Can Ancelotti build the dream?

Is money already talking under the new regime of Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti? The former AC Milan manager is making no secret of the fact that European glory is his main aim. He pledges that Chelsea will lift the Champions League crown within the next three years and who would bet against them doing it in his first season in charge?

Ancelotti knows European football inside and out and has a pedigree of success. He guided AC Milan to victory in 2003 and then again in 2007 and won the trophy twice as a player. He describes success in the tournament as “beautiful” and the pay cheque isn’t too bad either. Might that have something to do with his ambition?

Certainly, Chelsea fans will be hungry for success after reaching five semi-finals in six years. The taste of being beaten by Manchester United on penalties in the 2008 final is still bitter and players will relish the challenge. Ancelotti also promises to retain the feel-good factor at Stamford Bridge following the club’s victory in the FA Cup. The team and supporters are relishing their first bit of silverware in two years, thanks to outgoing boss Guus Hiddink who delivered the perfect leaving present.

But club faithfuls are already asking whether European glory should be Ancelotti’s main target. What about the Premiership or is this going to take second fiddle to the Champions League? If so, it will spell great news for both Manchester United and Liverpool who will be battling it out for top spot. Perhaps it might have been more diplomatic for Ancelotti to target as much success as possible, including the Champions League. Building a dream on the continent is commendable but performing on the stage at home in front of a crowd who pay good money to see their club has to be a top priority as well.

Chelsea fans will also be interested to see what type of play Ancelotti will favour. Will he encourage the free-flowing style the Blues are used to or adopt the AC Milan more stifled approach? One player who insists he won’t be following his former boss to Stamford Bridge is ace forward Kaka. Both Real Madrid and Chelsea are rumoured to be interested in signing him but Kaka says he has no intentions whatsoever of leaving Milan, full spot. That means he will be signing for Chelsea before the end of June then.

Though Chelsea fans will be relishing Ancelotti’s obvious ambition, he’s got a hard act to follow in the footsteps of Jose Mounrinho and Hiddink who became firm favourites. Ancelotti does have a good track record and says he is very much a people’s person, likes to work together and be close to the players. He also speaks very highly of Chelsea and their teamwork. Ancelotti certainly talks the talk, now let’s see what he can deliver on the field, whether for home tournaments, the Premier League or Europe. He wants to build a dream and Chelsea will want him to deliver.

Franck Ribery looks set to get a transfer from Bayern Munich

With each day that passes the future of gifted Bayern Munich star, Franck Ribery, looks more and more set in stone. For a long time reports from all over Europe have been popping out with rumours of reported bids and planned coups to take the Frenchman into the squad of another massive club.

Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Lyon and Real Madrid among others have all said to be interested in his services and fresher strong rumours have emerged this morning that he will move to Italy when the transfer window opens this summer.

Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan is said to be intensely frustrated at his side’s failure to make vast steps in Europe this season and Ribery has been targeted to secure UEFA Champions League success for next year.

Inter are supposedly ready to offer 40 million Euros plus a possible player exchange in order to make the move a reality, but Ribery’s future is still greatly unclear. A number of other clubs would be willing to match or even better this price.

Ribery has consistently said in Germany that he is satisfied and happy to be playing in Munich. He has been instrumental in the progress they have made this season and despite a European thrashing at the hands of Barcelona, Munich have been noted as a rapidly developing side.

He has made just fewer than 30 appearances for Munich this season scoring 11goals and not to mention has become one of the first names to go down on the French international team list every time a France game comes around. Many England fans will remember he scored in their victory over the English in Fabio Capello’s second game in charge.

If Ribery moves to Inter this summer then he would look set to form an attacking partnership with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and possibly Diego Milito as well who has also been linked with the Italian outfit. Inter are a side packed with no end of talent and experience but they are missing a piece in the jigsaw.

It is unlikely that Munich will let him leave with out a fight. For any club who are faced with the prospect of having to sell one of their best players the option is quite simple; if you are going to let him go then you sell him to the highest bidder.

Real Madrid have cash in the bank as their Ronaldo quest seems to have stopped so the fire power that could come from elsewhere, besides Inter, could be enough to sway the German club to listen to other offers. Especially considering Madrid’s European fragility this year.

Munich would do very well to Get Ribery signed on for even longer than his current contract runs for. They have regular European football guaranteed and Ribery has settled in the country. Munich have a strong case for persuading him to stay but it is likely that the glitz and glamour of moving to a bigger European club may be too hard to say no to.