England Players Behind Fabio Capello, Says John Terry

John Terry today denied reports of friction within the England camp following their poor performances that leaves them needing a win against Slovenia on Wednesday to guarantee progression to the last 16. The defender added that the inclusion of Joe Cole could be the catalyst England need to spark their World Cup campaign.

But the England squad is set for a clear-the-air meeting tonight, with the squad set to review the dire 0-0 draw with Algeria on Friday.

"We have a meeting tonight to watch the game and see where we went wrong. As a group of players we owe it to the people back home. If we upset the manger then so be it. If people need to get things off their chest they should do," said Terry.

"If we feel that things need to be changed then everyone needs to voice their opinion. If that upsets him or any player then so what?"

The draw against Algeria followed the opening 1-1 result against USA to leave them with just two points and third in Group C, sparking reports of a rift between the senior players and Capello.

"On behalf of the players there's no unrest in the camp at all. We're obviously still disappointed from the game the other night, but we have to pick ourselves up and we have to win the game on Wednesday," said Terry.

"We're all behind the manager, we shouldn't be looking at excuses or criticising the manger. All we can do as a group of players is stick behind him. We're here, we're supporting and we are fully behind him. We know we've got his support as well and that's the main thing.

"I'm not going to sit here and question manger. All I can say is I'm here on behalf of the team and players and we're all fully behind the manager. Since the manager has come in he's had his ways and his philosophies that he's brought to the side.

"That's worked in the campaign and nothing should change from that. We've got to stay unified and stay together and get the win."

Asked if he believed Joe Cole could liven up team, Terry responded: "I think so, we've seen that with Chelsea. I personally think he and Wayne [Rooney] are the only two in the side who can really open up things and are key to breaking down defences. If he's called on Joe will do a great job."

Terry added that all the England players shared the frustration exhibited by Rooney, who drew criticism for his comments to a TV camera after the Algeria game, criticising England's travelling supporters for booing.

"Like everyone [Rooney] was frustrated with the way we played. We’re still upbeat, we've still got to go into the last game trying to top the group.

"We've go to go out there and think sod it, we've got one game left and we owe it to our fans to play well.

"Once we're out there it is up to us as a group of players to do what the manager wants us to. I'm sure for the game on Wednesday everyone will have that fire in their belly."

Terry said there was no fear in the England camp but admitted that failure to reach the second round was "unacceptable". "But until that minute comes I'm going to keep myself upbeat and keep the lads spirits up," said Terry. "I've certainly not enjoyed [the World Cup] so far but we do need to start enjoying it. Even in training the lads have been uptight. But we need our big players to stand up.

"I'm asking the fans to get behind us again because we've got the best fans in the world. If we go out then they have every right to have a go at us but its not going to come to that."

Terry was stripped of the England captaincy earlier before the World Cup by Capello following a sex scandal but the defender said it had not altered his approach in the dressing room.

"Since I've lost the armband nothing has changed for me," he said. "I was born to do stuff like that and I will continue to do that in the dressing room and on the training field. No one will take that away from me."

Frank Lampard Believes England Will Thrive Now The Pressure Is On Against Slovenia

Frank Lampard insists England’s quality will show through when faced with a do or die match against Slovenia on Wednesday.

The Three Lions require a win over the Group C leaders to ensure their place in the knockout stages of the 2010 World Cup, and avoid a disastrous showing in South Africa.

Lampard believes the pressure that will be placed on Fabio Capello’s squad will help England respond after disappointing draws against the United States and Algeria.

“We are disappointed about the way things have gone, but I wouldn’t call this a low point because we can still go through,” Lampard told The Mirror.

“You have to remember this is the World Cup and nothing is going to be easy.

“It’s all down to the game against Slovenia now and I think if you had told us beforehand that a win against them would put us through we’d have taken it.

“We’ve had some pretty big one-off games in the past and we’ve always responded to the challenge. We will do just that on Wednesday.”

A draw will be sufficient for Slovenia to make the round of 16 for the first time in the country’s short World Cup history, and would leave England at the mercy of Algeria who take on the USA at the same time.

Silva Tempted By Chelsea

David Silva admits the Premier League is 'the place to be' and has opened the door for a move to Chelsea.

The Valencia winger is currently away on World Cup duty, with Spain's quest for global glory dominating his thoughts at present.

He has, however, taken time out to discuss his future, with reports continuing to suggest that he is destined to leave Los Che this summer.

A switch to England has been widely touted, with Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all believed to be keen.

Silva has now revealed that he would be willing to make such a move, but has implied that he would rather try his luck in West London than the North West.

He said, in comments reported by the Daily Star: "Chelsea have established themselves as one of the best clubs in Europe over the last five years.

"They might not have the history of Real Madrid or AC Milan but they are creating their own history now. There is no reason why in the future Chelsea can't be as decorated as Real Madrid.

"Chelsea probably have, along with Barcelona, the best squad in football and if any player joins Chelsea he knows he is going to win things.

"In players like John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba they have players who would get into any team in the world and it would be a pleasure to play with them.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Chelsea would be a great club to play for - and a club where I could fulfil my ambition of league titles and the European Cup.

"The Premier League is still the place to be, no other league in the world has six or seven Champions League quality teams."

Real Madrid Boss Mourinho Set To Battle Chelsea For Schweinsteiger

Real Madrid Manager Jose Mourinho is set battle his old club Chelsea for the signing of the 30-million-euro rated Bastian Schweinsteiger.

According to the Spanish AS newspaper, Mourinho has put the 25-year-old German international on a shortlist of midfielders he wants to sign, along with Liverpool's Steven Gerrard , Roma's Daniele De Rossi and Athletic Bilbao 's Javi Martínez.

A fortnight ago, it was reported that Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti had already lined up Schweinsteiger as a replacement for Michael Ballack and was willing to make a £25-million bid to secure his signature.

Schweinsteiger was instrumental in Bayern Munich capturing the domestic double and reaching the Champions League final last season.

His three-million-euro-a-season contract at Bayern runs until 2012.

Nicolas Anelka To Retire From International Football

French striker Nicolas Anelka has announced his retirement from international football after being sent home from the World Cup, according to Sky Sports News.

Chelsea forward Anelka was dumped by France on Saturday after an apparent dressing room bust-up with manager Raymond Domenech during their 2-0 defeat against Mexico on Thursday.

Reports suggested that Anelka had reacted angrily to Domenech’s questioning of his first half performance and that led to him being taken off at the interval. It had been reported that Anelka told his manager to "go f*** yourself".

Anelka was also absent from training on Saturday which fuelled rumours that his World Cup was over and that was later confirmed by the French Football Federation (FFF)

But now it seems Anelka has stepped away from the national side for good.

It further compounds a disastrous few days for France, who seem destined to be knocked out of the World Cup and need a win against South Africa in their final game to stand any chance of progressing.

Michael Ballack Set For Talks With Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen will do "all we can" to bring Michael Ballack back to the club eight years after his first spell in North-Rhein Westphalia ended following the most successful season in the club's history.

Ballack becomes a free agent at the end of the month when his contract with Chelsea expires and several clubs from the Bundesliga have been linked with him.

But Leverkusen have been keen to make their interest known, with sporting director Rudi Völler declaring the club's interest on Friday.

"We know that he has two definite offers and we are now ready to start negotiations," said their general manager Wolfgang Holzhauser.

"We will do all we can to bring Ballack back. We are in close contact with him and his agent."

Nevertheless, Holzhauser knows his club cannot compete with the wages rivals Wolfsburg or even Hamburg could offer and is therefore hoping Ballack will follow his heart to return to the club he represented from 1999 to 2002 before joining Bayern Munich. He finished runner up in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League in a memorable final year with Leverkusen.

"If he does come to us, then he is going to have to make sacrifices," added Holzhauser. "We cannot compete with what the others are offering."

England Could Use Joe Cole's Sleight Of Foot

Joe Cole launched himself at this England squad only to vanish into its inky depths. Fabio Capello has had no use for him in either of the games with which the World Cup program has creaked open. This is all the more peculiar since the manager spoke initially as if he had located a rare commodity when referring to the freshness of a player often kept out of Chelsea's starting line-up by injury or Florent Malouda.

Some suppose Cole is being punished for alleged conceit when he talked merrily of what he might add to the team, but he was really presenting himself as a person desperate to meet Capello's every criterion, even if that entailed defending. It would be perverse of the manager to see arrogance when the 28-year-old was aiming for obedience.

Given the generally one-paced look of the oldest squad England have taken to a World Cup, the Italian may really have been eager to employ whatever direct runners there are, and in the goalless draw with Algeria Aaron Lennon started and then gave way to Shaun Wright-Phillips. Regardless of the acceleration, there was no quick thinking.

A one-paced Cole, on the other hand, is compelled to count on deftness and Wayne Rooney deems him the current England player with the best technique. There is an irony in the midfielder's decision to postpone an announcement about the club he will join as a free agent so that nothing detracts from the World Cup campaign. To date, he might as well have been exploring the fine detail of competing offers.

Cole is not always a luminous creator and Chelsea ruled out meeting the cost of the contract that might have kept him at Stamford Bridge. There is a suspicion that he is no more than decorative. Before Euro 2004, Sven-Goran Eriksson gave him 45 minutes in a warm-up friendly with Japan but did not let him on to the field in the finals.

Even so, the same manager relished the devastation Cole is capable of when he scored with a wonderful 30-yarder against Sweden at the 2006 World Cup and laid on Steven Gerrard's goal in the 2-2 draw. He got Capello's full attention in a first England appearance since September 2008 when he was a brisk substitute in the friendly with Japan. Suddenly Cole was more than just a man whose prospects had been clouded ever since a cruciate ligament injury.

The player's task now is to demonstrate that he is part of the remedy for England's sluggishness. The side must defeat Slovenia to ensure a spot in the last 16, but the resolve of Matjaz Kek's team is recognised and other aspects were on show as they followed a win over Algeria with a 2-2 draw against the United States.

England dare not be as passive as they have looked thus far. The form of specific key footballers is a worry to Capello. His commitment to Lennon has been all the more marked since he ditched Theo Walcott, but the Tottenham winger's crosses continue to be aimless. Other issues are in the balance and Steven Gerrard, having been so invigorated by his opener against the United States, made barely any impression on Algeria.

Rooney is the key figure, but he had a wretched evening in Cape Town. Defending against him was elementary when his touch and technique proved so inexplicably defective.

It was the type of outing that made people ponder the fact that the striker's last goal for his country at a major tournament was against Croatia at Euro 2004. That may be rectified soon, but it is also feasible that exasperation will undermine him against Slovenia and that the link with Emile Heskey, so valuable in the qualifiers, is not functioning for the time being.

England will be in jeopardy if they do not display subtlety soon. While Capello is not a man for second thoughts, his side are badly in need of variety and sleight of foot. At some stage, Cole's degree of impact may be critical to the team's hopes at this World Cup.

Summary Of A Season: Florent Malouda

Florent Malouda continued to go from strength to strength in 2009/10, building on his solid finish to the previous campaign.

The Frenchman made Carlo Ancelotti's early selections and by the end had cemented his place in the starting line up. He was instrumental in a number of historic wins and netted 15 goals throughout an industrious campaign.

That was an important measurement of his abilities but just as vital were the assists. Malouda helped set up 12 of Chelsea's League goals, including his cross which Joe Cole back-heeled over the line against Manchester United as we beat them 2-1 at Old Trafford.

It was also Malouda corner that John Terry nodded on for Didier Drogba to strike past Manuel Almunia when we hosted Arsenal at the Bridge, opening the scoring only seven minutes in.

When it came to scoring himself, Malouda netted six goals more in all competitions compared to the previous campaign although his disciplinary record did slip slightly during 2009/10.

He saw red, following two yellow cards against Birmingham on Boxing Day, as well as another six yellows.

He had only found the net four times before that dismissal but would score another 11 before the season ended, including two against Portsmouth and two against Villa in our 5-0 and 7-1 wins respectively.

In fact Malouda began scoring regularly the first game following his red card when we hosted Watford for a 5-0 thumping. The next game was the nine-goal thriller against Sunderland in which he netted our second.

It was one of his most incredible goals in a Chelsea shirt after winning the ball inside the centre circle and then dancing past two opponents before accurately finding the bottom corner with his right foot.

He was a versatile member of the team, playing as a midfielder rather than a wide man in a 4-3-3 towards the season's end and he even moved back into the left-back position away against Inter Milan when both Ashley Cole and Yury Zhirkov were unavailable. It was the first time he performed those duties in a Chelsea shirt although he had done so for Lyon and once for France, and proved capable in the role against the forward runs of Maicon.

Ending his League campaign against Wigan, although he failed to find the net during our 8-0 win he did assist in Nicolas Anelka's vital opener after chesting down for his fellow Frenchman to strike with only six minutes played.

He ended the season with a second successive FA Cup winners' medal after a tight 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Wembley in which he expertly spotted Ashley Cole's run down the left flank, a move which ended with Salmon Kalou's big miss.

It will be a tough task for Malouda to build again on such a successful campaign next year following World Cup action but at 30-years-old and in the form of his life, to do so should be well within the spritely winger's reach.

Frustrated Ashley Cole Left Isolated By Steven Gerrard

On a hugely disappointing night England were their own worst enemies. They were generally outmanoeuvred by a tidy but toothless Algerian side and cluttered the midfield in an anaemic display which did no credit to anyone who featured in a white shirt.

Fabio Capello once against opted for the power of Emile Heskey to complement Wayne Rooney in attack, with Steven Gerrard returning to semi left-side duties. This meant England had only one natural winger, Aaron Lennon, to penetrate the opposition defence from wide midfield. But he struggled to do that almost from the outset after England started nervously and Algeria, with Karim Ziani and Ryad Boudebouz playing off the lone striker Karim Matmour, won possession and showed early confidence. This provided the platform for their wing-backs, Foued Kadir and Hassan Yebda, to get forward and force an already stuttering and less than fluid England side to retreat further and further back.

There was a particular lack of penetration from the left-hand side, due to Gerrard repeatedly coming inside. This allowed England to match Algeria in terms of numbers in central midfield but it squeezed the space from where Frank Lampard could express himself and meant that every time Ashley Cole was in possession, he saw only the green shirt of Kadir in front of him. Cole never had a player outside him to whom he could pass the ball.

Cole can be a vibrant attacker from deep but in this match was a near non-contributor to England's possession. This was also partly down to the side's fractured passing, which gave the full-back little confidence that he could venture forward without being caught out of position on the counter-attack. In contrast Glen Johnson, the right full-back, constantly had an outlet in Aaron Lennon and, while both put in below-par performances, they were more effective than Cole and the inward-wandering Gerrard.

It is absolutely essential that against Slovenia England use the whole width of the pitch. Stretching the opposition will also be easier if Wayne Rooney does not get swamped in the midfield minefield, as he did against Algeria. We need Rooney to be nearer the goal and that means sacrificing Heskey, who was regularly and too easily forced away from goal by Algeria's three centre-backs, in particular Antar Yahia. Heskey seemed to be playing with lead in his boots. The time has surely now come for Capello to move Rooney up and play Gerrard just behind him. That is a partnership that has the potential to cause Slovenia real problems next week. With Gerrard in attack, Capello must thenplay someone on the left who can support Cole and give him a target to pass to. He was one of the very few England players who had a genuine excuse for looking and playing in such a frustrating manner.

Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast Return Divides Opinion

Ivory Coast's solid performance in their Group G opener against Portugal has increased the number of Didier Drogba dissidents among the Elephants' supporters. The Wigan midfielder, Olivier Kapo, who was born in Abidjan, spoke for them this week when he suggested that not feeling obliged to cater to the team's star striker "liberated" the other Ivorian players and lead to a more fluent display.

However, although that opinion is spreading, it is still not the dominant view and, most importantly, the team's manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, has declared that he is a Drogba believer and confirmed that the Chelsea striker will return to the starting line-up for Sunday’s momentous clash with Brazil.

Gervinho will drop to the bench to accommodate Drogba in the only change to the team that drew with Portugal. Aruna Dindane, who will be one of the players charged with supplying Drogba from his position on the right wing, welcomes the return of the country's talisman.

"Didier remains very important to us," he said. "We have some fine young forwards who are pushing for a place in the team but we certainly can't afford the luxury of leaving out Didier. In fact, no team in the world would willingly do that."
Player in-fighting has undermined Ivorian hopes in recent years but Dindane says that Eriksson's "calming" influence has eradicated that problem and that "morale is very high".

Dindane, indeed, says it is a relief to be in such an environment following the chaotic season he endured at Portsmouth. "I don't regret my time at Portsmouth, it was great and I am very grateful for having had the opportunity but it's true that circumstances were difficult."

He said that reports he will be playing his club football in Qatar next season are false but confirmed that he has had several offers from clubs around the world. "I know which one I'm going to join but I won't reveal who until after the World Cup," he said. Asked whether it is a Premier League club, he replied: "Possibly".

Nicolas Anelka Sent Home From World Cup 2010 After Swearing At Raymond Domenech

France and Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka has been sent home from the World Cup after allegedly swearing at coach Raymond Domenech during the 2-0 defeat to Mexico on Thursday.

Rumours were rife of an alleged bust up between Domenech and Anelka with the Chelsea forward reportedly telling his coach to "go f*** yourself".

The French Football Federation (FFF) have now confirmed that Anelka is on his way home, with his position in the squad having become untenable.

"The decision (to remove Anelka) has just been taken," FFF vice president Noel Le Graet told French radio station RTL on Saturday.

Anelka was reportedly angry at Domenech for criticisms of his positional play in the first half of the Group A clash with Mexico.

The striker is said to have then sworn at the outgoing-French boss, who then immediately subbed the Chelsea forward for Andre-Pierre Gignac.

John Terry Admits Fabio Capello Fear

England defender John Terry has admitted that Fabio Capello's no-nonsense regime has left him in fear of the boss.

The 64-year old is a famous disciplinarian and this mentality has been introduced to the Three Lions' set-up.

Mobile phones being turned off, players forced to wear suits when traveling to matches and everyone leaving the dining room at the same time are just some of the measures the Italian has introduced.

Speaking to ITV, Terry stated the benefit's of Capello's managerial style.

“When you walk past him in the morning he gives you a little ‘good morning’ and that’s it," Terry said.

"It works well I think because on the field he’s brilliant, he takes all the training sessions himself and I’ve been really impressed with him actually.”

Referring to the current no-nonsense regime, he added: “We have to be in our rooms and, sort of shut away, by 11 o’clock.”

England Trio's Slow Start Continues

Three Chelsea players took part in a tense World Cup encounter between England and Algeria which ended goalless.

John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole were all selected by Fabio Capello for England's second Group C Game. The Italian also picked David James over Robert Green in goal while Gareth Barry returned to midfield.

It was a difficult first half for England as they struggled to create decent chances on goal. Cole was the first of the Chelsea trio to produce a threatening move when, with only six minutes gone, Steven Gerrard picked out his run down the left flank. Possession was snatched from the left-back before he had a chance to shoot but England had shown their intent.

It was a slow start from both sides before England had a scare when James fumbled a shot and Glen Johnson failed to clear the slip. Fortunately for England Algeria didn't take advantage of the mistake before it was cleared from danger.

Terry took a knock to the head and received treatment just before the half hour mark but was soon back in the centre of defence alongside Jamie Carragher.

England's back four managed to diffuse Algeria's chances while offensive players struggled to create, but minutes after Terry's bump Gerrard forced a quick-witted save from Rais M'Bohli when he struck from 25 yards out.

Lampard soon tested M'Bohli further after Heskey nodded down for the number 8 to control on his chest and strike towards the bottom corner.

But despite these opportunities, England lacked consistency up front and their next chance came when Gareth Barry struck from long range into M'Bohli's arms. Then Wayne Rooney shot comfortably into M'Bohli's grasp from 25 yards.

The first-half ended 0-0 without either side truly threatening their opponent's goal; although much of the play had taken place in Algeria's half, possession had been evenly shared.

There were no changes at half-time and the second period of play began much like the first had finished.

Lampard and Gerrard teamed up well to worry Algeria 10 minutes into the half when they broke into the box, but after Lampard released the England captain on the right side of the area, Gerrard's attempted pull-back for Heskey was hooked away from danger before a shot was launched.

Soon after Carragher was shown his second yellow of the tournament for blocking Hassan Yebda, it means he'll miss England's final group game against Slovenia.

Capello changed Aaron Lennon for former Blue Shaun Wright-Phillips on the hour mark in a straight swap on right wing and England threatened twice more as Rooney struck inches wide while Gerrard headed into M'Bohli's hands, before Heskey was replaced by Jermaine Defoe.

An uneventful game continued and apart from a long-range Lampard effort three minutes from time, neither side created any real threat on goal.

The fixture ended goalless with a point apiece, meaning England and USA have two points each in Group C while Slovenia lead with four.

Showing Support For Local Sport

As proud sponsors of the Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith and Fulham teams in the London Youth games, Chelsea Football Club would like to offer our congratulations to both boroughs who have been making a real impact on local sports.

The K&C team has made a splash, achieving some outstanding results in the regatta where they finished a creditable seventh in the rowing and fifth in the kayak sprint.

The star performer was Olivia Hithersay who won first place in the kayak slalom. Hithersay was one of over 700 entrants from across 31 boroughs to compete on the Royal Victoria Dock

The boys' basketball team and girls' volleyball teams have also made it through to the finals which will be held on 3 and 4 July at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre.

Hammersmith and Fulham have also made the last eight in the badminton and the final of the girls' hockey.

The Youth Games has been running for 33 years and some former competitors have gone to greater glory including Olympic 400m Champion Christina Ohuruogu, Olympic Gold Medallist Bradley Wiggins and our very own Ashley Cole.

We wish all the competitors the very best of luck.

Summary Of A Season: Branislav Ivanovic

If his 26 appearances in 2008/09 hinted there was an accomplished Premier League player in Branislav Ivanovic, then his 41 in 2009/10 confirmed the presence of a top-class defender in our ranks.

For a while the Serb was a frontrunner in voting for our Player of the Year award, and although he eventually lost out to Didier Drogba, he joined the Ivorian in the PFA Premier League Team of the Season.

That was in spite of beginning the campaign as a reserve, and while no professional will delight at seeing a team-mate injured, the chance presented to him when Jose Bosingwa's knee injury struck was certainly seized.

Branislav actually began the season in the side, at Wembley in the Community Shield, but after being exposed to Nani and Patrice Evra for 45 minutes, he had earned a yellow card and been beaten for a goal, and was replaced by Bosingwa.

After some uncertainty, Carlo Ancelotti looked to have made his mind up and plumped for the Portuguese, but injury to Alex and the manager's reluctance to play Ricardo Carvalho twice in a week allowed Ivanovic a midweek start at centre-back in our second league game of the season. His attempted clearance fell to Darren Bent at Sunderland and the striker scored, but we won the game.

His physical style saw him given another go in the 2-1 win at Stoke in September, but it wasn't until Bosingwa withdrew at Aston Villa in mid-October that he became a regular.

He bundled himself his solitary goal of the campaign at Bolton at the end of the month as he kept seven consecutive clean sheets in all competitions, while beginning to offer an added threat in attack.

Two assists came against Everton in December, and it was he who was fouled for the decisive penalty against Portsmouth a few days later.

At Christmas his importance was demonstrated by Ancelotti opting to rest him for the Fulham game. He had once previously been a player who would only be considered at such times, and that he was called on from the bench to reduce the deficit spoke volumes of his attacking potency. The move paid off as it was Branislav's deep cross headed home by Didier Drogba.

Away in the San Siro he was arguably at fault for Inter's first goal. Out of position, John Terry had to cover him but was beaten by Diego Milito, but he compensated by charging his way through Inter's midfield and defence to tee up Salomon Kalou for the equaliser.

Three days later he was caught out by Craig Bellamy as Manchester City tore us to pieces at Stamford Bridge, the Serb losing possession deep in opposition territory but failing to recover as the Welshman burst clear to score.

The title race was tight, and going all the way, so it was frustrating for the Serb to pick up a calf injury at Blackburn in March.

It kept him out almost a month, returning as a half-time sub at Spurs after damage had already been done, and starting in the 7-0 bashing of Stoke.

Impeccable at Liverpool, he set up Nicolas Anelka before coming off on the hour to a champion's ovation against Wigan. Back at Wembley for the FA Cup Final, he played 90 minutes this time as he completed a brilliant turnaround in fortunes from the start of the season.

Branislav will be looking for more of the same in 2010/11.

Ancelotti Leads Mancini In Race For Valencia Star David Silva

So after three years of Valencia pair David Silva and David Villa being heavily linked with moves away from the financially stricken club, it seems that the La Liga side may end up losing both stars within the same summer. It seems price is the main obstacle but in today’s transfer market the asking price of £33m is not wildly outrageous and let’s face it both Chelsea and Manchester City can afford to pay the sum given their sugar daddy owners.

The 24 year old has just finished his fourth season in the Mestalla first team and had arguably his best season so far last term when he helped Valencia to third spot in La Liga scoring eight times and assisting in nine other finishes. The adaptable attacker is a fixture in the Spanish international side that has beaten all before them in recent years, albeit not yesterday against Switzerland, so he would clearly be a player who would cost a decent chunk of change.

Given that Chelsea have Champions League football to offer and that Ancelotti has just allowed Joe Cole and Michael Ballack to run out their contracts it seems a move to west London would be most likely and it would be a transfer that would help reverse the ageing nature of the Blues squad.

Chelsea’s Michael Essien To Attend Ghana Game Against Australia

Ghana and Chelsea midfield general Michael Essien is expected to be in the stands for the Ghana-Australia game at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Rustenburg tomorrow.

The influential midfielder is nursing a protracted knee injury which he aggravated at the African Nations Cup in January. The Stamford Bridge man will be at the stadium to offer his support to the Black Stars in their second Group D game. A victory would see Ghana virtually clinch a second round spot after their opening victory over Serbia.

"He [Essien] is one of the key senior players in the team," team spokesman Randy Abbey said.

"We are expecting him to be there on Saturday to support his colleagues."

Essien took a similar position in Angola 2010 during Ghana’s last group game against the Stallions of Burkina Faso.

Mata Reveals English Interest

Juan Mata has revealed that he would be open to a Premier League move should the opportunity arise.

The Spain international is hot property at the moment, having dazzled for Valencia over recent years.

At just 22 years of age it is expected that Los Che will struggle to retain his services for long, especially as they continue to struggle under the weight of financial upheaval.

Unsurprisingly, a switch to England has been touted, with the youngster seemingly tailor-made for the Premier League.

A tricky winger with a keen eye for goal, any number of clubs would be happy to have him within their ranks.

Mata insists he will not be pushing for an imminent transfer, as he is happy at Mestalla, but accepts the issue may be taken out of his hands.

Should Valencia decide that the time is right to cash in, Mata admits he would relish the chance to try his luck at any of England's so-called 'Big Four'.

"I don't know if I'll be sold, it depends on the economic situation of the club, which right now isn't so good," he told FourFourTwo.

"In the summer we have to raise a lot of money, and there is a possibility that they may have to sell players.

"In Spain they show many Premier League games on TV and it is an inspirational league.

"Maybe I would like to play in the Premier League. At the moment I'm here, I love living in Valencia and playing in the Spanish league, but in England the league is also top class and there are many big teams. Who knows?

"I admire Arsenal and the philosophy that the young players have. Liverpool, with their Spanish players - they also have an incredible squad. And Manchester United and Chelsea are teams that are very big, like Real Madrid and Barcelona, with money and incredible players."

Bayern Munich Warn Chelsea Off £20m-rated 'Crown Jewel' Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bayern Munich have warned Chelsea they have no intention of selling £20 million-rated "crown jewel" Bastian Schweinsteiger.

The 25-year old has emerged as a key target for manager Carlo Ancelotti after a stellar season for the Bavarians since switching to central midfield.

With the youth product set to start for World Cup 2010 contenders Germany, a chase could begin to secure his signature.

Speaking to the press, Bayern chief Christian Nerlinger shot down any talk of a transfer.

"Schweinsteiger is among our crown jewels," Nerlinger revealed.

Kalas To Make Blues Move

Chelsea are reported to have snapped up teenage centre-back Tomas Kalas from Sigma Olomouc.

The Blues are just one of a number of clubs to have been tracking the 17-year-old stopper, and are believed to have won the race for his signature.

Juventus, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich have all expressed an interest in the promising Czech over recent weeks, while Bayer Leverkusen thought they had reached an agreement at one stage.

However, the situation has developed further since then, with Arsenal and Chelsea having joined the hunt.

Arsene Wenger is reported to have spoken to Kalas personally in effort to tempt him to Emirates Stadium, with their reputation for nurturing young talent well known.

It appears, though, as if the Gunners have been pipped by their Premier League rivals.

Reports in the Czech Republic claim Chelsea have paid £5million to land the youngster, but are not prepared to publicly announce the signing just yet.

That has forced Sigma to also play their cards close to chest and refrain from naming the club involving.

They have, however, admitted that a deal has been struck and that the player is on his way.

"A spell at a top European club for Tomas Kala was successfully arranged today," read a statement on the club's official website.

Kalas' agent has also admitted to an agreement being reached, but has again stopped short of announcing the identity of his new employers.

"We cannot confirm the club's name yet," Pavel Zika told sport.cz.

"Negotiations were very difficult and I am glad they are behind us now, especially for the good of the player."

It is believed that Kalas, who has made only one senior appearance in the Czech top flight, will return to Sigma on loan for 12 months before moving to England full-time.