Chelsea Join Race To Sign Kaspar Schmeichel From Notts County

Chelsea are now in the hunt to snap up goalkeeper Kaspar Schmeichel from Notts County, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

Blues scouts were apparently watching the 23-year-old in action last week against Torquay United and view him as a potential understudy to Petr Cech.

Bayern Munich, West Bromwich Albion and Derby County are also believed to be tracking the young Dane.

Schmeichel is now a free agent after spending a season at Meadow Lane.

Manchester City And Chelsea Battle Over Mario Balotelli And Marek Hamsik

The two clubs predicted to be among the Premier League's biggest spenders - Chelsea and Manchester City - are ramping up the competition for the signings of Serie A starlet duo Mario Balotelli and Marek Hamsik.

Chelsea and City, who have Italian managers in Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Mancini, respectively, are tracking the young strikers as speculation in Italy suggests both will be allowed to move in the summer.

Balotelli, 19, has endured a difficult time at Inter Milan lately, having fallen out with manager Jose Mourinho and come under fire from the club's notoriously hard-to-please fans.

He gestured towards the stands after being jeered during their Champions League campaign, and stormed off without staying on the pitch to celebrate following their victory over Barcelona earlier this month.

Meanwhile Slovakian star Hamsik, 22, has impressed in a Napoli team pushing for a European place this season, scoring 12 goals.

But the club could opt to cash in on him if they receive a hefty pay-off from an English counterpart.

Mancini is a known admirer of Balotelli, having seen him first-hand and signed him from Lummezzane during his time at the San Siro.

And he is also well versed in Hamsik's ability through his ongoing connections in Italy.

Meanwhile Ancelotti is also aware of the talent of both strikers and is keen to bring them both in alongside Salomon Kalou as understudies to first-choice forward pairing Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Rising Stoch

Having won a championship medal of his own in Holland, Miroslav Stoch returned to Cobham this week to share his story.

The 20-year-old Slovakian had a season to remember with FC Twente, where he helped secure the club's first ever Eredivisie title with 10 goals from 32 appearances under the leadership of Steve McClaren, the former England manager.

'I think it was a great season, when I went there I didn't expect it could be like that, that we could be champions but from the first day it was getting better and better and we kept on winning,' Stoch explained. 'I was so surprised and now we are champions, it was so great!

'My form was good until the winter break, then I had a little problem with my groin and didn't play so good, but in the end I was better and my play improved enough to score in the last two games.'

The second of those was in the final day victory over NAC Breda which secured the championship for the Enschede side.

'To score was so nice, I felt so happy and of course to win was unbelievable. I think everyone is a legend there now, it is something special for the club, the first time they won the title and everyone there is buzzing,' smiled the diminutive winger.

McClaren yesterday left the club for Germany, and Wolfsburg who competed in this season's Champions League. Stoch hopes it brings the Englishman further success overseas.

'I heard the manager had gone to Wolfsburg, I knew a little earlier that maybe he would leave, but it is not surprising, he has done a great job and what else can he do with the team?' he reasoned. 'Now he can move on to a bigger team and hopefully learn more.'

'I don't know what will happen but we have to decide the best option for me, last year we decided really well when I went to Twente, and now I hope we will do the best again,' he explained. 'I want to play all the time like I did in Holland.'

Stoch was at Cobham for his end of season fitness testing, and was joined by fellow loanees Jack Cork, Michael Mancienne and Scott Sinclair.

Cork rounded his loan spell at Burnley on Sunday with a goal as the Clarets came back from two down to beat Tottenham 4-2.

The goal, a second-half header, pulled already relegatedBurnley level before they went on to win the game.

It was Cork's 11th appearance for the Turf Moor side since arriving there in early February, following a spell with Coventry City for the first half of the season.

Mancienne was not involved in Wolves' final game of the season on Sunday, so completed his stay at Molineux with 25 starts and eight sub appearances, helping them to achieve Premier League survival for the first time.

Sinclair was ineligible for Wigan's visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, but was at the game to see his temporary side beaten 8-0 by the Blues.

During his time at the DW Stadium, Scott made five starts and 17 sub appearances, scoring twice.

Franco Di Santo has also completed his loan spell at Blackburn, where he made 16 starts and nine sub appearances, scoring a solitary goal against local rivals Burnley in October.

Michael Ballack Admits Time Is Running Out To Sign A New Deal At Chelsea

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has admitted that time could be running out for him to secure a new contract at Stamford Bridge ahead of the World Cup.

The German's current deal at the club runs out in the summer and, whilst he accepts the decision taken by owner Roman Abramovich to delay contract negotiations until after the weekend's FA Cup final, he does feel that something needs to happen quickly.

"Roman Abramovich will only hold contract discussions once the season is over," Ballack told reporters.

"I don't want to pass judgement on that and I have to accept it.

"But everything is becoming rather tight in terms of time."

Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04 have been linked with the 33-year-old in recent days.

Sky Sports Pundit Lauds Ancelotti's "Unnoticed" Assistant

Sports pundit Chris Kamara has praised the contribution of Chelsea FC’s assistant coach Ray Wilkins, suggesting Carlo Ancelotti’s right-hand man deserves a lot of credit for his part in helping the Blues win the Premier League.

Kamara suggests Wilkins goes relatively unnoticed by those outside of the Chelsea FC dressing room but claims the former QPR manager plays a crucial role in liaising with the players and Ancelotti.

The Sky Sports pundit praises Wilkins as “Mr. Chelsea” and suggests Ancelotti’s assistant “deserves a shower of love” for his role in the club’s successful Premier League campaign.

Kamara told Skysports.com: “I think Ray Wilkins deserves a lot of credit too.”

“He goes unnoticed but the contribution he makes at that football club is brilliant.”

“He's been through a few managers now but he's a great coach, he's Mr. Chelsea and he deserves a shower of love.”

Chelsea Won't Break Bank For Joe Cole

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay has warned midfielder Joe Cole the club has a salary budget this summer with regards to new deals.

The former West Ham man along with vastly-experienced German midfielder Michael Ballack are both of contract next month and available on free transfers.

The club is keen to thrash out new terms with England international Cole, who has been at the club for the past seven years following his Upton Park switch.

Gourlay insists finalising players' futures is one of the club's top priorities, however, with their aim to be self-sufficient in mind; The Blues will not retain the 29-year-old at all costs.

"We will sit down and talk to Joe Cole at the end of the season, and he knows that," explained Gourlay.

"We will do that with a number of players, but when it comes down to salaries you have to draw the line somewhere.

"Every time we push the wage levels up higher we have somebody else knocking at the door," he continued without naming Cole.

"We've got to make a mark in the sand at some point."

Chelsea To Make £20M Raid On Tottenham For Luka Modric

Chelsea will make a £20m raid on Spurs for midfield maestro Luka Modric.

And Carlo Ancelotti has been told he can buy a £70m player like Fernando Torres if he wants.

But the Chelsea manager has targeted Croatian schemer Modric as the man he wants to add to his midfield.

As a result he would allow both Deco and Joe Cole to leave. Modric is also understood to be a target for Manchester United, but it is believed that he would prefer to stay in London and could be interested in a move to Chelsea.

Ancelotti wants to freshen up his midfield and the 24-year-old Modric is considered ideal signing because he has already had two seasons in the Premier League.

It means that Cole will be allowed to leave because Chelsea are refusing to meet his £100,000-a-week plus wage demands.

But he could easily go in the opposite direction and join up with Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, who he started his career with at West Ham.

Redknapp wants to keep hold of Modric but may struggle if the player wants to move to Chelsea, and Cole could be the perfect answer.

Talking about meeting Cole’s wage demands, Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: “We’re very conscious of controlling our salaries, but at the same time we’re expected to win every game we play so have to get the balance right.

“The balance is being able to bring players through from the academy to offset some of the higher costs we’ve incurred over the years.

“We will sit down and talk to Joe Cole at the end of the season, and he knows that. We will do that with a number of players, but when it comes down to salaries you have to draw a line somewhere.”

Chelsea also hope to do new deals with Michael Ballack and Nicolas Anelka, who are out of contract this summer.

But although Chelsea want to become self-sufficient and balance their books, Gourlay would not completely rule out splashing out a record £70m on a player – like Torres.

He added: “We have to get a team together to challenge for trophies.

“We have a good squad. We do not feel we will be required to spend a huge amount of money.

“It is a balancing act between trying to become self-sufficient and improving the football team. Any decision about signings will be made by Carlo.”

Chelsea And Man City Chase Torres

CHELSEA will match Manchester City in the fight for Fernando Torres.

Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti has been given the go-ahead to bid for £50million-rated Liverpool striker Torres.

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: "If it was good for the club then we can make an exception to buy a marquee player.

"We have to challenge for trophies. We have a good squad and don't feel we are required to spend a huge amount.

"It's a balancing act between keeping to our strategy of trying to become self sufficient and improving the team.

"However, we want to let our on-field success drive our commercial income and any decision about signings will be made by Ancelotti.

"There is a balance to be had between young players coming through from the academy and those players that we might sign."

Pato Rules Out Chelsea Move: "I Want To Stay At AC Milan"

Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato has moved swiftly to reject recent transfer rumours linking him with a summer exit from AC Milan to new Premier League champions Chelsea.

The 20-year-old told Corriere dello Sport: "I want to remain at AC Milan and win everything with them. But I am a Rossonero player and my future will be decided by the club."

All the transfer rumours have suggested Pato would be eager to join up with current Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti who managed the young starlet at AC Milan.

Pato: "He helped me grow in Italy but I am under contract until 2014 and I am happy to remain at AC Milan.”

Alexandre Pato scored 14 goals in 28 appearances for AC Milan in 2009/2010 but has not played since March due to injury.

Chelsea have been linked with a host of high-profile strikers ahead of the summer transfer window, including Fernando Torres and David Villa.

Terry Hosts Tickets For Troops Dinner

John Terry and club chairman Bruce Buck last night hosted a special Tickets for Troops dinner at Stamford Bridge, where they paid tribute to Britain's Armed Services.

Terry, who lifted the Premier League trophy on Sunday, spoke at length with members of the Medical Regiment of the Colchester-based 16 Air Assault Brigade, and also met with Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry VC before settling down to dinner in Marco.

'We all picked up a medal for winning the Premier League but these young men and women deserve a medal every day for the courage they show,' said Terry. 'They are inspirational to us all.'

The evening was organised and hosted by Buck, who believes it is important clubs like Chelsea show their support for such initiatives.

'This was an easy thing and an obvious thing for us to do, the real heroes are out in Afghanistan and Iraq, they're not really at Chelsea Football Club, and all of us have an obligation to do whatever we can to make their jobs easier,' he said.

'This is a way for us to help Tickets for Troops and thank the people that have been generous to them.'

Tickets for Troops chairman Lord Marland saw the evening as a fitting tribute to the Services.

'It was set up because we felt the nation as a whole wanted to show gratitude and understanding for what our troops do,' he explained. 'One of the first people I called was Bruce Buck, a very good friend of mine, and Chelsea have led the Premier League in persuading others to give us tickets and started it rolling.

'It's not just about football, troops can go to theatrical shows, rugby games, the world darts, the world snooker, concerts at the O2, loads of events, and not just in London. It is very humbling, we feel good about doing it and that's very important. All we've done is captured the mood of the moment to support our troops, and it's a wonderful thing to be involved in.'

On the night, Terry was delighted to meet with Lance Corporal Beharry VC (as pictured top), who explained how servicemen and women feel about the scheme.

'Speaking for the guys on the ground, I never received a package or a letter from anyone, every now and then someone receives a box with things in, and the whole team looks forward to it, it's similar to Tickets for Troops,' he said.

'You have access to a computer and you can go online and apply for that ticket. Knowing you are actually getting a ticket, it's all you think about, you know when you finish your tour you are going to a game, or the opera, it is something to look forward to because all day you have nothing else.'

Tickets For Troops was launched last year and the charity is dedicated to providing free tickets for the Armed Services.

Terry also posed with a giant England ticket to mark the Football Association's decision to dedicate the last friendly before the World Cup between England and Mexico on May 24 to Tickets For Troops.

Youth Report: Tottenham 3 - 0 Chelsea

A depleted Chelsea Academy side finished off an FA Youth Cup-winning season with an away defeat to Tottenham in their second game in two days.

The side, which only had two substitutes on the bench after a weekend win over Ipswich, went down to 10 men midway through the first half when Kaby Djalo (pictured) was shown red.

It's likely the spritely midfielder would have been sent off following a late tackle but when a scuffle ensued red was the only option for the referee as Djalo was sent for an early shower.

However, despite being down to 10 and tired, the side continued to compete late into the second half when the game was killed off by Tottenham's third.

It didn't take long for the hosts to take the lead once Chelsea went down to 10. It was a good piece of football that sealed the opener as the home team dazzled our defence with some direct two-touch passing.

As the move reached its final man a mistake from Aldi Haxhia between the Chelsea posts was enough for the ball to slip over the line just before the half-hour mark.

At half time youth team manager Dermot Drummy decided to use one of his two subs when he swapped George Saville for Todd Kane. The change spurred the side into action but despite producing a few decent chances, Chelsea failed to really threaten to Spurs' goal.

Then, just before the hour mark was up, Philipp Prosenik went off with an injury, forcing goalkeeper Sam Walker into a striker's role as he took up the offensive position.

Not long after, despite having two keepers on the pitch, Chelsea conceded the second when another breakdown in communication allowed the hosts to break past our defensive line before slotting home.

It would take another 20 minutes for Tottenham to increase the lead but when they netted for the third time the game died down. Chelsea continued to work hard but the recent spate of games began to show as they tired towards the end.

'The boys did well and have had a fantastic season, it was a shame we finished the season with a loss but overall it's been a brilliant campaign,' said Drummy after the game.

'They showed fantastic commitment and although our discipline went slightly, you can't argue with the overall work ethic of the side.

'We just want to congratulate the first team players and staff on winning the League and thank them for giving the boys a chance to see, at close quarters, a League-winning side.

'These are things in development that you can only learn by winning. The first team showed us that this weekend and the way they were with the boys was fantastic.'

Ancelotti Testifies In Match-Fix Case

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti testified on Tuesday in Naples at the criminal trial on the Italian match-fixing scandal.

Ancelotti, whose team won the Barclays Premier League title on Sunday, was called in as a witness by the prosecution.

Ancelotti has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Juventus general director Luciano Moggi and former referee selector Paolo Bergamo are defendants.

Ancelotti was the coach of AC Milan for eight years before leaving for Chelsea last summer.

Milan were hit with an eight-point penalty during the 2006-07 campaign for their role in the scandal.

Carlo Ancelotti Eyes Long Chelsea Stay & More Trophies

Boss Carlo Ancelotti plans to establish Chelsea as the leading force in English football after winning the Premier League in his first season at the club.

The Blues last lifted the title in 2006 but thrashed Wigan 8-0 on Sunday to wrest it away from Manchester United.

"I hope to stay here a long time and win a lot of titles," said 50-year-old Ancelotti, who joined Chelsea from AC Milan on a three-year deal last summer.

"We have a very good squad, for next year and the years after."

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay backed up Ancelotti's assessment of his squad and insisted that a move for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres had not been discussed by the club's board.

"We have 28 players in the squad and the average age is 27 - that's not too old," Gourlay told BBC Sports News correspondent Dan Roan.

"The squad has lots of experience and we have lots of individuals and characters. There is not going to be too many changes for next year.

"We have not discussed anything at board level," added Gourlay, referring to speculation linking Chelsea with Torres. "We will see through the FA Cup final and analyse where we are. If the right player is available we will take that into consideration."

Ancelotti succeeded Guus Hiddink as the Blues boss on 1 July 2009 after eight years at the San Siro, where he won one Serie A and two Champions League trophies.

On being appointed, the Italian spoke of his desire to guide Chelsea to a maiden Champions League crown in his debut season.

Their bid was ended by Inter Milan in the first knockout round but they bounced back to win the Premier League and deny United an unprecedented fourth successive title.

Ancelotti now hopes to match Jose Mourinho's achievement in 2005 and 2006 of leading the west London side to back-to-back league titles.

But before then he could do something either Mourinho or any other previous Chelsea boss managed by winning a league and FA Cup Double.

"Mourinho did some fantastic work and won two titles consecutively," said Ancelotti, whose side faces Portsmouth at Wembley on Saturday. "This is my first and I hope to do the same as Mourinho.

"Now we have the opportunity to win the Double and I hope that my players can, after these celebrations."

Chelsea's triumph arrived despite six defeats and five draws over the course of a unpredictable season in the top tier.

The west London club eventually pipped United by a point and Ancelotti felt it was their league double over Sir Alex Ferguson's men - November's 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge and a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford in April - that made the difference.

"The key point, I think, was our victory at home and also, above all, in Manchester," he said. "They were the key for this title because that improved our confidence and sent United a little bit down."

Chelsea went into the final day knowing anything other than a victory would probably see United - who beat Stoke 4-0 - snatch the title.

But Didier Drogba's hat-trick, a Nicolas Anelka double and strikes from Salomon Kalou, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole saw them demolish Wigan and score seven or more goals for the fourth time this term.

"We had a fantastic season, not only by winning the Premier League but because we showed a good style on the pitch," said Ancelotti. "But we played much better in the second half. We played a good match and won, and that was our aim.

"To win this game and close this title. We are very happy and I want to say a lot of thanks: to my owner, Roman Abramovich; to my club and everyone who worked with me in this season, supporting me every day; and above all my players.

"I found a fantastic team here who worked very well every day, maintaining a good atmosphere as a team. We won this title because we played as a team and worked as a team, everyone.

"I remember every victory because every one stays in your mind. I'm happy to have done this in my first season. I had a lot of help because I found a team and a club with fantastic organisation. So it was easy for me to do my best.

"Manchester United stayed with us right to the end. I said it would go to the last game, so we have to be proud and happy that we won against such a fantastic team like United. They were a very good opponent."

If Ancelotti does want to strengthen his squad this summer, Chelsea chief executive Gourlay insisted funds would be made available to the Italian.

"We have a mature side but also a very experienced side and if the correct player of the quality that Chelsea requires is available in the summer then the funds are there for us to take that opportunity," Gourlay told BBC Radio 5 live.

"Carlo will identify any players required for the club and we'll take it from there.

"It was very important for Chelsea to wrestle the title back from Manchester United. Three years without the Premier League for a club of our status is not the perfect world.

"It's very difficult to win the league but if you look at the last six years we have three each with Manchester United so we'll certainly be trying to push forward from here for next season.

"We have played football the way the owner wants it to be played and I really believe we can take it too the next level over the next few season."

Cole: I Came To Win The Big Ones

If Ashley Cole still needed to prove to anyone that he is fully fit again following injury, he couldn't have done it any better than racing into the Wigan penalty area to crack in a volley just before the final whistle.

The scorer of Chelsea's eighth and final goal in the title-winning rout was understandably in jubilant mood after ending a six-year personal wait for another championship-winners' medal.

'It has been a long time and this is my first title at Chelsea and now people will realise why I came here,' said the left-back who was twice a league champion at Arsenal.

'I came here to win the big ones, the Premier League or the Champions League, and hopefully this can be a big year, we can get the Double and make history for this club.

'It was always going to be tense going into the game, knowing we had to win and we knew Man United were going to get a result,' he added.

'Before they got a man sent off they played well, passed the ball and made it hard for us and we probably didn't play as well as we could have in the first half, but in the end we deserved it.'

Cole's goal gave him four for the season, the best total of his career and included among them was the recently-announced Chelsea Goal of the Season.

'I said before the start of the season that I was going to get five. I am happy with the way I played this season, happy with the goals I contributed to the team but I am a little bit disappointed I didn't get more to be honest, but I missed two months of the season.

'At the time of the injury I was playing well and it hurt me that I had to miss two months because I had a lot to give to the team. But I worked hard to get back and this is the reward I got for it.

'I am happy and hopefully there is more to come from this club.'

Chelsea Will Have To Pay £15m To Land Javi Martinez From Athletic Bilbao

Chelsea are in the hunt for Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez but the Basque club will not alllow the player to leave for less than £15 million, according to a report from The Daily Mirror.

Real Madrid are also apparently in the hunt for the 21-year-old, who signed for Bilbao in summer 2006 from Osasuna.

Martinez has also been linked with a move to Liverpool during the course of the last year or so, though nothing concrete has materialised.

The Blues are also apparently interested in Valenica winger Pablo, according to the report.

Blues Want Carlo For Long Term

Chelsea are hoping manager Carlo Ancelotti is happy to stay at the club in the long term after clinching the Premier League title.

Ancelotti took charge at Stamford Bridge last summer after ending his lengthy association with AC Milan and he could mark his first season in England with the League and FA Cup double.

He was appointed by Chelsea to replace interim boss Guus Hiddink following a turbulent time on the managerial front since the September 2007 departure of Jose Mourinho.

With Ancelotti bringing the title back to West London, Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay is hoping the Italian may be prepared to spend a decade at the helm.

"It is a pleasure working with the guy," said Gourlay. "The plan is to work with Carlo for five to 10 years. I think stability would be good for the club going forward and when we start to bring the young players forward.

"Carlo is definitely here for the long term. He is not a coach who moves around, even in his playing days. I am sure he will be around for many years to come.

"We have won the Premier League and hopefully we can win the double. But then we have to look at next season because it is important that we continue on."

Gourlay also confirmed that the likes of Michael Ballack and Joe Cole have yet to be offered new contracts as the club attempt to reduce their wage bill.

He added: "We decided a couple of months ago not to talk about any new contracts or any comings and goings at the football club until the last game of the season.

"The plan is to keep that the same. Our approach has been spot on and hopefully we will be able to add the FA Cup next week. But we are respectful of Portsmouth and it will be tough game.

"We have given the players no indication about contracts at all. We made it very clear that the time for talking about these things is at the end of the season.

"That is the way forward for future seasons and that is the way it should be. As a contract nears its end there is a time to open up the conversation, but it should never get in the way of football.

"The bottom line here is that Carlo will recommend any players that he wants in the squad next year. We will sit down at the appropriate time at the end of the season and evaluate that."

Cech Puts Celebrations On Ice

Petr Cech has told his Chelsea team-mates to focus on winning the FA Cup before truly celebrating their achievements this season.

Jubilant scenes greeted the final whistle at Stamford Bridge on Sunday as Chelsea clinched their first Premier League title since 2006 with an 8-0 thumping of Wigan.

Cech, who revealed his post-match celebrations consisted of a glass of champagne and a pint of Guinness, says he is more concerned with landing an historical domestic double than enjoying the Blues' title success.

"To win the Premier League is wonderful but the upcoming FA Cup final against Portsmouth is more important than a party," the 27-year-old goalkeeper told sport.cz.

."The ultimate target for all of us is to claim the double."

Cech, who collected his third winners' medal for the Blues, claimed this one meant the most.

"This one is the most valuable one because the league has been extremely even," added the Blues shot-stopper.

"It has shown that all big clubs invested big money into new signings ahead of the season.

"To win the third title has been the most difficult because in the two previous cases we had won it before the final round, this time we had to fight until the very end.

"We have won all matches against the clubs from the 'Big Four' and that made the difference in the end."

Chelsea Rule Out Bidding Wars

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay insists the club will not enter bidding wars with rival teams to purchase players in the close season.

Carlo Ancelotti's side wrapped up the Premier League title on Sunday following their 8-0 thrashing of Wigan and the Blues can claim an historic double should they beat Portsmouth in the FA Cup on Saturday.

But the Chelsea squad has faced questions over their age throughout the campaign, with concerns raised by some over the team's ability to combat tiredness and offer alternative dimensions to their play.

It has led to suggestions the Stamford Bridge outfit will enter the transfer market in the summer to brighten up their playing ranks and add younger talent to the side.

Gourlay dismissed such talk, but admitted his team would not pay over the odds in chasing new targets.

He told Sky Sports News: "No - we wouldn't get involved a bidding war. If there's any player that has become available and we feel they can strengthen our team then it will be on the terms of Chelsea Football Club.

"We've got to be respectful to the rest of the players in the pool and as we mentioned we have some great players coming through from the academy, so the future is bright."

He went on: "But I keep hearing about our ageing squad - we have 28 players in our first team squad and our age average is 27 - so I hope people are not telling us we're too old at 27. I think we're in a good position."

Despite his warning, Gourlay insisted resources would be available to Ancelotti should he chose to bring in new faces.

But after enjoying years of lavish spending under former boss Jose Mourinho, the 46-year-old said the club must operate in a "self-sufficient" manner in its transfer dealings.

That means it will be hard for Ancelotti to source big-money signatures, with Gourlay explaining some of the existing team may have to make way for new purchases.

He added: "If the right player is available that Carlo wants to bring into his squad and if it fits with everything else then we'll bring him in.

"The money will be there but we'll stick to our goal of being self-sufficient and that's very, very important.

"From a business point of view it would be nice to finance any new signings coming in from players that may be going out or selling players.

"But at the end of the day we've got to keep our goal of being self-sufficient but if we have to go into the market place then if it's the right player to strengthen the team, then the answer to your question is 'yes'."

Terry Calls For Reinforcements

Chelsea captain John Terry wants the club to splash the cash in the summer to strengthen their first-team squad after the Blues landed their first title for four years on Sunday.

Chelsea were crowned champions for the first time since 2006 after demolishing Wigan 8-0 to give them the title by a single point over Manchester United.

Terry is desperate to ensure their success is not a one-off and chief executive Ron Gourlay is adamant they will make a move into the transfer market if the price is right for the Blues.

"We definitely want to do it again but all the big four - ourselves, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal - need to strengthen because everyone has become closer to us," Terry said.

"No doubt it will be a busy summer for the big clubs. Now I hope to lift the FA Cup to do the double - going down in history as the club captain to do it means the world to me."

The England defender also believes Chelsea must make sure that Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka remain at Stamford Bridge.

Both players have yet to sign new deals with Chelsea after the club put a hold on any new talks until after the FA Cup final with Portsmouth this Saturday.

"We have a great squad here, anyway," added Terry. "Hopefully we can keep hold of Joe Cole because he has been key for us with his goal away to Manchester United. Nicolas Anelka will hopefully sign a new deal and we can keep everyone here.

"Last year I spoke to the club about the importance of keeping Didier Drogba when I was negotiating my contract.

"It was key for me and he has been brilliant. I wanted these kind of people to stay. They've been brilliant this year - Frank Lampard, Didier, people like this are important to the club."

The club's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich is ready to fund any rebuilding and chief-executive Ron Gourlay admitted the Russian would be interested in which players were brought in.

"We have a mature side but we also have a very experienced side," said Gourlay. "If the correct player of the quality that Chelsea requires is available in the summer, then the funds are there for us to take that opportunity.

"What happens is that manager Carlo Ancelotti will identify any player that is required for the club going forward, then we'll take it from there.

"Roman is always interested. He's very engaged with the football club, he likes to understand the decisions that we come up with and our thought process.

"Which I think is quite normal for an owner. He may not veto but he will certainly make sure that he has every right to question and ask our thought process."

Chelsea's hat-trick hero in their 8-0 hammering of Wigan, Ivorian striker Drogba, hailed the title success as the best moment of his career and claimed it finally eradicated the ghost of the Jose Mourinho era.

Drogba won the Premier League's 'Golden Boot' with 29 goals - three more than Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.

"This is the best moment I have had since I became a professional footballer," said Drogba.

"It's been a fantastic season, we scored a lot of goals, 103, and we have played some good football and that's what is important for the team.

"The team have worked hard for this all season and they helped me win the Golden Boot, which will always mean a lot. It is amazing and special and I owe it to the whole team.

"We kept our identity throughout the season which is good and this is a message for people about Chelsea's strength. We had a great season and we deserve to be champions.

"This is what we wanted to achieve at the start of the season and for four years we have been fighting for this, so it is great.

"Since Jose Mourinho left we have wanted to win the league and now it is done. It's not a new era it's just the continuity of what we have been doing for years and there's more to come.

"Now we could win the double. It's going to be hard but we will try."

Chelsea’s Search For Asian Star Given Bollywood Backing

One of Bollywood’s leading actors is backing Chelsea’s ‘Search for an Asian Star’ campaign, urging budding young Asian footballers to sign up to the project.

Abhishek Bachchan, a Bollywood actor and television presenter, emphasized the importance of such campaigns in promoting football in Asian countries.

“I know how important it is for young Asian kids to get involved with sport, not just to reach the top but to enjoy themselves, meet new people and be part of a team,” said the 34-year-old.

The star was quick to praise the London club for taking steps to promote the sport in Asia. “As a Chelsea fan I’m delighted my club is taking a lead on providing these amazing opportunities for Asian players and would urge everyone with a love for the game to sign up and take part.”

The competition began last year with over 350 players participating for a series of trial matches at the club’s training facilities in Cobham.

The search, which is aimed at youngsters aged between 8 and 13, involves specifically designed training exercises used by staff at Chelsea’s academy to analyse the ability, skill and speed of the competitors.

And managers, coaches and scouts from other clubs from various levels in the English game are afforded the chance to visit the academy in the search of potential talent.

The benefits of the initiative are evident after two of last year’s winners were later signed by Leyton Orient and Southend. The promise of a potential contract with the newly-crowned Premier League champions offers the ultimate motivation for any young Asian starlets.

Despite India’s vast population of over one billion it has failed to make any impact within world football. The country is ranked a lowly 132nd in FIFA’s rankings, a stark contrast to the success of the Indian cricket and hockey teams and golfer Jeev Milkha Singh who recently broke into the PGA’s top 50.