DAMIEN DUFF has been offered a two-year contract extension by
Chelsea.
Blues boss Jose Mourinho hopes it will help keep the Irish winger
at Stamford Bridge.
Duff has a year left on his £50,000-a-week deal but has grown
increasingly unsettled at his lack of regular first-team
action.
He is a top target for Spurs chief Martin Jol.
But after selling strikers Eidur Gudjohnsen and Carlton Cole
already this summer, Chelsea boss Mourinho is reluctant to lose any
more attacking players.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have inquired over the availability of Gianluca
Zambrotta at Juventus. Although the World Cup-winning full-back is
understood to favour a move to Real Madrid, where he would link up
again with the departed Juventus coach Fabio Capello, Chelsea are
keen to strengthen their options in defence.
However, the Premiership champions' principal target to replace Del
Horno remains Ashley Cole, Arsenal's England left-back. Cole, who
has made public the extent of his dispute with the Gunners prior to
the publication of his autobiography this month, has no intention
of remaining at Arsenal. However, with so few clubs capable of
competing for his services, Chelsea are refusing to meet the £16m
release clause in Cole's contract.
Chelsea are considering the sale of Damien Duff. Tottenham lodged a
£5m offer at the weekend that was immediately rebuffed and Duff was
yesterday still training with Chelsea at their base in Surrey. The
27-year-old, who cost £17m from Blackburn three years ago, had
hoped to conclude a contract extension on his £70,000-per-week
deal, which has two years to run. In close-season contract talks,
however, Chelsea informed him he would have to take a significant
pay cut to remain at Stamford Bridge.
Having made only 63 Premiership starts in his three seasons in west
London, Duff has failed to reproduce the form that saw Chelsea and
Manchester United enter a bidding war for his signature. Tottenham,
though, must at least double their bid to be sure of securing
Duff.
