Chelsea Eye Ashley Cole Swap Deal For Kaka

Real Madrid may be tempted into loaning Kaka to Chelsea - only if Ashley Cole goes the other way.

According to ItalPress, the Spanish giants may be warming to the idea of off-loading their £56million star if they can secure a player in return, and with a left-back high on their radar, Cole would be the obvious make-weight in any deal.

The 29-year-old may also feel like it’s the right time to join the Galactico ranks, after personal problems and media scandal have dogged his last season with the Blues.

However, it's unlikely that Carlo Ancelotti will want to enter into any kind of deal involving his full-back, and will likely try a straight-cash swoop in a bid to lure the Brazilian international.

Chelsea Set To Make Record Bid For Torres

Fernando Torres will be the subject of a world record bid from Chelsea within days.

The total package of transfer fee and salary will make Torres a staggering £130 million investment. And Soccernet has been informed that owner Roman Abramovich is personally taking control of the project to bring the Liverpool striker to Chelsea.

Torres has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid for some time but the Blues will be first to make a concrete offer.

Abramovich is ready to release the cash following a Premier League and FA Cup double this season, but he is also acutely aware he could cut an alternative deal with Liverpool in need of new players.

Chelsea are willing to offer three players in part exchange, as an option to smooth through the Torres transfer.

Abramovich is also prepared to match City's expected offer to Torres of £200,000-a-week, which is being mooted via the middle men now authorized to try and clinch the deal.

An insider told Soccernet: "Torres is the best, and Roman wants the best. He has identified Torres as the player who can help him bring the Champions League to Stamford Bridge.

"Torres can go to City for just as much money perhaps even more, but it's clear that Chelsea offer far more in terms of a crack at the Champions League whereas City aren't even in it."

Chelsea are drawing up a list of players to offer to Liverpool in part exchange for Torres that could take the overall transfer value above the £80 million world record Real Madrid paid for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The deal could be structured like this; pick any three players from a specified list plus £40 million cash up front for Torres. That offer, according to Soccernet sources, will be made well ahead of the World Cup finals in South Africa, and most likely early next week.

With the three players averaging around £15 million each, the total valuation of the Torres offer would be in excess of the Ronaldo fee.

Abramovich is personally spearheading the quest to land Torres, and his manager Carlo Ancelotti will consider which players to use as bait to tempt Liverpool: Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Salomon Kalou and Paulo Ferreira.

Anelka is the one player the Italian coach might be reluctant to offer up and, of course, the Frenchman might not wish to return to Anfield - although he has expressed regret at failing to win a permanent move to the club after spending a loan spell on Merseyside.

Manchester City are also in a position to offer Liverpool a shopping list of swap players, as well as a cash payment in excess of Chelsea's, but the prospect of joining the Double winners and a club intent on landing the Champions League would be far more appealing.

Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are battling with losses of £54.9 million, a net debt of £351 million, no Champions League football and with new chairman Martin Broughton an appointee of the club's bank RBS, a £40 million cash-plus-players bid for their star asset will clearly be accepted.

Ironically, Broughton is a Chelsea season ticket holder, and any decision to sell would inevitably make him unpopular at Anfield.

Such is the ground work being prepared at the Bridge for the Torres bid, that star striker Didier Drogba is already ready to welcome him to the club.

"Of course I would welcome Torres," Drogba said last week. "Every time a new player comes here, it makes the club bigger and gives us a lot of strength. If there is a chance for him to come here, he will be welcome, because any help is welcome.''

Former Chelsea Defender Graeme Le Saux Praises Double-winning Manager Carlo Ancelotti

Former Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux has hailed the management style of Carlo Ancelotti after leading the Blues to the double in his first season at the club.

Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup final win over Portsmouth on Saturday secured the Blues’ first league and cup double in their history, after they pipped Manchester United to the Premier League title for the first time in four years a week earlier.

After starting the season playing a diamond formation, Ancelotti reverted back to 4-3-3 midway through the campaign and Le Saux, who is now a club ambassador, believes the way the Italian allows his players to play with freedom is the key to his success.

"While money has a huge influence on who you can buy and what infrastructure you can put in, ultimately you still have to have the right leader, right attitude from the players and right values within the dressing room," Le Saux told the Press Association.

"There was a lot of uncertainty since Jose Mourinho left, and from that point of view, Ancelotti has come in and really got the spirit right.

"Dealing with all of those individual characters is hard; to get them all to play for the common good is a tough job.

"To do that in his first year and to win the first double in the club's history is a huge achievement.

"Having spent time around the players and the training ground, seeing how they are with him and his staff, there is a really relaxed, but focused attitude.

"There is calmness about him, he is very assured as a coach.

"The players feel like they have a freedom to express themselves and that is what players and the fans want."

Chelsea Defender Ashley Cole Becomes The Most Decorated Player In FA Cup History After Winning Tournament For A Record Sixth Time

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole ended a tumultuous season by becoming the most victorious player in the history of the FA Cup after the Blues defeated Portsmouth in the final on Saturday.

Less than a week after clinching the Premier League title, Chelsea completed the Double after a 1-0 win over Pompey at Wembley.

Cole became the first player in the 120 years in which the FA Cup has been played to lift the trophy six times.

The England international has had a tough time on and off the pitch this season, splitting with wife Cheryl Cole and missing some time with a broken ankle.

Fellow defender John Terry hailed Cole’s contribution this season and believes that the left-back is a crucial player for both Chelsea and England.

“His record in the Cup is incredible and he has been unbelievable this year,” Terry told the Daily Mail.

“Ashley was unfortunate with his injury and was probably our best player before that. He has come back as fit as ever and raring to go, which is a massive boost for us and England.”

Cole has played in seven Cup finals with the Blues and Arsenal and his sixth FA Cup win helped him move ahead of Charles Wollaston, Arthur Kinnaird and James Forrest as the most successful player in the history of the tournament.

Didier Drogba Hails Best Chelsea Season After Clinching FA Cup

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has declared this season to be his best at the club after his side lifted the FA Cup, defeating Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley Stadium.

The Golden Boot winner expressed his desire to continue winning silverware with Chelsea in the future and believes this season was the best of his career.

"Yeah this is the best one because we achieved so many things together as a team and after that trophies came, but really it is because as a team we were so good, I had a chance to be Golden Boot, to play well like I am," Drogba told Sky Sports News.

"It's something very important for the team and me as well, today I have the chance again to score in that stadium again and I'm really happy because we won the double and this is something big in England and I'm happy to be a part of it.

"To be the first team to have done that for Chelsea is unbelievable.

"We knew it was going to be hard, we don't really think all the chances we created would hit the post or the crossbar but that's part of the game - we knew it was going to be hard."

Drogba also joined the queue of managers and players who voiced their dissatisfaction with the Wembley pitch.

He added: "Without water on the pitch I think it was difficult. The pitch was dry and to be honest I think it was better against Aston Villa."

The Ivory Coast international echoed the sentiments of his Chelsea team-mates John Terry and Frank Lampard in suggesting domestic success is the perfect preparation for the World Cup.

He continued: "It's the best way to go to the World Cup and be confident and work hard - you know it's better to work with a big smile on the face than to be down, and I'm happy to go there."

Buck: Abramovich Going Nowhere

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck today insisted that Roman Abramovich will remain at Chelsea "indefinitely".

The London club completed a league and cup double on Saturday thanks to Didier Drogba's goal in the FA Cup final against Portsmouth at Wembley.

Buck told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek program that the Chelsea owner was committed to the club.

"He was a very happy man on Saturday night," he said. "I see him here indefinitely. He has never, ever given us any indication that he is anything other than a long term Chelsea fan."

According to Buck, any suggestions that Abramovich would sell Chelsea are "totally inaccurate" and "not something that goes through his head".

Buck also revealed that three or four players would be leaving the club in the summer, with three or four new signings to replace them.

He would not be drawn on specific players who could leave the club, such as Joe Cole. But he said the goals and targets were to "keep winning trophies in an efficient business-like manner".

Chelsea Midfielder Ballack Limps Out Of Final A Month Before World Cup

Chelsea’s Michael Ballack limped out of Saturday’s FA Cup final against Portsmouth at Wembley, less than a month before the World Cup.

The 33-year-old was upended by a late tackle from Portsmouth’s Kevin-Prince Boateng, who was booked on 35 minutes.

Germany captain Ballack managed to play on for a few minutes after receiving treatment but was then replaced by Juliano Belletti. Chelsea went on to win the game 1-0 through Didier Drogba’s free-kick.

Germany open their World Cup campaign against Australia on 13 June.

Ballack, who has won 98 international caps, was named in Germany's preliminary squad on 7 May.

He is out of contract at Chelsea at the end of the season and could perhaps have played his last game for the club. German club Schalke have already stated their interest in signing Ballack.

Roman Rewards Ancelotti With Funds For Kaka

Roman Abramovich will reward Double-winning boss Carlo Ancelotti by backing a sensational move for Kaka.

Ancelotti is a huge admirer of the Brazilian, who last year turned down a move to Manchester City.

Instead, Kaka headed to Real Madrid in a £56million switch from AC Milan but his first season in La Liga has been a troubled one.

He has been dogged by injury and has had to angrily deny rumours that he was more concerned about being fit for the World Cup than for Real Madrid's domestic campaign.

Should Real not leapfrog above Barcelona in the last round of fixtures today - and that looks hugely unlikely - they will end the season trophyless.

And that will lead to yet more major upheaval at the Bernabeu with Jose Mourinho almost certain to replace Manuel Pellegrini and bring with him a long list of transfer targets.

That air of uncertainty is a factor that will give Ancelotti encouragement in a pursuit of Kaka.

The pair had a very successful, six-year relationship and won the Champions League together in 2007.

And as he feels the heat in the pressure-cooker atmosphere that surrounds everything at Real, Kaka could be tempted to work with Ancelotti again in the relatively tranquil surroundings at Stamford Bridge.

While Cristiano Ronaldo has been a success, Kaka has only appeared sporadically - mainly due to a troublesome thigh injury.

There is a growing suspicion there might not be room for both galacticos in Madrid.

Kaka is only one season into a six-year deal that is worth around £170,000 to the former World Player of the Year.

The wage issue would not be a problem for Abramovich and Chelsea but they might baulk at giving Real anywhere near the £56million the Spanish club handed over to Milan.

In two or three years' time, Kaka's sell-on value will be greatly reduced and Chelsea would probably be willing to go up only to around the £40million mark.

Cheekily, they might even propose some type of loan deal, where they pay Real rent for the player and his extravagant wages.

Abramovich has sanctioned a belt-tightening exercise at the Bridge and that might be reflected in upcoming contract negotiations with the likes of Joe Cole and Nicolas Anelka.

And the Russian owner is hopeful that talent from the academy will push through in the next couple of seasons.

But after the outstanding domestic season, he still wants Chelsea to crack the Champions League and knows he needs to back Ancelotti and give him the financial tools to compete with the superpowers in the transfer market.

Chelsea Braced For Ashley Cole Bids

Chelsea are bracing themselves for massive bids from Barcelona and Real Madrid for Ashley Cole.

Both of the Spanish giants are in the market for a top left-back and Cole is rated among the best in the world.

Feelers have already been put out over Cole’s availability.

So far Chelsea are resisting but Real Madrid are expected to test the Stamford Bridge resolve with a £20million offer for the 29-year-old, who has been plagued by injury and off-the-field problems.

Real Madrid have also been eyeing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra only to be told the French international is not for sale.

Blues Offer New Deal To Bruma

Jeffrey Bruma has been offered a new five-year contract at Chelsea worth £8,000 a week.

The Dutch Under-21 defender is the cream of Chelsea's expensive academy project and has already been told he will be in the first team squad next season.

Bruma, 18, is part of Chelsea's FA Youth Cup-winning side and has been earmarked for a long career at Stamford Bridge.

He signed a professional contract at the club when he moved from Dutch side Feyenoord, but Chelsea want to tie him to a long-term deal.

Although £8,000 a week is low for a first-team squad player, Chelsea are prepared to sit down each summer to discuss a revised deal if continues to make progress.

With Ricardo Carvalho expected to leave Chelsea in the summer, Bruma will move up the pecking order.

Although John Terry and Alex will take some shifting from the centre of Chelsea's defence, Bruma has been tipped to be one of their successors in years to come.

Bruma currently earns just £2,000 a week, but his improved deal is a reflection of the progress he has made this season.

His contract will also be heavily incentivised with bonuses for first team appearances.

Bruma will also pick up prize money for Premier League wins and goal bonuses as part of his package.

The central defender's rise to the first team has been carefully managed by Chelsea's director of football Frank Arnesen.

Chelsea skipper Terry was the last player to successfully come through the youth ranks and make the transition to the first team.

That was 10 years ago and Arnesen, who took up his post in 2005, has overseen a youth project that has cost the club more than £50m.

Blues Face Battle For Aguero

Chelsea face a tough battle with former manager Jose Mourinho to sign long-term target Sergio Aguero.

Juventus and Mourinho's Inter Milan are Chelsea's two main rivals for Aguero, who is likely to have made his last appearance for Atletico Madrid in Wednesday's Europa League Final win over Fulham.

Mourinho has been tracking Argentina striker Aguero for some time and, if he leaves the San Siro to become the new boss at Real Madrid, may even try to persuade the player to make the controversial switch across the Spanish capital's great divide.

Aguero himself would prefer to move to the Premier League, but only if the deal is right.

In previous negotiations with Chelsea, the player's representatives indicated he would be prepared to take a pay cut of about £1million net a year in order to fulfil his ambition of coming to England.

But Aguero's package at Atletico is so lucrative that Chelsea would still have to put him up with top earner and John Terry, whose deal is worth about £160,000 per week.

Aguero's buy-out clause is a whopping £51.5m, even allowing for the weakening of the Euro, although it is believed Atletico might accept significantly less.

Chelsea's only serious potential rivals in England for Aguero's signature are the two Manchester clubs. But United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is said to be wary of signing Argentine players after problems with Juan Sebastian Veron, Gabriel Heinze and, most recently, Carlos Tevez, and City are yet to show firm interest in the player.

Meanwhile the hopes of Chelsea and a host of other top clubs of signing two of Europe's hottest young talents may also be dashed - at least for this year.

Chelsea have once more stepped up their interest in Lille sensation Eden Hazard, who is on the wanted list of every European giant. But the word from France is that Lille are determined to hang on to the 19-year-old Belgium international - who has been compared to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - for at least one more year.

And Belgian side Anderlecht have indicated that they intend to resist bids this year for 17-year-old Romelu Lukaku, who has been dubbed "the new Didier Drogba".

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay confirmed last week that manager Carlo Ancelotti would be given money to strengthen his ageing squad and, if the right marquee player became available, to sign star names.

But he also stressed the club's long-term desire to become self-sufficient and to bring through players from the Academy, whose youth team won the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 49 years earlier this month.

Cech: I Love This Cup

It's not often in this free-scoring end to the season that the Chelsea goalkeeper has been in the spotlight but no-one can deny that Petr Cech was one of heroes of the Double-clinching FA Cup win.

The Blues number one told the Official Chelsea Website on Saturday morning how much he enjoyed this competition and nothing that happened in the afternoon changed his mind.

Despite what all neutrals will surely say was a one-sided match, it took a remarkable reaction save from Cech to send the teams in level in at half-time, and that was before he kept out Kevin-Prince Boateng's penalty just minutes before Didier Drogba's winner.

'I was really confident that I was going to save the penalty and I think that was the key,' said Cech after the game as he was asked about what may have been a game-changing save.

'The mentality was strong and I was ready to face the penalty and I made a god choice.'

Cech dived to his right, the penalty was hit more-or-less centrally and he saved with his legs.

'From the body language when he ran towards it I chose the side.

'It looked like the kind of game when you keep missing and then you get punished in the end,'Cech reflected as he thought about five attempts against the woodwork prior to the penalty. What also deserves celebrating is his reflex save from Frederic Piquionne in the first half.

'I am delighted of course because we won the game we wanted to win to go into the history books, we are the first ever Chelsea team to win the Double and we are rare as a team that defended the FA Cup.

'It was my third FA Cup win and I love playing the FA Cup, I have never lost a single game in the FA Cup and it is brilliant and I really love playing in it.'

Match Report: Chelsea 1 - 0 Portsmouth

Didier Drogba won the double for Chelsea with the only goal in a quite remarkable FA Cup final.

Drogba's 37th goal of the season was a free-kick just before the hour that found the net with tracer-bullet precision from 20 yards.

It maintained Drogba's impressive record of scoring in all six competitive games he has played at the new Wembley and confirmed Chelsea as only the seventh club to complete the league and FA Cup double, a pretty significant achievement in Carlo Ancelotti's first season in charge.

But that does not even come close to telling the story of a game that saw Chelsea hit the woodwork five times before the interval, including a terrible miss from Salomon Kalou, Kevin-Prince Boateng fail to convert a penalty shortly before Drogba's winner that could have set up a fairytale finish to a shambolic season of turmoil at Portsmouth, and even Frank Lampard fire wide from the spot three minutes from time.

Given the financial straightjacket they find themselves in, this was likely to be Pompey's last major final for quite some time.

That certainty, at the end of a campaign where you are £135million in debt, in administration, have had nine points deducted, been relegated, not been paid your wages on time on numerous occasions and seen players sold at a moment's notice, probably generated a devil-may-care attitude within the Portsmouth squad.

Frederic Piquionne brought a staggering reaction save out of Petr Cech and Aruna Dindane failed to make clean contact as he tried to turn home Piquionne's cut-back.

By any standards, these were glorious openings which Portsmouth might have had cause to regret if it were not for the fact that Chelsea were enduring frustrations of their own so great Drogba ended the half beating a post in total frustration at his side's inability to get the ball past it.

Within this flurry of activity came a contender for the best save ever seen in a cup final, and that miss.

Chelsea's victory will save Kalou extreme ridicule, but he knows his own contribution is going to be replayed so often he will never escape.

Frank Lampard had already flashed a shot against a post and Chelsea were on top when Ashley Cole, the first man to win the famous old trophy six times, drove deep into the Pompey box, completely outpacing Aaron Mokoena.

Fabio Capello would not have been the only one to admire his sublime cross, which completely took David James out of the game and presented Kalou with a four-yard tap-in.

The Chelsea fans were already on their feet, arms aloft in triumph, when Kalou's side-footed effort soared skywards and thudded against the bar.

For a moment or two, the stadium was completely silent, as if unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. The eruption of noise from the Portsmouth end confirmed the reality.

Within a couple of minutes John Terry had glided a header against the bar, but that was nothing compared to the free-kick Drogba curled towards the top corner later on.

Somehow, James managed to reach it. His touch was only faint but it was enough to push the ball onto the bar and down, smack bang onto the goal-line.

So, when Drogba fired a low effort against the post four minutes from time, little wonder the offending upright suffered the backlash.

For once, a half had been completed with no one mentioning the pitch.

An odd colour it might have looked but it was not restricting the entertainment value, which included a penalty 10 minutes after the restart.

Introduced for Michael Ballack, who had been the subject of a vicious first-half tackle from Boateng, Juliano Belletti had not quite got his bearings.

And when Dindane nipped past him, the Brazilian lunged in and sent him sprawling.

After all that had gone before, the entire stadium had the sense this was the moment that would give the underdogs the trophy. Except Boateng had not read the script.

So bad was his effort that Cech, having gone down early, had time to make the readjustment required and boot it clear,

Within three minutes, Drogba converted his magnificent free-kick and the dream was over.

Had Lampard scored when he was bundled over in the box by Michael Brown three minutes from time, Chelsea would have deserved it.

He did not. It was that type of extraordinary game.

Terry Delights At Chelsea's First Double

Chelsea captain John Terry hailed a "special" feeling after helping the Blues seal their first ever league and FA Cup double by beating Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley.

Chelsea hit the woodwork five times in the first half and could have gone behind had Kevin-Prince Boateng not missed a penalty in the 56th minute.

Didier Drogba then scored with a stunning free-kick three minutes later, before Frank Lampard missed a spot-kick of his own a minute from time.

Terry told ITV1: "It's unbelievable. It's never been done in the club's history and to do it with this group of players feels so special.

"I thought our luck was out but what a great free-kick from Didier."

Terry was unimpressed with the infamous Wembley surface though, adding: "The pitch ruined the final. It's probably the worst pitch we've played on all year."

Terry, continuing his criticism of the Wembley surface, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It was not good enough for a Wembley pitch.

"The FA have to decide if this is a football pitch or events stadium."

On the victory itself Terry added: "It is incredible. What an amazing day today.

"It was one of those days but we came strong and full credit to Didier.

"The reason why we are top of the league and won the FA Cup is that we are the best team and we have great determination."

Goalkeeper Petr Cech admitted he "got lucky" with his first-half penalty save from Kevin-Prince Boateng.

"I knew what the choices were and from the body language when he ran towards me I chose that side - but I was lucky to get there," he said.

The Czech international added that the players were desperate to write their names in the club's history, which he felt may have played a part in them uncharacteristically missing a host of chances before Drogba finally made the breakthrough.

"I'm speechless because during the game there were a lot of emotions," he said.

"We wanted to be the first team at Chelsea to win the double - and we also defended the FA Cup, which is an achievement as well.

"We kept missing and missing and it looked like it was not going to be our day but to make two crucial saves I am delighted."

Drogba admitted it was hard to come back down to earth after sealing the Barclays Premier League title last weekend with an 8-0 thrashing of Wigan.

He told ITV: "It's fantastic; we achieved the double. It was difficult to come back and stay focused (after) we celebrated the title.

"It was difficult again against a very good Portsmouth team.

"You start to feel that you won't score but if you manage to create chances in the first half it means in the second you will have some."

On his free-kick, he added: "I saw a little gap, not a big space, because the wall was in its position.

"I hit the post again but it went in this time."

Portsmouth manager Avram Grant was proud of his players after what they went through in a difficult season which saw them relegated following a nine-point deduction for going into administration.

Grant told ITV1: "It's a day (when) I'm very proud and very sad; sad because we couldn't win the game, but it's an unbelievable season and something I won't forget."

Grant attributed no blame to Boateng, saying: "Win as a team, lose as a team. It happens even to the best.

"Unfortunately it's happened to me twice. What can you do?

"We played tactically very well, we gave everything. The fans were great. Unfortunately we couldn't win."

Asked if the Pompey fans had seen the last of him, he replied: "I don't know. They are great."

Portsmouth midfielder Jamie O'Hara admitted the Pompey players started to believe they could win the game after the way the first half went.

He told ITV1: "We rode our luck in the first half - David James pulled off some unbelievable saves - then we had the chance to win the game.

"If the penalty had gone in we could have defended for our lives, but it wasn't meant to be. Chelsea showed their class in the end."

O'Hara played despite a stress fracture in his back, and asked if he risked his fitness, he replied: "Yes. I put as much as I could into the game.

"It's going to the last time we all play together, so it's an emotional day for everyone at the club. It would have been great to go out with a big win."

He added: "They'll be back. They're a massive club with great fans."

Cole Feels He Has Recovered His Form

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has claimed that he is back to his best after a difficult season, and that he is ready to play his part in England's quest to win the World Cup.

Cole has found opportunities hard to come by in Carlo Ancelotti's first season at the Stamford Bridge helm but was recently recalled to the England squad after injuries consigned him to the international wilderness.

"I feel I'm back to my best and I just need a run of games to show it," Cole said. "It's been difficult playing 20 minutes here, 30 minutes there, but I'll always give everything. It's in my nature.

"It's been tough but I didn't expect it to be plain sailing. I've had some good games and some poor games but I've played my part in a title-winning side and that's something I'm very proud of."

"I've got so much energy and I'm fresh as well,'' he said. ''We did a fitness test on Wednesday and I'm the fittest player in the Chelsea squad. I'm ready to go and just busting to get out there."

Presumably Cole is referring to England as well as Chelsea, and he hopes to use Saturday's game at Wembley to convince Fabio Capello of his worth in the final 23-man squad. But Cole feels he has nothing to prove at international level. "I'll always be there to represent my country. I just want to get there [to South Africa] and do all I can to help England win the World Cup" said Cole.

When asked if he expected the call-up, the 28-year-old said: "I'm not sure. My time on the pitch has been less than I would have liked, particularly in the last five or six months. But I've always felt that I've done well when I've come on."

Cole, who has scored 10 goals in 53 England appearances, added: "I've got nothing to prove in an England shirt. I don't want to blow my own trumpet but when you look at my England career I've always applied myself really well and produced the goods when I've played. I enjoy international football; I love the tempo and I love the style.

"I'm just looking forward to meeting up with all the England boys again, I hope they still remember me."

Anelka Gets New Deal As Chelsea Bid To Keep Stars

Chelsea will begin preparations for their Premier League title defence next week by finalising a new contract for Nicolas Anelka.

The France forward has agreed the terms of a new three-year deal worth £100,000 a week that he will sign before meeting up with Raymond Domenech's World Cup squad.

Chelsea are keen to keep the bulk of their squad together and have made it their priority to agree new deals with players out of contract before turning attention to new signings.

Anelka has been a valuable member of Carlo Ancelotti's side this season, scoring 15 goals from a deep-lying position and leading the line in the absence of Didier Drogba, and his new contract means he is likely to end his career at the club he joined from Bolton Wanderers two years ago.

The representatives of Michael Ballack and Joe Cole will also be summoned to Stamford Bridge for talks, although their contract negotiations could prove more difficult.

Ballack is seeking a two-year deal that would enable the midfield player to carry on playing for Germany until the 2012 European Championship, but he has only been offered a one-year extension.

Chelsea are unwilling to meet Cole's pay demands. The England midfield player is seeking parity with players such as Anelka and Michael Essien, on £100,000 a week, but the club will offer him no more than £85,000.

Chelsea are also looking to offload several players to make room for new signings, with Deco, Juliano Belletti and Paulo Ferreira set to be released and Ricardo Carvalho to be made available for sale.

Ancelotti revealed yesterday that he will meet Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, next week to discuss the club's plans for strengthening the squad this summer.

"I didn't have the possibility to speak with Roman last week because we had a celebration after the game (at home to Wigan Athletic), but that wasn't the time to talk about next season," the manager said. "He was very happy but we will meet again next week and then we will talk about the season.

"One of the aims of this season, at the beginning, was to give identity to this team, to show good play, and Chelsea improved its identity.

"It was a good season because we played good football, we gave enjoyment to our fans and to other people. The way Chelsea played was good for everyone."

Chelsea Make Inquiries About Fernando Torres

Chelsea are hopeful of luring Fernando Torres from Liverpool after making discreet inquiries, according to reports last night.

Torres is reported to be one of Chelsea's key targets as they aim finally to win the Champions League. The coach, Carlo Ancelotti, and the owner, Roman Abramovich, are believed to agree that extra quality is needed to achieve their goal.

"I would like to play with Torres," Ancelotti said recently. "He is a very good player. But this is not an issue for now. He is a Liverpool player."

The Spanish striker would likely command a British-record fee in any deal. Manchester City have also been linked with him, and have the resources to pay a huge fee, but their lack of Champions League football would be a drawback.

Real Madrid Target Didier Drogba

Real Madrid are preparing an audacious bid for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.

Reports in Spain suggest that Real Madrid are preparing an offer for Didier Drogba, in a bid to lure José Mourinho to the the Bernabeu.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini has announced he will be quitting the club, paving the way for Mourinho to take over.

And it is thought that his first move will be to offload Karim Benzema and bring in the Chelsea star.

The news could alert Manchester United, who attempted to sign Benzema last summer.

Joe Cole Lauds 'Remarkable' Avram Grant And Expects Him To Land A 'Good Job' If He Leaves Portsmouth

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has praised Portsmouth manager Avram Grant as the two teams prepare to clash in the FA Cup final, saying the former Blues boss merits greater credit for his achievements with the Stamford Bridge club.

The England international, grinning that Grant was a "great manager" having regularly picked him in his own Chelsea starting XI, pointed out that his managerial tenure during the 2007-08 season made for impressive reading.

"I think people turn their noses up at what he did here," Cole added.

"But at the end of the day he took us to two cup finals while he was here, to two points off [Manchester] United and the width of a post away from winning the Champions League."

However, Cole believes Grant's spell at Fratton Park has been, if anything, even more outstanding.

"What he's done at Portsmouth is remarkable," he said.

"With that group of players and everything that's going on there."

With Portsmouth's future still in some doubt, Grant's former pupil isn't convinced his old mentor will be around for a sophomore season.

"I don't know if he's staying there next year, but I'm sure he'll get himself a good job if he doesn't," he continued.

Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka Slams Avram Grant Over Treatment

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has hit out at former club manager Avram Grant for belittling him.

In his new book, published on Sunday, Anelka said: "Grant used to look down on me.

"It was as though he felt I should be grateful and not ask for anything. The pretext for this was I had been brought in from Bolton."

Anelka said his treatment at the hands of Grant knocked his confidence to the extent he knew he was going to miss the decisive penalty in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United.

"I set great store by emotions and Grant did not show great confidence in me," said the Frenchman.

"In the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United, Grant threw me on as a sub without giving me any warning.

"In the end I messed up the very last penalty in the shootout, which Edwin van der Sar pushed away. It is sad to say but I knew I was going to miss my kick."