Starting role delights Lamps

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard admits he is delighted by his recent form for both club and country.

Lampard celebrate his goal against Brazil in a friendly game last week.

The 34-year-old is the subject of continuing speculation as to where he will be playing his club football next season - but served up a reminder of his powers with his ninth goal in his last 14 Blues appearances in Saturday's 4-1 win over Wigan.

Lampard, who may yet be offered a new contract by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, then continued his good form in England's 2-1 friendly win over Brazil in midweek as he coolly side-footed home the winner.

"It's not rocket science: the more you play you get sharper and you get match fit," Lampard told Chelsea TV. "Since I've been able to play regularly I feel like I've got sharpness and the confidence.

"I'm 34, you still need confidence of playing regular games. It certainly helps me, to get flow in your game; you ask any player that, I'm not on my own there.

"When you're playing regularly and you do start playing well, scoring goals, whatever position you're in, it's enjoyable to keep playing and it helps.



"You have to have an eye on the squad - it is a long season - so I'm not expecting, or asking, to play every single game. (But) it seems to me recently I've been able to play every three or four days, I've enjoyed it."

Torres to the rescue in day of shocks

Rafael Benitez's side held by Brentford, Fernando Torres's late goal kept Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Rafael Benitez’s side are only in the draw for the fifth round thanks to a late equaliser from Fernando Torres away to Brentford. The League One side opened the scoring at Griffin Park, where Chelsea play in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League, through Marcello Trotta, but Oscar equalised in the second half.



Brentford regained the lead from Harry Forrester’s penalty but, with seven minutes remaining, Torres’s curled effort earned a replay at Stamford Bridge at a date yet to be announced. Should they beat Brentford Chelsea will travel to Middlesbrough in the fifth round.



Ross Turnbull played in the Chelsea goal after Petr Cech was withdrawn with an injury. Benitez did not specify who would be in goal to face Reading on Wednesday in the Barclays Premier League.

Brentford 2 Chelsea 2 (High quality highlights)

-->

Benitez dismisses title hopes

Rafa Benitez has written off Chelsea's chances of challenging for this season's Premier League title.

The interim boss made the trophy a target when he replaced Roberto Di Matteo in November, but the midweek draw with Southampton left his side 13 points behind leaders Manchester United.

And ahead of Sunday's derby game against Arsenal, Benitez said: "In terms of the league I don't think we can do it.

"But the Capital One Cup is there, the FA Cup is still open and the Europa League is still open.

"I just have to give the team the confidence that we can win against anyone. If you have that belief it becomes easier.

"The team is very close. We have John Terry and Frank Lampard back from injury. Now we have to be more consistent."


-->

Cole agrees new Chelsea deal

Ashley Cole has agreed a new one-year deal at Chelsea.



The news ends speculation that the England left-back would leave Stamford Bridge on a free transfer when his contract expired at the end of the season.

He had been linked with moves to Real Madrid and Paris St Germain but has decided to stay at the club he joined in 2006, with the paperwork expected to completed before Tuesday.

The defender, who has 99 England caps, was part of the team that beat Bayern Munich to win last year's Champions League final, and has also won one Premier League title, four FA Cups and a League Cup with Chelsea.



His team-mate Frank Lampard is also out of contract at the end of this campaign but looks set to depart the west London club.




-->

Thursday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Chelsea target Neymar could follow Pep Guardiola to Bayern Munich, according to reports in Spain.



- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed the club are ready to battle Manchester United for Crystal Palace prodigy Wilfried Zaha.



- Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal are prepared to spend big this transfer window – and has expressed an interest in Napoli’s Edinson Cavani.



- Everton have lodged an £8.5m bid for Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue, according to sources in France.



- QPR’s hopes of adding Real Madrid defender Ricardo Carvalho to their growing squad have been hit by the Spanish club’s injury list.



- Galatasaray have revealed the size of the offer accepted by Inter Milan for Wesley Sneijder, with £6.2million the going rate.



- Newcastle United and Sunderland target Moussa Sissoko will today decide whether or not to accept an offer from Marseille.



- Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has cooled talk of a move for Leeds striker Luciano Becchio.



- Wigan have signed goalkeeper Joel Robles on loan from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season.



- Wigan midfielder Shaun Maloney has signed a new two-and-a-half year contract at the DW Stadium, the Barclays Premier League club have announced.



- Sunderland have made a bid for Swansea City's Danny Graham



- Manchester United have suffered a transfer snub after Pescara star Juan Fernando Quintero revealed his intention to move to Inter Milan.



- Manchester United's Federico Macheda could be about to join Stuttgart on loan, with an option to make the move permanent.



- Manchester United are considering a bid for Real Madrid midfielder Angel Di Maria as a possible replacement for Nani, according to Fichajes.net.



- Man Utd have once again sent scouts to watch Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay in action, according to the Daily Mail.



- Reading striker Gozie Ugwu has agreed to join League One strugglers Plymouth on a one-month loan deal.



- Southampton winger Jason Puncheon has revealed he hopes to win a new deal at St Mary's.



- Stoke boss Tony Pulis would not be drawn on the future of striker Kenwyne Jones after confirming that midfielder Maurice Edu will spend the rest of the season on loan with Bursapor.



- Victor Valdes' representatives have told Barcelona he will not consider extending his stay at the club.



- AC Milan have admitted to being in talks with Real Madrid regarding the possibility of taking Kaka back to Italy on loan.



- Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini has stated that his club are nearing closure on a deal for veteran Chievo shot stopper Stefano Sorrentino.



- USA international Graham Zusi admits he is still waiting to hear from West Ham if he will be handed a permanent contract at Upton Park.



- Pascal Chimbonda could follow in the footsteps of Thierry Henry, David Beckham and Robbie Keane and become the next Premier League export to move to the MLS.



- Christian Eriksen, who has been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham, looks unlikely to leave Ajax this month, according to his agent.



- Ajax outcast Miralem Sulejmani is finally ready to leave the club and move to Benfica - having failed to earn a dream move to England.



- Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, could be on his way to Valencia, according toCadena Ser.



- Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has not ruled out selling players this month amid talk Lewis Holtby could make his move to Tottenham during the current transfer window rather than in the summer.



- Marseille are desperate to find a replacement for new QPR man Loic Remy - and they have set their sights on West Ham striker Modibo Maiga.



- Lyon have rubbished speculation linking playmaker Yoann Gourcuff with a move to Arsenal.



- Celtic have signed midfielder Tomas Rogic on a four-and-a-half-year contract from Central Coast Mariners.



- New Blackburn boss Michael Appleton has warned West Ham they will have to up the ante if they are serious about signing defender Martin Olsson.



- Walsall have rejected a bid from Bradford for captain Andy Butler.



- Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway has confirmed his interest in DJ Campbell, but he faces competition for the QPR striker.



- Leeds United youngster Dominic Poleon has signed a new deal with the club.



- Nottingham Forest have sacked long-term boardroom members Mark Arthur, Frank Clark and Keith Burt.



- Nottingham Forest are lining up a move for Millwall striker Darius Henderson.



- Huddersfield Town are leading the race to sign Bradford City's exciting young striker Nahki Wells.



- Port Vale have announced that the club have signed former Sheffield Wednesday left-back Daniel Jones following his release from Hillsborough.



- Flamengo announced their fourth signing of the 2013 season in the shape of former Corinthians centre-back Wallace on a four year-contract.

Tuesday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Pep Guardiola has fuelled the intrigue surrounding his future by stressing his desire to work in England.



- Arsenal have abandoned their pursuit of Barcelona forward David Villa and could instead make a move for Atletico Madrid’s Adrian Lopez, according to Goal.com.



- Arsenal are interested in Napoli midfielder Juan Camilo Zuniga but face competition from Barcelona, according to the player's agent.



- Manchester United are keeping an eye on Angel Di Maria's situation at Real Madrid as a potential replacement for Nani.



- Manchester United target James Rodriguez is wanted by Juventus, according to reports in Italy and Portugal.



- Manchester City and Chelsea target Marek Hamsik is ready to commit the rest of his career to Napoli, according to his agent.



- Carlos Tevez is reportedly considering a new contract offer at Manchester City that would keep him at the club until 2016.



- Frank Lampard has turned his back on a £20million offer to join former Chelsea team-mates Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka in China.



- Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois says he wants to stay at Atletico Madrid for another year.



- Rafa Benitez has confirmed that Chelsea teenager Lucas Piazon will spend the rest of the season on loan at Spanish side Malaga.



- Fulham youngster Pajtim Kasami is wanted by Wolfsburg and Sampdoria as Martin Jol prepares to send him out on loan.



- Fulham have dropped out of the race to sign England goalkeeper Jack Butland - with Martin Jol on the verge of landing Roma's Maarten Stekelenburg.



- Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina could be a summer target for Atletico Madrid, according to reports in Spain.



- Molde have accepted a bid from Southampton for defender Vegard Forren.



- Newcastle have failed in a bid to land Lorient striker Jeremie Aliadiere.



- Newcastle United have made a bid for Nancy's Massadio Haidara.



- Newcastle target Massadio Haidara says he wants to join Roma rather than head to St James' Park.



- Newcastle are planning to bring the brilliant Ajax captain Siem de Jong to the Premier League in a £9million deal that will show their transfer ambition.



- Tottenham are maintaining interest in Palermo attacking midfielder Josip Ilicic, 24.



- Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is looking to drag Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko onto his sinking ship - in the hope of plugging some of the leaks ahead of the relegation scramble.



- West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has cooled speculation linking Arsenal with a move for his midfielder Mohamed Diame.



- Winston Reid has agreed a new two-year extension to his West Ham contract to see off interest from Barclays Premier League heavyweights, including Newcastle.



- QPR could sell Stephane Mbia to Chelsea should they be successful with their pursuit of Rennes midfielder Yann M’Vila, according to L’Equipe.



- Queens Park Rangers have hijacked Loic Remy’s move to the Barclays Premier League and swooped to steal the France striker from under Newcastle United’s noses in an £8million move.



- Southampton are among those to have expressed an interest in Bologna's Frederik Sorensen, claims the defender's agent.



- Barcelona are ready to join Real Madrid in the race to sign Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, according to El Mundo Deportivo.



- Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes insists he has made no decision over his future amid speculation linking him with a move to Liverpool.



- AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has again insisted the Serie A giants have no interest in signing Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli.



- Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder has hinted that he is ready to reject a move to Galatasaray after admitting that he is in no rush to make a decision about his future.



- Eduardo Vargas is set to join Gremio on a sixth-month loan deal on Wednesday.



- Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, who is believed to be a target for Manchester United, could join Juventus, his agent has told Sky Sports.



- Hamburg forward Son Heung-Min, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, has emerged as a target for Tottenham, according to Bild.



- Borussia Dortmund defender Felipe Santana has dismissed speculation he will leave the Bundesliga club during this month's transfer window.



- The agent of Danish ace Christian Eriksen maintains the midfielder's focus is on Ajax despite ongoing interest.



- Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue is back on Arsenal's radar and is also a target for Chelsea, according to Le Sport 10.



- Nenê confirmed on Sunday that he is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain for Qatari club Al-Gharafa, rather than return to Brazil.



- Sao Paulo president Juvenal Juvencio admits they are interested in signing Denilson on a permanent deal from Arsenal, but not until June.



- Francesco Stella is set to leave Rangers after the Australian failed to make an impact at Ibrox.



- York City have signed striker Ben Everson until the end of the season, subject to international clearance.



- Derby County defender Tom Naylor has extended his loan at Bradford City by a further month.



- Ross County have completed the signing of Evangelos Ikonomou from Greek club Atromitos.



- Preston North End have signed defender Paul Connolly on loan from Leeds United until April.



- Bournemouth have agreed a fee with Aberdeen for highly-rated young winger Ryan Fraser.



- Toronto FC has confirmed the signing of Brazilian veteran Julio Cesar.

Thursday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is keen on a move to Fiorentina, according to reports in Italy.



- Chelsea and Arsenal target Luke Shaw will sign a five-year deal at Southampton on his 18th birthday.



- Metalist Kharkiv coach Miron Markevich has called for the club to let Taison complete his move to Chelsea.



- Manchester United are ready to ditch David De Gea and search for a new No. 1, according to the Daily Mirror.



- Reports in Spain claim that Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido will travel to London on Thursday morning in an attempt to sell striker Alvaro Negredo, with Arsenal favourites for the Spaniard's signature.



- Liverpool are hoping to lure Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish back in an ambassadorial role.



- Tottenham and Everton are battling it out to sign highly-rated France Under-21 international Massadio Haidara.



- Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas insists it is "extremely unlikely" Brazil star Leandro Damiao will join the club - but feels the club need to bolster their forward options.



- Everton are tracking Brazilian full-back Fernando Marcal ahead of a possible January move.



- Real Madrid are ready to rival Manchester City in the battle to sign Edinson Cavani.



- Fulham are locked in a battle with Club Bruges as they look to sign teenage star Junior Malanda.



- West Brom boss Steve Clarke says Swedish centre-back Jonas Olsson will not be leaving during the transfer window.



- Aston Villa have had an offer for Philippe Coutinho turned down by Inter Milan, according to the player's agent.



- Southampton and West Brom could miss out on Sergi Roberto, with Espanyol the front-runners to take the Barcelona starlet on loan.



- Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Robert Green has distanced himself from a move to Nottingham Forest.



- QPR have won the race to sign Spurs midfielder Jake Livermore on-loan for the rest of the season.



- West Ham are locked in a battle with Chelsea and Arsenal to clinch the signing of Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue.



- Fiorentina have entered the January transfer market, signing Torino's Marko Bakic and Siena's Marcelo Larrondo.



- Palermo have officially signed Napoli’s Andrea Dossena on an initial six-month loan deal.



- Real Betis manager Pepe Mel has called on Swansea to increase their offer for midfielder Jose Canas.



- Borussia Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl wants to see star striker Robert Lewandowski commit to the club.



- Ajax and Galatasaray are interested in Liverpool winger Oussama Assaidi - less than six months after he moved to Anfield.



- Ligue 1 club Rennes have confirmed that their French midfielder Yann M’Vila is shaping up for a move to either England or Russia this January window.



- Valenciennes say Newcastle have made a bid for their left-back Gaetan Bong.



- The president of St Etienne has told Newcastle to drop their pursuit of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this month.



- Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto has joined Al Nasr on loan for the rest of the season, the Serie A club has confirmed.



- Wolves are weighing up a move for Hearts defender Andy Webster.



- Wolves defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell has returned to League One strugglers Bury for a further month on loan.



- Nottingham Forest have signed West Brom defender Gonzalo Jara on loan until the end of the season.



- Nottingham Forest boss Alex McLeish has told goalkeeper Lee Camp he is free to find another club.



- Crystal Palace have signed Manchester City forward Alex Nimely on loan until the end of the season.



- Notts County have completed the permanent signing of Andre Boucaud from Luton Town for an undisclosed fee.



- Bristol City have signed midfielder Liam Kelly from Kilmarnock on a three-and-a-half-year deal.



- Crawley have agreed the signing of striker Jimmy Spencer on loan from Huddersfield until the end of the season.



- Rochdale have completed the permanent signing of Shrewsbury forward Terry Gornell for an undisclosed fee.



- Aldershot midfielder Jordan Roberts has joined Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Tamworth on a one-month loan deal.



- Ross County have signed Ivan Sproule from SPL rivals Hibernian on an 18-month contract.



- Teenage Accrington forward Marcus Carver has agreed a new 18-month contract with the League Two club.



- Flamengo have broken their duck for the transfer window, officially announcing the signings of Elias and Gabriel on Thursday.



- The Portland Timbers added their third Designated Player on Thursday, announcing the signing of Argentine midfielder Diego Valeri on loan from Lanus.



- FC Dallas has signed Peruvian National Team goalkeeper Raúl Fernández, the club announced today. Per team and league policy the terms of the deal will not be disclosed.

Friday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Didier Drogba is keen on a January move to Serie A, according to one of the agents involved in the potential transfer of the former Chelsea striker.



- Chelsea have completed the signing of striker Demba Ba from Newcastle United.



- Chelsea outcast Florent Malouda will be offered a Stamford Bridge escape route by French strugglers Evian TG.



- Chelsea are ready to renew their interest in Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, according to AS.



- Sevilla have turned down a €16million (£13m) offer for striker Alvaro Negredo from an unnamed club, who are believed to be Chelsea.



- And Fabio Coentrao, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, could be offloaded by Real Madrid this month, according to the same publication.



- Aston Villa are following Lazio youngster Luis Pedro Cavanda 'with interest', according to the player's representative.



- Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has refused to rule out a move for Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott, after describing the England star as 'a top player'.



- Tottenham have completed the signing of former Manchester United starlet Zeki Fryers.



- Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Lewis Holtby this summer, subject to the Schalke and Germany star passing a medical.



- - Tottenham are willing to listen to offers for midfielders Jake Livermore and Tom Huddlestone.



- Newcastle and Reading have yet to launch bids for FC Twente defender Douglas - and they could be forced to wait for his signature.



- Newcastle could be dealt another blow with captain Fabricio Coloccini apparently keen to leave the club to return to Argentina.



- Newcastle are hoping to secure a £1m deal for Swiss 16-year-old Kevin Mbabu.



- Newcastle United, Tottenham, Juventus and Monaco are battling to sign Toulouse's Moussa Sissoko.



- Wigan has signed Honduras midielder Roger Espinoza from Major League Soccer's Sporting Kansas City.



- Sunderland have emerged as favourites to sign Danny Graham after lining up a bid for the £5million-rated Swansea striker.



- Sunderland are interested in Bursaspor midfielder Alfred N'Diaye.



- West Ham have signed striker Marouane Chamakh on loan from Arsenal until the end of the season, Hammers manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed.



- Fulham manager Martin Jol has confirmed the signing of FC Twente striker Chris David.



- Southampton have recalled Aaron Martin from his loan spell at Crystal Palace.



- QPR manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed the signing of defender Tal Ben Haim on a short-term contract until the end of the season.



- Queens Park Rangers vice-captain, Ryan Nelsen, is retiring from professional football to pursue a coaching job in the MLS. The 35-year-old New Zealander will be departing the club in the January transfer window.



- Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder would welcome a move to the Premier League, according to his agent.



- Roma striker Pablo Osvaldo has declared his intention to remain at the club, despite reports that he was unhappy with life at the Giallorossi.



- Fiorentina have officially announced the signing of Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi.



- Udinese have confirmed that they are in advanced talks with Napoli over the sale of Colombian international Pablo Armero.



- Sevilla have rejected a £14m offer for Chelsea and Newcastle target Alvaro Negredo - and their president insists they are under no pressure to sell the Spain forward this year.



- Malaga midfielder Diego Buonanotte has revealed he is keen to join Palermo as he awaits the outcome of negotiations between the two clubs.



- Bayern Munich have secured the services of Jan Kirchhoff from Mainz on a free transfer at the end of the 2012-13 season.



- Mathieu Valbuena will only consider leaving Marseille if Manchester United or rivals Manchester City want to sign him, according to his agent.



- Monaco have renewed their interest in Frank Lampard and the midfielder could be keen to agree terms.



- Anderlecht defender Roland Juhasz's agent is exploring a loan deal for the Hungary international after Sunderland were linked with a bid.



- PSV Eindhoven have completed the signing of promising midfielder Oscar Hiljemark from Swedish champions Elfsborg.



- Molde defender Vegard Forren, who is believed to be a target for Manchester United, is "very close" to securing a move to an unnamed club, according to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.



- Fernandinho, who has been linked with Manchester United and rivals Manchester City, insists he is committed to Shakhtar Donetsk.



- Leicester City have extended the loan deal of Manchester United defender Michael Keane until the end of the January transfer window.



- MK Dons have re-signed attacking midfielder Zeli Ismail on loan until the end of the season.



- Stevenage have signed Udinese striker Steve Beleck on loan until the end of the season.



- Bradford City have extended the loan deal of Newcastle United's teenage defender Curtis Good by a further month.



- Preston North End have handed Luke Foster a contract until the end of the season after the defender's early impact at Deepdale.



- Yeovil have signed Matthew Dolan on a short-term loan from Championship outfit Middlesbrough.

Chelsea complete Ba signing

Chelsea have completed the signing of striker Demba Ba from Newcastle United.



Ba has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half year deal at Stamford Bridge, after the Blues triggered the £7 million release clause in his Magpies contract.



The deal was completed just in time for the Senegal international to be available to manager Rafa Benitez for the FA Cup tie against Southampton this weekend.



"It feels good to be here, I'm very happy and very proud," Ba said. "When the club who won the Champions League wants you, the decision is very easy.



"This club is massive and that's something that helped the decision a lot. It was not a hard one."



Ba is also available for the club's Capital One Cup semi-final against Swansea, but cannot play in the Europa League due to Newcastle's own participation in the competition.



He will wear the No. 29 shirt for Chelsea.



"It was important for me, and for Newcastle, to get my future sorted and now we can move on," Ba added. "Now they have the whole month to buy someone and for me as well, the sooner the better.



"Now I am here I just need to get settled in."



Ba was Newcastle's top scorer for the first half of the season, scoring 13 Premier League goals - including a hat-trick in what turned out to be his final game for the club, the 7-3 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.



He previously gained Premier League experience with West Ham.

Thursday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard could move to Serie A if he makes an expected exit from Stamford Bridge at the end of the season, according to his agent.



- Yossi Benayoun has returned to Chelsea after his miserable loan spell with West Ham ended.



- Demba Ba is on the verge of joining Chelsea from Newcastle after agreeing a three-and-a-half year contract.



- Newcastle have opened talks with Marseille striker Loic Remy, according to reports.



- Manchester United and Manchester City face a serious fight to sign Malaga star Isco, with Real Madrid emerging as contenders to sign him.



- Manchester United and Arsenal target Sofiane Feghouli has agreed to renew his contract with Valencia, with the attacker due to sign the deal tomorrow, according to the club's official website.



- Jesse Lingard has returned to Manchester United following his loan spell at Leicester.



- Metalist Kharkiv forward Taison, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, has revealed he has spoken to Blues owner Roman Abramovich over a potential to Stamford Bridge.



- Liverpool striker Adam Morgan has been allowed to join League Two Rotherham United on loan following the arrival of Daniel Sturridge at Anfield.



- Norwich, Sunderland and Stoke are in a three-way battle to sign Celtic star Gary Hooper.



- Tottenham have confirmed they have struck a deal with Belgian club Standard Liege to sign defender Zeki Fryers.



- Lille defender Mathieu Debuchy has completed his £5.5million move to Newcastle.



- Blackpool insist a fee is yet to be agreed with Liverpool for Thomas Ince.



- Arsenal are unwilling to increase their offer for Atletico Madrid forward Adrian Lopez and trigger his £14million buy-out clause, according to the Daily Mirror.



- Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea target Eduardo Vargas is set to leave Napoli this month.



- Ryan Shawcross has committed his future to Stoke by agreeing a new five-and-a-half-year contract.



- Fulham are the mystery club bidding for Molde defensive star Vegard Forren.



- Southampton manager Nigel Adkins has refuted claims that Arsene Wenger spoke to him about the availability of left-back Luke Shaw.



- Swansea striker Danny Graham is a target for Reading and Norwich in the January transfer window.



- West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed he wants to sign a left-back in the January transfer window and is poised to make a move for Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock.



- West Ham are closing in on their second signing of the transfer window with the Arsenal forward Marouane Chamakh set to join the club on loan.



- West Ham have secured the signing of Republic of Ireland Under-19 striker Sean Maguire from Waterford United.



- Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish expects Wilfried Zaha to stay at Selhurst Park until the summer – but admits a big bid could tempt the Championship club to sell in January.



- QPR manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed that he is set to sign former Portsmouth centre-back Tal Ben Haim on a deal to the end of the season.



- Alexandre Pato has officially completed his transfer from Milan to Corinthians for €15m, pending a medical.



- Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes still does not know if he will sign a new contract and could consider a move abroad.



- Fernando Llorente transfer saga could be coming to a close amid confirmation that Juventus have officially approached the wantaway Athletic Bilbao striker.



- Real Madrid are hoping to offload former Chelsea and Manchester City target Fabio Coentrao this month, according to talkSPORT.



- Cagliari captain Daniele Conti has signed a new contract which will see him bring up 15 years' service with the club.



- Borussia Dortmund insist Mario Goetze, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United, is happy at the club.



- Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila has reignited speculation over a move to Arsenal by questioning his future at the Ligue 1 club.



- Lyon forward Bafetimbi Gomis, who has been linked with Chelsea and Liverpool, could be available for as little as €10million, according to French radio station RMC.



- Israel defender Rami Gershon is in Glasgow for talks over a possible move to SPL champions Celtic.



- Nouha Dicko has been recalled from his loan spell at Blackpool by Wigan.



- Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway is signing Norwich midfielder Jacob Butterfield on loan for a month.



- Nottingham Forest have signed promising winger Stephen McLaughlin from Irish side Derry City.



- Leicester midfielder Neil Danns has returned to the King Power Stadium following his loan spell at Bristol City.



- Stevenage manager Gary Smith has signed Southampton striker Sam Hoskins on loan until the end of the season.



- Doncaster manager Dean Saunders has signed defender Andy Griffin on a deal until the end of the season.



- Brentford defender Shaleum Logan has signed a new 18-month contract with the League One promotion hopefuls.



- Bournemouth have signed Bristol City striker Brett Pitman on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell at Dean Court.

Yossi Benayoun back at Chelsea

Yossi Benayoun has returned to Chelsea after completing his loan period at West Ham.



The midfielder has struggled with a knee injury this season that has curtailed his involvement at Upton Park.



Benayoun has been receiving treatment at Chelsea's Cobham training ground after appearing six times for the Hammers in the Premier League, the last of which came in their 1-0 win at Newcastle on 11 November.



The Israel international has played just 11 times for Chelsea since signing from Liverpool for £5m in July 2010 and spent last season on loan at Arsenal.

Wednesday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Demba Ba has sealed his move to Chelsea — with Alan Pardew insisting the striker leaves with Newcastle’s “blessing”.



- Liverpool have confirmed the signing of striker Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea.



- Liverpool have been offered the chance to sign former Chelsea winger Ricardo Quaresma, according to reports in Spain.



- Blackpool manager Michael Appleton insists Liverpool have yet to return with an improved offer for winger Thomas Ince.



- Arsene Wenger is confident Theo Walcott will finally commit himself to a new contract.



- Arsenal defender Johan Djourou is a target for German club Hannover.



- Manchester United and Tottenham are set to go head-to-head in the battle to sign Crystal Palace wonderkid Wilfried Zaha.



- Chelsea have suffered a transfer blow after Corinthians indicated their desire to keep hold of Paulinho.



- Chelsea midfielder Marko Marin wants to fight for his future at Stamford Bridge and has ruled out the possibility of a return to the Bundesliga this month.



- Tottenham have become the latest Premier League side to submit an offer for Spain striker David Villa, according to El Confidencial.



- Newcastle are set to bid for West Ham defender James Tomkins as they look to rebuild their depleted squad in the January transfer window.



- Alan Pardew is convinced new recruit Mathieu Debuchy will add class to Newcastle’s defence.



- Ghanian international Derek Boateng is to undergo a medical on Wednesday ahead of a January move to Fulham.



- Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is on red alert after Paris Saint Germain told France international Guillaume Hoarau he can leave in January.



- Reading have joined Newcastle United and Inter Milan in the chase to sign Douglas, the FC Twente defender.



- Reading are close to signing Australia international Tom Rogic to help bolster the options in central midfield.



- West Bromwich boss Steve Clarke has told £4m-rated midfielder Graham Dorrans he can quit the Hawthorns in the transfer window.



- Stoke City and Fulham are locked in a three-way battle with Serie A side Udinese to sign Saint-Etienne left-back Faouzi Ghoulam.



- Wigan will complete the loan signing of Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Joel in the coming days.



- West Ham are poised to make their first signing in the January transfer window with teenage sensation Rinor Nushi set to arrive at the club.



- Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole is undergoing a medical at West Ham United, according to SkySports.



- Angelo Henriquez is determined to use his time at Wigan to prove himself in the Premier League after joining the Latics on loan until the end of the season.



- Blackburn Rovers have completed the signing of Norwegian international Joshua King from Manchester United for a fee of £1million.



- Hull City are set to complete the permanent signing of Republic of Ireland international David Meyler in a £1.5million deal from Sunderland.



- Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to confirm his future lies with Real Madrid but insists for now he is happy with the club.



- Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has ruled out selling winger Arda Turan in the January transfer window, after the Turk was linked with Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.



- Celta Vigo have signed Eintracht Frankfurt defender Vadim Demidov on loan until the end of the season.



- Inter Milan are ready to battle with Serie A rivals Lazio for the signature of Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard.



- One of Europe's leading football agents believes Manchester City and Chelsea target Edinson Cavani will leave Napoli in the summer - and has already chosen his favoured destination.



- Napoli are set to open the bidding for Southampton target Davide Astori.



- Defender Salvatore Aronica has pledged to do all he can to keep Palermo in Serie A after swapping a bid for the Scudetto for a scrap against relegation.



- Mauro Zarate's agent has declared 'war' on Lazio president Claudio Lotito after the club slapped a hefty price-tag on him.



- Borussia Dortmund would be glad to offer Nuri Sahin a return to the club if he became available at the right price, according to the Bundesliga club's director of sport Michael Zorc.



- Schalke contract rebel Lewis Holtby is keen on a move to Tottenham - if Andre Villas-Boas pushes through his interest this month.



- Fernandinho has played down speculation linking him with a move to English football by insisting he is committed to Shakhtar Donetsk.



- Alessandro Del Piero has rubbished suggestions that he could make a shock exit from A-League side Sydney FC, following a string of poor results.



- FC Dynamo Kyiv have signed defender Domagoj Vida from GNK Dinamo Zagreb.



- Sheffield Wednesday have tied midfielder Liam Palmer down to a new two-and-a-half-year deal, before loaning him straight back to Tranmere.



- Fleetwood Town have completed the signings of midfielders Gareth Evans and Mozesh Gyorio.



- Rotherham have completed the permanent signing of Peterborough midfielder Lee Frecklington.

Liverpool sign Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge on long-term deal

Daniel Sturridge says he wants to stay at Liverpool for a "long time" after completing his move from Chelsea.



The 23-year-old became the Reds first signing of the January transfer window after penning a long-term contract at Melwood today.



He told Liverpoolfc.com: "I am humbled and happy to be here."



"Brendan Rodgers said he sees me here for a long time - and I also see myself here for a long time. I've not signed here to play for a couple of years and then move on.



"I've signed to be here for as long as possible. It's a humongous club - for me, one of the biggest in the world - and to have the fans and world-class players we have here is amazing."



Liverpool is Sturridge's third club, having begun his career at Manchester City, where he finished top-scorer as City lifted the FA Youth Cup in 2008.



He left the following year to join Chelsea. He had a loan spell at Bolton, before returning to Stamford Bridge, where he has been in and out of the team ever since.



Having scored 21 goals in 34 appearances for England at youth level, Fabio Capello handed him a senior bow in a friendly against Sweden in November 2011.



He has collected three more caps since and last summer scored twice for Great Britain at the Olympic Games.



10 facts about Daniel Sturridge

1. Daniel Sturridge was born in Birmingham in 1989 and before moving to Manchester City's youth set-up in 2003, he spent time at Aston Villa and Coventry.



2. Sturridge comes from a footballing background. He is the nephew of former Derby and Wolves striker Dean Sturridge.



3. In the 2007-08 season, Sturridge became the only player ever to score in the Youth FA Cup, the FA Cup and the Premier League in the same season.



4. He finished the 2009-10 FA Cup campaign as Chelsea's leading scorer with four goals as Carlo Ancelotti's side completed winning the double by beating Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley.



5. In January 2011 he went out on loan to Bolton and when he netted against Wolves, Tottenham, Everton and Newcastle in succession, he became only the sixth player to score in his first four games for a club in the Premier League.



6. Sturridge can play either as a striker or out wide. In March 2012, he told Sky Sports: "Fitness-wise, it helps you so much playing on the wing as it's a completely different job - you do a lot more runs than you do up front. Thierry Henry played wide for Juventus and then went to Arsenal and played as a centre-forward."



7. In his first appearance of the 2011-12 campaign, Sturridge scored with a memorable back-heel in the 50th minute against Sunderland.



8. Sturridge has represented England at every level from U16 to U21 and full international. He netted in the final of the 2010 European U17 Championship against Italy.



9. The 22-year-old has Premier League, Champions League and two FA Cup winners' medals to his name.



10. Sturridge was named in Stuart Pearce's 18-man squad for the Great Britain Olympic football team to compete at the London 2012 Olympics this summer and the forward netted twice for Team GB including the match-winning goal against Uruguay.

Chelsea trio and Reds duo in Team of Week

Chelsea trio David Luiz, Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres are joined by two Liverpool midfielders in our latest Premier League Team of the Week.



Ali Al Habsi (Wigan): Reading’s Adam Federici and Wigan’s Al Habsi were both unfortunate to end on the losing team at the weekend, and it is the latter who gets the nod for us in goal after making great saves to deny Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott before being sent the wrong way by Mikel Arteta’s penalty.



Carlos Cuellar (Sunderland): Sunderland have not had much to cheer about this season and might not have fancied their chances against a Southampton side that had won two of their last three at St Mary’s. Martin O’Neill’s side claimed a valuable three points, though, and at the heart of their superb defensive display was Cuellar, who was rock solid in the air and made 14 clearances as well as a number of crucial interceptions.



Ryan Shawcross (Stoke): Stoke have now kept clean sheets in half of their 18 Premier League games this season, and it was easy to see why at Tottenham on Saturday. Shawcross, their captain, once again led by example, throwing himself in the way of three goal-bound shots to leave Asmir Begovic surprisingly untroubled.



Ashley Williams (Swansea): Williams has looked back to his best in recent weeks and was superb in helping Swansea to a point against Manchester United on Sunday. Chico was the busier of the Swans’ two centre-halves, but Williams incredibly got in the way of seven United shots and won everything in the air.



Geoff Cameron (Stoke): We could have picked either of Stoke’s other defenders on the day, Robert Huth and Andy Wilkinson, alongside Shawcross and Cameron, but the latter perhaps deserves special praise for the way in which he dealt with Gareth Bale. Spurs might have expected the Welshman to be their match-winner on his return from injury, but Cameron regularly stopped him in his tracks, making five tackles, before Bale switched to the opposite flank in search of more success.



Stewart Downing (Liverpool): Downing has struggled badly since his move to Anfield but produced the best performance of his Liverpool career to date in the 4-0 win over Fulham. He set up Steven Gerrard’s goal with a terrific pass, rifled in the Reds’ third himself and then went close to another with a rasping drive as his confidence clearly flooded back.



David Luiz (Chelsea): Chelsea fans have been calling for Luiz to be played in midfield from virtually the moment he signed for the club, and the Brazilian’s performance in the Blues’ 8-0 rout against Aston Villa showed why. He shielded the defence superbly, making six interceptions, but was also a threat going forward, albeit against a Villa side suffering a major off day. However, there was nothing anybody could have done to stop Luiz’s thunderous free-kick from finding the net.



Steven Gerrard (Liverpool): The statistics show Gerrard has been contributing plenty to the Liverpool cause this season, but Reds fans will tell you he has looked a shadow of the player he once was. Against Fulham, however, he dropped a hint that his best days may not be behind him with a performance he’d have been happy with in his pomp. His goal came from a trademark bursting run into the box which he has not produced enough in recent times.



Steven Pienaar (Everton): Pienaar set up Everton’s equaliser for Victor Anichebe at West Ham and then bundled in their winner himself to cap a Man-of-the-Match display. The South African led the Toffees’ charge after they fell behind, firing in five shots and winning numerous dangerous free-kicks with his trickery down the left flank.



Eden Hazard (Chelsea): We could have picked the entire Chelsea front six, so impressive were they against Villa, but Hazard was undoubtedly one of their star men. His goal was sheer quality.



Fernando Torres (Chelsea): Villa weren’t at the races, but they were full of confidence going into the game and could easily have put up more of a fight had Torres not opened the floodgates so early on. His headed goal was the sort he would not even have attempted a month ago, but his confidence has clearly returned after being reunited with Rafa Benitez.

Saturday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge is expected to have a medical at Liverpool on Sunday, Sky sources understand.



- Newcastle striker Demba Ba has rejected an £80,000-a week offer from Premier League strugglers QPR.



- Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has agreed "in principle" to join Manchester United next year, according to Goal.com.



- Barcelona forward David Villa is of interest to Arsenal and Chelsea, according to the Daily Star.



- Arsenal are ready to join Liverpool in the race to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan, according to Mercato365.



- Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has warned potential transfer targets he will not be held to ransom over wages and fees.



- Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Willian has again called for Chelsea to launch a bid for him, telling ESPN Brasil he wanted to move to Stamford Bridge during the summer.



- Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has admitted he is unsure whether striker Daniel Sturridge will stay at the club next year as talk of a £12milliom move to Liverpool continues.



- Lille coach Rudi Garcia has played down speculation linking striker Salomon Kalou with a January move away from the club.



- West Ham assistant manager Neil McDonald admits the club are interested in signing Nicolas Anelka.



- Sunderland and Fulham are leading the chase to sign Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto according to reports in Spain.



- Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has admitted Demba Ba could leave the club next month.



- Queens Park Rangers are set to swoop for £7.5million French midfield star Yann M’Vila.



- Manchester United are interested in signing Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay, according to The Sun.



- Manchester United defender Patrice Evra has urged Cristiano Ronaldo to return 'home' to Old Trafford to see his talent fully appreciated.



- But Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson does not believe Cristiano Ronaldo will ever make a return to Old Trafford.



- Marseille striker Loic Remy, who has been linked with Chelsea and Tottenham, may not be sold next month, according to club president Vincent Labrune.



- Pachuca midfielder Hector Herrera, who has been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United, has emerged as a target for Porto.



- Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho does not expect to sell Kaka in the January transfer window.



- Paris St Germain winger Nene says it would be a 'great honour' to play alongside Neymar at Santos as he prepares to leave the French club in January.



- AC Milan claim they are lining up a £20million bid to sign striker Mario Balotelli in next month’s transfer window.



- The wife of Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder has backtracked on comments that her husband will leave the San Siro in January.



- Reported Premier League target Benat Etxeberria says he is leaving his future in the hands of his agents amid speculation linking him with a move away from Real Betis.



- Barcelona reached an agreement with Santos last season in order to sign Neymar. Sandro Rosell travelled to Brazil in person to put a stop to the imminent signing of the player by Real Madrid. The Barcelona president managed to tie down Neymar.



- Juventus CEO Beppe Marotta has revealed that the Serie A club have made no approach to Didier Drogba with regards to signing the player in January.



- Corinthians president Mario Gobbi has confirmed the Brazilian club are trying to sign striker Alexandre Pato from AC Milan in January and he has no intention of letting key players such as Paulinho and Paulo Guerrero leave in January despite reported interest from the Premier League.



- Australian youngster Terry Antonis has committed his future to Sydney FC despite rumours he could be joining Fulham.



- Lille defender Mathieu Debuchy is not ruling out a January move to Newcastle if it suits all parties but says it is more likely he will remain at the Ligue 1 club until the end of the season.

Benitez: No issue with Oscar

Rafa Benitez has described it as 'fantastic' that Oscar was not happy to be left out of Chelsea's starting line-up for Sunday's Club World Cup final against Corinthians.

Oscar is set to feature in Wednesday's Capital One Cup quarter-final at Leeds United but has been used sparingly by interim manager Benitez to date, starting just three of his seven games in charge.

The Brazilian playmaker expressed his disappointment after being selected on the bench against Corinthians, but Benitez insists there is no rift with the player.

"Oscar is fine. He's a very good professional. We don't have any issue with him," he said.

"I try to manage players, especially in his position because we have Eden Hazard and Juan Mata, who can do more or less the same job.

"It's difficult for them but it's good for me because I have different problems. There are no issues or problems.

"Oscar will have a lot of time on the pitch and I'm sure he'll be a great player for the club.

"Oscar's not happy because he's not playing and that's fantastic. There would be a problem if it was the opposite."

Leeds will be Benitez's eighth game in charge since taking over 25 days ago, a hectic schedule that continues with Christmas fixtures against Aston Villa, Norwich, Everton and QPR.

"We have to win every competition if we can. We have rivalry with Leeds and we have one less competition to win after losing on Sunday," Benitez said.

"We can't just call it another game, it's a very important match for us.

"Christmas time is a crucial period because you can play so many games that will change everything."


-->

Monday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Chelsea and Liverpool are ready to fight it out for the signature of Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis in the January transfer window, according to reports in France.



- Liverpool have stepped up their interest in Galatasaray striker Burak Yilmaz, according to The Sun.



- Liverpool target Arda Turan looks set to leave Atletico Madrid - but Brendan Rodgers may have to wait until the summer to land him.



- Reports in Spain have linked Liverpool with a January move for Sofiane Feghouli as Brendan Rodgers looks to give his squad a much-needed boost after a poor start to their campaign.



- Speaking to Eurosport, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hinted at making a bid for AC Milan striker Stephan El Shaarawy, saying: "You never know. I just say I love the way he plays."



- Demba Ba has opened the door to a move to Arsenal by admitting they are a club that 'makes you dream'.



- Arsenal have yet to approach New York Red Bulls about signing Thierry Henry in January.



- Chelsea are considering launching a bid for Real Madrid defender Fabio Coentrao if Ashley Cole leaves Stamford Bridge next year, according to the Daily Star.



- Blackpool manager Michael Appleton has confirmed there have been talks with other clubs regarding Thomas Ince, who has been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United.



- Arsenal are ready to join the race to sign Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, according to The People.



- West Ham and QPR are set to do battle over Nicolas Anelka after Shanghai Shenhua confirmed talks are taking place to terminate the striker's deal with the Chinese club.



- Liverpool and Tottenham will have to move fast if they want to sign Dutch star Ricky van Wolfswinkel after Fiorentina emerged as the strong favourites to sign the Sporting Lisbon striker.



- Jan Vertonghen believes Christian Eriksen would be a great signing for Tottenham and feels he could be a star in the Premier League.



- Stoke City striker Kenwyne Jones is reluctant to speculate on his long-term future, with his focus locked on the present.



- Martin Jol has revealed that David Stockdale can extend his loan deal with Hull City - as long as Fulham No.1 Mark Schwarzer stays fit.



- Wigan have been granted clearance to sign Honduran midfielder Roger Espinoza in January.



- Norwich manager Chris Hughton is planning a January spending spree, with Brighton striker Craig Mackail-Smith top of his list.



- Juventus coach Antonio Conte has ruled out making an approach for former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba in the transfer window.



- Defender Lucio has left Juventus by mutual agreement, the club have confirmed.



- Werder Bremen have completed the signing of Mateo Pavlovic from NK Zagreb on a deal which is due to run until 2016.



- Mo Bangura has returned to Celtic at the end of his four-month loan spell with AIK Stockholm.



- Wolves boss Stale Solbakken has confirmed that Ronald Zubar and Eggert Jonsson can leave the club in January.



- Veteran goalkeeper Danny Coyne has extended his contract with Sheffield United until the end of January.



- Papa Bouba Diop has insisted he is happy at Birmingham and will be at the club 'forever', as his short-term contract comes towards an end.

Rafa: Lamps not past it

Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez insists talks with Frank Lampard over a new contract have not been halted because his best days are behind him.

Benitez, in charge at Chelsea on an interim basis until the end of the season, said there was no doubt about "his condition, his levels, his quality" after reports emerged that the England midfielder was planning for life away from Stamford Bridge.



Lampard is out of contract at the end of the season and, although he would love to stay in West London, the opportunity to sign a pre-contract elsewhere will arrive in January.



"For sure, he's a fantastic player, a great professional - there's no doubt about this," said Benitez at a press conference ahead of the Club World Cup final against Corinthians.



"Also, when I talk to the people in charge, they are telling me the same, so nobody has any doubt about his condition, his levels, his quality.



"So the decision could be analysing different things, not just the quality of the player."

Club World Cup: Chelsea v Monterrey preview

Rafa Benitez will be looking for a morale-boosting performance from his Chelsea side in the FIFA Club World Cup.

The interim Blues boss has had a tricky few weeks since being installed at Stamford Bridge, to say the least. Unpopular with sections of the support before he even took the job, Benitez's stock fell further when Chelsea failed to win in his first three games in charge.

Even a 6-1 win over Nordsjaelland could not lift the gloom as Chelsea left the Champions League at the first hurdle. Although that could not be blamed on Benitez, it seemed symptomatic of his luck so far.

However Saturday's win at Sunderland was a welcome shot in the arm, and with Fernando Torres back in the goals, Benitez will be hoping to carry some momentum into the tournament in Japan.

Chelsea will be firm favourites to get the better of Monterrey, the reigning CONCACAF Champions League holders, in Thursday's semi-final in Yokohama (kick-off 10.30am GMT). If they do, they will face the winners of the other semi-final, between Al-Ahly and Corinthians.

The Brazilian side feature Paulinho, rumoured to be a target for Chelsea in the January transfer window.



Team News:

- John Terry and Daniel Sturridge were left behind in London to help recover from their knee and hamstring injuries respectively.

- Oriol Romeu has been ruled for six months with a knee injury, but Frank Lampard could make his first start for two months after recovering from a calf problem.

- According to quotes in the media, David Luiz would happily bolster the midfield, but John Obi Mikel is available as his three-match ban does not apply in this tournament.

-->

Chelsea target new midfielder

Rafael Benitez has hinted he will move in the January transfer window with a holding midfielder now high on his wanted list.



Chelsea are known to be in the hunt for a new striker with Atletico Madrid ace Radamel Falcao high on the wanted list, but following the injury to Oriol Romeu a new midfielder is also required.



The only other recognised player in that holding position is John Obi Mikel and he will be on African Nations Cup duty next month. The Blues have been linked with the likes of Corinthians' Paulinho, Newcastle's Cheick Tiote and Everton's Marouane Fellaini and Benitez has hinted that players will be brought in.



"The club is working and always looking for good players, so we'll see if there are any surprises," he revealed.



Benitez admitted the seriousness of Romeu's injury, which he suffered in Saturday's Barclays Premier League win at Sunderland, had taken Chelsea by surprise.



"Oriol Romeu was bad news and we weren't expecting something so serious," he added. "He'll be fine for the future, he's a young player."