Chelsea: Chelsea...

It seems Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink can leave Chelsea for free - just three years after costing a club record �15million....

Well i cant believe that he is a great goal scorer but didnt have a great last season mainly due to injury....But who would pay his wages as he is on aboit 60,000 a week..

Chelsea striker Gianfranco Zola will weigh up all his options before making a decision on his playing future in the coming days.

The former Italy international's contract with Chelsea ended this season and the diminutive playmaker has yet to decide on a new deal.

"I will evaluate the situation in the coming week, taking into account not only sporting considerations," said Zola in Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 36-year-old, currently on holiday in Sardinia, has spent the last seven seasons with Chelsea and may opt to finish his career in Italy.

Serie A side Udinese and second division Siena are thought to be interested in acquiring Zola's services, as are Serie B Cagliari, who have reportedly offered the former Parma man an annual contract worth �430,000.

Zola, who could also decide to return to his home island of Sardinia where he began his football career, has not ruled out staying with his current club.

"I am really well at Chelsea," he said.

Chelsea have agreed a three-year deal with Italian goalkeeper Marco Ambrosio.

The 30-year-old has been number two at Serie A upstarts Chievo for the last two seasons but becomes a free agent this summer and can sign for the Blues on a free transfer on July 1.

He is expected to compete with another new arrival, Austrian stopper Jurgen Macho, for the number two slot behind Carlo Cudicini.

Ambrosio's appearances for Chievo were chiefly limited to cup matches but he was brought to London on the recommendation of Chelsea's goalkeeping coach Giorgio Pellizzaro.

The Italian's arrival is designed to free up England Under-20 goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley for a loan move to gain first-team experience away from Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri has declared his interest in signing Argentina great Gabriel Batistuta.

The 34-year-old striker was loaned out to Inter Milan from Roma last season but has revealed a desire to move to the Premiership when he becomes a free agent this season.

Ranieri told The Sun: "We need players with more experience so we can do better in the Champions League.

"I also think he could be a success in the Premiership, despite his age, because football is so attacking in England.

"We are preparing various signings for next season but within the confines of what we can afford. Some are very advanced. Batistuta has been offered to us but the deal is not done yet.

"I know South American players well and I do not think that if Batistuta came here it would be just to earn more money."

Now this is one man who i would love to see play in the premier league before its too late and he has lost his touch due to age...

Borussia Monchengladbach are resigned to losing Finland international Mikael Forssell after the loan striker decided to return to Chelsea.

The 22-year-old informed Gladbach's director of sport Christian Hochstatter of his decision on the eve of the Finland's Euro 2004 qualifier against Italy.

Forssell went to Gladbach on loan after a nine-month injury lay off and his nine goals fuelled the club's successful fight against relegation from the Bundesliga.

Hochstatter said: "He told me that he has to return to Chelsea, and that is a fact we just have to accept."

I think he may fancy his chances what with zola undecided and hasslebaink out of favour...

Chelsea are after Morientes from Real, apprantly Madrid are willing to sell and a bid of around 5m would see him switch.

Originally posted by TeflonDon
Chelsea are after Morientes from Real, apprantly Madrid are willing to sell and a bid of around 5m would see him switch.

That would be a good signing what with hasslebaink out of sorts and zola undecided on his future..

He is a very good striker and would score bags of goals in England. Amazing that he can't get a game at Real, they are the Harlem Globetrotters of world football.

It is strange that he doesnt get in the side,he has been linked with a few clubs over the past couple of seasons and must be frustrated that he hasnt moved on as sitting out of the team can't be what he wants...

Gianfranco Zola swapped the Champions League for the less glamorous surroundings of Serie B on Wednesday but the little Italian admits he could not be happier to have joined Cagliari.

Zola rejected the offer of a new deal from Chelsea to move back to Sardinia after seven successful years at Stamford Bridge.

And although he conceded it was a wrench to leave west London, the lure of returning to his homeland was, ultimately, too great.

It's a shame he has left the Premiership as he was a great little player....

Chelsea's new owner Roman Abramovich launched a charm offensive as he pushed ahead with his �150m takeover by targeting Chelsea Village's remaining shareholders.

The billionaire Russian swept into power on Tuesday night when he forked out �29.6m to snap up a 50.09% stake in the club's parent company, giving chairman Ken Bates a �17.5m windfall.

The 36-year-old oil magnate, who flew into London this morning, is now targeting the holders of the remaining 49.91% of shares as he completes his �59.3m buy-out.

Abramovich, who is expected to have to pay another �90m to clear Chelsea Village's debts, will write to every shareholder inside the next seven days and give them three weeks to accept his offer of 35p per share - 15% more than the closing share price on Monday.

And the businessman - worth an estimated �3.8bn and expected to have three representatives on Chelsea Village's new board of directors - has moved to allay fears expressed about his spectacular takeover.

Roman Abramovich's takeover at Chelsea appears to have set the good times rolling again at Stamford Bridge.

Never in its history has the club been so cash-rich. In fact, the sport as a whole has not seen anything like it, if reports about the money being pumped in by the Russian oil billionaire are to be believed.

A day does not go by without Chelsea being linked to one of the world's leading players. On Sunday it was Everton's Wayne Rooney for �30million. In the days previous to that it was Paris St Germain striker Ronaldinho, AC Milan defender Alessandro Nesta and Juventus midfielder Edgar Davids.

There was also patently ridiculous talk of bringing Arsenal duo Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry across London.

Who will it be tomorrow? Raul, Zinedine Zidane, Pele, Roy of the Rovers?

All this speculation has been stirred up by a reported �150m pot of cash being made available by the Blues' new owner, who bought out Stamford Bridge stalwart Ken Bates last week.

Teams in the Premiership, and indeed the rest of the world, can only look on in envy at the money which is set to be lavished on the club by its heaven-sent sugar daddy in order to make it great again.

Players will come, maybe not the major stars currently being touted as possible targets, as they are lured by the small personal fortunes on offer.

And don't believe the old adage that success cannot be bought, that titles and trophies cannot be accrued through shrewd investment and a policy of outright abandon in the transfer market.

It was achieved as recently as 1995, when Blackburn Rovers - no more than a medium-sized Premiership club at best - claimed the greatest prize in domestic football.

The Chelsea revolution took another step forward on Friday as the club agreed a fee of �6.9million with Real Madrid for Cameroon international midfielder Geremi.

It comes a day after the Blues agreed a fee with West Ham - believed to be in the region of �6million - for England Under-21 defender Glen Johnson, and further underlines the ambition of new owner Roman Abramovich to turn the club into one of the most successful in Europe.

Geremi spent last season at Middlesbrough and was arguably their best player, chipping in with a number of important goals during an impressive loan spell on Teesside.

With Geremi and Johnson on board, it is a case of two down, and any number of further captures to go for the free-spending Russian billionaire Abramovich.

Last week Abramovich was reported to be bankrolling bids for Italy international defender Alessandro Nesta, Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert, Brazilian star Ronaldinho and even Arsenal hero Thierry Henry.

The transfer bandwagon continued to gather pace and in the past 24 hours Chelsea have also been linked with Andrei Shevchenko, Christian Vieri, Edgar Davids, Damien Duff, Wayne Bridge and David Trezeguet.

Juventus claimed to have turned down an approach for Davids on Thursday, while Inter Milan declared they had rejected a bid for Vieri.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich beat Manchester United in the race for Damien Duff and said: We're No 1 in Europe. United boss Alex Ferguson was powerless to match Red Rom's �18million bid for Blackburn winger Damien Duff, 24.

Im not sure if he has actually gone yet.....

Chelsea owner Ramon Abramovich was tonight facing a test of his financial resolve after being blocked in his bids to sign Damien Duff and Edgar Davids.

The resistance being mounted by Blackburn and Juventus to Chelsea's approaches could simply be an attempt to force the Russian billionaire to increase his offers.

Indeed, while Abramovich has now failed with four separate bids to sign Duff from Blackburn, he is hovering tantalisingly just below the �17million fee required to trigger a release clause.

And although Juventus insist they are determined to keep hold of Holland international Davids, he has just one year left on his contract and could leave for free next summer.

Abramovich, who has already agreed fees with West Ham for Glen Johnson and Real Madrid for Geremi, must therefore consider whether to flex his financial muscles even further.

He has other targets in his sights, including Manchester United's Juan Sebastian Veron, even though coach Claudio Ranieri has insisted he knows nothing about a bid for the Argentina international.

However, Duff, a 24-year-old Republic of Ireland winger, is said to be central to the plans of both Abramovich and Ranieri.

Blackburn will now consider the latest approach, which effectively amounted to �17million but only once add-ons were included.

Well as i said i wasnt sure they had duff yet,also it seems Johnson and gerami still have to sign so chelsea havn't actually got anyone yet...

Damien Duff is set to hold talks with Chelsea over a �17 million transfer after pulling out of a pre-season tour to the United States at the last minute following a club record bid.

However, Chelsea chief executive Trevor Birch may yet have to persuade Duff that his future should lie at Stamford Bridge rather than holding out for a possible move to Old Trafford.

Chelsea hope that Duff will become the third recruit to Roman Abramovich's new-look squad, with Geremi being confirmed tonight as a �6.9million signing to join former West Ham defender Glen Johnson.

Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe has admitted that Wayne Bridge will hold the key as to whether he wants to join Chelsea after reports of an improved offer by the West London club.

Lowe did not actually confirm or deny whether Chelsea had made a second bid, believed to be around �7m, after their original offer of �6m had been turned down by the Saints last week.

However, it is understood that Chelsea's new owner Roman Abramovich has given the green light to raise the bid to secure the England international left-back's services.

The Southampton board must now consider whether to accept an improved offer and, if they do, it would be up to Bridge to decide whether to join Chelsea.

Damien Duff aborted a trip to America on Wednesday and prepared to hold talks with Chelsea after they agreed a fee for the Blackburn winger.

The Republic of Ireland star had reported to Manchester Airport with the rest of the Blackburn squad, who were bound for Washington and a 10-day training camp.

But at the 11th hour he was withdrawn from the party and given permission to talk to Chelsea after the clubs finally agreed a fee, believed to be �17m.

The London club had failed with several bids for the 24-year-old, but have had their latest offer accepted.

A statement on Chelsea's website read: "Chelsea and Blackburn have now agreed a fee for Irish international Damien Duff and talks will begin soon.''

Blackburn also confirmed they were in agreement about the sum involved.

They added on their website: "The winger has now withdrawn from the club's trip to America and in order to speak to the London club's representatives.

"The decision on Duff's future now rests with the player himself."

New Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been anxious to secure the services of Duff and it seems the latest bid has activated the clause in the player's contract which would allow him to talk to clubs offering a straight �17m fee.

Duff has flourished during the past three years after Graeme Souness replaced Brian Kidd as manager and maintained a high level of performance in the latter part of last season when he stayed injury free.

Hamstring problems have hampered him, but from March to May he was in irresistible form. He scored six goals in nine games as Blackburn clinched sixth spot in the table and a place in the Uefa Cup for a second successive season.

Duff was also in impressive form for the Republic of Ireland - where he tends to play as a striker rather than on the left wing. He scored the winner against Norway in a friendly in March after finding the target in the victory over Georgia in a Euro 2004 qualifier.

His transfer would be the latest chapter in an astonishing turn-around in fortunes for Chelsea following the arrival of Abramovich.

The Blues completed the �6m signing of full-back Glen Johnson from West Ham last night and Real Madrid midfielder Geremi looks set to move to Stamford Bridge in a �6.9m deal.

Damien Duff has claimed the �17m transfer fee which Chelsea have agreed to pay Blackburn for his services is "a ridiculous price on my head".

The London club, backed by new Russian owner Roman Abramovich, look set to take their summer spending to the �30m mark if Duff agrees to the move.

The Republic of Ireland winger is in talks over the move and could join fellow new-boys Geremi and Glen Johnson at Stamford Bridge shortly.

"It is a stupid price with the way the game has gone," he told the London Evening Standard. "But at the end of the day, it is all about money with football directors."