Fernando Torres is being touted as Chelsea's number one transfer target as Fleet Street predicts a comprehensive revamp of the club's first-team squad following their ignominious Champions League exit.
Though some reports have suggested that the position of Carlo Ancelotti is under threat after Tuesday night's defeat to Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, the general consensus is that Roman Abramovich will keep faith with the Italian and re-open his chequebook to fund a lavish spending spree.
'Ancelotti may thus be able to consider moves for long-standing targets such as Fernando Torres, Franck Ribéry or Sergio Agüero,' reports The Guardian. 'Torres is emerging as the club's principal target and the Spanish striker's future at Liverpool could be decided by the level of investment attracted to his club in the next few months.'
A concurring Daily Mirror also declares that 'Ancelotti wants to build a "dream team" front pair of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres next season. Chelsea's wish-list is headed by Liverpool superstar Torres, with the Blues ready to table a £50million bid if they see any signs the Spaniard wants to leave Anfield.
'Chelsea know that Manchester City, who can outbid the Stamford Bridge side, have also targeted Torres, especially after his recent admission that he would not automatically go back to Spain if he decides to quit Liverpool.'
Chelsea have spent relatively little in recent years, with the club committed to the goal of breaking even. However, their early exit from the Champions League is expected to result in that austerity coming to an expensive end.
The Sun quotes a 'senior Chelsea source' declaring: "Carlo has the full backing of Roman and that will mean the kind of money being spent this summer that we haven't seen since Mourinho was in charge.
"Roman believes Carlo is the right man and will give him exactly what he needs to rebuild the team.
"This squad has gone a bit stale and needs to have some fresh blood."
To make room for the new additions, a number of current squad members are predicted to depart.
'Joe Cole will be the first to pay the price for a new attitude because the club are determined not to cave in to his wage demands,' declares The Times. 'The England midfield player is likely to be followed out of the door by Deco, Paulo Ferreira, Hilário and even Ricardo Carvalho.'
'Funds could be raised by moving players on with the likes of Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Juliano Belletti and even Salomon Kalou potentially made available,' adds The Guardian. 'The owner's desire to reinvigorate the squad could also have implications for contract negotiations with Joe Cole and Michael Ballack, whose deals expire at the end of the season, and possibly Nicolas Anelka, who is contracted until 2011.'
And the list of players Fleet Streets believes could be on their way to Stamford Bridge is considerable. A trawl through the backpages finds the club linked with, among others, Torres, Ribery, Agüero, David Villa, Giampaolo Pazzini, Simon Kjaer, Moussa Dembele, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sergio Asenjo.
Though some reports have suggested that the position of Carlo Ancelotti is under threat after Tuesday night's defeat to Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, the general consensus is that Roman Abramovich will keep faith with the Italian and re-open his chequebook to fund a lavish spending spree.
'Ancelotti may thus be able to consider moves for long-standing targets such as Fernando Torres, Franck Ribéry or Sergio Agüero,' reports The Guardian. 'Torres is emerging as the club's principal target and the Spanish striker's future at Liverpool could be decided by the level of investment attracted to his club in the next few months.'
A concurring Daily Mirror also declares that 'Ancelotti wants to build a "dream team" front pair of Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres next season. Chelsea's wish-list is headed by Liverpool superstar Torres, with the Blues ready to table a £50million bid if they see any signs the Spaniard wants to leave Anfield.
'Chelsea know that Manchester City, who can outbid the Stamford Bridge side, have also targeted Torres, especially after his recent admission that he would not automatically go back to Spain if he decides to quit Liverpool.'
Chelsea have spent relatively little in recent years, with the club committed to the goal of breaking even. However, their early exit from the Champions League is expected to result in that austerity coming to an expensive end.
The Sun quotes a 'senior Chelsea source' declaring: "Carlo has the full backing of Roman and that will mean the kind of money being spent this summer that we haven't seen since Mourinho was in charge.
"Roman believes Carlo is the right man and will give him exactly what he needs to rebuild the team.
"This squad has gone a bit stale and needs to have some fresh blood."
To make room for the new additions, a number of current squad members are predicted to depart.
'Joe Cole will be the first to pay the price for a new attitude because the club are determined not to cave in to his wage demands,' declares The Times. 'The England midfield player is likely to be followed out of the door by Deco, Paulo Ferreira, Hilário and even Ricardo Carvalho.'
'Funds could be raised by moving players on with the likes of Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Juliano Belletti and even Salomon Kalou potentially made available,' adds The Guardian. 'The owner's desire to reinvigorate the squad could also have implications for contract negotiations with Joe Cole and Michael Ballack, whose deals expire at the end of the season, and possibly Nicolas Anelka, who is contracted until 2011.'
And the list of players Fleet Streets believes could be on their way to Stamford Bridge is considerable. A trawl through the backpages finds the club linked with, among others, Torres, Ribery, Agüero, David Villa, Giampaolo Pazzini, Simon Kjaer, Moussa Dembele, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sergio Asenjo.
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