Roman Abramovich prepares Chelsea fire sale

11 April 2012

All of Chelsea's players are now living in fear of the axe with owner Roman Abramovich keen to make significant changes following a dismal season.

Standard Sport revealed yesterday that coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to be sacked this summer after Chelsea failed in the Champions League again with defeat by Manchester United.

It is set to be the worst season of Abramovich's eight-year reign as the Blues are now out of all cup competitions and are a distant third in the Premier League.

And Ancelotti, who won the Double last year, looks likely to be joined by a number of high-profile players out of the exit door at Stamford Bridge.

Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda were all expected to be sold but Abramovich is considering wielding the axe further with even England stars John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole not safe.

A source close to one of the senior players said: "Everyone is worried about what is going to happen which is normal in these circumstances.

"The season hasn't gone well and if there is a change of manager that usually means someone new will come in with different ideas. No one is really sure about what is going to happen and there is a lot of uncertainty right now. Confidence is low, as you'd expect."

Chelsea have already begun targeting a number of talented young players around the world and Abramovich is prepared to fund another big spending spree in the next transfer window.

Strikers Neymar (Santos), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid) and Romelu Lukaku (Anderlecht) are all on the wanted list, as is Ajax right-back Gregory Van der Wiel, but there is a feeling that all areas of the pitch need to be strengthened.

Ancelotti has remained a popular figure among the players on a personal level but there is a concern that he is too nice as a coach. A number of managers are already being tipped to be his replacement and Jose Mourinho is the choice of several senior players.

Mourinho's relationship with Abramovich has improved significantly since he was sacked in 2007, however, his standing at Real Madrid has been enhanced over the past few weeks having guided the club to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2003.

He will be under pressure once more, though, if Real's arch rivals Barcelona beat them in the last four as well as in La Liga, where they currently boast an eight-point lead. They also meet in the Spanish Cup Final.

Guus Hiddink, who was interim manager at Chelsea for the last three months of the 2008-09 season, will be another popular choice.

But the Dutchman is currently employed as the Turkey coach and is committed to helping them qualify for Euro 2012. There is also a feeling that at 64 years old, he doesn't want the pressures of handling a League club on a day-to-day basis.

Chelsea will still look to him to be director of football now that Frank Arnesen is leaving to join Hamburg.

Ex-Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez would argue that he can get the best out of £50m signing Fernando Torres having brought him to Anfield in 2007.

Marco van Basten, Marcello Lippi, Frank Rijkaard and Mourinho's former assistant, Porto coach Andre Villas Boas, are also being touted.

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