Chelsea has finally landed Charlton’s England midfielder Scott Parker after two failed bids for the highly-rated player. The big-spending Blues have agreed to pay Charlton £ 10.2 million for a player who has been with the Addicks since the age of 11, handing him a four-and-a-half-year deal. .

Parker, who had been criticised by Charlton boss Alan Curbishley for his efforts in training after the first Chelsea bid was turned down, told England’s PA he didn’t feel the criticism was fair. “What Alan said wasn’t really fair. I wouldn’t say I liked what he said and it hurt,” he said. “I’ve read what’s been written about me and heard what’s been said. I’ve heard disloyalty being mentioned and I can understand that.” “It all looks so bad on me but, rather than all the negative stuff, I hope the fans can see what I gave to Charlton.” Parker, 23, signed a five-year deal with Charlton at the start of the season, but insisted he only did so after a clause was put in that would allow him to speak to any club in the top three of the English Premier League. “I’d been there for 12 years and gave everything in every game since I got in the team four years ago.” “But no matter what people at Charlton are saying about me, I respect everyone there.” “What I will say is that, however, when I signed a five-year contract at Charlton, I was promised by the chairman that they’d tell me if a top-three club came in for me. That was the issue.” Parker faces a tough task to gain a starting spot at Chelsea, who already has midfielders such as Frank Lampard, Geremi, Emmanuel Petit, Juan Sebastian Veron, Joe Cole, Mario Stanic and Claude Makelele, but said he was prepared to bide his time. “I realise I won’t play as much here but I’ll be training with world-class players day-in, day-out and that can only make me a better player.

The Football Association has charged Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink with violent conduct. The charge stems from an alleged use of the elbow in last Saturday’s 1-0 win at Scarborough in the FA Cup.
The player, who has 14 days to respond, has a good record of escaping disciplinary action.

Two seasons ago the Dutch striker had two red cards rescinded and was also found not guilty of a violent conduct charge. The first red was struck off when it was ruled he had not elbowed Martin Keown, while the second was a case of mistaken identity after Teddy Sheringham was struck while playing for Spurs against Chelsea Hasselbaink was also found not guilty of a violent conduct charge which alleged he had elbowed Southampton’s Claus Lundekvam. .

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Arsenal will be their main rivals in the Barclaycard Premiership title race, but the Scot remains wary of a Chelsea challenge.
Claudio Ranieri’s Blues have slipped off the pace in the last month but, four points behind second-placed United and six behind leaders Arsenal, they remain a threat. .

Ferguson expects another tight tussle with the unbeaten Gunners for the championship and welcomes the involvement of Chelsea in the title race.
Ranieri’s men have already beaten United this season, with Frank Lampard’s penalty the difference between the two sides when they met at Stamford Bridge. Ferguson told MUTV: “The two of us will be there, whether Chelsea can come back into it – I think they can. “We want three in it, we would like five. It would make for exciting times. “Over the first half of the season Arsenal and ourselves have probably been in the best form ever, so therefore (Chelsea’s involvement) has served as a great fillip to us and probably Arsenal too.” Chelsea spent more than £100million on squad building last summer.
Ferguson has been impressed with their recruitment but feels it could be too soon to expect them to win the title this season. Asked if Chelsea can win the league after spending so much, Ferguson said: “Probably not in the first season but they are certainly one to keep an eye on. “From their point of view you have to say well done. When people have that kind of money there is no saying where it can end. “They got the break with a few early results in their favour. That settled them quicker than normally they would have and gave Claudio Ranieri assurance. “They’ve had a bit of a blip and are going through that period of getting back on track again.”

Chelsea have launched an audacious attempt to sign Arjen Robben, the PSV Eindhoven striker wanted by Manchester United, who yesterday received an offer worth £5.5 million for Nicky Butt from Birmingham City. .Chelsea sent representatives to Eindhoven to discuss the highly-rated striker with officials of the Dutch club. ”

Charlton chairman Martin Simons has told Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich to keep his money and “get lost”.
Chelsea have made two bids for Charlton midfielder Scott Parker, the latest worth £7.5million with bonuses based on appearances. But Simons does not want to sell and told The Sun: “Chelsea must be shown they can’t just take our best players without us putting up a fight. We are fourth in the league, they are third. In the last few weeks we have been catching them up.
So it hurts when a club with their buying power has the ability to see the club beneath them and say ‘Oh, let’s spend a few million and take their best player’. Well I say ‘Get lost Abramovich’ and I think I speak for the rest of football.” He added: Somebody has to make a stand.
We don’t want Chelsea’s money. We are not the Charlton of old, where if someone offered us £1m for a player we would ask for £1.25m. “We don’t want the gap between the top three and the rest to get wider. If that happens, they may as well go off and play in a league of their own.”

Czech international Tomas Rosicky has confirmed that he is in negotiatons with Chelsea. The 23-year-old star confirmed this in an interview with a Czech newspaper. “Yes, it’s true. Chelsea has contacted me and I have known about it for eight or nine days,” he admitted. Rosicky is contracted to Bourussia Dortmund until 2008, but he is said to be fed up with life at the Bundesliga club.
The club’s failure on the pitch over the last two seasons, coupled with their uncertain financial future, has angered Rosicky to the point where he is going to ask for a transfer. Dortmund have already sold some of their key players and Rosciky will be next.
The former Sparta Prague star has recently stressed his desire to play for a bigger club and feels that a move to Chelsea would be ideal. Dortmund’s general manager Michael Meier refused to comment on the situation, but did admit that he would be prepared to sell any players who want to leave the club. “If a player wants to leave us, we’d have to start talks,” said Meier. Jens Lehmann asked for a move away from the club last season and was quickly granted his wish.

Chelsea midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron is to return to Argentina to see a doctor about a back problem that has kept him sidelined for two months and which may need surgery, coach Claudio Ranieri said on Friday.”He’s going to Argentina to see a specialist who knows him well. In a few days we will know more,” Ranieri said at the London side’s training ground near Heathrow Airport.

“Maybe he will need an operation I am not sure.” Veron returned from international duty with Argentina in November with back pain which he has been unable to shake off. His compatriot Hernan Crespo will also miss Chelsea’s home game against Birmingham City on Sunday because of a calf injury, which is likely to need another month to heal, Ranieri said.. ‘

About to negotiate an extension to his England contract, Sven-Goran Eriksson has admitted he would also listen to offers from clubs such as Chelsea.
“There has been no offer but if there was one I would have to sit down and think about it,” the Swede said in reference to reports linking him with Chelsea. “If anyone made me a job offer I would have to consider it.”