latest around the Barclays Premier League, 22nd FEB

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has spent £578million trying to make Chelsea the world’s biggest club.

And he is set to fork out another £810,000 in bonuses if his Blues lift the Carling Cup on Sunday.

The club’s yearly figures have revealed the Russian multi-billionaire, who bought Chelsea in June 2003, continues to pump vast amounts of his fortune into the business.

Chelsea’s aim is to continue reducing their net transfer spending which fell to £11.7m last year compared to £84.5m in 2006 and £126.7m in 2005.

That means there will be no big-money swoop for Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho, who was heavily linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea’s policy will be to sign younger players with a re-sale value.


FRANK LAMPARD has won his battle to start the Carling Cup final against Spurs.

Chelsea boss Avram Grant left him out of Tuesday’s Euro draw at Olympiakos. That fuelled speculation Lamps would be snubbed again in favour of Michael Ballack for Sunday’s Wembley clash.

But Grant has told him he will play — and Ballack is likely to start as well. Didier Drogba is set to be partnered up front by £15million signing Nicolas Anelka as Grant bids for the first leg of an unprecedented Quadruple.

Joe Cole reckons the rivalry between the Blues and Spurs means the fans are in for a scorching final, perhaps even a classic.

The Chelsea winger said: “I know the rivalry well. I grew up with it and a lot of fans have come up to me this week and said we HAVE to beat them.


SPURS keeper Paul Robinson looks certain to start Sunday’s Carling Cup final against Chelsea after his UEFA Cup wonder show last night.

Boss Juande Ramos axed Robbo for 10 games following a series of high-profile howlers.

But the England star, given the captain’s armband, hit back with a string of fine saves to deny Slavia Prague. He said: “I just had to answer to myself. I know myself and I know how I’ve been playing or not been playing as the case may be.

England boss Fabio Capello was watching in the stands and Spurs chief Ramos said: “Robinson did a great job and did everything he had to. It was difficult for him especially after such a long time without playing but his display was magnificent."

“We have three days to recover and take a closer look but there are lots of things to consider.”

Jamie O’Hara scored his first Spurs goal to seal his side a last-16 clash with PSV Eindhoven.


WES BROWN’S Manchester United future is on a knife-edge after Alex Ferguson hit out at his contract demands.

Brown, 28, wants £65,000 a week to sign a new deal but has been offered £10,000 less. He could leave on a free in the summer.

Boss Fergie said: “We’ve given him his offer. It’s in his hands, not in ours. Players today live in their agents’ pockets. It’s a situation which depresses me at times.

“Wes has been with us since he was 12 but I don’t think that matters these days. Their agents live their lives for them — and if you are happy to go along with that then you get the situation you have just now.” Brown, who currently earns £31,000 a week plus another £10,000 a week every time he plays, has enjoyed one of his best seasons, deputising at right-back for Gary Neville.

Fergie added: “It’s amazing given he has had such a good season and such a good run of games while Gary has been injured.

“We wouldn’t have made the offer if we hadn’t had faith in him.”


The Football Association has rejected the Premier League's initial plans to play matches abroad.

The "39th game" proposal was discussed at a board meeting on Thursday where the FA told the Premier League to rethink its current plans.

"We haven't got what I would call a sustainable plan in front of us," said FA chairman Lord Triesman.

Triesman said the Premier League had failed to answer the issues he had outlined in Parliament earlier this week and that the rest of the board agreed with him.

"Firstly there are serious problems of congestion in the season," he said.

"I make it very clear that we would want to make sure that all of our own competitions can be played successfully, and that there isn't the usual overstretch that you get at that time of year which can have an impact on the England side.

"Secondly, I think that we have to make sure that our international relationships are in good shape; there are very many reasons for that, and the 2018 World Cup is one of those reasons.

"Third, there is bound to be continuing concern about whether the 39th game would change the symmetry of the competition or would introduce unfairness as it is perceived in the competition.

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