FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Italian international Roberto Di Matteo has told Chelsea he wants to stay at Stamford Bridge for the foreseeable future-quashing claims that he was looking to return to Italy.

Reports in the Italian press earlier this week indicated the midfielder could be set to leave the English Premiership two years after joining Chelsea from Lazio in a 4.9 million pound deal.

But Chelsea managing director Colin Hutchinson said: ” He’s very happy at Chelsea and extended his contract to 2002 as recently as last December. ” We want to strengthen the squad and challenge for the championship and compete in the European Champions’ League-and you don’t do that by selling your best players. ” It seems to us that one or two agents-who have no connection with Roberto-may be trying to engineer a move and a pay-day for themselves. ” Of course one day near the end of his career, Roberto will probably want to return to Italy-but that day is a long way off. “