Roman Abramovich is ready to shatter the world transfer record with an amazing £80 million bid for AC Milan striker Andrei Shevchenko.
The News of the World says Abramovich's dream is see Ukrainian Shevchenko playing in his Chelsea Blue and will pull out all stops to land the prolific forward. Milan insist Shevchenko is not for sale, with the ex-Dynamo Kiev man now back to his best. But Abramovich's money is sure to make Milan's board think twice, particularly with Italian football in a state of financial meltdown. .

Chelsea 5 v 2 Wolves

Claudio Ranieri is hoping his side's impressive away defensive record will ensure their progress into the Champions League semi-finals. The Blues have not conceded an away goal in five matches in the competition so far.
They will need to keep it that way at Highbury on 6 April if they are to reach the last four after being held to a 1-1 first-leg draw at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
Ranieri said: "Away, we have not conceded a goal so far - so why not continue?" He added: "I'm very pleased with our performance. We played with a confidence against Arsenal - everybody knows they are a great team. "We played well, closed down space and tried to play our football and after we had scored maybe we deserved a little more. "We had two great chances to score again and after 10 minutes they drew the match. "It was a good reaction by Arsenal - but I think we deserve a little more. "But I say 'thank you' to my players because they played very, very well." .

Jon Smith (Ranieri's agent ) told The Sunday Times: "Claudio is on a good contract at Chelsea, and we are not about to jeopardise that, or any future settlement of it, by making any moves now.
"But if he were to be fired, there are clubs at home and abroad who have indicated their interest in him. "Should the situation arise, I know he would prefer to stay in this country.".

Claudio Ranieri admitted Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal was on his mind when he took off danger-man Damien Duff with more than 20 minutes to go in the 2-1 win over Fulham.
Duff hit the winner, his first Stamford Bridge goal since October - after which he suffered a string of injuries. And Ranieri revealed:
``I saw him having his calf massaged at half-time and immediately thought about Wednesday's game. ``Damien has been out a long time and I didn't want to take any risk. That was my thought when I took him off.'' Chelsea fans were also incredulous when Ranieri - who revels in the nickname Tinkerman - earlier took off winger Jesper Gronkjaer after an outstanding first half display.
Ranieri said: ``We needed to close up the midfield more because we were fighting a lot of Fulham players in there and I thought we needed Scott Parker.'' Eidur Gudjohnsen's brilliant early goal sparked Chelsea and Duff's winner came on the half-hour after a Mark Pembridge equaliser from a free-kick.
Ranieri said: ``We played well, we were focused and had many shots. The opponents were good but they only shot from their set-pieces. ``Eidur scored an amazing goal and I was pleased with three points.
Damien made many possibilities for us in the second half and we were very dangerous but it was not an easy match.'' Fulham manager Chris Coleman admitted he thought his side was good enough to get something out of the game. ``I'm disappointed because I thought Chelsea were there for the taking,'' he said. ``We played our normal 4-3-3 but nothing happened for us up front and we defended badly for Chelsea's two goals.
``It is very disappointing because I thought that, by their standards, Chelsea were off the pace. ``We had 19 or 20 shots against Leeds last week but nothing like that this time. You know you are going to have to ride your luck here because they have talented players but we didn't give ourselves a real chance, ``Our away form is poor.
Since we won at Manchester United we've drawn only two other games and that's got to improve before the end of the season. ``I'd be disappointed very much to see it all tail off.''

"I have stated that I prefer a move away," Hasselbaink told Studio Sport. "We don't have to compete with each other. "He (manager Claudio Ranieri) is substituting a lot.
"If you play well, you could still be on the bench in the next match.
"The result is you cannot get into a rhythm, and you see that now. "I have said I would like to leave the club if I can't play every week.
"However, they don't want to co-operate.".

A 'lucky draw' see Chelsea through the quarter final of the EUFA cup
Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri admitted his team underperformed last night, despite seeing off Stuttgart. The 0-0 draw booked Chelsea's into the Champions League quarter-finals and manager Claudio Ranieri told ITV2: "It was a difficult match - I think we played better in Stuttgart. "Tonight we were too anxious to keep possession and move the ball.
We are used to playing this way, but it was very difficult. "At the end of the match we had three very good chances. But it was a difficult match, and we covered very well. "I wanted to play 4-4-3 with Damien Duff on the left and Jesper Gronkjaer on the right. But they put us under pressure, and I had to put one more in midfield - Duff - and play normal 4-4-2."e .

Argentinian Walter Samuel is Marcel Desailly’s replacement, which will come as news to the fast-declining France international, who claims in the News of the World that he is staying for another year. Joe Cole also reckons he is staying put, though Everton want him on loan, The People reckons. The same paper says that Chelsea will pay £24 million for Joaquín, the Real Betis winger who is also fancied by Manchester United..

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH is the UK’s richest resident, with a £7.2 billion fortune. Actually, make that £7,185,000,000, because Chelsea are about to spend £15 million on Walter Samuel.
The Mail on Sunday says that football’s least dusty wallet will be opened again to capture the Argentina defender from AS Roma. Meanwhile, the Sunday Express is confident that Manchester United and Chelsea will swap Rio Ferdinand and Damien Duff. Rio has been contemplating his future — after all, he’s got plenty of spare time — and he wants to return to London .

Dutch international winger Arjen Robben will join Chelsea FC from PSV Eindhoven in the summer in a deal believed to be worth £12m.
Everton want to take Chelsea outcast Joe Cole on loan next season.

Mario Melchiot says Chelsea FC can't wait to put their recent domestic disappointments behind them with a UEFA Champions League victory against VfB Stuttgart. Confidence blow

"He wants to do what Sam Hammam has done at Cardiff and I can't think of a better candidate to do the job." Hammam has rejuvenated the Welsh club, who are now targeting promotion to the Premiership, if not this seasobn then next.
Ashton, a former Labour MP and a lifelong Wednesday fan, said of Bates
: "He's not coming in as a predator, but he doesn't want a Punch and Judy show either. "He wants to sound out the directors. He wants to speak to the fans and get their feedback." Bates, who left Chelsea after being marinalised by the new regime under Roman Abramovich and Peter Kenyon, said:
"I'm 72 and I've got another challenge left in me. "I thought long and hard about it but it is obviously a clash of eastern and western values and philosophies. Their values and philosophies are not mine."
Bates is reported to have made some £17 million from the sale to Abramovich of his stake in Chelsea, a club he bought for £1 in 1982.
He had been expected to remain as chairman of Chelsea FC until the end of next season, when he was then due to become a life president of the club in its centenary year.
He was also expected to accompany Kenyon, who has now effectively replaced him as Stamford Bridge supremo, to Premier League chairmen's meetings. "