Chelsea in the market for a new defender, but welcome back http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Frank-Lampard-c14097: Carlo Ancelotti
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 manager Carlo Ancelotti says he will have to buy a new defender in the January transfer window if injured Alex is unable to recover in time.
Alex is currently sidelined as he recovers from surgery on his injured knee, and Chelsea – already having lost http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ricardo-Carvalho-c30973 to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window – find their backline currently laid bare.
“If we are sure that Alex will have resolved his problem, we won’t need another defender,” says Ancelotti. “We have to wait and see his condition. We can think about things, a new defender, towards the end of January. That would be the only position.”
Around this time last year, Ancelotti had vowed to run around the club's training ground naked if Chelsea signed a player in the January transfer window. This year, however, he promises to do the same if he doesn’t sign a player in January.
And it appears that Ancelotti is looking for a homegrown English player. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gary-Cahill-c14439 of the Bolton Wanderers has previously been linked with a move to the West London side
"Obviously, if you take an English player, you don’t have a problem with the culture, the language,” says Ancelotti. “Maybe they have advantages for this reason.”
Meanwhile, Ancelotti is looking forward to the return of his talismanic English midfielder Frank Lampard, who will be playing against Arsenal on Monday night. Lampard has not featured in any game since late August due to a groin injury, but has now been deemed fit to play.
"It’s very difficult to find this kind of player who has the capability of scoring 20 goals [in a season],” says Ancelotti of the 32-year-old midfielder. “He has character, ability, he always runs and works hard, not speaking. He’s so professional. It’s the best image for a player. I don’t like players who speak but don’t run. I like players who don’t speak but run. They do their talking on the pitch. I don’t expect anything extraordinary from him."
Chelsea are currently placed fourth in the Premier League table with 31 points under their belt out of 17 league matches. Chelsea’s last match against Manchester United fell prey to adverse weather conditions and was eventually called off. The Blues will visit the Emirates Stadium tonight to face Arsene Wenger’s third-placed Arsenal.
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