Desailly sticking with Chelsea
Monday, August 11, 2003
Article summary
Chelsea FC captain Marcel Desailly has signed a one-year contract extension keeping him at the club until 2005.
Article body
Chelsea 'delighted'
The 34-year-old French international's existing deal was due to expire next summer. Chelsea chief executive Trevor Birch said: "We are delighted. Marcel is a champion, he has seen the progress we are making at Chelsea and has decided he wants to remain a part of it."
'Building for the long term'
Desailly, who joined the west London club five years ago from AC Milan, said on his personal website: "The new people running the club have shown they are building for the long term. This means I will be able to finish my career in Europe at a big club."
Big spenders
Since they were taken over by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich earlier this summer, Chelsea have spent more than €82m on new signings Glen Johnson, Damien Duff, Geremi, Wayne Bridge, Juan Sebastián Verón and Joe Cole.
Mutu fee agreed
A fee has also been agreed with Italian club Parma AC for Romanian international striker Adrian Mutu. Discussions will now take place between Chelsea and Mutu over personal terms. Chelsea travel to Slovakia to face MŠK Žilina in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie on Wednesday.