the 30 home games most clubs have – plus the concerts. It has been very successful indeed."

Armitage said whether Desso is a success at Wembley depends on whether the surface's natural grass is maintained: "I'm no expert but at Wembley isn't there an issue growing the grass? They can use lights to help it I'm sure. But you can't just scoop it out and relay it as it is so expensive. We're having ours relaid next year and it'll cost at least £500,000."

Webers confirms that Wembley's grass will have to grow. "That is important. Therefore we have a special maintenance program in place, together with our [English] partner, the Wembley green-keepers and our own experts," she said.

Beyond Sunday's Community Shield the FA is conscious that the first real test of whether Desso is the answer comes on 10-11 September, when Muse play concerts at the stadium. While the governing body is adopting a watching brief Webers points to the Denver Broncos' Mile High Stadium as evidence that Wembley should have no issues.

"For any concert there the surface will be covered by special plates. The Denver Broncos have had a multi-function stadium since 2001 and have had no problems. Climate conditions can be the biggest challenge for Desso but in Denver they can get a metre of snow. The pitch received the awards for best Professional American Football and Best Professional Soccer Field in 2005."

When England walk out on 12 October for their Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro, a month will have passed since the Muse concerts. If the pitch cuts up and further complaints ensue then the FA will have yet another serious headache. The plan is to use the Desso pitch for the 2018 World Cup, should the bid be won.

Former Chelsea Star Kerry Dixon Still Hopes Blues Can Sign Fernando Torres

Kerry Dixon has spoken of his hope that Chelsea will manage to prise Fernando Torres away from Liverpool, despite the Spanish striker's public statement confirming he will stay at Anfield.

Speaking to Goal.com UK at the Betfair Five Horse Race at Kempton Park, Dixon - Chelsea's second top scorer of all time having hit 193 goals during a nine-year spell at Stamford Bridge - said current leading scorer Didier Drogba needed world-class support as the Blues aim to build on the Premier League and FA Cup double captured in Carlo Ancelotti's first season as boss.

"Didier's 32, and age isn't a factor if you're playing well," Dixon said. "But you can't expect him to score 30 goals every single season. He's had two golden seasons at Chelsea, but I'd love to see another world-class striker - and a young one - at the club.

"I would have thought they'd buy a striker. I hoped it would be Torres. I still haven't given up hope."

Ancelotti has overseen another quiet transfer window, signing just Yossi Benayoun with the Brazilian Ramires - "a good buy," Dixon said - set to join him. But Chelsea's erstwhile striking star believes the comeback of a few Blues stars from injury limits the need to splash the cash.

"The feature of our pre-season has been Michael Essien being fit," he argued, "showing no reaction to his injury. He's like a new £30m player this season. Jose Bosingwa is in the same category."

Dixon also backed Ancelotti's policy of promoting young players and bringing down the squad's average age. "It's great. I wondered what direction the club would go in. It gives them the opportunity to cut that wage bill, but it does mean the youngsters have got to step up to the plate when they're given their opportunity."

The 49-year-old was impressed by Ancelotti's first year in charge and doesn't think that his successes put any more pressure on him going into his sophomore season. "A double in your first year is a hard act to follow and it might seem as if anything less is a failure," he said, "but that's not the case. Chelsea will challenge for every competition they're in, including the Champions League."

Dixon feels they are close to achieving owner Roman Abramovich's major remaining goal. "They just need that little bit of luck to win it," said Dixon. "They've certainly got a squad that's good enough."

As far as their Premier League campaign goes, the eight-time capped England international expects big-spending Manchester City to provide stiff opposition this season.

"I think City will be a threat," he warned. "It will be difficult for all the big names to gel, but they've got the buying power to strengthen in January, any areas that haven't quite come up to scratch. But I still feel ultimately that it will be Chelsea and United fighting it out."

Real Madrid Playmaker Kaka Was On His Way To Chelsea Before Knee Operation

Brazilian playmaker Kaka was reportedly on his way to Chelsea from Real Madrid until a meniscus injury scuttled the transfer.

According to the Spanish Sport newspaper, Kaka, who underwent an operation to repair the cartilage in his knee this week, had been given the green light by Real Madrid to leave.

The paper says that negotiations were held in the “utmost secrecy” between Real Madrid and Chelsea. It claims that Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti spoke with Kaka ’s representatives, and that the player, who is said not be held in the highest regard by Bernabeu boss Jose Mourinho, had been persuaded by the Blues to move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea chief Roman Abramovich was said to have offered his Real counterpart Florentino Perez 67 million euros for the player, around the price the La Liga club paid AC Milan for his services last year.

But the apparent deal was wrecked when it was announced that the Brazilian would be out for at least four months injured.

Michael Essien: I'm Fighting Fit For Premier League Season

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is ready to burst out of the blocks and shake off the disappointment from last season's injury nightmare.

Essien, 27, missed the Africa Cup of Nations, World Cup 2010 and most of his club's campaign after damaging ligaments in his knee.

Despite the Blues' charge to Premier League and FA Cup success, his tenacious presence was missed as they crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.

Speaking to the official Chelsea magazine, the Ghana international was in upbeat mood as he looked forward to the challenges ahead.

"I've had a few months that have been very difficult," explained Essien.

"But it was good to be back with the team at the start of pre-season and I'm looking forward to the new season. Fortunately I'm the type of person who takes everything as it comes and very calmly, and that's what I've been doing through my rehabilitation."

Ancelotti Stands Firm Over Cole

Carlo Ancelotti has reiterated his position that Ashley Cole is not for sale at any price.

England left back Cole has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, where he would link up once again with former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

There has been no word from Cole on the subject, but Ancelotti has been steadfast in his assessment that Chelsea will not consider selling the defender and he has no plans to talk to the 29-year-old.

"I don't need to speak with Ashley Cole," the Italian said. "I read that Ashley Cole wants to leave. My answer was I want Ashley Cole to stay at Chelsea because he's a fantastic player and there is no price for which to sell him."

Ancelotti also scoffed at suggestions there are comparisons with Cole and his namesake Joe Cole who joined Liverpool on a free transfer this summer.

"Joe Cole was a financial problem - it was not a technical problem," Ancelotti said. "They didn't achieve an agreement with the club about his salary. This is not the problem of Ashley Cole. Ashley Cole has a contract - I don't know how long his contract is - and you want to respect this."

Ancelotti Rubbishes Coentrao Rumours

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has quashed speculation linking him with a move for Benfica left-back Fabio Coentrao.

Rumours continue to circulate about a possible transfer to Real Madrid for Ashley Cole but Ancelotti has reiterated his desire to keep the former Arsenal star at Stamford Bridge.

When asked about the Coentrao rumours, Ancelotti said: "It is not true, totally rubbish."

However, the Blues boss has confirmed that he expects the £18million capture of Benfica's Brazil international Ramires to be sealed shortly, adding: "Ramires is, until now, a Benfica player. When he is here, I can speak about him, not now.

"I don't want to speak about Ramires. When Ramires signs a contract for Chelsea, he will sign. This is the same for other players. I read a lot of names in the newspapers."

Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti have all left Chelsea since the end of last season, while the only high-profile arrival has been Yossi Benayoun, and Ancelotti admitted: "For us, after a fantastic season, it was very difficult to change this squad.

"We were totally agreed to maintain this squad. To put some young players in this squad from our academy, this was our aim. After a fantastic season, we could repeat the same season this year with these players.

"I think that the teams that can win the title will be the same as last year, including, obviously, Man City, because they've bought fantastic players."

Carlo Ancelotti Believes Chelsea Can Win The Treble This Season

Carlo Ancelotti has delivered a warning to his rivals at home and abroad by claiming he is a better manager a year on from taking over at Chelsea and, as such, can steer the club to the first Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League Treble in their history.

The Italian enjoyed a hugely successful first season at Stamford Bridge, winning the title and the FA Cup, and ahead of the new campaign, which begins with Sunday's Community Shield contest against Manchester United at Wembley, feels sure there is more to come – not only from his squad, but also himself.

"I had doubts last year, when I started, but now I have more knowledge about the team and club and about the atmosphere in England and the teams here and so I think we will start the season in a different situation," said Ancelotti, who had managed in Italy for 14 years before his arrival in England last June, most notably at Milan where he won the Champions League twice and Serie A once. "I think so [that he is a better manager]. Last year was a fantastic experience for me and I have improved because of it."

Being holders will, Ancelotti believes, make retaining the league and FA Cup "more difficult" for Chelsea, but he sees no reason why they cannot. He has also backed his team to end their long pursuit of the Champions League, which last season ended at the first knockout stage with defeat to the eventual winners, Internazionale.

"Last year every player did their best and we want to do the same again," he said. "We plan to be competitive and do better in the Champions League."

Chelsea's preparation for the new campaign has hardly been ideal, with the team having lost their last three pre-season fixtures, most recently Wednesday's 2-1 defeat at Hamburg.

Ancelotti is not overly concerned, however, and has instead put the poor run of form down to lack of sharpness among his players, especially those who only returned to the club at end of last month having featured at the World Cup.

To that end, the 51-year-old has broken rank with many of his fellow Premier League managers, in particular Harry Redknapp, by claiming next week's international friendlies can be a benefit ahead of the opening weekend of the season.

"It's not a problem," he insisted. "The players who came back on 26 July need to play more and if they have the possibility then that is good. These games can improve their condition."

One player who looks set to be part of Chelsea's squad when they begin the defence of their title against West Bromwich Albion next Saturday is Ramires. The Brazil midfielder is believed to have passed a medical at the club's Cobham base on Thursday ahead of a £18.3m move from Benfica. The 23-year-old last night described a move to Chelsea as a "proposition that was impossible to reject".

Ancelotti declined to discuss the Ramires transfer and instead focused on the Community Shield, which Chelsea won last season on penalties against United in what was his first competitive match in charge of the Londoners. "For both teams it's an important game," said Ancelotti. "Also, United could again be our most important opponents this season so need to beat them when we can."

Ivanovic: Aiming Even Higher

As the new season arrives, Branislav Ivanovic is hoping he can repeat the form of last year, in whichever position he is selected by manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The Serbian defender was voted into the PFA Premier League Team of the Year last season after his impressive displays at right-back, but it is at the centre of defence where he has featured so far in pre-season alongside John Terry.

Although 'Iva' was withdrawn with a cut eye against Hamburg on Wednesday, he will be fit for Sunday's Community Shield game against Manchester United at Wembley.

Ricardo Carvalho is an experienced alternative should Ancelotti wish to send the former Lokomotiv Moscow man back out wide, though that would be at the expense of Paulo Ferreira who has performed solidly in his two pre-season outings.

Add into the mix the imminent return to fitness Jose Bosingwa, and it is understandable the 26-year-old is taking nothing for granted.

'I don't look at it like a battle. Jose is a fantastic player, he has been injured almost a year and we are waiting for him to be fit again so that he can help the team, that is the most important thing,' Ivanovic said.

'I am here to play wherever the manager says, and for me it is good because I can play in two positions.

'For me last season was a great season, but every season you can do better and I will give my maximum and hope I can give the club more than last season. Every time you win you want to show next year you are better, so we must do that.'

The first test of the new campaign comes on Sunday against Manchester United at Wembley, and while neither side looks to be completely match fit yet, owing to World Cup commitments, Ivanovic is looking forward to the occasion as pre-season comes to an end.
'I feel good, some of us have only just started pre-season which is a very important period. It is the base for a long season, and I feel okay.

'It is always a tough game against Man United, but I think we will be as ready as we can and we need to give our maximum against them. Next season is going to be tough and we will have to be ready for that.'

Wembley Win Would Give Carlo Ancelotti The Psychological Advantage

Sustaining superiority over Manchester United is a feat very few clubs have achieved since the Premier League began but Chelsea have an opportunity this weekend to signal their intent to do precisely that.

Since losing the 2008 Champions League Final in the most agonizing of circumstances in Moscow, the Blues have lost only once to United — and that came in the dying throes of Luiz Felipe Scolari's turbulent regime in January last year.

Last season, Chelsea won the battle and the war with home and away League victories over their nearest rivals on the way to the first Double success in the club's history. It left Sir Alex Ferguson with plenty of time to contemplate the latest pretenders attempting to bring his Old Trafford dynasty to its knees once and for all.

Carlo Ancelotti could have done little more in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge and his challenge now is to translate a season of domestic success into European glory while maintaining English dominance.

To do that, Chelsea must keep United suppressed and victory at Wembley on Sunday would provide a timely reminder of exactly who rules the roost on these shores.

The Community Shield represents the metaphorical bridge between the informality of pre-season warm-ups and the fireball intensity of Premier League games.

Despite essentially encompassing little more than a glorified friendly, what gives this match an edge is firstly the setting but, more importantly, the fact it regularly pitches the two most prominent title contenders against one another.

Such is the rivalry created over many years that no label — Charity, Community or otherwise — will dampen the desire for one-upmanship.

“Over the years we have treated the game as a barometer for the players' fitness,” Ferguson once said of this game. “But when we play Chelsea the players' pride comes into it and they'll want to uphold that.”

And so the scene is set. The same two sides contested the Community Shield last year in a surprisingly entertaining encounter which served up four goals, a penalty shoot-out and plenty of contention.

Those in attendance will get their money's worth should Sunday approach anything akin to that, and there is a fair chance of fireworks given the shift in the balance of power over the past 12 months.

A number of beleaguered England players should find solace at Wembley — although probably not four days later when Hungary are in town — among the comforts of their clubs.

Frank Lampard, John Terry and Ashley Cole can feel like winners again, safe in the knowledge that whatever the travails in South Africa, they remain pivotal and popular players in Chelsea blue.

The World Cup was in one sense kind to Chelsea, given that none of their players made it to the quarter-final stage and consequently their exertions were not as great as could have been reasonably anticipated.

For United, much once again depends on Wayne Rooney and his reaction to a summer that could have hardly gone worse. Although palpably unfit, Rooney's dismal showing for England — not one goal and at times he simply lost the ability to control a football — could not solely be explained by fatigue.

Whether the pressure that comes with his talismanic status got the better of him is debateable but in any event the return to his preferred role as a lone striker will suit him no end.

Rooney may well incur the wrath of those England fans desperate to vent their frustration but manager Ferguson has dealt with this before when David Beckham, and later Christiano Ronaldo, were targeted.

The key to United's durability under Sir Alex is a consistently impressive response to adversity.

The 68-year-old will no doubt dismiss the importance of the result, regardless of who wins, but there is the need to lay down a marker after a summer in which the club has been quieter on the transfer market than supporters would have liked.

Indeed, there is little to surprise either party, with Mexican striker Javier Hernandez the only high-profile acquisition on either side, although Ancelotti could be tempted to unleash the prodigal Gael Kakuta at a later stage.

There is little to be gained by drawing definitive conclusions from the merits of victory on Sunday.

While the last three winners have gone on to lift the League title, the wider picture dismisses any correlation. Since 1992, only six clubs were successful in both August and May. Superficially, Sunday will witness two sides continuing their pre-season preparations knowing a fast start is perhaps more important than ever given the strength of challengers at the top end of the table these days.

But a second successive Community Shield victory for Chelsea would provide the beginning to an irrefutable argument that last season's success was no fluke and show how high United must climb if they are to rise again.

Lampard: Why Are England Playing This Game?

Frank Lampard says next Wednesday's England friendly is an unwanted distraction.

Fabio Capello's men face Hungary just three days before the Premier League kick-off.

And Lamps said: "It's obviously not an ideal situation.

"I've only been back in pre-season training for a week and a half and a lot of clubs are having the same problems with their World Cup players.

"All the teams want to get players fit for the start of the season.

"But England also need to prepare for the European Championship qualifying games.

"Right now I'm just excited to be back at Chelsea.

"But the Hungary match has always been there on the calendar so as a professional playing for your country you go and you play."

Capello names his England squad for the match tomorrow night but will run a final check on Lampard and his Chelsea team-mates in Sunday's Community Shield clash with Manchester United.

Marseille Interested In Re-Signing Drogba

Marseille are stepping up their bid to sign a high profile striker to aid their Champions League push.

The current Ligue 1 champions are considering three players according to reports from France; Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino and Ajax’s Luis Suarez.

The Stade Velodrome outfit feels they have the funds to bag at least one of these high profile targets according to La Provence.

Currently only a concrete asking price is known for Gilardino, with Fiorentina wanting €15M to allow their Italy international to depart.

Didier Deschamps’ team could yet lose Mamadou Niang, despite stating that they did not wish to sell their striker. Turkish giants Fenerbahce remain interested and Niang would welcome the move.

Chelsea Go For Coentrao And Will Let Ashley Leave

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti will let Ashley Cole move to Real Madrid - as he closes in on his replacement, £16m rated Portugal World Cup star Fabio Coentrao.

Cole has pestered Ancelotti for the past week about being allowed to quit Stamford Bridge and England - and now Chelsea have decided to open the exit door.

The double winners are in talks with Benfica about both Coentrao and Brazilian David Luiz.

Reports in Portugal claim they have made an offer for Luiz, who also plays centre half, but Chelsea insiders claim converted winger Coentrao is also on their wanted list.

Chelsea have landed Brazilian midfielder Ramires from Benfica and may yet take two more team-mates - especially if Ricardo Carvalho also gets his wish to go to Real.

Coentrao stood out in the finals in South Africa, and is emerging as the best possible replacement for want-away Cole.

And as Jose Mourinho waits for England number three Cole, poised to offer £25 million, Chelsea have made the first moves to fill the gaps.

Coentrao, 22, has been a revelation at full back since Benfica pushed him into the new role and Carlos Queiroz picked him for Portugal where he has excelled in his eight appearances.

Luiz can play centre half and tried the left back role but without much success.

However his versatility and age make him an asset.

Chelsea are confident that they can land Conetrao and possibly Luiz although the final fees will leave a big dent in their budget.

Selling Cole will recoup around £25 million. He has been chased by Mourinho since he landed his dream job at Madrid.

Chelsea tried to convince him to stay - but are now looking for the right man to fill his boots.

Jose Mourinho To Use Real Madrid Striker Karim Benzema As Bait To Get Chelsea Left-Back Ashley Cole

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho could offer Karim Benzema to Chelsea as part of the package to acquire Ashley Cole.

With the Blues missing out on Liverpool star Fernando Torres, Chelsea could be keen to improve their strike force, and Real are prepared to offer the France international and cash for Cole, according to the Daily Mail.

The England international is looking to reunite with former Blues boss Mourinho, and the Portuguese is desperate to strengthen the left-back position with one of the finest in the world.

But Mourinho may struggle to prise Cole from Stamford Bridge, with Ancelotti saying earlier this week that the 29-year-old would not be leaving under any circumstances.

Benzema move to Real from Lyon for £36 million last year, choosing to move to Spain instead of Manchester United, who were also interested in a move for the Frenchman.

Despite the big move to the La Liga giants, Benzema struggled in his first season with his new club, scoring only eight goals under former manager Manuel Pellegrini.

His poor season led to Raymond Domenech leaving him out of the France team that endured a disastrous World Cup campaign this summer, and the 22-year-old is keen to bounce back this season.

Swansea Keen On Chelsea Winger Scott Sinclair

Swansea City are keen to bring Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair to the club, chairman Huw Jenkins has confirmed.

Newly appointed Swans boss Brendan Rodgers worked with Sinclair during his time at Chelsea and it is hoped this could help sway the 21-year-old’s decision.

Although displaying enough potential to persuade Chelsea to sign him as a 16-year-old, Sinclair has failed to establish himself at Stamford Bridge and has been linked with a move away this summer, with Swansea keen to move in.

"We have spoken to Chelsea about Scott," Jenkins confirmed in the South Wales Evening Post.

"Brendan obviously knows him pretty well from his time at Chelsea and we hope that could play a part in Scott's decision.

"The next step is to try to make contact with the player. If something was to happen, though, we're not sure whether it would take a few days or a few weeks."

Jenkins also commented on the status of right-back Angel Rangel, who was subject to a bid from Blackpool recently.

"I've not spoken to anyone at Blackpool since we turned down their offer. I'm not sure if they will phone us again regarding Angel, but he is a player we are not looking to sell.

Ramires Thanks Gilberto Silva & Julio Baptista For Advising Him To Make Move To Chelsea

Ramires credited former Arsenal players Gilberto Silva and Julio Baptista for helping him make the decision to join Chelsea this summer.

The Brazil World Cup star is on the verge of completing a £18.3 million move from Benfica, who he helped win the Portuguese Liga title last season.

The 23-year-old had trouble deciding whether to join the defending Premier League champions, but international team-mates Silva and Baptista convinced him that a move to England was the right move to make.

“Gilberto, Julio Baptista and others gave me confidence by insisting I must accept this chance,” Ramires told The Sun.

"In the end the Chelsea proposition was impossible to reject - not just because of the money but the chance to spend every day at one of the best clubs in the world.

"As a boy in Brazil I watched the Premier League and I remember how Chelsea and Manchester United played such attractive football.

"This summer has been a dream - the Portuguese title with Benfica, the call of Brazil, the World Cup and now the jump into the Premier League."

Lampard Leading The Way

Frank Lampard has set his number one priority as defending our Barclays Premier League crown, but acknowledges there is still work to be done before the season starts.

The England midfielder was one of 11 Chelsea players at the World Cup over the summer, and only returned to pre-season duty last week, quickly taking in two games as we ended our pre-season preparations with narrow defeats in Frankfurt and Hamburg.

Now, with competitive football just two days away when we face Manchester United, Lampard admits there is still progress to be made on the training ground, but he aims to be fully operational by the time West Brom visit Stamford Bridge for the first day of the league season next Saturday.

'Obviously we're not going to be quite there yet, but that's what it is this pre-season. I think a lot of clubs are having the same problem, trying to get players who played in the World Cup fit as quick as possible,' said the 32-year-old.

'My main concern is to be fit for the first game of the season. We haven't had the best results but it's normal because a lot of big players for us have came back late, the important thing is what happens when the business starts on Sunday and next week.'
Lampard has found returning to Chelsea after England's disappointing World Cup a pleasure as he reflects on winning the Double last season, and is determined to repeat our success this time around.

'It's almost a breath of fresh air to come back to Chelsea, we won the Double last year and there's no negative mental effect from that at all. It's exciting to be back,' he smiled. 'The rest [after World Cup elimination] was about a month, and I was ready to be back by the time it came around.'

One player who has a full pre-season under his belt is Michael Essien, and from his performances it seems as though the Ghanaian is reaping the rewards.

'He's like a new signing, he has had two years where he has hardly played because he has had terrible injuries,' Lampard acknowledged. 'He's been a huge loss, you can never underestimate what a player like Michael Essien can do in your squad.

'He's one of the best players around in any position he plays in, I think we need that because we've lost a few players.'

Carlo Ancelotti's presence for a second year is also cause to smile, believes the man who now enters his 10th season as a Chelsea player.

'It's very nice, he obviously fitted in very quickly last year and the players respect it. Everyone understands he's a very good man and the way he works looks very decent from the outside, and he was obviously brilliant for us.

'It's nice to carry on building with that and we all hope we can reach the heights of last season again. It probably won't be - we probably won't score as many goals but if we can go and win the league, I don't really care how we win it. Every year the challenge gets harder,'[but] I'd like to defend the league first and foremost, that's my priority.'

Carlo Ancelotti: We Aren't Ready For The New Premier League Season

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has confessed that his team is not fit for the start of the Premier League campaign.

The defending champions lost their third straight pre-season match, losing to Hamburg 2-1 on Wednesday.

Ancelotti admits that his returning World Cup stars are fighting to be fully prepared to face West Bromwich Albion in their August 14 Premier League opener.

"Some players are in good condition but others need more time,” Ancelotti told The Sun.

"The 10 players that only came back to us on July 26 need to have another two weeks of work.

"After just eight days of training it is impossible to be fit.

"We are all disappointed because we have lost three games consecutively so it's not a good start for us.

"Now we have to hope we can come back with a win against Manchester United in the Community Shield on Sunday."

Goals from Mladen Petric and Heung-Min Son in the second half, led the Bundesliga side past the Blues, who lost the previous two pre-season games to Ajax and Eintracht Frankfurt as well.

Michael Essien helped Chelsea take the lead, stealing the ball from Jonathan Pitripa and feeding Frank Lampard, who was left with a simple tap-in to make the score 1-0 for the Blues.

However, Petric took advantage of a terrible backpass from Yuri Zhirkov to score the equalizer, and with just three minutes remaining Son rounded Ricardo Carvalho and beat goalkeeper Ross Turnbull to give the German club a 2-1 victory.

Ancelotti insists that the defence must improve if Chelsea are going to repeat as Premier League champions this season.

"In the past the defence has given out a lot of confidence - but now we are losing some concentration.

"We have made mistakes and now we have to show more character.

"But even if some of our players are not fit, they still have a good presence on the pitch.

"Maybe it's not so important that Lampard and Terry are 100 per cent fit at the start of the season because they have that presence and they will do better. They just need more time playing."

Yury Zhirkov Lined Up By Zenit St Petersburg For £21m Swoop

Zenit St Petersburg are considering a £21million bid to take Chelsea defender Yury Zhirkov back to Russia.

The 26-year-old endured a torrid first season at Stamford Bridge, struggling with injuries in both knees and making just 10 Premier League starts following an £18.6m move from CSKA Moscow.

Chelsea agreed to sign Zhirkov before Carlo Ancelotti arrived and the Russia international has struggled to fit into his manager’s plans.

He has mostly been used as Ashley Cole’s understudy, despite forging a reputation at CSKA as an attacking left winger.

Runaway Russian Premier League leaders Zenit would give Zhirkov a prominent role as they build a side for the Champions League and are also on the brink of signing Porto captain Bruno Alves for £18.2m.

Zhirkov refused to comment, saying he was only focused on being fit for the new season with Chelsea.

‘I can say that I am a Chelsea player and it’s a great honour to play for the club,’ he said.

‘The knee is not a worry. The competition in our club for places is great. But I really want to play and will do everything I can to break into the team.’

Ramires Explains Chelsea Switch

Benfica and Brazil midfielder Ramires has urged his current club's supporters to understand why he has chosen to leave Lisbon to join Chelsea.

The 23-year-old is poised to complete a big-money switch to Stamford Bridge, with a fee of around £18million having been agreed between the two clubs.

Ramires told A Bola after opting to leave the Portuguese champions: "I hope everyone understands this decision. This is football and this outcome is good for the club and for me.

"I love this club. I took Benfica into my heart. I am very happy. I will never forget how I got here, where I was a champion, where I improved and I was very happy. It was a wonderful year.

"I hope that everyone understands that it was a very good opportunity for me on a personal, sporting and financial level."

France Under-19 Skipper Gueida Fofana Urges Chelsea & Liverpool To Bid For Him

France under-19 skipper Gueida Fofana has urged Chelsea and Liverpool to snap him up from Le Havre.

The defensive midfielder was at the heart of Les Blues victory in last weekend's U19 European Championship Final victory against Spain. After inspiring his team-mates to victory, the Premier League pair and Barcelona have been linked with sweeping him up from the Ligue 2 outfit where he has just one year to run on his contract.

Speaking to skysports.com, Fofana declared he was ready to try his hand at a major European heavyweight.

He said: "I am feeling great after winning the Euros, we played really well and deserved to win.

"I have heard that there are teams interested in me, but nothing concrete has come out as yet.

"If I have to leave here [Le Havre], I want to make sure it is on good terms."

Bertrand Makes Forest Loan Switch

Championship outfit Nottingham Forest has signed highly-rated young Chelsea left-back Ryan Bertrand on a six-month loan deal.

Bertrand, who celebrates his 21st birthday today, is widely regarded as one of the game's top young prospects.

He is renowned for his attacking ability having been converted from an orthodox winger.

Bertrand has been at Chelsea for five years following an initial £125,000 move from Gillingham.

In 2006 he signed professional forms at Stamford Bridge and has gathered Football League experience during loan spells at Bournemouth, Oldham, Norwich and Reading, where he was a regular in the side last season.

Killie Swoop For Young Blues Star

Kilmarnock have completed their second signing of the summer after Chelsea agreed to loan out their young left-back Ben Gordon until January.

Gordon, 19, follows in the footsteps of Portuguese winger David Silva, who joined on a two-year deal.

A statement released by the Ayrshire club said: "Kilmarnock Football Club is delighted to announce that Chelsea reserve team player Ben Gordon has signed a short-term loan with the club.

"Ben is an England U17 international [and] has been under contract with Chelsea since 2007.

"Everyone at the club extends a warm welcome to Ben and wishes him every success during his time at Rugby Park."

Anelka Recalls Domenech Row

Nicolas Anelka has described what happened during his infamous row with Raymond Domenech and said the former France manager was wrong to play him out of position.

Les Bleus endured a shambolic World Cup campaign, not only making an early exit after failing to win any of their group games but also struggling to stay unified off the field.

Anelka was sent home following a dressing room bust-up with Domenech at half-time during the 2-0 defeat to Mexico, with reports suggesting he had launched a foul-mouthed tirade at the coach.

The striker never denied ranting at Domenech but took French sports daily L'Equipe to court for libel after it printed details of the altercation, accusing the newspaper of distorting his words.

"I'd like to see Domenech confessing to the world that I didn't use those words," Anelka said.

"I wish he had the honesty to say it, and to say it to his mum too."

Anelka believes Domenech, who has since been replaced by Laurent Blanc, 'should be ashamed' after making a 'casting mistake'.

The Chelsea man was disappointed at being told to stay in the penalty area when he feels one of his main strengths is to drop deep.

"My biggest regret is that I was not given the chance to play in my best position," said Anelka.

"If the coach wanted to take a player which stays in the box, he shouldn't have picked me. He made a casting mistake."

In an interview with France Soir, Anelka went into more detail about what happened at half-time of the Mexico clash.

He said: "We returned to the dressing room and, for five minutes, the players talked. The coach arrived and said to me: 'Damn, Nico, I've told you to stop dropping back and stay up front'.

"I told him if I stay there, I do not get a touch of the ball, and said: 'Stop telling me to stay up front. I won't stay up front'.

"It carried on, but at that moment my head was gone. I wasn't even listening to what he said."

Domenech's immediate reaction, Anelka claims, was to dismiss him from the squad despite the efforts of captain Patrice Evra to pacify both parties.

"He said: 'Go, its fine, leave' and asked one of his assistants to get Dede (Andre-Pierre Gignac) ready," Anelka continued.

"I said: 'No problem, deal with your team'.

"Pat (Evra) and Franck (Ribery) were next to me and they said: 'Stop, Nico, calm down. Let it go, shut up!'

"Then Pat asked me to put my jersey back on and said to the coach that these things happen all the time, that he should not react on a whim and make me leave.

"Again, the coach didn't listen and made his changes."

Chelsea In New Partnership With Singha Beer

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Singha Beer as the club's official beer sponsor.

The four-year deal will see the Thai beer company become a platinum partner of the club, following the most successful season in our history that saw us win both the Premier League title and the FA Cup in May.

Singha Beer is produced by Boonrawd Brewery and was the first beer to be brewed by a Thai. The premium lager is a full-bodied, 100 percent barley malt beer with strong hop characteristics and a rich taste. It was introduced internationally in the 1970s and has been synonymous worldwide with Thailand since. It is now available in nearly 50 countries.

Singha Beer will be sold exclusively across the Stamford Bridge venue including stadium kiosks, bars, restaurants and hotels from the start of the 2010/11 season.

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: 'We are excited to welcome Singha Beer as our official beer partner for the club.

'It is the leading beer brand in Thailand and will help us to reach out to our rapidly growing fan base in Asia-Pacific. We are certain that Singha Beer will be an excellent partner for the club.'

Santi Bhirom Bhakdee, chief executive of Boonrawd Brewery added: 'It is a glorious leap forward for Singha Corporation to join hand in hand with Chelsea Football Club, a club that thirsts for victory and accomplishment.

'We are certain that this strategic alliance will propel both organizations to new levels of prosperity.'

The deal represents another addition to Chelsea's successful platinum level partners which includes Thomas Cook, EA Sports and 188BET.

Bringing Happiness To Hamburg

As part of the squad's visit to Hamburg this week, they met with a group of 15 children from the city's Center for Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Prior to the game at the Imtech Arena on Wednesday, the group of children, all of who have had heart surgery, arrived at the team hotel to meet their heroes for a signing session, and were each treated to a Blues goodie bag to take away as a souvenir of the day.

There may have been a few more Hamburg shirts than Chelsea ones, but that didn't stop the enjoyment from both players and kids alike.

Blues Still In The Market

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed he will look to complete two more signings before the close of the transfer window as Chelsea close in on the signing of Benfica midfielder Ramires.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has reined in his spending in recent times but, with Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti all leaving the club on free transfers this summer, Ancelotti feels replacements for all three are a necessity.

"We are not in any hurry," he told Sportske Novosti. "We have the whole of August to complete deals. The strategy of the club is clear. Compared to last season, we have lost Belletti, Ballack and Joe Cole, so we will add three players in these positions. So far, we've brought in [Yossi] Benayoun from Liverpool."

With the departure of right-back Belletti, Chelsea have been linked with a move for Shakthar Donetsk and Croatia defender Darijo Srna, 28, to fill the gap.

Asked if Srna was among his targets, Ancelotti said: "I understand your curiosity as a journalist, but I must stress that I cannot give you the names of players Chelsea are interested in signing."

Asked if he wished Sportske Novosti to issue a denial that Chelsea want Srna, he said: "No - I don't want to deny that we are tracking an interesting player."

Chelsea Aim To Push Through £18m Signing Of Brazil Midfielder Ramires

Chelsea have agreed a fee of £18m (€22m) with Benfica to buy the Brazil midfielder Ramires and they intend to push him through a medical at the club before confirming his signing by the end of the week.

But there remains some concern at Stamford Bridge over whether the 23-year-old will qualify for a work permit at the first time of asking. The regulations state a player must have appeared in 75% of his country's internationals over the past two years, and Ramires falls short of this requirement.

Chelsea may have to appeal to obtain a permit under the special-circumstances ruling. Ramires appeared for Brazil at the World Cup finals in South Africa, catching the eye in the last-16 victory over Chile, and he is rated as one the continent's most promising young players.

His arrival would mean Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, has to get rid of one of the 17 senior overseas players in his squad to comply with the Premier League's new rules. The odd man out is likely to be the midfielder Deco, who is tipped to move to Fluminense in his native Brazil.

It is unlikely Ramires will be a Chelsea player in time for Sunday's Community Shield against Manchester United and Ancelotti said his first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech will not be fit for the fixture at Wembley. The Czech international will not have recovered from a torn calf muscle. Ancelotti added that Cech will not be available for the Czech Republic's friendly against Latvia next week.

Ancelotti hopes Cech will be ready for the opening game of the Premier League season, at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday week, but he will have to play either Henrique Hilário or Ross Turnbull against United, both of whom have looked shaky in pre-season. The defender Alex, who also has a calf injury, should be fit for West Brom.

Didier Drogba is set to play his first minutes of the pre-season against Hamburg, following his return to training after a minor operation on a groin. The Ivory Coast international carried the problem, which has been referred to as a "sportsman's hernia", in the final matches of last season. Ancelotti intends to play his Community Shield line-up against Hamburg.

Carlo Ancelotti Left Dazzled By His Rising Stars

Chelsea are expected to field a near full-strength team against Hamburg in Germany as manager Carlo Ancelotti turns his pre-season preparations up a notch.

The Double winners take on Manchester United on Sunday in the Community Shield and the names gracing Wembley should be the ones that Stamford Bridge regulars are used to. John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba should all feature in the Imtech Arena and then against Sir Alex Ferguson's team.

Yet, Ancelotti is more excited about the youngsters he will have sitting on the bench. Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has accepted partial blame today for the failure of the England team at the World Cup. “We want the England manager to be spoilt for choice,” he said when referring to the lack of talent that coach Fabio Capello had at his disposal this summer.

But while Academies at clubs in the Premier League are not producing young English talent at a rate fast enough to keep the critics off Capello's back, his fellow Italian Ancelotti could not be happier with the production line at Cobham.

Jeffrey Bruma, Josh McEachran and Billy Clifford all appeared in the team that won the FA Youth Cup last season and have all had big roles to play in Chelsea's pre-season.

All started in the defeat by Ajax and Bruma and McEacharan have been joined on the current two-match tour of Germany by three other academy products, Patrick van Aanholt, Gael Kakuta and Fabio Borini.

New rules this season stipulate each club must nominate a squad list of a maximum 25 players for Premier League action, eight of which must be home grown' — that is someone who has been registered for any club in England or Wales for a period of three years while under 21. This number can be supplemented by any registered players under the age of 21.

So far Yossi Benayoun is the only new face through the door and Brazilian Ramires — work permit providing — will join him, with Michael Ballack, Juliano Belletti and Joe Cole all having left the club.

That will put the emphasis on Ancelotti's youngsters but the manager is not worried.

“It is the same thing as in the Champions League so we are not surprised about this and this rule can improve the Academies in the clubs,” he said.

“I don't think we have a difficulty to put a squad in. We have the right number of foreign players.

“I am happy because it is important for our Academy — they are very good players, they need to stay with us and will have more chances this year.

“I know them very well. We followed them for the last year and it is the time for them to be involved in the squad. I don't know how many games they can play this season but we need to have these young players in our squad.”

The dilemma for Capello is the wording of the new rules which mean any Academy products do not have to be English. While McEachran (Oxford) and Clifford (Slough) are local enough, Bruma (Holland), Van Aanholt (Holland), Kakuta (French) and Borini (Italy) only demonstrate how good Chelsea's scouting network now is across Europe.

There is more hope, though, in that 12 out of 23 players listed on the club's website as being in Chelsea's Academy for this season are English.

One young player expected to make the grade at Chelsea is 17-year-old midfielder Josh McEachran.

A regular youth international, McEachran played a key role in England's Under-17 European Championship triumph this summer, scoring in the group stages against Czech Republic and impressing against Spain in the Final.

Comfortable on the left or in the middle, McEachran was one of the Chelsea's finest performers in their FA Youth Cup Final win against Aston Villa last season.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti is a confirmed admirer and handed McEachran, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, a squad number last January (51) and invited him to travel with the first team for last season's Carling Cup tie at Blackburn.

He has continued progressing during pre-season and has been involved in all three Chelsea games so far as they build towards the new campaign and their defence of the Premier League title.

McEachran started alongside established first-team players Michael Essien and Jon Obi Mikel against Crystal Palace last month and again against Dutch giants Ajax in Amsterdam. He also replaced Florent Malouda after 58 minutes against Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

There is genuine belief at Stamford Bridge that the talented teenager can make the next step and become a regular first-team squad member.

Ferreira Hopes For Chelsea Chance

Chelsea defender Paulo Ferreira says he is looking forward to getting more games under his belt ahead of the new season.

The Blues launch the defence of their Premier League title next Saturday but first face arch rivals Manchester United in the Community Shield on Sunday.

Ferreira has been on extended leave following his involvement in the World Cup finals for Portugal and Wednesday's friendly against Hamburg represents only his second outing of pre-season.

And despite the first competitive match of the season on the horizon, Ferreira says he would rather be on the pitch in an attempt to regain full fitness.

"It is important that we get to play against Hamburg, we want to start the season well," Ferreira explained to the club's official website. "And after this game we still have a few days to work really well for Manchester United on Sunday.

"It is another important game and we want to be in good shape. The group is like it always is, everybody is happy and we are doing a good pre-season so far.

"I am feeling much better, us players who came from the World Cup started after the others but we have worked hard to catch up and after one week of work you begin to feel much better."

The 31-year-old's involvement in the World Cup means time off has been scarce for the right-back, who helped the Blues to the Premier League title last season.

But Ferreira says he is grateful to have had a holiday while his colleagues were reporting back for pre-season training early.

He added: "It was a short summer, but for the ones not involved in the World Cup it was a long break. But we cannot complain, we had 25 days of holiday, it is not bad.

"I had wonderful holidays and tried to enjoy them as much as I could, and now I am ready to start again.

"I went to the south of France and home to Portugal, and I did nothing, I just wanted to enjoy it after the Premiere League and World Cup.

"When you have a break you want to relax and be with the family, the kids, and enjoy it until the last day. Now it is time for work again."

And following his recuperation, the former Porto man is eager to be a regular fixture in Carlo Ancelotti's starting line-up.

"I will work hard all season and try to enjoy every match that I get," said Ferreira. "Of course I would like to play more than last season, and help the team to win trophies."

Chelsea Youngster Scott Sinclair Set To Make Blackpool Loan Switch

Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair is set to stay in the Premier League and make a loan switch to newly promoted Blackpool, according to the Daily Mail.

The 21-year-old has made just one top flight start in five years at Stamford Bridge and spent last season at Wigan Athletic.

With no sign of a breakthrough into the Blues' first-team, he had courted interest from Championship outfits Ipswich Town and Swansea City.

The England youth international is expected to spurn the chance to drop down a division and return to the north west of England.

The switch is believed to be partly inspired by his girlfriend - Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan - working in Manchester.

Carlo Ancelotti Explains Joe Cole's Exit

Carlo Ancelotti has said Yossi Benayoun's arrival will compensate for England winger Joe Cole's departure.

Cole signed for Liverpool after being released by Chelsea following the breakdown of talks, with Benayoun having already moved the opposite way.

"Joe Cole at Chelsea had a fantastic career but this year is another story," Chelsea boss Ancelotti stated.

"We are happy to have Yossi here. Joe was quicker, with respect to Yossi, but tactically I think Yossi is better."

Cole was a popular figure at Chelsea throughout seven largely successful years at Stamford Bridge.

The England international struggled with injury last season following knee surgery, but during the campaign Ancelotti labelled him "a genius" and said he was 100% sure that the 28-year-old's future was with the London club.

But talks broke down over a new deal, with Cole citing "political rather than footballing reasons", and the former West Ham star was allowed to leave on a free transfer.

However, Ancelotti said the capture of Israeli international Benayoun, 30, will add an extra dimension to Chelsea's midfield.

"He's an intelligent player, tactically he knows everything very well," Ancelotti added. "I tried to put him as a right midfielder in this pre-season and he can also play in his usual position as a winger.

"He has to train, to improve his condition but I think for us he is a good player."

Benayoun spent three years at Anfield after signing from West Ham, scoring 29 goals in 134 games from midfield.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti also insisted the Premier League's new rules which require clubs to register a squad of up to 25 players, including at least eight home-grown players will have no effect on Chelsea.

While home-grown players must have been registered to the Football Association or Welsh FA for three years prior to their 21st birthday there is no requirement for them to be English and Chelsea have promising youngsters Jeffrey Bruma, Patrick van Aanholt, Gael Kakuta, and Fabio Borini, along with the English Josh McEachran, in their ranks.

"It is the same thing as in the Champions League so we are not surprised about this, and this rule can improve the academies in the clubs," said Ancelotti, who is hoping to add Brazil midfielder Ramires to his squad from Benfica for £17m.

"I don't think we have a difficulty to put a squad in. We have the right number of foreign players.

"I am happy because it is important for our academy - they are very good players, they need to stay with us and will have more chances this year.

"I know them very well. We followed them for the last year and it is the time for them to be involved in the squad. I don't know how many games they can play this season but we need to have these young players in our squad."

Chelsea Do Not Need A Star Signing To Be Favourites For The Big Prizes Again

Carlo Ancelotti is a man of his word. Back in April, when Chelsea were still greedily eyeing the Premier League and FA Cup trophies, the coach told the world that rather than going on the sort of transfer rampage that characterized the early part of the Roman Abramovich era, he would merely be tweaking his existing squad by inducting a handful of young players.

He believed in his existing players back then, pre-Double win, and he was proved right. Many worried that the Italian would struggle to impose himself in the transfer market at Stamford Bridge, having employed a relatively hands-off approach in his previous post at Milan and having been constricted by Silvio Berlusconi's belt-tightening. Yet few considered that he might not actually need to invest.

Chelsea, popular wisdom had decreed, were a ticking time bomb with the lynchpins at the heart of the squad - Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry - growing old together and demanding imminent replacement. The Premier League, popularized worldwide by its frenetic pace & energy, is a more age-obsessed arena than most, and ever since the early days of Jose Mourinho, the Blues have been defined by their ability to grind down and overpower opposition.

That Drogba and Lampard, both 32, drove Chelsea to silverware last season has forced a reassessment of previously undisputed truths. Here were two 30-somethings who weren't just hanging in there but augmenting their already sky-high standards. Both enjoyed career-high goalscoring seasons (29 and 22 Premier League goals respectively) to top it off.

In this context, Ancelotti's reluctance to make big changes is unsurprising. He put his faith in stability, in the tried and tested, while at San Siro, and has a better, leaner, more hungry set of players now than he did in his final years in Serie A.

The parallels between the coach's transfer market approach in Italy and England are hard to ignore. It is hard to believe that the powers that be at Stamford Bridge were not attracted by Ancelotti's ability to regalvanise and motivate existing, heavily-decorated players. As a club, Chelsea have talked about their aim to be self-sufficient for several years, but because their first two Premier League titles were inextricably linked to large-scale spending, many found it hard to take seriously.

The Blues' image as a ruthless money machine (and a plentiful source of transfer speculation for media) will not go away. A huge list of names were linked post-season - David Villa, Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Franck Ribery - but the club let it be known that they were not prepared to do business at 'above the market rate.' In other words, they wouldn't be competing with Manchester City and would only do business for big names at relative bargain prices.

Ancelotti and the board know well that to improve such a stellar squad is a mightily expensive business. Yury Zhirkov, a relatively low-profile arrival, set them back £18 million last summer, and a similar figure will be spent on Brazilian midfielder Ramires in the days to come.

Ramires is a very 'Chelsea type' of player, certainly more so than the likes of Kaka or even Ribery. The 23-year-old hardly leaves a trail of stardust in his wake, but will be greatly appreciated at Stamford Bridge; an unflashy, dedicated performer who relentlessly eats up the turf in midfield. The other arrival, Yossi Benayoun - an experienced, industrious Premier League player - is similarly a typical signing.

With the Premier League's newly-introduced 25-member squad rule (of which eight must be 'home-grown,' or have been at the club for three whole seasons leading up to their 21st birthdays) a coach of Carletto's sobriety is a boon. He made it clear that he considers the five or so academy players that he will promote to the first-team squad this season as his new signings. Having seen one of them, Gael Kakuta, dominate with such elan at the recent European Under-19 Championships, it's difficult to argue.

Contextually, Chelsea are in a good position to play it low-key, as reigning champions and with funds tight at Manchester United, Liverpool and (as always) Arsenal too. The great dichotomy of the Blues' 21st century success has been their nouveau riche image set against their industry and collective strength. Ancelotti is too shrewd to remove the foundations on which that success has been built.

Benayoun The Blue

Yossi Benayoun believes he's at the perfect age to join Chelsea, although he expects to be part of a rotation system initially.

The 30-year-old, who signed from Liverpool this summer, knows the competition he'll face to break into the first team but is looking forward to the challenge.

'It's the perfect age to be at a big club,' explained the Israeli international. 'Let's not forget that for the last three years I have been at a big club.

'I have left a big club, I have come to a big club, so for me it is the same and I believe I can prove myself here.'

Benayoun, who captains his national side, is certainly experienced in the workings of the Barclays Premier League, having worn the colours of West Ham before heading north to Liverpool.

During his career he's played in several roles, which is why he's ready to work for a place no matter what position he may end up.

'I will play in any system,' explained our new number 10. 'I will try to do my best and be involved in the team.

'If I am not then I will try harder and prove myself, because there are enough big players here to play any system. I just want to be on the pitch, anywhere.

'I am intelligent enough to understand this is a big club and you can sit on the bench. There is a big squad with a lot of players but I have a lot of patience.

'At Liverpool I was sat on the bench a lot but when I had the chance I proved myself and deserved to play. This is my ambition here also.'

It's been over eight years since Benayoun last won a trophy, following consecutive league titles with Maccabi Haifa back in Israel under the guidance of Avram Grant.

It may seem like a long time without silverware, but the midfielder's proud of his achievements.

'I am happy with my career, to play for Liverpool for three years and come to Chelsea, not many players can say this and I am proud.

'I hadn't played for big clubs until I went to Liverpool, although I almost won the FA Cup with West Ham,' he added before revealing the relationship he still has with the former Chelsea manager, a man who offered some invaluable advice before Benayoun joined the Blues.

'Avram gave me a few tips,' he said. 'He told me to come with confidence and patience and believe I am good enough, so I just need to work hard and prove it.'

Philliskirk Makes Loan Move

Oxford manager Chris Wilder has boosted his attacking options by bringing in Chelsea youngster Danny Philliskirk on loan.

The 19-year-old will spend a month at the League Two side and is likely to be given a run-out in Monday's pre-season friendly against Banbury United.

Philliskirk - who can play as a second striker or in midfield - started his career at Oldham before then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho took him to Stamford Bridge for an undisclosed fee.

Wilder feels the former England Under-17 international will be a useful addition to the ranks and told the club's official website: "He's a young prospect I saw at Oldham as a kid and then Chelsea bought him for quite big money.

"It comes to a stage at 19 where he maybe needs to go and get involved with a senior club. He is a young boy but I think maybe people underestimate the level we are playing at now.

"We felt we needed an extra body in and he will benefit from the time here. Chelsea play three up front so he is used to playing in that. If he does well then he has a great opportunity here."

Ian Holloway Wants To Be Reunited With Chelsea Striker Scott Sinclair

Premier League new boys Blackpool are stepping up their efforts to sign Chelsea forward Scott Sinclair.

Championship duo Ipswich and Swansea have also made enquiries about the 21-year-old who has been at Stamford Bridge for five years but made just one top-flight start.

Sinclair was on loan at Wigan last season, making 22 first-team appearances but only five in the starting line-up.

The previous season he was at Birmingham and he has also been loaned to Crystal Palace, Charlton, QPR and Plymouth, where current Blackpool boss Ian Holloway was manager at the time.

Holloway, who also tried to sign Sinclair in February 2008 when he was in charge at Leicester, has been quiet in the transfer market since the Tangerines won promotion.

But he is hoping the fact that he has worked with Sinclair previously will help him to complete a deal in time for the big kick-off on Saturday week.

Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers also knows Sinclair well from his time as Chelsea's reserve team boss.

Bath-born Sinclair made his debut at the age of 15 for first club Bristol Rovers and played just one more game before he was sold to the Blues in July 2005.
Ipswich boss Roy Keane sees Sinclair as the ideal player to add pace and power to the Tractor Boys' lightweight attack.

But the lure of playing in the Premier League for a manager he knows well makes Blackpool overwhelming favourites for his signature.

Another reason why he is likely to prefer to relocate to the north west is that his girlfriend, Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan, is based there.

Ramires Set For Stamford Bridge Medical

Chelsea's ongoing bid to sign Brazilian midfielder Ramires for around £18 million is edging ever closer as he is set to undergo a medical at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

Ramires, who played at the 2010 World Cup, claimed in July that Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti was trying to sign him and a four-year deal is reported to be in the pipeline.

However, earlier on Tuesday it was claimed that a third party holds 50% ownership of the player and that the issue was delaying the transfer as the investors want the maximum return on their asset. It is also against Premier League rules for any third party to retain an interest in a player.

"There is nothing yet," Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira was quoted as saying. "But Ramires staying doesn't depend solely on us. There is a partnership and we must respect that. If there is a good proposal, we will do everything we can to make it work for us. We are prepared for everything and have options to fill all the positions to make sure we strengthen."

Ancelotti is eager to add Ramires to his squad after releasing both Michael Ballack and Joe Cole in the summer.

Benfica Admit They Can Do Little To Keep Chelsea Target Ramires

Midfielder Ramires looks more and more likely to sign for Chelsea with Benfica admitting that they don’t wholly control the destiny of the Brazilian.

World Cup star Ramires claimed at the end of July that Carlo Ancelotti's Premier League champions had bid for his services. Ramires could be an ideal replacement for both Michael Ballack and Joe Cole after the pair left Chelsea.

The 23-year-old missed Benfica's friendly win over Aston Villa on Sunday as talks continued, with the Portuguese side admitting they only have a minimal say in his future after selling 80 per cent third-party ownership to several investors.

Club president Luis Felipe Vieira is quoted as saying in The Sun, "Ramires staying at Benfica does not depend solely on us. There is a partnership and we must respect it.

"If there is a good proposal we will do everything we can to make it work for us. We are prepared for all eventualities and have options to fill all the positions."

Ramires said earlier in July that he had set his heart on a 'dream' move to Chelsea, Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Drogba Could Play In Community Shield

Didier Drogba has given Chelsea a major Community Shield boost by coming through his first full training session.

The Ivory Coast striker had been expected to miss the start of the new season after finally undergoing his long-delayed groin surgery 10 days ago.

But Drogba has made huge progress and was able to take part in a full work-out with Carlo Ancelotti's squad in Frankfurt.

Drogba is now poised to play a part in tomorrow's friendly with Hamburg and if he emerges unscathed is set to lead the Chelsea line at Wembley on Sunday.

Ancelotti said: "Didier could play against Hamburg. He is healing very quickly."

No Guarantees For Man City - Kalou

Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou has warned Manchester City that their summer spending spree will not guarantee them the Barclays Premier League title.

City boss Roberto Mancini has spent over £70million on signing Yaya Toure, Jerome Boateng, Alexander Kolarov and David Silva as he looks to wrest the league title from the Chelsea. Kalou admits he expects City to improve on their fifth place last season, but insists their new arrivals will take time to gel into a team capable of winning the championship.

"It doesn't mean because you bring in 10 new players that you will be top of the table," the 24-year-old said on chelseafc.com. "There are teams like Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal who will always be near the top."

He added: "Manchester City will do great because they have brought some good players in but at the end of the day it's what happens on the pitch, and having new players doesn't guarantee a win."

Benayoun: Enjoying Everyday

Yossi Benayoun believes he is settling well into life as a Chelsea player, and hopes to quickly prove his worth on the pitch.

The Israeli international is in Germany with the rest of the squad at present, and has already sung his initiation song, a rapidly-heckled version of Liverpool anthem You'll Never Walk Alone before switching into Hebrew.

Speaking after training on Tuesday, Benayoun outlined his desire to show his abilities in our final friendly against Hamburg on Wednesday evening.

'I feel very good. From the first moment they gave me a good feeling like I am already a long time here,' he said, speaking of his new team-mates. 'I am enjoying every day and getting closer to everyone. I am sure I will have a great time here and hopefully we will be successful.'

The 30-year-old made his Chelsea bow against Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, with a promising 45-minute display. He hopes to be fully operational shortly.

'I trained with the team for the first few days but had an injury with my groin, so I was resting for a week and came back only a few days ago to train. I am sure soon I will be fit enough.'

Benayoun arrives to take the number 10 jersey, made available following Joe Cole's departure and subsequent arrival at our new man's former club, Liverpool. Despite their similar playing styles, Benayoun is hopeful that obvious comparisons are not drawn.

'I don't think about it. My favourite number is 15, but it is not available!' he smiled. 'I don't like to compare myself to another player, I come here to do my best and hopefully it will be good enough. Joe is in Liverpool, I wish him the best, I think he is a great player.'

Another Cole, Ashley, is currently being linked with a move away from Chelsea, but with Carlo Ancelotti having insisted the left-back is staying, Benayoun is confident the England man will remain a team-mate.

'It is always like this in clubs, you always want your best players to stay,' he explained. 'The squad is very strong and it is normal there are offers from other teams, but we really hope Ashley will stay because he is a great player.'

Ancelotti also admitted a possibility that Brazilian midfielder Ramires could be heading to Stamford Bridge, though a deal with his club Benfica remains some way off.

'I don't know, I will speak about Ramires when Ramires will be a Chelsea player,' the manager said after Tuesday's training session. 'Until now he is not a Chelsea player, we hope, but until now nothing is decided.'

The Italian is growing closer to having his line-up for tomorrow's game against Hamburg, and Sunday's Community Shield date with Manchester United, sorted in his mind.

'It is my thought to reward the players that start the game against Manchester United and give them more minutes. It is an important game, the last one of pre-season and we want to check our position physically and tactically before the start of the season.

'I think we need to have more time to be fit because we need above all for the players that came back on 26 July it is more difficult to be fit immediately, you have to take your time - a few weeks will be enough to come back to the best condition.'

Temperatures Rise In Training

The squad stayed in Frankfurt on Monday and took part in an intense training session as the sun shone on a warm afternoon.

Following Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Eintracht, the lads were given the morning off to rest before heading back to the Commerzbank Arena complex for a taxing workout on one of the surrounding pitches, joined today by Gael Kakuta who linked up with the squad following his international success with France Under 19s last week.

The first exercise involved three groups, each player having to run out and around a series of poles before running backwards, turning and sprinting to the line, then backwards back out to jump and head a high ball back into the group. If it sounds tough, just imagine what it is like having to do it!

Next up was some ball work, the group split into four teams on two pitches, the sole aim to maintain possession in your confined area.

Carlo Ancelotti then blew his whistle, marking the end of the high-octane possession exercises before beginning two-on-two attack with one group, which also tested his keeper's abilities between the posts. Meanwhile the second group got down to a game of five-a-side under the watchful gaze of Ray Wilkins.

By now there was an audience, made up of adidas competition winners, who watched the world-class players prepare for Wednesday's clash with Hamburg and another Barclays Premier League campaign.

The session also sparked interest from the locals, who lined up alongside the surrounding fences to catch a glimpse of the Blues in practice.

The manager soon incorporated a few more players in a four-on-four session, with one side defending, the other attacking, while Sam Walker performed his duties between the posts.

He was soon replaced by Hilario, whose quick reactions twice denied Didier Drogba from finding the net, before Ross Turnbull took up the position. Drogba completed the full session following an individual post-match workout yesterday.

Once the session was over the players met some of the awaiting fans, signing autographs and posing for pictures before making their way back to the team hotel.

There, 22-year-old defender Michael Mancienne discussed his pre-season progress, having had his first game involvement on Sunday afternoon following a thigh injury.

'To be honest, even though I was injured I was still doing quite a lot of work with the physios and I was already feeling quite fit and now I'm feeling good,' he said.

'It's very important to get the match sharpness and that's what pre-season does. You need to work hard and do things right. So it works well in preparing you for the season ahead.

'We've come out here to get fitness and get ready for the coming season, and so far it has been very good.'

'For me, this is a different experience to last year because we went to America and a lot of people have come back later because of the World Cup, so we're all at different levels of fitness but everyone is slowly getting there, and the young lads like Josh McEachran and Sam Walker have done well too.'