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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Premier League Is Still The Best, Says Frank Lampard

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drogba also hailed the influence of Ancelotti.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ancelotti: Same Again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ballack Set To Discuss Future

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drogba Is On The Spot For Blues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deco Set For Fluminense Move

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joe Cole Seeking A Move To Tottenham In The Summer

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

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

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

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

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

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

Consistency Is The Key

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drogba Wins The Big Vote

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

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

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

'Thank you to all the fans from my heart.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kalou Taking Aim At Title

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mikel Out Of Cup Final

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

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

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

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

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

Morgan Eyes Blues Deal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gianluigi Buffon On Chelsea Radars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"England need more of that self-belief."

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

Drogba Kicks Off 'Sports In The City' Initiative

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chelsea's Academy Hailed By Drummy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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