Manchester City Deny Interest In Signing Chelsea Star Didier Drogba

Manchester City have moved to distance themselves from the speculation linking them with a possible swoop for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba this summer.

Drogba's agent Thierno Seydi had stated that he had had "direct contact" with City and that there might be some surprising events before the end of the transfer window.

However, City, whose prime striking target this summer appears to be Inter's Mario Balotelli, have denied that they are lining up a bid for the Ivorian front man.

"We can categorically state we have no interest in signing Didier Drogba and any suggestion of an approach is entirely without foundation," City's director of communications Vicky Kloss told The Times.

Rafael Benitez Open To Mario Balotelli Sale As Chelsea Try To Hijack Manchester City's Deal

Inter coach Rafael Benitez has opened the door to Mario Balotelli leaving the club as Chelsea cut across Manchester City's path for the striker.

Massimo Moratti and the player's agent Mino Raiola ran the rule over the hitman after suggesting he was likely to leave.

The club chief said City's interest was real, whereas Raiola confirmed on Monday his client was heading out as "all doors remained open," hinting other clubs were on standby in case City talks crumble.

And Benitez has joined the chorus of voices as he holds the door from closing. The Spaniard's words, aware Balotelli is negotiating with City who are in Italy to close a deal, suggest he is relying on Samuel Eto'o for next season.

The coach also admitted he would be powerless to stop Balotelli from being sold as he steps away from talks.

"Balotelli? Let’s wait and see what happens. The club decides the transfer market and I adapt. The fact remains that one player doesn't make the team, and Inter have plenty of strong players," Benitez told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I have spoken to Eto'o. He is a great professional and is ready to do what the team needs."

City appear strongest to sign the striker, but Raiola's throw-away line of "all doors remain open, there are other clubs," has led to reports claiming Chelsea are trying to stop City and shop the hitman.

Gazzetta reports Inter have received a substantial offer from City, but they are waiting for Chelsea to make their move and respond.

They are keen on "Supermario" as coach Carlo Ancelotti feels he will be a better partner for Didier Drogba compared to Fernando Torres - the Blues other notable target.

It seems Inter are hoping the trio of clubs, Manchester United are also hovering, contend each other in a bidding frenzy as they press for the best possible deal.

Sky Sport Italia claim Balotelli will not leave with the team for their friendly tour at the weekend, adding further weight that he will seal his transfer to the Premier League by the end of the week.

Chelsea Plan £25m Bid For Santos Striker Neymar

Chelsea are set to splash the cash to land £25 million-rated Santos starlet Neymar, according to The Express.

Neymar, 18, is regarded as one of the most exciting youngsters in world football and has already helped himself to 12 goals in 35 first team appearances.

This form had seen Manchester City agree a first option for the player with Santos — which expires when Robinho's loan ends on August 4 — and prompted West Ham United to make a £16 million bid, which was rejected, earlier this month.

Chelsea were rumoured to be behind this offer, and had planned to loan the striker to the Hammers for next season.

After this deal fell through, Carlo Ancelotti is understood to have sanctioned another massive bid which would see the player arrive at Stamford Bridge immediately if accepted.

Chelsea Winger Scott Sinclair Hoping For 'Look In' At The Club Next Season

Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair is hopeful a strong pre-season can make him a first team fixture at the club.

Sinclair, 21, has been sent out on loan to a number of sides since signing from Bristol Rovers in 2005. After grabbing one goal in 18 Premier League appearances for Wigan Athletic last season, the England youth international is hopeful for a shot at success at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to the club's website, Sinclair hoped to build on his 30-minute cameo in the 1-0 weekend friendly victory against Crystal Palace — where he spent a spell on loan in 2008.

"I thought I gave them a few problems and I got a free-kick which I thought was a penalty," Sinclair said.

"It was in the box but the ref said he gave them the benefit of the doubt.

"It was nice coming back to Palace and seeing a few players I know and it is good to be back at Chelsea. Hopefully I will get a look in for the start of the season.

"The double training sessions are getting harder and harder as we go along. I am fit anyway and in a couple more weeks I should be up to a high standard of fitness."

Chelsea On Alert As Kaka And Rafael van der Vaart Near Madrid Exit

Real Madrid are once again ready to twist the knife into Roman Abramovich's grand plans with an £18million move for Germany's World Cup star Mesut Ozil.

The 21-year-old Werder Bremen midfielder is the most coveted player in Europe, but Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has made a bold move to line up Ozil, plus his national team-mates Sami Khedira of Stuttgart and Mario Gomez from Bayern Munich, for a combined £58million.

Not satisfied with wrecking Chelsea's Champions League dream with Inter Milan last season, the former Stamford Bridge darling is destined to leave his old employer bristling with envy once again.

The fall-out at Real Madrid will be intriguing. As Sportsmail revealed last month, the entrance door for Liverpool's Steven Gerrard no longer seems ajar as Madrid president Florentino Perez demands younger players of better value.

Chelsea targets Kaka and Rafael van der Vaart may be heading for the exit. With Khedira to come, Xabi Alonso pivotal and Angel Di Maria competing with Cristiano Ronaldo on the wing, there will be little room for manoeuvre.

Chelsea may have little desire to take scraps from the Real Madrid table but Kaka is no mere crumb of comfort while Van der Vaart still has plenty to offer as one of his fans, Chelsea director of football Frank Arnesen, will testify.

When Ozil left Gareth Barry and Co floundering during their World Cup humiliation, England took notice.

Abramovich was transfixed and decided then this was the player Chelsea had to have. A devout Muslim of Turkish descent, Ozil's quick feet and speed of thought have long marked him out as a star. Bremen thought as much when they splashed out £4million for him as an 18-year-old - a record German sum for a teenager.

'He's like a ghost, the way he arrives into the box unnoticed,' said one Manchester United scout. Yet it seems the obvious luxuries and the allure of the Premier League are not enough for the wunderkind from Gelsenkirchen.

Arsenal have watched him for two years; Manchester City, of course, were interested; Manchester United asked to be kept informed - having first courted him as a teenager - but Ozil, the self-confessed Barcelona fan who Franz Beckenbauer compares to Lionel Messi, has instead set his sights on becoming the new idol of the Bernabeu.

All eyes are now on Ozil and his fellow Germans to see which way they jump. Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs says he has not given up the 'ghost' but Madrid insiders claim the deal is close.

Allofs said: 'I have been told by the newspapers about these reports. But I insist that we have received no enquiries or offers for the player.

'We remain in regular contact with Mesut and his agent. We had our ideas but we have not been able to bring this to an end. We are not angry, no way. We intend to keep on trying.'

It looks like the Special One has beaten everyone to it.

Joe Cole Secures Liverpool Move

Liverpool have signed former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole on a free transfer.

The 28-year-old England international left Stamford Bridge at the end of last season after failing to agree a new contract with the club and has agreed personal terms on a four-year deal at Anfield.

The England midfielder will undergo a medical in the next 48 hours.

Cole was linked with a number of Barclays Premier League sides, including Arsenal and Tottenham, but has opted to move to Merseyside.

He could have gone to a team offering Champions League football but has chosen to join new Reds boss Roy Hodgson at Anfield even though they can only offer the Europa League this season.

The capture of Cole was seen as being a key factor in proving to the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, who have both been linked with departures after a disappointing seventh-placed finish in Rafael Benitez's final season in charge, that Liverpool can still compete for quality signings.

Cole is the second summer arrival at Liverpool after Serbia forward Milan Jovanovic joined following the expiration of his contract with Standard Liege.

Cole will be seen as a direct replacement for Yossi Benayoun, who coincidentally moved to Chelsea for £5.5million earlier this month, and only time will tell who got the better of that exchange.

Hodgson is still on the look-out for a new left-back with Fabio Aurelio having left and Emiliano Insua on the verge of completing his move to Fiorentina.

After that the Liverpool boss will hope to secure commitments from Gerrard and Torres about their futures.

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp, whose father Harry was keen on signing Cole for Spurs, said reports the player was holding out for the most lucrative contract were unfair.

"From what I know, compared to other players in the Premier League now, he's not being greedy at all,'' Redknapp told Sky Sports News.

"He just wants a good deal and rightfully so - he's a free agent and he's worked that situation nicely - but I know he's not asking for anything astronomical, like what is being portrayed in the press.

"He's just looking for the right club and he needs to play football now.

"He missed a lot of time at Chelsea last season with his knee injury and didn't quite get back to the level he showed previously.

"He needs to go somewhere, be loved, and play football and get back to being the Joe Cole we all know.''

Young Plymouth Argyle Squad's Late Strikes Stun Chelsea

Substitutes Lewis Coombes and James Golby scored late goals for Argyle Under-18s in an impressive, if unexpected victory over FA Youth Cup holders Chelsea, at Cobham.

The Surrey success was the junior Greens' second successive 2-1 win over Premier League Academy opposition, after their triumph at West Bromwich Albion.

Argyle assistant youth coach Kevin Nancekivell said: "We weathered the storm in the first 20 minutes and needed Ollie Chenoweth to produce three fantastic saves.

"Once we got through that we found our feet and gradually imposed ourselves.

"The second-half was very even. We looked bright and threatened as much as Chelsea and, in the end, got our reward."

Nancekivell added: "I have to say the attitude and application of the lads in the first two weeks of pre-season has been absolutely outstanding."

The Pilgrims had to survive an opening blitz from the Blues' youngsters during a one-sided first 20 minutes.

They emerged unscathed due to some wayward shooting from the home forwards and three fine saves from goalkeeper Chenoweth.

First-year professional Chenoweth, 18, from Liskeard, was playing his first pre-season match action after being omitted from the senior squad's trip to the Netherlands.

The powerful defending of centre-back Curtis Nelson and ball-winning attributes of midfielder Jordan Berry came to the forem, as the Greens began to turn the tide.

Right-back Jack Stephens, left-winger Jake Baker and striker Matt Rickard all threatened to open the scoring. And, on the stroke of half-time, centre-back Sam Sawyer sent a header from a right-wing free kick thudding onto the Chelsea crossbar.

Midfielder Jordan Copp and Rickard went close to breaking the deadlock early in the second half, but the Greens had to wait until the 81st minute to pierce the home rearguard.

Second-year apprentice Coombes, who lives in Lipson, drifted to the near post to sidefoot a right-wing corner from Copp into the net.

Three minutes later Argyle doubled their advantage when Sawyer set up Golby, a 16-year-old trialist from Somerton in Somerset, to coolly lob the home keeper from 20 yards

Chelsea pulled one back a minute later from the penalty spot, after Nelson was adjudged to have brought down his opponent, but it was too little too late to deny the cock-a-hoop Pilgrims.

Next up for the young Greens are games against two Championship Academy sides — at Watford, on Thursday, at their London Colney training ground (1pm) and on Saturday at Reading at their Hogwood Park training complex (11am).

Argyle: Ollie Chenoweth, Jack Stephens, Connor Clifford, Dan Hart (Jordan Copp, 46), Curtis Nelson, Sam Sawyer, Jed Harper-Penman, Jordan Berry (Tom Hurley, 67), Matt Rickard (Lewis Coombes, 67), Jared Sims (James Golby, 60), Jake Baker.

Keepers On The Up

First team numbers at Cobham may be low, but the goalkeeping department has a 'perfect situation' with a full complement available to coach Christophe Lollichon.

Petr Cech, Hilario and Ross Turnbull each played half an hour of Saturday's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace after reporting back for pre-season training on July 5, weeks earlier than the Chelsea men who played at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

It means Lollichon has been able to get down to work quickly, and he is delighted with how things are coming together.

'It is a perfect situation with the goalkeepers because we can work how we want. If we had just one or two goalkeepers we would have to work a lot to catch up and have the same preparation. Now it is perfect, we have lots of time and good organisation,' he said.

'For the pre-season I like them to start with the other players because I think it's important the goalkeepers work with them to be a part of the group, and to play with their feet. It is very interesting and is a good thing to work the cardiovascular system. After that, the work is different in the gym, and we started to work specifically in the second week.

'The match on Saturday was very good, it was a good way for the goalkeepers to play for the same time and the atmosphere in this group is fantastic. I am happy after the game because I liked their positions and they were like leaders with a lot of young players.

'They all talked very well, the goalkeepers are like the grandfather of the young team because they play behind the defence and have to talk all the time with intelligence.'

As previously, Cech will begin the season as undisputed number one, though Lollichon has identified targets for each of his three men to focus on.

'We have three different goalkeepers. We have Petr Cech at the top and two substitutes,' he explained. 'These two substitutes are not similar, they are at different stages.

'Ross continues to learn his job and showed a good improvement last year, Hilario knows the situation and I have to be careful to manage his work, it is not the same as Ross, his best target is to maintain his quality.

'For Petr Cech he has to stay on top of the world, he has tactical and physical targets, but technically it is difficult to improve.'

Czech Republic's failure to qualify for the World Cup has left Cech, 28, with an unexpected football-free summer, which Lollichon believes will be beneficial in the months ahead.

'It is not a good thing for him because he loves all competitions, and I think he has a big target in his career to win an international tournament,' he argued. 'But, no World Cup gives him a very good rest. It is a good consequence. In training he is very fresh, but I think he would have preferred to play in the World Cup.'

The next match action comes on Friday at Ajax, with Cech again expected to start behind an experimental young side.

Carlo Ancelotti Sets Sights On Historic Treble After Chelsea's 'Early' Euro Exit Last Season

Carlo Ancelotti led Chelsea to the Double in his first season in English football but now wants to go one better and win the Champions League.

The Chelsea boss believes his squad can defend their Premier League and FA Cup titles and improve on last season’s defeat by Inter Milan in the knock-out round of Europe’s elite club competition.

Ancelotti said: ‘Our aim is to do better than last year in the Champions League. We went out too early. It is not so easy to be competitive in every competition.

‘We have to defend the Premier League title. We want to do our best in all the competitions.’

The 51-year-old taunted Premier League runners up Manchester United with claims Manchester City could be pushing Chelsea for the title next May.

‘I think they will do better in respect to last season,’ he said. ‘They have a lot of fantastic players and could be an important opponent.’

The Italian would not comment on reports linking Chelsea with Liverpool’s Fernando Torres, insisting he does not need another striker.

Ancelotti also rebuffed suggestions of Ashley Cole joining Real Madrid.

‘Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka come back in the next days, and we also have Daniel Sturridge — so I don’t think we need other strikers. I’m happy to have this squad at the moment.

‘Cole will be important for us next season. 100 per cent. We have to maintain the same feeling.’

Chelsea began their pre-season campaign by beating Crystal Palace 1-0 on Saturday, thanks to a left-foot Michael Essien drive after 60 minutes.

It was the 27-year-old’s first appearance since injuring his left knee training with Ghana for the Africa Cup of Nations in January.

He said: ‘The knee is good. There is no more pain.’

Nigeria midfielder John Mikel Obi completed his comeback after a knee operation in May. Centre-half Alex, who is also returning from knee surgery, played an hour.

Chelsea Boost As Ozil's Werder Talks Collapse

Mesut Ozil could join Chelsea or Real Madrid after his club Werder Bremen failed to strike a fresh deal with the player.

The 21-year-old has entered the final year of his contract and talks to extend the deal failed to succeed at the weekend.

Ozil can now leave on a free transfer next summer, prompting Bremen to cash in on one of the stars of the World Cup.

Interested clubs would have to cough up around £22million.

“We had hoped to reach agreement after the World Cup, but we could not find a solution,” said Klaus Allofs, the Bremen sporting director.

Chelsea Youngster Jeffrey Bruma To Sign Loan Deal With Wolfsburg

Chelsea starlet Jeffrey Bruma is reported to be close to going out on loan to Wolfsburg.

The manager of the Bundesliga club, Steve McClaren, was interested in the young defender during his time at Twente, according to The Mirror.

And he is now believed to be viewing the 18-year-old as an important target during the current transfer window.

It is believed that the Blues do not see the versatile defender - who can play at right-back as well as in the centre of defence - as a player who could break into the first-team in the upcoming season, and are consequently willing to let the talented Dutchman go out on loan to the German heavyweights.

Bruma made an appearance for Chelsea in their 1-0 pre-season friendly victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Wigan Athletic Plotting Loan Move For Chelsea Striker Franco Di Santo

Wigan Athletic are reported to be interested in signing Chelsea striker Franco Di Santo on loan.

The tall forward spent last season on loan with Blackburn Rovers, but managed to score only once in 22 appearances in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old is now rumoured to be surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, and has been linked with moves away from the club.

The Mirror reports that the Latics are interested in taking the former Audax Italiano hitman on loan to the DW Stadium, amidst interest from Bolton Wanderers, Feyenoord and Twente.

If the potential transfer of Di Santo reaches fruition, the striker could be paired alongside fellow Argentine forward Mauro Boselli by Wigan manager Roberto Martinez.

Former Chelsea Striker Ben Sahar To Rejoin Hapoel Tel Aviv

Former Chelsea striker Ben Sahar is set to rejoin his boyhood club Hapoel Tel Aviv.

IMScouting has learned that the deal between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Sahar's current club, Espanyol, will be finalized in the next 48 hours.

Espanyol are demanding €100,000 for a one-year loan, while Hapoel just want to pay his €400,000-per-year salary, but the two sides are close to an agreement.

Maccabi Haifa - the former club of new Chelsea signing Yossi Benayoun, Everton striker Yakubu Ayegbeni and ex-Souhampton, West Ham, Celtic and Manchester City star Eyal Berkovitz – were also interested in Sahar, but the 20-year-old appears to be heading to the Israeli Double winners.

The player was initially reluctant to leave La Liga, but after a talk with Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino, he understood it would be the best move for his career.

"His dream is to play every weekend and we cannot promise that," said Pochettino. "Hapoel can assure him first-team football, whereas here we have many players vying for his position."

"He wants to grow while remaining a member of Espanyol, and this is his opportunity," he continued.

Sahar has failed to settle since leaving Hapoel Tel Aviv in 2006 in a dream move to Chelsea.

After two years and just three appearances for the Blues, Sahar went out on loan to QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Portsmouth and Dutch side De Graafschap Doetinchem, before signing for Espanyol for €1 million in 2009.

Sahar made 22 appearancs for the La Liga outfit last season, scoring just the one goal.

Carlo Ancelotti: Joe Cole Left Chelsea Because Of An 'Economic Problem'

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Joe Cole's decision to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of last season was purely down to economics and was nothing personal.

Ancelotti maintains that he enjoyed a positive working relationship with the England midfielder and was more than happy with his performances for the team.

The Italian admits that he would have preferred the player to stay but also asserts that the 28-year-old's exit was nothing to do with him.

"No, because the problem was economic," Ancelotti told reporters.

"It was a problem between the club and Joe Cole, not me. We spoke about this but when the problem is with money, it is not my problem.

"It is difficult to keep a player all the time in one squad.

"I think Joe Cole, like Michael Ballack and Julian Belletti, did a fantastic job. I want to thank them but now is the time to change."

Crowds Boo Ashley Cole At Campbell's Wedding

Love rat Ashley Cole was booed when he turned up at old team-mate Sol Campbell's wedding.

Crowds gathered to watch guests arrive for the marriage between Arsenal and former England defender Sol and girlfriend Fiona Barratt.

Man United's Rio Ferdinand, old Arsenal heroes Martin Keown and David Seaman and celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott all got a cheer.

But when Chelsea's Cole, 29, arrived at the church just a few miles from where estranged wife Cheryl Tweedy, 27, grew up he was greeted by jeers.

One onlooker said: "The crowd was having real fun cheering famous guests. But when Cole arrived he got booed. He definitely heard it."

Sol, 35, wed Fiona, 29, granddaughter of housebuilding tycoon Sir Lawrie Barratt, at St Andrew's Church in Corbridge, Northumberland.

Local Jane Brooke, 32, said: "She looked beautiful."

The couple have been together since 2005.

Mixed Results For Young Blues

There was plenty of Chelsea involvement in the first round of matches of the European Under 19 Championships in northern France.

Gael Kakuta got the hosts off to the perfect start against Holland, opening the scoring with a fine solo goal after 20 minutes of their 4-1 win and going on to play the entire game.

Jacob Mellis was a 77th minute substitute for England in their 3-2 win over Austria, replacing Tottenham's John Bostock in midfield. Former Chelsea Academy player Frank Nouble scored twice to secure the win for the English.

Fabio Borini captained Italy against Portugal and Jacopo Sala also started, but the Blues pair were on the wrong end of a 2-0 result that leaves them plenty of work to do if they want to reach the semi-finals.

Sala was substituted on 54 minutes, Borini on 80.

In that group's other game, Spain beat Croatia 2-1. Matej Delac, who has signed a pre-contract agreement to play for Chelsea, played the entire 90 minutes in goal for the Croats.

Chelsea Coach Carlos Ancelotti Rules Out Signing Of Fernando Torres From Liverpool

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti has indicated that he is not interested in signing striker Fernando Torres from fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool this summer.

The Spanish international striker, who won the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa, has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with a number of top European clubs supposedly keen on signing the former Atletico Madrid forward.

Last season's Premier League winners Chelsea were one of the clubs reportedly keen on landing Torres, but Blues' coach Carlo Ancelotti has now ruled out a move for the 26-year-old.

Speaking at a press conference after Saturday's 1-0 friendly win at Crystal Palace, the 51-year-old Italian said, "I don't think we need any other strikers. Nothing has changed, because in the next few days [Didier] Drogba, [Nicolas] Anelka and [Salomon] Kalou will return - and we have [Daniel] Sturridge."

Ancelotti Hails Returning Star And Fires Message To Mourinho

Michael Essien made a goalscoring return to action following his six-month lay-off to give Double winners Chelsea victory at Crystal Palace.

Ghana midfielder Essien, out since December with a cruciate knee ligament injury and who also missed his country’s World Cup heroics, managed an hour as Chelsea kicked off their pre-season.

Essien, 27, who started in a side made up mostly of reserve team players like Ryan Betrand, scored with a left-foot shot from the edge of the area and was substituted immediately afterwards.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “Michael is very important to this team. He has come back very well and is a fantastic player.”

With one star back, Ancelotti is bent on keeping another, warning Jose Mourinho that he is wasting his time pursuing Ashley Cole. Former Chelsea boss Mourinho is eager to be reunited with Cole and the Real Madrid coach is weighing up a £30million bid for the England ­left-back.

Ancelotti said: “I haven’t spoken with Ashley – we don’t need to.

“He had a fantastic season last year and is going to be an important player for us this season. He will remain with us, 100 per cent.”

Ancelotti has also cooled his interest in Fernando Torres, with the price tag proving the major stumbling block. Liverpool wants at least £50m for Spain’s World Cup winner Torres and now Ancelotti claims he is happy with his current squad.

He said: “Nothing has changed. We have lots of good strikers so we don’t need more. The transfer window is still open but I am very happy to continue with this squad who has won the Double.

England World Cup flops John Terry, Frank Lampard and Cole are back this week. But Ancelotti said: “The World Cup is in the past. It was not good for them but I think the club is a different story.”

Holloway Eyes Sinclair Reunion

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway is plotting an ambitious bid for Chelsea starlet Scott Sinclair.

Holloway discovered the England Under-21 winger as a 10-year-old schoolboy when in charge at Bristol Rovers and he played under the Tangerines boss during a loan spell at Plymouth in 2008.

He spent last season on loan at Wigan but failed to convince Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti he is ready to command a regular role at Stamford Bridge.

The Blackpool boss also has designs on strengthening his back line with West Ham's Danny Gabbidon earmarked as a potential target.

However, West Ham's valuation of the player may scupper the deal with the newly-promoted Seasiders wanting to capture him for less than £500,000.

Chelsea Join Manchester Duo In The Race For Mario Balotelli

With no secrets being made of the potential bidding war that could break out between Manchester United and Manchester City as the pair look to sign Inter hitman Mario Balotelli, it now seems that Chelsea may also throw themselves into the ring, according to the player's agent Mino Raiola.

"I have had contact with a few teams," Balotelli’s agent declared to SkySports.

“The papers keep talking about Manchester United and City, but I will keep the names of the others to myself.”

Raiola was then probed as to whether Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea are one of the other contenders looking to secure the services of the hitman.

"Are Chelsea keen? Why not?” Raiola concluded.