Arsenal emerge as surprise favourites for Anderlecht star Lukaku

Arsenal are emerging as surprise favourites for Anderlecht superkid Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku has publicly declared his ambition to play for Chelsea, while his agent has confirmed the interest of Juventus this week. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho admitted they tried to sign the youngster last month.

However, Arsenal's interest in Romelu's younger brother Jordan Lukaku, who plays at left-back for Anderlecht and Belgium U17, has swung the pursuit in their favour.

Romelu's parents would rather see the brothers move together to a new club next summer.

Click here for the best Arsenal coverage on the 'net. All your Gunners news and gossip in one spot.

 Arsenal target Marchetti to be released from Cagliari contract

Arsenal target Federico Marchetti could be about to come onto the free market.

Datasport says Cagliari are weighing up releasing the Italy goalkeeper from his contract after he failed to get a move away during the summer.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been linked with Marchetti this week, with the World Cup keeper keen to move abroad.

Click here for the best Manchester City coverage on the 'net. All your City news and gossip in one spot.

 Real Madrid, Man Utd sell most shirts around world

Real Madrid and Manchester United are the two clubs that sell the most shirts around the world.

Real Madrid and Manchester United sell across the world market more than 1 million shirts annually. Sales have been between 1.2 and 1.5 million. The result can only be challenged by Barcelona, which sits in third place with a range between 1 and 1.2 million.

Merchandising works for English clubs, as demonstrated by the 7-900,000 shirts sold each year by Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Click here for the best Manchester United coverage on the 'net. All your United news and gossip in one spot.

 Shevchenko cannot split Chelsea pair Mourinho, Ancelotti

Andriy Shevchenko has refused to criticise his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

Sheva endured a horror time at Chelsea under the Real Madrid coach.

But when the former AC Milan star was asked to compare Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, he replied: "Mourinho and Ancelotti are two special coaches, the top two.

"The way they show their work to the players and the fans makes them very different. I do not make comparisons, it is not right."

Click here for the best Chelsea coverage on the 'net. All your Blues news and gossip in one spot.

 Vieira defends Man City buying spree

Patrick Vieira denies Manchester City's squad is overloaded.

Vieira, who won three league titles with Arsenal and four with Inter Milan, insists current Premier League champions Chelsea are proof that an extensive team is needed to secure silverware.

"When you look at the Chelsea bench they also have a good team on the sidelines," Vieira told the Manchester Evening News.

"But if you want to go from the start to the end you need everyone, and for everyone to be fully committed.

"Anything can happen in the first few months. Eleven players will start the first few games, but there are so many games to play, in so many competitions."

 Chelsea boss Ancelotti: Horrible Zhirkov singing is legend

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti admits Yuri Zhirkovs singing voice is a shocker.

The Italian says Zhirkov's performance upon joining the club is now legend.

Ancelotti explained in his autobiography: “Zhirkov is a midfielder with a host of talents and just one shortcoming: he can’t sing.

“If you want to join this team it’s not enough to sign a contract. There’s another hurdle, and it’s the toughest, where pity isn’t a word, where mercy isn’t shown.

“A player has to make it through karaoke night – a sacred ritual. It was in Los Angeles on our summer tour. The team had been ribbing him for days.

“He stood on a stool and began. I’ve never heard anything that bad. It was a disaster, he didn’t hit one note. Pieces of bread were flying within seconds, followed by pieces of whole fruit. He went on singing like a drowning cat, like a stuck pig, for two solid minutes.

“The entire roster of players refused to take pity on him, refused to interrupt that bloodcurdling cacophony. Petr Cech wanted to put on his helmet to protect his ears. Zhirkov still hasn’t fully recovered from the trauma.”

 West Ham chief Sullivan plans Green contract talks

West Ham United have confirmed plans to open new contract talks with goalkeeper Robert Green.

Green, 30, should be fit for Saturday's clash at home to leaders Chelsea after having minor surgery last week to repair a niggling injury.

He has more than two years left on his contract, worth £35,000 a week.

And Sullivan said: "We want to sit down with him in the summer and talk to him about extending it even further as a sign of our commitment to him."

 Arsenal rocked by Van Persie injury

Arsenal fear kicking off their Champions League tilt without Robin van Persie.

Van Persie could miss their first three Champions League group games.

And the Dutch ace is also out of the October 3 trip to Chelsea after learning his ankle injury is worse than feared.

Van Persie, 27, had hoped to be back inside a month after he was crocked at Blackburn on August 28.

But boss Arsene Wenger has been told the striker will not return until mid-October, ruling him out of Euro games at home to Braga and Shakhtar Donetsk plus Gunners' trip to Partizan.

 Tottenham boss Redknapp expects Jagielka to make way for Man Utd defender Ferdinand

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes England's defensive heroes will have to make way for their senior teammates in the next round of Euro qualifiers.

In his column for The Sun, Redknapp wrote: "I'm sure many will look at the England line-up and start talking about the players who missed out on the World Cup and that they are the redemption for manager Capello.

"Well, as talented as the likes of Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka are, they are not as good as John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

"And I'm sure the Chelsea captain and Manchester United's finest will be back at the heart of England's defence as soon as they are match-fit.

"England simply did to Switzerland what they are expected to do to teams like that."

 Zhirkov casts doubt on Chelsea future

Yuri Zhirkov admits he is considering his future at Chelsea.

Zenit St Petersburg and Spartak Moscow are both monitoring the Russian, who saw his first season blighted by knee injuries after an £18million move to Stamford Bridge from CSKA Moscow last year.

As a left winger or full back, he is behind Ashley Cole and Florent Malouda at Chelsea and he said: "I’ll certainly get a chance in the next few months and I’ll try to use it completely.

"Then, in the winter, everything will probably depend on whether I got this chance and how I used it.

"We are currently in brilliant form and getting past Malouda and Cole is problematic. Everyone understands about the competition: once you are on the bench you can be there for a long time. But I will definitely get a chance.

"The thoughts when you are watching your team play are always the same: you support, worry and your soul wants to be on the pitch to help."

Click here for the best Chelsea coverage on the 'net. All your Blues news and gossip in one spot.

 Man City defender Toure: No rift with Chelsea striker Drogba

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure says he and Chelsea star Didier Drogba are all square.

Toure admitted to rows with Ivory Coast team-mate Drogba but said they have now settled their differences.

The defender has been portrayed as a bad influence in the Elephants squad after being ousted as captain by Drogba, 32.

But he added: "There is no problem between us.

"The proof is the fact we phone one another and speak like brothers."

Click here for the best Manchester City coverage on the 'net. All your City news and gossip in one spot.

 Chelsea winger Zhirkov: Daughter name no call to AC Milan!

Chelsea winger Yuri Zhirkov has explained why he's named his new daughter Milan.

Zhirkov admitted before moving to Chelsea that he marvelled at AC Milan and Barcelona rather than English football when he was a youngster, and he has named his newborn daughter Milan.

But he joked: "Now all I have to do is change my son’s name to Milan and (AC Milan owner Silvio) Berlusconi will finally understand. I am joking, but all over the internet it will say that Zhirkov wants to go to AC Milan."

Click here for the best Chelsea coverage on the 'net. All your Blues news and gossip in one spot.

 Reading chasing West Brom striker Cox

West Bromwich Albion striker Simon Cox is wanted by former club Reading.

Cox could rejoin old club Reading on loan after failing to force his way into Roberto di Matteo’s plans.

Cox, 23, began his career at the Madejski Stadium before joining Swindon and then completing a £1.5m move to the Hawthorns in July 2009.

Reading-born Cox has played just 23 minutes of league football this season as a substitute in West Brom’s 6-0 opening day defeat at Chelsea. Reading want him to replace Gylfi Sigurdsson who joined Hoffenheim for £6m.

Click here for the best West Bromwich Albion coverage on the 'net. All your Baggies news and gossip in one spot.

 Villa coach Cowans praises Sidwell attitude

Aston Villa reserves coach Gordon Cowans praised Steve Sidwell over his return to action this week.

Sidwell was back from an Achilles injury for Villa's 4-0 reserves victory over Blackpool.

Cowans impressed with Sidwell's attitude, he felt the former Chelsea and Arsenal player set a fine example to the younger players.

He told AVTV "I thought Steve Sidwell's attitude was spot on.

"He was fantastic and he worked up and down. He didn't shirk anything, put himself about and put on a good performance.

"That passes on things to the younger lads and, when you get someone setting an example like he did, it is great for the kids to see that."

Click here for the best Aston Villa coverage on the 'net. All your Villans news and gossip in one spot.

 Laudrup battles against cancer

Former Denmark forward and Rangers star Brian Laudrup has revealed he is undergoing treatment for cancer, reports The Sun.

The 41-year-old, who enjoyed a highly successful spell with Rangers from 1994-98 during which time he won three league titles, has been diagnosed with a mild form of lymphoma.

He said: "I am obviously shocked by the diagnosis, but also know that there is now a tough battle ahead of me — a battle I will win.

"Fortunately, I have had very optimistic reports from doctors to support me."

The former Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, Chelsea and Ajax star added: "I now want to use my energy to get over the shock and take time with my family and those closest to me, so together we can move forward after this diagnosis."

Need your Rangers news fix? Click here for all Gers news and transfer rumours.

 Arsenal emerge as surprise favourites for Anderlecht star Lukaku

Arsenal are emerging as surprise favourites for Anderlecht superkid Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku has publicly declared his ambition to play for Chelsea, while his agent has confirmed the interest of Juventus this week. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho admitted they tried to sign the youngster last month.

However, Arsenal's interest in Romelu's younger brother Jordan Lukaku, who plays at left-back for Anderlecht and Belgium U17, has swung the pursuit in their favour.

Romelu's parents would rather see the brothers move together to a new club next summer.

Click here for the best Arsenal coverage on the 'net. All your Gunners news and gossip in one spot.

 Arsenal target Marchetti to be released from Cagliari contract

Arsenal target Federico Marchetti could be about to come onto the free market.

Datasport says Cagliari are weighing up releasing the Italy goalkeeper from his contract after he failed to get a move away during the summer.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all been linked with Marchetti this week, with the World Cup keeper keen to move abroad.

Click here for the best Manchester City coverage on the 'net. All your City news and gossip in one spot.

 Real Madrid, Man Utd sell most shirts around world

Real Madrid and Manchester United are the two clubs that sell the most shirts around the world.

Real Madrid and Manchester United sell across the world market more than 1 million shirts annually. Sales have been between 1.2 and 1.5 million. The result can only be challenged by Barcelona, which sits in third place with a range between 1 and 1.2 million.

Merchandising works for English clubs, as demonstrated by the 7-900,000 shirts sold each year by Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Click here for the best Manchester United coverage on the 'net. All your United news and gossip in one spot.

 Shevchenko cannot split Chelsea pair Mourinho, Ancelotti

Andriy Shevchenko has refused to criticise his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

Sheva endured a horror time at Chelsea under the Real Madrid coach.

But when the former AC Milan star was asked to compare Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti, he replied: "Mourinho and Ancelotti are two special coaches, the top two.

"The way they show their work to the players and the fans makes them very different. I do not make comparisons, it is not right."

Click here for the best Chelsea coverage on the 'net. All your Blues news and gossip in one spot.

 Vieira defends Man City buying spree

Patrick Vieira denies Manchester City's squad is overloaded.

Vieira, who won three league titles with Arsenal and four with Inter Milan, insists current Premier League champions Chelsea are proof that an extensive team is needed to secure silverware.

"When you look at the Chelsea bench they also have a good team on the sidelines," Vieira told the Manchester Evening News.

"But if you want to go from the start to the end you need everyone, and for everyone to be fully committed.

"Anything can happen in the first few months. Eleven players will start the first few games, but there are so many games to play, in so many competitions."

 Chelsea boss Ancelotti: Horrible Zhirkov singing is legend

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti admits Yuri Zhirkovs singing voice is a shocker.

The Italian says Zhirkov's performance upon joining the club is now legend.

Ancelotti explained in his autobiography: “Zhirkov is a midfielder with a host of talents and just one shortcoming: he can’t sing.

“If you want to join this team it’s not enough to sign a contract. There’s another hurdle, and it’s the toughest, where pity isn’t a word, where mercy isn’t shown.

“A player has to make it through karaoke night – a sacred ritual. It was in Los Angeles on our summer tour. The team had been ribbing him for days.

“He stood on a stool and began. I’ve never heard anything that bad. It was a disaster, he didn’t hit one note. Pieces of bread were flying within seconds, followed by pieces of whole fruit. He went on singing like a drowning cat, like a stuck pig, for two solid minutes.

“The entire roster of players refused to take pity on him, refused to interrupt that bloodcurdling cacophony. Petr Cech wanted to put on his helmet to protect his ears. Zhirkov still hasn’t fully recovered from the trauma.”

 West Ham chief Sullivan plans Green contract talks

West Ham United have confirmed plans to open new contract talks with goalkeeper Robert Green.

Green, 30, should be fit for Saturday's clash at home to leaders Chelsea after having minor surgery last week to repair a niggling injury.

He has more than two years left on his contract, worth £35,000 a week.

And Sullivan said: "We want to sit down with him in the summer and talk to him about extending it even further as a sign of our commitment to him."

 Arsenal rocked by Van Persie injury

Arsenal fear kicking off their Champions League tilt without Robin van Persie.

Van Persie could miss their first three Champions League group games.

And the Dutch ace is also out of the October 3 trip to Chelsea after learning his ankle injury is worse than feared.

Van Persie, 27, had hoped to be back inside a month after he was crocked at Blackburn on August 28.

But boss Arsene Wenger has been told the striker will not return until mid-October, ruling him out of Euro games at home to Braga and Shakhtar Donetsk plus Gunners' trip to Partizan.

 Tottenham boss Redknapp expects Jagielka to make way for Man Utd defender Ferdinand

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp believes England's defensive heroes will have to make way for their senior teammates in the next round of Euro qualifiers.

In his column for The Sun, Redknapp wrote: "I'm sure many will look at the England line-up and start talking about the players who missed out on the World Cup and that they are the redemption for manager Capello.

"Well, as talented as the likes of Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka are, they are not as good as John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

"And I'm sure the Chelsea captain and Manchester United's finest will be back at the heart of England's defence as soon as they are match-fit.

"England simply did to Switzerland what they are expected to do to teams like that."

 Zhirkov casts doubt on Chelsea future

Yuri Zhirkov admits he is considering his future at Chelsea.

Zenit St Petersburg and Spartak Moscow are both monitoring the Russian, who saw his first season blighted by knee injuries after an £18million move to Stamford Bridge from CSKA Moscow last year.

As a left winger or full back, he is behind Ashley Cole and Florent Malouda at Chelsea and he said: "I’ll certainly get a chance in the next few months and I’ll try to use it completely.

"Then, in the winter, everything will probably depend on whether I got this chance and how I used it.

"We are currently in brilliant form and getting past Malouda and Cole is problematic. Everyone understands about the competition: once you are on the bench you can be there for a long time. But I will definitely get a chance.

"The thoughts when you are watching your team play are always the same: you support, worry and your soul wants to be on the pitch to help."

Click here for the best Chelsea coverage on the 'net. All your Blues news and gossip in one spot.

 Man City defender Toure: No rift with Chelsea striker Drogba

Manchester City defender Kolo Toure says he and Chelsea star Didier Drogba are all square.

Toure admitted to rows with Ivory Coast team-mate Drogba but said they have now settled their differences.

The defender has been portrayed as a bad influence in the Elephants squad after being ousted as captain by Drogba, 32.

But he added: "There is no problem between us.

"The proof is the fact we phone one another and speak like brothers."

Click here for the best Manchester City coverage on the 'net. All your City news and gossip in one spot.

 Chelsea winger Zhirkov: Daughter name no call to AC Milan!

Chelsea winger Yuri Zhirkov has explained why he's named his new daughter Milan.

Zhirkov admitted before moving to Chelsea that he marvelled at AC Milan and Barcelona rather than English football when he was a youngster, and he has named his newborn daughter Milan.

But he joked: "Now all I have to do is change my son’s name to Milan and (AC Milan owner Silvio) Berlusconi will finally understand. I am joking, but all over the internet it will say that Zhirkov wants to go to AC Milan."

Click here for the best Chelsea coverage on the 'net. All your Blues news and gossip in one spot.

 Reading chasing West Brom striker Cox

West Bromwich Albion striker Simon Cox is wanted by former club Reading.

Cox could rejoin old club Reading on loan after failing to force his way into Roberto di Matteo’s plans.

Cox, 23, began his career at the Madejski Stadium before joining Swindon and then completing a £1.5m move to the Hawthorns in July 2009.

Reading-born Cox has played just 23 minutes of league football this season as a substitute in West Brom’s 6-0 opening day defeat at Chelsea. Reading want him to replace Gylfi Sigurdsson who joined Hoffenheim for £6m.

Click here for the best West Bromwich Albion coverage on the 'net. All your Baggies news and gossip in one spot.

 Villa coach Cowans praises Sidwell attitude

Aston Villa reserves coach Gordon Cowans praised Steve Sidwell over his return to action this week.

Sidwell was back from an Achilles injury for Villa's 4-0 reserves victory over Blackpool.

Cowans impressed with Sidwell's attitude, he felt the former Chelsea and Arsenal player set a fine example to the younger players.

He told AVTV "I thought Steve Sidwell's attitude was spot on.

"He was fantastic and he worked up and down. He didn't shirk anything, put himself about and put on a good performance.

"That passes on things to the younger lads and, when you get someone setting an example like he did, it is great for the kids to see that."

Click here for the best Aston Villa coverage on the 'net. All your Villans news and gossip in one spot.

 Laudrup battles against cancer

Former Denmark forward and Rangers star Brian Laudrup has revealed he is undergoing treatment for cancer, reports The Sun.

The 41-year-old, who enjoyed a highly successful spell with Rangers from 1994-98 during which time he won three league titles, has been diagnosed with a mild form of lymphoma.

He said: "I am obviously shocked by the diagnosis, but also know that there is now a tough battle ahead of me — a battle I will win.

"Fortunately, I have had very optimistic reports from doctors to support me."

The former Bayern Munich, Fiorentina, Chelsea and Ajax star added: "I now want to use my energy to get over the shock and take time with my family and those closest to me, so together we can move forward after this diagnosis."

Need your Rangers news fix? Click here for all Gers news and transfer rumours.

 

Chelsea is an English professional football team in West London. Chelsea was Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and most of the time they were in the top tier of English football. Chelsea were champions in the English league for 3 times, and won the FA Cup 5 times, the League Cup 4 times and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup more than once.

Chelsea had their 1st big success in the1900's, when they won the league championship. Chelsea won a few cups from1960 to 1970, but after they only won another major title in1997. Chelsea was the most successful in the last decade, when they won the Premier League titles in the early 2000's and reaced their 1st UEFA Champions League final in 2008.

All Chelsea fc 's home games are held in Stamford Bridge football stadium in Fulham, West London which has about 40000 seats. The football club is based near the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. In 2003 a Russian named Roman Abramovich. Bought the team.

Chelsea's uniform colors are royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks. The football club achieved the 5th highest average all-time attendance in English football. Their average home gate for the 2008–09 season was 41,464, the fifth highest in the Premier League.

Chelsea were founded in March 1905 at The Rising Sun pub (known today as The Butcher's Hook)on Fulham Road, and the club was elected to the Football League very soon after that. They didn't have so much success in the beginning and 1915, lost to Sheffield United in 1915 in the FA Cup. Chelsea got to be famous for signing big-name players and entertaining but not for playing football.

In the mid 1900's former Arsenal and England centre-forward Ted Drake became manager. He changed the training method , and thanks to him Chelsea won their 1st trophy success – the League championship.

In 1970 Chelsea won FA Cup while beating Leeds United 2–1 in a final replay. Chelsea got their 1st European honour. The next year they won UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and the following year they won another replayed match, over Real Madrid in Athens.

In 1970 and 1980 Chelsea went through a rough time and star players were sold , but in 1983 the manager John Neal built a great new team .Chelsea won the 2nd Division title in 1983–84 and stayed in the top division, before being relegated again in the late 1900's. The club got their title back when they won the 2nd Division championship in 1988–89.

Frank Lampard has scored the most goals and ex-captain Ron Harris, has played in most games for the club between 1961 and 1980