UNITED KINGDOM: Chelsea wait for new stars as coach Jose Mourinho trims down squad, hoping for glory in England and Europe

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho supervised a training session on Friday (July 21) hoping it will help him to trim the squad down to 20 outfield players. The Blues are thery are known in England are chasing their third consecutive Premier League title but expectations are also high in the Champions. New signings Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack will join his new team-mates in the last week of July. The Ukrainian striker and the German midifielder were given time off to recover from the World Cup. Mourinho wants to reduce his squad and want versatile players who can play in more than one position. The champions are insisting Dutch winger Arjen Robben will stay at the club, despite interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid. Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba and Ghana midfielder Michael Essien have already joined Chelsea's activities, despite taking part at the World Cup. Most of the others will be available for training ahead of Chelsea's first match of the season, the charity shield between the Premier league champions and the FA Cup winners Liverpool, on August 13, at the Millenium stadium, in Cardiff. Among the players leaving the club, e deal to sign Chelsea's Del Horno MADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Valencia are close to agreeing a deal to sign Chelsea defender Asier del Horno, the Primera Liga club's president said on Monday. "Things are at an advanced stage," Juan Bautista Soler was quoted as saying on the club's webpage on Monday. "We are waiting for Chelsea to send us some documentation and to finalise an agreement with the player. "We are trying to make sure he will become a Valencia fullback but we have other options as a back-up. He is a player that meets with the approval of the coach and the sporting director. "If we can sign him it will be fantastic." Del Horno joined Chelsea on a three-year contract from Athletic Bilbao for 12 million euros ($15.04 million) last June, but failed to live up to expectations during his first season with the English champions. The 25-year-old left back hit the headlines when he was sent off for a wild challenge on Barcelona forward Lionel Messi during Chelsea's 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League first knockout round in February. He was selected as part of the Spain squad for the World Cup but had to withdraw at the last minute after suffering a recurrence of an Achilles tendon problem. Valencia president Soler played down suggestions that the club would sign Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo who has been linked with a move to Spain in recent weeks. "It's a utopia, a dream and a challenge to try and bring one of the pearls of world football to Valencia but we are making the first moves," he said. "It will be very difficult, though." Real's new president Ramon Calderon originally pledged to bring AC Milan midfielder Kaka, Chelsea winger Arjen Robben and Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas to the Bernabeu, but has encountered stiff resistance from their clubs. Barcelona have signed a deal with troubled Serie A club Juventus for Italy defender Gianluca Zambrotta and France defender Lilian Thuram, the Primera Liga club said on their website on Thursday. Zambrotta, 29, has agreed a four-year contract while 34-year-old Thuram has negotiated a two-year deal. Spanish media have reported that Barca will pay 14 million euros ($23.74 million) for the Italian and five million for the Frenchman. They become the European and Spanish champions' second and third new recruits in the close season after Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen joined from Chelsea. Shevchenko joined Premier League champions Chelsea from AC Milan in May but the fee was not disclosed by the club.

ITN Source | July 22, 2006

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