Alex, Malouda to receive improved Chelsea contracts

Chelsea are ready to offer new contracts to Alex and Florent Malouda.

The London Evening Standard says Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti is set to offer new deals to Alex and Florent Malouda as the Italian shapes his Chelsea team for next season.

Malouda was expected to be sold this summer but has won over the fans and the hierarchy after a string of impressive performances in the last two months of the season.

The French international, who joined from Lyon for £13.5million in 2007, had struggled for consistency but is now feeling settled at Stamford Bridge. He is likely to face more competition for his place on the left of midfield next season with the arrival of Yuri Zhirkov from CSKA Moscow.

But Malouda, who starred in the club's win over Everton at Wembley, is ready for the fight after being told by Chelsea they want him to stay.

Malouda said: "We will have a meeting at the beginning of June. Both parties want to carry on. It's a wonderful experience but just the beginning. I hope in the next years you will see me win many, many trophies.

"When you play so many high-profile games you get the experience and confidence that comes with it. I hope to share joy and happiness with the fans.”

When asked if he is ready to compete with Zhirkov should he arrive, Malouda added: “Of course. It's just the beginning because with Ashley Cole on the left we have confidence so it gives us a lot for the next years.”

Malouda has only 12 months of his deal left to run but is expected to get a two-year extension with a pay rise from £50,000 a week to around £65,000 a week.

Alex is also going to be rewarded for a number of impressive displays this season with a three-year deal that will see his salary increase to £60,000 a week. His current contract expires next year but the new agreement will ensure the defender remains at the club until 2013.

Chelsea elbow Real Madrid out of way for Valencia's Villa

Chelsea are threatening to trump Real Madrid for Valencia striker David Villa.

AS says Real have pulled out of the battle for Villa after new president Florentino Perez decided not to go higher than £30 million for the Spain international.

Valencia are asking closer to £40 million - which is due to Chelsea's fresh interest, that has only arrived this week.

Shevchenko unhappy returning to Chelsea

Andriy Shevchenko is unhappy about returning to Chelsea.

A spokesman for the 32-year-old confirmed yesterday he is expected to return to Stamford Bridge after the summer break as his one-year loan deal is up at AC Milan.

“He’s due back at Chelsea,” said the spokesman to the Daily Star. “He has been told they want to see what happens up until Christmas.

“He’s not optimistic, considering the amount of playing time he was given at Milan.”

Chelsea eyeing cash boost from Mutu case

Chelsea could be set for a new cash boost courtesy of former striker Adrian Mutu.

The Guardian says Carlo Ancelotti's transfer spending could be funded by a player he tried to sign for Milan last summer if sport's highest court upholds a £14.87m compensation award to Chelsea.

Mutu was sacked by Chelsea following a positive test for cocaine use in 2004, which prompted the club to embark on a five-year pursuit for compensation. The outcome is due soon, following Mutu's final appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in March.

CAS had already been involved in the case when it said that the world governing body, Fifa, should calculate what compensation was due, and the figure it reached was £14.87m. Mutu demanded the Fifa award be annulled.

AC Milan striker Pato aware of "Chelsea reports"

AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato insists he doesn't want to follow coach Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea.

The 19-year-old Brazilian - who scored 15 goals in Serie A last season - is being strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge to follow manager Ancelotti.

But he told Gazzetta dello Sport: "I have read the reports linking me with Chelsea, but my agent and the club deal with this type of thing. I want to win everything with Milan."

Bayerm Munich insist Chelsea, Real Madrid target Ribery not for sale

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has again stated Franck Ribery is not for sale.

Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea are all chasing Ribery, but Hoeness said: "There will be enquiries for Ribery in the next four to six weeks, I'm sure.

"But we have not had any decisive enquiry and we are not interested in any of the rumours in the English press.

"We will be polite, but we will not negotiate. We are not going to celebrate on the telephone when somebody offers a certain amount."

CSKA Moscow star Zhirkov still waiting for Chelsea offer

CSKA Moscow winger Yuri Zhirkov is in the dark over a move to Chelsea.

"I honestly know as much about it as everyone else," he told Sport Express ahead of Russia's impending 2010 World Cup qualifier against Finland.

"I read the papers, listen to the radio and I am genuinely surprised, given that no actual offer from Chelsea exists."

While distancing himself from a switch to Stamford Bridge at the present time, Zhirkov did admit he would be open to a move to West London should a suitable opportunity arise.

"Clearly we are talking about one of the best clubs in the world, who regularly compete at the highest level," he added.

"It is very possible that I would say yes. But before that I would have to weigh up the pros and cons. To sit on the bench and only get on the pitch from time to time doesn't interest me, not even at Chelsea.

"Moreover, I have nothing to lose (by staying in Moscow), given that CSKA now have a very interesting team who will begin competing in the Champions League in the autumn."

Chelsea chief Kenyon on margins of Ancelotti deal

Chelsea chief Peter Kenyon was not involved in negotiations for coach Carlo Ancelotti, it has been revealed.

The Guardian says Ancelotti's negotiations to join Chelsea apparently took place without the involvement of Kenyon, casting further doubt on the part being played at the club by the chief executive.

After meetings with the club owner, Roman Abramovich, last year Ancelotti negotiated his move from Milan with the Chelsea sporting director, Frank Arnesen, sources in Italy have revealed.

Kenyon was on holiday when Chelsea sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari as their coach last ­February but, despite persistent rumours that he was on the verge of ­leaving, the club has always said he was there to stay.

Chelsea have countered previous speculation about Kenyon's departure with the claim he will be responsible for transfer negotiations this summer.

Chelsea hope to trump Real Madrid with mega Kaka contract offer

Chelsea refuse to give up on landing AC Milan star Kaka, despite his expected agreement with Real Madrid.

The Times says Real have an agreement in place with AC Milan to sign the Brazil forward for a staggering €65 million (£56.2 million).

Real had offered the player a five-year contract on a salary of £150,000 a week after tax. However, sources in Milan said that Chelsea — who were also targeting Andrea Pirlo — had offered the player “extraordinary” personal terms after they were advised that there was a hitch in the Kaká deal.

Chelsea will try to persuade Kaká to come to Stamford Bridge and join up with Carlo Ancelotti, his former coach at the San Siro who is now in charge at the Barclays Premier League club.

Kaká, who is on international duty, is believed to favour Real, but, in a further twist last night, Bosco Leite, the player’s agent and father, halted talks with the Spanish club after the interest shown by Chelsea and disagreements over his agent’s commission.

Ancelotti wants Chelsea's Drogba on long-term deal

Carlo Ancelotti wants Didier Drogba to stay at Chelsea.

The Daily Mail says the Italian has convinced owner Roman Abramovich to perform a U-turn over Drogba and offer the striker a new three-year contract despite his outburst after Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona.

Ancelotti hopes to use MilanLab methods on Chelsea veterans

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti hopes to use the techniques learned at AC Milan to extend the careers of his veteran players.

The Daily Mail says the new Stamford Bridge manager is due to meet Glen Driscoll, Chelsea’s physical conditioning coach, to talk him through a pre-season training programme designed to extend the careers of an ageing squad.

Originally formulated inside the closely guarded MilanLab, buried deep inside Milan’s training ground near Lake Como, a team of technicians used the programme to extend the careers of Alessandro Costacurta, who retired at 41, and Paolo Maldini, who quit at the end of this season aged 40.

The secrets of the age-defying process are in Ancelotti’s briefcase, perfect for a club with nine players over the age of 30 - the team Sir Alex Ferguson famously predicted had peaked under Jose Mourinho.

Chelsea’s pre-season programme, which begins when Ancelotti addresses the squad for the first time on July 1, will involve rigorous testing of the players’ physical condition, their ability with the ball and a psychological analysis.

It is the programme used on Andriy Shevchenko when Milan agreed to sell him to Chelsea for £31million, and correctly identified that the striker was past his best.

David Beckham spent three hours in the MilanLab with Dr Jean-Pierre Meersseman, Milan’s head of medical science, when he joined on loan from LA Galaxy in January.

Beckham passed the three hour ordeal, which also involved tests on eyesight and teeth and a thorough examination of his medical records, before his loan was approved.

One test showed he had a higher VO2 max - the volume of oxygen that can be absorbed at maximum capacity - than many younger players.

That session convinced Beckham that he could prolong his career beyond his predicted retirement age of 35, having been told by Dr Meersseman that it is possible to emulate the achievements of Maldini or even Costacurta if he followed their procedures.

Chelsea’s players will undergo similarly thorough tests.

AC Milan's Zambrotta backs Ancelotti for Chelsea success

AC Milan fullback Gianluca Zambrotta says Carlo Ancelotti will be a success at Chelsea.

"I am sorry above all to have lost a great personality in the coach (Ancelotti) for what he has given to everybody," said the Italy international.

"He has already won everything there was to win and has a wealth of experience."

However, Zambrotta claims there is one way in which Ancelotti can improve.

Ancelotti is embarking on his first adventure outside of Italy and, if his first official interview as Chelsea coach on Monday is anything to go by, he still has a lot of ground to make up in his grasp of the English language.

"Above all, he needs to improve his language skills because I heard him talking and his English is still a bit at schoolboy level," Zambrotta told Sky television with a wry smile.

"Joking aside, he is a great coach and I don't think there is much advice you can give him."

Ancelotti on £1M bonus to win Champions League at Chelsea

Carlo Ancelotti is on a seven-figure bonus to win the Champions League for Chelsea.

The Times says Ancelotti is under no illusions regarding the huge expectation that will greet him when he reports for duty at training next month.

He accepts that he must mount a strong challenge in all four competitions. Success in the Champions League will bring a £1 million bonus on top of his £6.5 million-a-year salary.

Chelsea confident landing AC Milan coach Galli

Chelsea are continuing talks with AC Milan over assistant coach Filippo Galli.

New Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti wants Galli, a former Watford coach, to join him at Stamford Bridge.

The Times says Chelsea are continuing negotiations with Milan to bring Galli to London as assistant manager and are confident of getting their man, although Ancelotti has expressed a willingness to work with Ray Wilkins, the assistant first-team coach, irrespective of whether Galli is recruited.

Leonardo, the new Milan coach, confirmed yesterday that Mauro Tassotti would be staying at the club as assistant coach, leaving the door open for Galli to leave.

Abramovich plans for greater Chelsea involvement with Ancelotti

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is hoping to have more involvement in the club following the arrival of new coach Carlo Ancelotti.

An associate of Abramovich admitted to the Daily Star: “Roman likes Ancelotti because he has won the Champions League twice – but he has done nothing in the league for years.

“The big factor in him being chosen is Roman wants to be totally involved in everything.

“He will decide which players are bought and he knows with Ancelotti it will be easy to do this. Many people think at Milan that Silvio Berlusconi was the one deciding who to buy. In fact (vice-president) Adriano Galliani is the main man when it comes to transfers.”

Last night a source close to Ancelotti insisted the coach was no pushover.

He said: “It’s true at Milan the players were often not his choice but look what happened with Andriy Shevchenko. Berlusconi brought him back from Chelsea but Carlo did not play him.

“Similarly with Ronaldinho no matter what reputation he might have, he was left out if he was not playing well.

“Carlo will not let others walk all over him. When it comes to picking the team he will stand his ground.”

AC Milan's Gattuso: Ancelotti can handle big Chelsea egos

AC Milan ace Rino Gattuso says Carlo Ancelotti can handle the egos inside the Chelsea dressing room.

Former Rangers star Gattuso told The Sun: "That will not be a problem for him, not a problem at all.

"If there are any attitudes that do not fit in with his way of thinking at Chelsea, they will learn very quickly they need to change that attitude.

"In England, Alex Ferguson is famous for his treatment in the dressing room when things are not as he wants, and the same is true with Carlo. When he is not happy you will know about it.

"He does not act that way to try to be a big man or because he likes the sound of his own voice. He does it because he knows it is for the good of the team.

"Ferguson and Carlo are two of the most successful managers in the world, so it proves their methods are right. With Carlo, the players are under no doubt who is boss.

"I know Mourinho left a big legacy at Chelsea - and perhaps that has not helped managers who have joined since he has left. But Carlo can create a bigger legacy than that of Jose - of that I am sure.

"Carlo is an expert in the Champions League and that is still something Chelsea are missing, even though they have come close.

"If anybody can guide them to the biggest prize it will be Carlo, there is nobody more qualified."

Ancelotti confirmed as new Chelsea boss

Carlo Ancelotti has been named as Chelsea's new manager on a three-year contract at Stamford Bridge, commencing July 1st.

A statement on the club's website said: "Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job.

"He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for, and have been successful in, major domestic and European competitions.

"He also had a highly successful playing career in those competitions and therefore brings unparalleled all round experience to the job.

"We are sure everybody at Chelsea will give him a warm welcome and we are all looking forward to working with him."
The 49-year-olds appointment is Chelsea’s fifth manager in less than two years following Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Guus Hiddink.

Speaking to Chelsea TV he said: "Milan for me was a great experience. For five years I played with a great team - we had a lot of success - and eight years to train a great team.

"Now I think it is time to change and Chelsea for me was a great opportunity, a great team.

"Now I think it is the right moment for a new challenge and I want to put all my energy for Chelsea."

The Champions League title is the only trophy Chelsea have not won since Roman Abramovich took over at Stamford Bridge.

"There will be the same pressure because Chelsea are a great team in Europe," Ancelotti added. "They want to win all the competitions.

"For me the Champions League is a beautiful sensation. When I played I won it two times, it was a fantastic moment and the same thing when I was a coach in Milan.

"The Champions League for me is the best competition in the world."

Ancelotti continued: "For me (English) is not easy but I want to learn and I want to improve.

"I have the time and when we start the season I will speak well. It is important for me to speak with the players, the team, the assistant and all the operators that will work with me."

Chelsea owner Abramovich targets AC Milan playmaker Pirlo

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is ready to test AC Milan's resolve over Andrea Pirlo.

Gazzetta dello Sport says Abramovich is prepared to offer mega bucks for Pirlo, who would follow coach Carlo Ancelotti to Chelsea in the summer.

Pirlo, 30, insists he is happy at Milan, but is close to Ancelotti and wouldn't reject a move to England out of hand.

Chelsea fear being messed around by Ancelotti

Chelsea have made a take-it-or-leave-it final demand to AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti.

The News of the World says the Milan coach has signed a pre-contract deal with the Stamford Bridge club for a three-year deal worth an incredible £18.6MILLION tax free.

The Italian flew into London for further talks about his backroom staff last week and his move looked sorted. But since then Milan have dramatically made Ancelotti a counter-offer of a new four-year deal at the San Siro worth £4.4m-a-year tax free - or £17.6m in total.

And Italian sources say they are now increasingly confident he will reject Blues owner Roman Abramovich's offer and stay put in Milan.

Chelsea are so worried about losing their man at the last minute they have demanded assurances from Ancelotti that he is still coming to join them.

A close friend said: "When Ancelotti signed his pre-contract with Chelsea things were not good at Milan. It seemed best for him to move on and so the offer from Abramovich was irresistible.

"But it is not looking so irresistible now as Milan are in fine form. Five wins in a row, eight matches unbeaten and on course for the Champions League.

"The whole mood at Milan has changed. They were talking to technical area manager Leonardo De Araujo about taking over from Ancelotti but not anymore - now all they are interested in is keeping the man they've got. And they feel they are winning the argument.

"Ancelotti likes his life in Italy and is happy and secure at Milan where he has a great relationship with Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani - warm and friendly.

"He's worried he won't have the same warm relationship with Roman Abramovich and Frank Arnesen at Chelsea. Or the same control as he does at Milan.

"So there are growing doubts in his mind and instead of it being a closed deal it is now 50-50 whether Ancelotti stays or goes."

Hiddink set to take Chelsea board position

Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink is set to be offered a role with the club's board.

The Mail on Sunday says the Dutchman insisted he cannot continue as boss beyond the FA Cup final but, with John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole lobbying for him to stay, he has confirmed he is considering a permanent role at Stamford Bridge.

Hiddink is likely to return in the autumn as an advisor after his duties with the Russian national side and may even end up as director of football once his contract with Russia ends next year.

Hiddink said: "I have respected the club by working here in an intrinsic way over the last few weeks and months. So I think there shall be always a relation in the near future. Whether it's official or in any particular function, I don't know. But I like to be involved. This is a very beautiful club."

Hiddink made it clear a formal role was unlikely in the short term because he needs to give 'full energy' to his work in Russia.

But it seems certain he will be called upon in some capacity, even if Chelsea opt for Carlo Ancelotti as first-team coach.