Rumour and speculation are bound to be rife this summer as far as big-spending Manchester City and Chelsea are concerned, yet reports that Carlo Ancelotti and Didier Drogba could be heading to Eastlands, with Carlos Tevez going in the opposite direction, will certainly have caused a stir amongst the Premier League´s big guns.
According to reports in The Sun, Chelsea manager Ancelotti is being lined up to replace Roberto Mancini should the City boss decide to jump ship and move back to his native country with Juventus. Both men have been the subject of talk regarding their respective futures lately, with claims that Mancini has even gone so far as to hold a meeting with the Italian club, which was later denied. All the same, much now depends on whether his team can lift the FA Cup against Stoke City on May 14 and also secure a Champions League qualifying place.
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Ancelotti´s time at Stamford Bridge appeared to be coming to an end following Champions League elimination and a poor earlier showing in the league by Chelsea´s own standards. However, with just three points now separating the Londoners from leaders Manchester United there could well be a reprieve for the former AC Milan boss if he can somehow wrest the title from United´s grasp – meaning City could well be forced to look elsewhere.
The Manchester Evening News reports that Drogba could also be on his way north if the Blues are forced to sell Tevez to rivals Chelsea, a move which would be sure to provoke a backlash among fans. The Argentine striker has looked increasingly unhappy with life since handing in a December transfer request and is ready to demand a move in the summer; if he fails to recover from his current hamstring injury in time for the FA Cup final then he may well have played his last game in a sky blue shirt.
Tevez has also been linked with a move to Inter Milan of late and was reported to have met club officials during his recent trip to Italy for treatment, but Inter President Massimo Moratti is adamant no talks have taken place, saying: “I saw on television that he was recently in Milan, but there is absolutely nothing between us.”
Even so, there are not many clubs around the world that could afford Tevez´s wages but Chelsea are one that definitely falls into that category, and despite City being desperate to hang on to him, they might not be able to turn down an offer of £30 million plus the 33-year-old Ivory Coast international as a makeweight in any deal.
Drogba himself is out of contract next year and is gradually getting fed up with having to compete with Nicolas Anelka and Fernando Torres for a place in the first XI at this stage of his career, particularly as he has been virtually guaranteed a starting berth since his £24m arrival from Marseille almost seven years ago.
