Santos Slap €35m Price Tag On Neymar To Ward Off Chelsea Interest

Chelsea officials are apparently considering withdrawing their offer to sign Brazilian starlet Neymar from Santos, according to a report from The Independent, after the teenager's club offered to make him their highest paid player.

Santos has also apparently informed Chelsea that the Londoners must pay a €35 million transfer fee or miss out on the player.

The Santos president, Luis Alvaro Oliveira, has reportedly briefed the Brazilian media that there will be no shifting from that asking price for the 18-year-old.

The player himself is understood to be reluctant to move to a club where he wil play in the reserves, with the main impetus for the move believed to be coming from the player's father and agent, Wagner Ribeiro.

Neymar's representatives are set to respond to the Santos offer this week. The Brazilian club are believed to have made the youngster an offer to increase his wages from 160,000 Brazilian Reais (€70,000) a month to R$600,000-a-month (€270,000), as well as a share of the club's commercial deals.

Chelsea are understood to already have had an offer of €20m rejected and are prepared to go as high as €28m.

Mano Menezes, the new Brazil coach, declared this week that he felt Neymar should not join Chelsea, as the saga surrounding the signing of a relatively unproven player continues.

Ajax To Try And Beat Chelsea To Anderlecht Striker Romelu Lukaku

Ajax are hoping to tempt Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku out of a possible move to Chelsea, according to a report from broadcasters talkSPORT.

The report claims that the Dutch outfit plans to persuade the 17-year-old that the chance to become a star in the Netherlands is better for him at this stage of his career than a spell on the bench at a Premier League club.

The terms of the deal would apparently be a small fee to be paid by Ajax, with a huge sell-on clause in the youngster's contract that would see Anderlecht well rewarded for their development of the player.

Lukaku was pictured this summer at Stamford Bridge wearing a Chelsea shirt, but the Blues are not the only European giants interested in acquiring his services.

Real Madrid, Arsenal and Barcelona are also believed to be interested in the player, though his agent has also insisted that he is too young to move to such a huge club.

That has alerted Ajax, who believe they can offer the Belgian Under-21 international a chance to develop within their famed youth system.

Reserves Beaten By Rovers

Chelsea's reserve side was beaten 3-1 by Blackburn's second string at Cobham on Wednesday afternoon, as Steve Holland's side completed its pre-season program.

Chelsea had the better of the opening exchanges, as captain Fabio Borini and Franco Di Santo both curled narrowly wide.

The Italian then struck a post before his Argentine strike partner gave the Blues the lead with a fine solo goal.

Picking up a loose ball on the edge of the Rovers area, Di Santo danced in and out of several challenges before toe-poking in off the far post.

At the other end Ross Turnbull saved well from experienced forward Jason Roberts, using his feet to divert the ball away, and then tipping a goal-bound header on to the crossbar.

Blackburn levelled when Aaron Doran sent a rocket straight into the far top corner from some 25 yards, and within two minutes the visitors were in front, as the robust Roberts held off Billy Clifford to slot beneath the advancing Turnbull.

Eight minutes into the second period Rovers doubled the lead from close range, Roberts the scorer again as they took a grip on the game after Chelsea's bright start.

Jacob Mellis almost pulled a goal back when he sent a vicious shot against the post from outside the box, and then Josh McEachran half-volleyed against the bar after Gokhan Tore had set him up.

The last chance of the game came from a Chelsea corner taken by Tore from the left, but Michael Mancienne sent his free header wide of the far post.

Coming To Terms With Work Permits

Carlo Ancelotti, Ray Wilkins and club secretary David Barnard were at offices in Wembley Stadium on Thursday. It was a fruitful visit because a day later the following was announced:

'Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce we have completed the signing of Brazilian international Ramires from Benfica on a four-year contract.

'The midfielder was granted a work permit on Thursday and finalized his medical in London on Friday afternoon.'

The Chelsea delegation had been present at a panel which granted Ramires that permit but a panel is not involved in all permits, nor are work permits required for all non-British players brought in by the club.

Work permits are not a football-specific regulation. They are part of the rules governing all workers and are operated by the UK Border Agency.

As a member state of the European Union, workers (including professional footballers) from all EU countries (and the other nations that make up the European Economic Area) can ply their trade in the UK without the need for a permit.

For Ramires, as a South American, the rules are different, as they are for Russian nationals, as they are for Africans etc. A permit must be assigned before he can pull on a blue shirt and take to the Stamford Bridge pitch for real match action.

So who gets given the vital piece of paper and who doesn't? It is all about quality.

Incoming non-EU players must be of sufficient standard to make a significant contribution to the football of the country. To be considered good enough to do that, the authorities in consultation with various football bodies agreed a set of criteria.

The player must have played for his country in at least 75 per cent of its competitive 'A' team matches he was available for selection, during the two years preceding the application for a permit. Injury and suspension is taken into consideration.

The player's country must be at or above 70th place in the official Fifa World Rankings when averaged over the two years preceding the date of application.

Due to that second stipulation you might play every match for Canada, for example, but you would not initially be given a permit. Canada currently sit 101st in the Fifa Rankings. That is not the end of it though, as it wasn't for Ramires and Chelsea despite our new midfielder not reaching the 75 per cent international appearance mark.

The next step is the previously-mentioned panel which includes representatives of football governing bodies and independent experts. It considers whether the player is of the highest calibre and whether the player is able to contribute significantly to the development of the game at the top level in England. A majority positive vote is required to approve a permit application.

If our theoretical Canadian is one of his nation's finest then he may well still gain access to England's leagues.

There have been changes to procedure down the years. At one time the salary the player was commanding affected the granting of a permit and a new application was needed each year.

The late Tony Banks, Chelsea fan and then Minister for Sport was involved in the announcement of the current criteria for football in 1999.

And speaking English is now a consideration due to changes to the national regulations across all areas of work in 2008.

There is now a need to demonstrate competency in the language to obtain a permit for the length of the player's contract (up to three years). Should that not be possible then the permit is initially for 12 months only with competency in English needed at the end of that time. Transfer is then made to the full-length permit.

This is a process Yury Zhirkov has undergone and been successful and Ramires will come to in time.

Renewal at the end of a permit period is possible if the original criteria are still met. Should a player's international appearances have dropped below the required 75 per cent in that time then a panel hearing is available.

Football may be involved in setting down and operating the work permit system for the sport but permits are more a government than a football requirement. Each nation will decide its rules. There is not standardization across the international game.

The possibility is there for a foreign player to have spent years at a club in another EU country, yet be unable to transfer to England and play in our league.

John Terry: Winning The Double Is Our Minimum Target This Season

John Terry has challenged his Chelsea team-mates to scale new heights and says winning the Double again is the "minimum" target for the season ahead.

The Blues have come off a campaign where they lifted the Premier League and FA Cup in the same season for the first time in the club's history. Despite this success, the failure to progress past the quarter-final stage of the Champions League still caused regret.

Terry has called for a repeat performance this season and hopes to continue winning trophies with Chelsea.

He said: "Last season was great for us - no team had ever won the double for this club before and that means this group going down in Chelsea history. Now, we go again.

"We know what we are capable of and we all want to win everything in this squad.

"The winning mentality isn't just something we talk about - we hate to see any other team lifting trophies and it is up to us to make sure we don't have that feeling we had when Man United lifted the Premier League three years running.

"It is ours again now, so is the FA Cup - and retaining those trophies is the minimum aim for us this time around."

Terry added: "Manchester United beat us in the Community Shield, so we know they are going to be up for the fight - but we are champions and we have to keep it that way."

Brazil Coach Warns Neymar Off Chelsea

Brazil coach Mano Menezes has cautioned Neymar against joining Chelsea and says the teenager will benefit from continuing his education with Santos.

It is believed Chelsea have failed with a £24 million offer for the forward, who recently scored on his senior debut for the Brazilian national side. However, Neymar does have a release clause set in his contract to the value of £29.6 million.

Chelsea's pursuit of the player has angered Santos, who have threatened to report the Premier League club to FIFA for what they described as "harassment" - a charge that has been strenuously denied by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck.

It is expected that Neymar will decide this week whether he views a move to Stamford Bridge as the correct step for his career, but Menezes hopes the 18-year-old remains in his home country at present.

Menezes said: "All understand Neymar's situation and what must be going on in his mind. But thinking about Brazilian football, his remaining with Santos would be beneficial. The team is on top and it would very good for Neymar to say with them for a longer period."

Though it is understood that Chelsea will redouble their efforts to sign Neymar and that he is interested in a move to the Premier League, the forward says he will take into account the view of his national boss and does not wish to be a substitute if he does move to London.

"I don't know if I will stay or depart but I don't wish to leave a championship team like Santos to be placed on the reserve team of Chelsea or any other foreign team," Neymar said. "It would be better to stay. I will take into consideration Mano's advice before making my decision."

Chelsea Consider Swoop For £13m Rated Real Madrid Midfielder

Chelsea are planning an audacious swoop for Real Madrid midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart who is said to be ready to leave the La Liga giants following the arrival of Mesut Ozil from Werder Bremen. Carlo Ancelotti has been keen to strengthen his midfield after losing the services of Michael Ballack, Deco and Joe Cole this summer.

The fact that the Blues allowed Ricardo Carvalho to rejoin Jose Mourinho could help matters if the west London side does indeed follow up their interest in the Dutch international with a solid bid for his services. The 27 year old former Ajax and Hamburg man has struggled to get a foot hold in the Bernabeu first team but had hoped to be able to win over new boss Jose Mourinho but the signing of Ozil could be the death knell of Van der Vaart’s Real Madrid career.

There has been some talk of a potential return to the Bundesliga but it could be that he is looking for a fresh challenge and a move to the Premier League champions would be a very tempting move to consider. The attacking midfielder has also seen his lack of first team action cost him a regular spot in the Dutch national team and the former international regular only managed to play in group matches during the World Cup and lost his place to Arjen Robben when he had recovered from his injury.

Jose Mourinho will also know that he needs to trim his squad to help cut his massive wage bill and would probably consider offers of around £12-14m for the player who arrived in Spain in the summer of 2008 for a fee of £11m.

Manchester City are also said to be interested in the talented attack minded midfielder and there interest could drive the price ever upwards.

Chelsea Boss Carlo Ancelotti Hints At Interest In Everton Starlet Jack Rodwell

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is thought to have dropped a broad hint that he intends to make a move to sign Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell.

The Londoners have been seeking to lower the average age of the squad; as a consequence of this, the west London club are thought to be in the market to make signings that would put the future of the club in no doubt.

Now the Daily Mail claims that Blues boss Ancelotti has insisted that "Rodwell of Everton is a good player," dropping a broad hint that an approach could be in the offing.

The young midfielder last season signed a new five-year deal to remain at Goodison Park, while his manager David Moyes has thus far maintained that he will remain on Merseyside this summer.

Chelsea Close To Unleashing Gael Kakuta

Rarely has one player dominated the headlines to the extent that Chelsea’s Gael Kakuta grabbed the media’s attention in 2009. Twelve months on, Kakuta is ready to earn a more positive reaction. The Frenchman is still just 19 years of age, but his time in England has been nothing short of eventful since completing a switch from French side Lens in 2007.

After cutting his teeth with the Chelsea youth team, Kakuta’s world was turned upside down by controversy surrounding his transfer to Stamford Bridge. In 2009, the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber banned Chelsea from buying players during the next two transfer windows while Kakuta received a four-month ban and a fine. Though the decision was later overturned, the saga thrust Kakuta into the spotlight. But the drama around the deal has not fazed him, though there were some tough patches when the bans were announced.

His talent has been obvious to everyone at the club and in late 2009 Ancelotti raved about his young star’s potential. The Italian said: At his age, I have never seen one player with his talent. He suffered for one or two weeks about the situation but he is a very good talent. His character is good. Technically, he is fantastic.

John Terry is considered to be the last player to rise from the club’s youth system and the defender has voiced his pleasure at witnessing Kakuta’s promise. Terry stated: It’s good to see not only for the management and the players but for the fans as well. Gael’s a real exciting talent. No one’s getting too carried away - Gael still has a lot to prove - but he’s a great young talent and he’s doing really well.

The recent 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championships showcased the youngster’s all-round game. Playing on home soil, France made a fast start as Kakuta set them on the way to a 4-1 win over Holland in the group stage. He popped up again to save the day in the semi-final with the equalizer against Croatia. But he saved his most important contribution for the final against Spain. With the game locked at 1-1, Kakuta conjured up the assist for Alexandre Lacazette to strike a late winner. Having led his team to glory, Kakuta was named Golden Player for his fine displays in the tournament.

Of course, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is not short of quality options going forward, with Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard in the fold, plus Salomon Kalou and last season’s star Florent Malouda. But it will not have escaped the Italian’s notice that Kakuta is developing into a promising attacker. Just as Sir Alex Ferguson has been raving about the potential of Javier Hernandez and Federico Macheda, Chelsea coaches are said to be excited by Kakuta’s progress. Thus far, his first team appearances have been limited to one Champions League outing and a few cameos off the bench in the league and League Cup. Yet it is not a far fetched idea to think that the youngster might feature in the first team this year, especially as Drogba has had injury problems.

The departures of Joe Cole and Michael Ballack may also open up playing time for Kakuta. It is no secret that Chelsea needs some younger legs, especially when trying to unlock stubborn defences. Teams tend to opt for a 4-5-1 formation at Stamford Bridge, making it paramount that the Blues have players with the creativity to produce a moment of magic. And Ancelotti will need to shuffle his pack if Chelsea is to mount serious challenges on four fronts. While there would be benefits to be gained from allowing Kakuta to gain regular first team football out on loan, the attacker has made it clear he wants to stay and fight for playing time this season.

Chelsea are the team to beat this year after winning the Double last season, but with that comes additional pressure. And in Kakuta, they have a young star who will not be overawed by the big occasion. When the moment arrives, Kakuta will be itching to show the promise that caught Chelsea’s eye several years ago. Kakuta and Chelsea have been through some testing times together, but the Blues will soon reap the rewards. The young Frenchman could well be a key man for many years to come.

Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich Behind Vitesse Takeover

Georgian businessman Merab Jordania was said to have taken over Eredivisie outfit Vitesse earlier this week, but according to a report in Quote, it’s none other than Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich who is behind the deal.

The financial magazine claimed that Jordania is little more than a puppet for Abramovich, quoting an anonymous friend of the Russian, who reportedly stated: “De facto, it is Roman who has bought Vitesse.”

It has been suggested that players from Chelsea’s reserve and youth teams could soon be making their way to Arnhem, though young Dutchman Jeffrey Bruma will not be one of them. “He is someone who could end up starting in the future,” the source revealed.

Vitesse are a club who have been plagued by financial difficulties over the last decade and have found times tougher during the recent global economic crisis. As a result, they’ve been forced to shed many first team players and have filled the squad with a number of youngsters.

Exactly why Jordania wanted to invest in an Eredivisie club has not been made clear and has certainly made it easy to cast a shadow over his recent successful takeover of the side who finished 14th in the Netherlands’ top flight last term.

Nicolas Anelka Labels French Federation Officials ‘Clowns’ After 18-Match Ban

Slapped with an 18-match national team suspension on Tuesday, France striker Nicolas Anelka has admitted to having simply laughed at his ban, which was handed to him by the FFF’s (French FA) disciplinary committee.

Anelka was suspended after a frank exchange of words with then-coach Raymond Domenech during the half-time interval of les Bleus’ World Cup encounter against Mexico spilled over into the press, with the result that the Chelsea star was sent home from the World Cup while his team-mates sat out training as a protest.

“For me, this whole thing with the commission of whatever it is an aberration, a masquerade to make sure they don't lose face,” he declared to France Soir. “They have punished a void, as Nicolas Anelka never existed in this pitiful and colourful affair. I repeat: the page with les Bleus was turned on June 19 when I was evicted from Knysna.

“They are real clowns, these people... I am doubled up with laughter.”

Michael Essien Flies Ghanaian Kids To Chelsea

Two Ghanaian kids Bismark Mensah and Jonathan Kwofie have been flown on a three-day visit to Chelsea Football Club in London under the aegis of the Michael Essien Foundation.

The boys will participate in a three-day residential camp from August 17 to 20. They are also scheduled to be part of mini-tournaments aimed at honing their football talents along with other kids at the club.

“I am proud that we have been able to help these boys live their dream, which is what the Michael Essien Foundation is all about,” the midfield general said in a statement.

“We have been working hard behind the scenes and with the help of Chelsea Football Club we will be giving the boys hope and inspiration – a key message of the foundation.

“A very big thank you to everyone at Chelsea Football Club & Chelsea Foundation for being so kind and generous – especially everyone directly involved in this small project of giving the boys a chance to realize their dream. I am truly grateful,” he stated.

The Ghanaian youngsters will be taken on a tour of Stamford Bridge and other places of interest.

Ancelotti: Continuity Away From Home

Carlo Ancelotti may have started the season with a 6-0 win but he's still looking at areas for improvement on the last campaign.

Last season was a phenomenal year for the Blues, ending in the Double, but Ancelotti remembers early troubles away from home, beginning with a 3-1 loss last September against Wigan, our next opponents.

A 2-1 defeat at Villa Park soon followed, which is why Ancelotti is keen to avert any troubles outside of Stamford Bridge with the focused football that ended our last campaign.

'They didn't start well [against Wigan last year],' explained the Italian, 'but we have to learn to play against teams with strong motivation.

'Our aim is to show continuity away from home. Although we did very well last season, away we had some problems. We need to change the direction of this.'

Ancelotti knows just how important it is to start the season with a victory, explaining how the beginning of last year's campaign was instrumental in winning the League.

'Last season we started well and won the first six games - that was key to winning the title.

'We want the same this season and we have started very well. Now we need to look to the next game.

'It's good to think game-by-game. Every game could be difficult, so it is important to stay focused.

'These players can certainly repeat the same season [as last year] but our aim is to do better if it's possible.

'We have started better than last year, showing more confidence, and I think we can do better.'

And with side boasting the likes of Drobga, whose hat-trick proved he's ready to carry on where he left off last year, Chelsea fans world-wide will be truly excited by the start to 2010/11.

'I have been happy to work with a lot of strikers, but it is difficult to find one with the continuity of Drogba,' added Ancelotti.

'Drogba is fit, he does not have problems physically, he is professional, so he can play for a lot of years but the most important thing is the mentality, to be happy to train, to be happy to play - Didier is that kind of man.'

Chelsea Target Decides On Move Today

Chelsea target Neymar will decide today whether to complete a £24m move to the Premier League.

The Brazilian wonderkid was having talks with his family last night over his future after Chelsea made an improved offer.

Santos are holding out for the £29.6m buy-out clause in his contract and have threatened to report Chelsea to Fifa for “tapping up” the teenager.

But Neymar’s agent Wagner Ribiero said: “Neymar is meeting with his family, and they will decide what they want. Then we will have a conversation with Santos. Everything will be decided this week.”

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has strongly denied Santos’ claims, saying: “There was no tapping up from Chelsea, and I want to be clear on that.

“We are looking at several young Brazilian players, and he is one of the players we have been looking at. Whether he becomes a Chelsea player at some point, who knows?”

Bayern Munich Eye Chelsea Starlet Gael Kakuta

Bayern Munich are set to steal Chelsea youngster Gael Kakuta with the offer of a regular first team spot, according to The People.

Kakuta, 19, rose to fame last season after his transfer from Lens came under the scrutiny of FIFA.

The starlet has begun to make waves on the pitch now and was the stand out player in France's European Championship under-19s side.

This form has alerted Bayern to the attacker's talent and they are prepared to offer him a way out of the Blues' reserves.

After making just one Premier League appearance last term, Kakuta is understood to be ready to test manager Carlo Ancelotti's resolve to keep him.

Chelsea On The Verge Of Making £4.5m Offer To Stoke City For Asmir Begovic

Chelsea are believed to be readying an offer of £4.5 million for the services of Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.

The shaky form shown by Petr Cech's understudies, Henrique Hilario and Ross Turnbull, was previously reported to have been the cause behind the Blues' hunt for another shot-stopper.

In the meantime, the Potters boss Tony Pulis recently admitted that there had been enquiries from west London, but insisted that the 23-year-old is not for sale.

However, the Daily Mail claims that Roman Abramovich's outfit will put Stoke's resolve to the test by proposing a £4.5m offer in exchange of the services of the former Portsmouth 'keeper.

Begovic joined his current club in the winter transfer window last season, but recent reports point towards the player making a move if he is not the first-choice shot-stopper at the Britannia Stadium.

Real Madrid Ready To Launch £10 Million Swoop For Chelsea Striker Didier Drogba

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is planning to launch an audacious bid to be reunited with Didier Drogba by offering £10 million for the Chelsea frontman.

The Portuguese tactician returned to his former club last week to complete the £6.7 million capture of Ricardo Carvalho, and now - according to The Sunday People - he hopes to take the Ivorian captain to the Bernabeu.

However, Chelsea are unlikely to discuss a potential departure for last year's top scorer in the Premier League and will rebuff any move from the Spanish giants as they did with Ashley Cole earlier this summer.

Drogba, who has won three Premier League titles and three FA Cups since joining Chelsea six years ago, forged a close bond with Mourinho during their time together at Stamford Bridge and may be interested in a switch to Spain.

Mourinho will be hoping that the chance to link up with his former boss will prove too much of an attraction for the former Marseille man, and believes a £10 million bid will be enough to sway the Chelsea hierarchy to part company with their prolific striker.

Petr Cech Plays Down Talk Of Reunion With Jose Mourinho At Real Madrid

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has quashed rumours that he is on the verge of leaving Stamford Bridge to join Real Madrid.

Cech has been linked with a move to rejoin old boss Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu as well as teaming up with Ricardo Carvalho who has already made the move.

Mourinho signed Portuguese defender Carvalho for £6.7 million having convinced him to come to Spain and the Real Madrid coach is rumoured to be attempting to persuade Chelsea’s number one to do the same.

However Cech has rejected claims that he has been in contact with Mourinho and also questioned whether Real need a goalkeeper to replace World Cup winner Iker Casillas.

"There are more of us here who were with Chelsea while [Jose] Mourinho was in charge. So the media could speculate about many players. You should never say never, but we have not spoken with Jose [Mourinho].” Cech told Pravo.

"If you take a look at Real's [Madrid] squad, you see that the goalkeeper's position is the only place where they have not had any reason to change anything."

Meanwhile Chelsea has been quiet in this summers transfer window with Yossi Benayoun and Ramires the two notable signings.

Midfielders Joe Cole and Michael Ballack have also left the club but Cech is confident that more new faces could arrive before the end of the transfer window.

"It is normal that in such a big club like Chelsea someone comes in and someone leaves," argued the former Rennes keeper.

"There may be some more activity yet because the transfer window is still open. Still someone might arrive."

Chelsea PR Plan To Keep Real Madrid Target Ashley Cole At Stamford Bridge

Booed by England fans at Wembley and jeered by West Bromwich Albion supporters on his own patch, Ashley Cole's low opinion of England and it's people is unlikely to have changed during the past week.

This season promises to be Ashley Cole's most challenging to date, not that he already hasn't had a few.

Cole is certainly no stranger to the role of pantomime villain, he has been type cast ever since his defection from Arsenal to Chelsea, right through the public playing-out of his marriage break-up and up to his part in England's failure in South Africa.
Little wonder the chance of a reunion with Jose Mourinho at the Bernabeu holds plenty of appeal.

Despite Carlo Ancelotti's insistence that Cole is going nowhere, Mourinho has not given up hope of bringing the 29-year-old full-back to Real Madrid.

Chelsea are certainly willing to pull out the stops to ensure Cole will not be banging on his manager's door in the next fortnight demanding a move to the Spanish capital.

The plan, as Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck explained, is to help restore Cole's battered public image with a little profile lowering.

Buck said: 'I think Ashley is fine. He is great around the club, is polite and helpful. We're not involved in his private life but we support him to a certain extent if we can.

'You would be unhappy too if you got the treatment he is getting by the media. He doesn't like that but I don't think it will be any different if he was in Spain or Italy.

'He has just got to work a little bit, with our help, on improving his image. He is a great player and everyone loves to watch him play and we just look forward like that. We do [rally around him] at executive level, as do the other players and management. We will do the best we can.'

Quite how Chelsea intends to perform this radical image makeover remains to be seen. It will be certainly easier said than done with a player who was pictured with a bevy of scantily beauties on his recent holiday in Los Angeles and who headed straight to paparazzi infested haunt, China White, immediately upon returning from Chelsea's pre-season trip to Germany.

Persuading Cole that it might wise to opt for a quiet night in rather than a night at the latest West End celebrity haunt will, therefore, be no mean feat. But if Chelsea is to engineer a seismic shift in public opinion then their only hope is to ensure the column inches Cole occupies are at the back of newspapers rather than the front.

Ensuring Cole is not the player opposition fans love to hate will be a long drawn out affair and will require the full cooperation of the player himself. It may just transpire that Cole decides the easiest way to shed his bad-boy image is to up sticks to a country where he can leave the baggage in the departure lounge.

Until then expect the boo boys to be in good voice at every ground up and down the country, starting at Wigan's DW stadium this Saturday.

Asian Stars Back At The Academy

Winners of this year's Asian Soccer Star contest were at Cobham last week as they underwent their trials with the Chelsea Academy.

The three-day trials were incorporated into the Academy's Summer Camps, which act as a pre-season for the youngsters signed on in our younger age groups.

While none of the boys attending did quite enough to be signed on, it was good news for Under 9 winner Adam Aziz who has been invited back to be a part of our elite training centre program, where he can be closely monitored by Chelsea staff.

Kelan Patel, trialling with our Under 11s, told Chelsea TV how much he had enjoyed the experience.

'We had lots of tests, and it's fun but really hard sometimes, but the coach is really nice and helpful,' said the young midfielder. 'I learned there are better players out there. In my Sunday league there are good players but not as good. I thought this would be easier but there are loads of really good players.'

Chelsea's Academy project manager Darren Grace oversaw the trials, and was impressed by the lads.

'All of them have done okay, they trained on Tuesday, Wednesday was a games day so we had a series of games they took part in, and on Thursday it was another day of training, with lots of practices and drills they won't have been used to,' he explained. 'From what I have seen they have coped well and certainly haven't looked out of place.

'The standard here is extremely high, and it is getting tougher and tougher. The good thing about the Academy here at the minute is that the scouts are doing a fantastic job bringing in players from different backgrounds and cultures and the Search for an Asian Soccer Star is another scouting tool. All the lads were told we'd monitor them and that they should try and play at the highest level they can and to keep working hard. They all coped well and did themselves and their families proud!'

For 2010, we opened the contest up to six age groups, adding Under 8s, 9s and 10s to the Under 11s, 12s and 13s competition that took place in 2009. This, Grace explained, was to help us nurture potential players from an earlier age.

'We've had more age groups this year, we started younger because we felt if we could find them at a younger age we have more time to help them develop and grow an affinity with Chelsea Football Club and the way we do things,' he said. 'Then, if any of them are ultimately good enough to join the Academy it is better that they come in as early as possible.'