Ranieri signs new five-year deal

Chelsea's Italian coach Claudio Ranieri signed a new five-year contract today with the English Premiership side.

Chelsea's Italian coach Claudio Ranieri signed a new five-year contract today with the English Premiership side.

Ranieri had been linked with Barcelona after the Spanish club revealed he was on a shortlist to replace Carles Rexach this year.

However, Ranieri has responded by pledging his future to Chelsea ahead of Sunday's FA Cup semi-final against London rivals Fulham.

Earlier this week Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, said: "I'm quite sure Barcelona would consider Claudio as one of their possibilities if they do change their manager but he ain't going there, it's as simple as that.

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"As he said to me, 'I have a year left on my contract, I am happy here, I like the English way of life, it's hell in Italy and to a lesser extent in Spain as well. You get hounded and have no private life'.

"Claudio is enjoying doing his job here, he feels that he has turned the team from the one he inherited into his own side."

Ranieri, who joined Chelsea in September 2000 to succeed fellow Italian Gianluca Vialli, has an admirable track record in Spain after he took Valencia to victory in the Spanish Cup and launched them on to the Champions League stage between 1997 and 1999.

In previous years he also took Italian outfit Cagliari from Serie C to the top flight Serie A, coached Napoli for two seasons and helped Fiorentina to promotion and an Italian Cup.