UNITED KINGDOM: SOCCER / FOOTBALL - Premiership champions Chelsea pre-season training session at Cobham, Surrey

Premiership champions Chelsea were preparing for the new season on Monday (July 24) without winger Damien Duff and defender Asier del Horno. Duff joined Newcastle United for five million pounds (9.24 million), the 27-year-old Ireland winger signing a five-year-contract. Del Horno has gone back home to Spain, signing a six-year contract with Valencia. Spanish media said the deal for the 25-year-old was around 7.5 million euros (9.48 million U.S. dollars). Chelsea have been busy with owner Roman Abramovich's millions, however, signing up strikers Andriy Shevchenko of Ukraine and Salomon Kalou from Ivory Coast, along with Germany captain Michael Ballack and John Obi Mikel, the Nigerian who had also been targetted by Manchester United. Also, Del Horno's move has increased speculation that Arsenal and England defender Ashley Cole might move across London. Chelsea will play three matches before the English season commences: against an MLS All-Stars team in Chicago on August 5; against Feyenoord in Rotterdam on August 8; and at home to Scottish Champions Celtic on August They then face FA Cup winners Liverpool in the traditional Charity Shield match in the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on August 13. Their league season commences on August 20 with a home match against Manchester City.

ITN Source | July 25, 2006

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