Chelsea planning no early talks on Anelka

SOCCER/PREMIER LEAGUE:CHELSEA DO not intend to open talks with Nicolas Anelka over a new contract until the end of the season, despite the France striker's agent having suggested that discussions over a new deal were imminent.

Anelka, a €20 million signing from Bolton Wanderers in January 2008, ended as the Premier League’s leading goalscorer last season, netting 19 times. He is expected to start this evening’s Premier League game at Sunderland alongside Didier Drogba.

His representative, Doug Pingisi, has indicated this month that talks over an extension to the Frenchman’s deal, which has two years left to run, were due to take place later this week.

But, while Chelsea have expressed their huge satisfaction with Anelka’s form and impact over his 18 months at the club in preliminary discussions with the player’s agent, the club’s hierarchy does not anticipate opening formal talks over a new contract until the end of the season, at the earliest.

That would be consistent with their policy on negotiations which has seen the likes of Mikel John Obi, Drogba and Frank Lampard re-sign as they entered the final year of their deals.

Securing Ashley Cole and Joe Cole to new terms remains Chelsea’s priority at present, with the latter still three to four weeks away from a first-team return after knee problems.

The England midfielder ruptured his cruciate ligament in an FA Cup tie at Southend in January, then tore the meniscus in the knee just before the club’s pre-season tour of the US in July.

He continues to train on his own at Cobham and is resigned to playing no part in England’s World Cup qualifier against Croatia next month.

Yuri Zhirkov, Chelsea’s signing from CSKA Moscow, is targeting a league debut against Burnley on August 29th, having picked up an injury against Milan in Baltimore last month. The Russian, together with Alex (groin) and Juliano Belletti (Achilles’), will miss the game at the Stadium of Light.

Peruvian striker Claudio Pizarro is expected to rejoin Werder Bremen this week having spent last season on loan at the Bundesliga club. The 30-year-old, a free transfer from Bayern Munich in 2007, scored 28 goals in all competitions last term, but remains on the periphery at Stamford Bridge.

“We are deep in talks with Chelsea and we hope to be successful before August 31st,” said the Werder Bremen sporting director, Klaus Allofs. “If we do sign him then we would be buying him and I think that is also what Chelsea want.”

Chelsea have loaned their young right-back Shaun Cummings to West Bromwich Albion, but are likely to complete the €5 million signing of the highly-rated Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic in January.

The 20-year-old, currently at Kosice, claims to have agreed a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge but is expected to remain at his current club for more experience.