Chelsea News

NEW DEAL FOR DAVID LUIZ

The Brazilian international committed his future to Chelsea shortly after playing in Saturday afternoon's 1-0 win over Stoke, and will extend a career at the club that began in January 2011.

'I am very happy to sign a new contract with Chelsea,' said David Luiz.

'It is a great club and I look forward to winning more trophies here. I want to play for a long time at the top level - which is what playing for Chelsea means. I love everything about the club and especially the fans, who have made me very welcome and given me great support.'

The defender has started 55 games with four further substitute appearances. He has scored five goals.

His first full season at the club ended in glory in Munich. He overcame a hamstring injury suffered in the FA Cup semi-final (which forced him to miss the final) to play in the Champions League Final and smashed home a penalty in the decisive shoot-out.

This season the 25-year-old has started all but one game and was recently captain of Brazil in two internationals.

Cole rejects one-year Chelsea contract

Ashley Cole has rejected a new one-year contract from Chelsea, and could sign a pre-contract agreement with another club in January if no deal is reached.

Cole, 31, earns around £130,000-a-week at Stamford Bridge and his old Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, now at Real Madrid, is keeping a close eye on developments, while another old boss, Carlo Ancelotti, would willingly take him to PSG next summer, when the England left-back would be a free agent.

Blues manager Roberto Di Matteo stated on Sunday that he was "optimistic" that Cole's contract would be sorted out and that he will stay; however, the offer of a one-year deal has been firmly rejected, and it is the length of any new contract that is presently the sticking point.

"The club have a policy that anyone who is over 30 years of age is offered a short-term new contract. Ashley is 31, but he is fit and still at the peak of his form, but so far all that has been offered is a one-year deal. Whether that included a pay rise is irrelevant as Ashley was hoping for more than one extra year.

"As it stands that leaves Ashley free to talk to clubs and to actually sign for a new club from January onwards, and that clearly is an option unless something changes from Chelsea's end. There are no further negotiations planned as far as can be seen, but that now depends on Chelsea.

"Clearly this policy resulted in Didier Drogba leaving the club in the summer and it could mean Ashley leaving."

Cole has made it clear publicly that he wants to see out his entire career with the Blues, and Di Matteo clearly believes that the player's desire to stay at the Bridge will swing the decision towards Chelsea.

But the ESPN source added: "These type of issues are not dealt with by the manager but by the club, and therefore it is not about whether the manger is optimistic or not. Everyone knows Ashley wants to stay, but as yet the club have offered a one-year deal and that was immediately turned down."

Former England Captain John Terry Retires from International Football

With his Football Association hearing over his alleged racial abuse of Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand looming, John Terry has announced his retirement from the England national team. 

Mail Online's Martin Samuel reported the news, and the BBC passed along this quote from Terry on the subject: 

I feel the FA, in pursuing charges against me where I have already been cleared in a court of law, have made my position with the national team untenable.

The FA meeting was scheduled for Monday.

As the BBC also notes, Terry, who also plays for Chelsea, "was cleared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in July."

So the untenable situation leaves England without a supremely experienced player.

Terry has 78 caps in his fine international career, and while it is under regrettable circumstances that his international career will come to a close, it is not all that surprising. Terry is no stranger to controversy. 

After making his debut for England in 2003, Terry, 31, became the captain of the Three Lions only to have that stripped twice for off-the-field issues.

While Terry obviously had external factors leading into this decision, it does not change the fact that the timing of this announcement puts his former team in a bind. 

Terry thanked his England coaches and teammates, but it does not change the fact that this was a selfish decision. He is clearly waging in a petty fight with the FA. 

While this is not to belittle a man trying to stick to his principles, there is a time when those should be put aside for the better of the team. This is definitely one of those times. 

World Cup qualifiers take place next month, and now England manager Roy Hodgson is left with a position to fill. 

Source: BleacherReport