London: Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Chelsea will keep their stranglehold on the UK Premier League without the services of strikers Joe Cole or Fernando Torres.
The Premier League champions were reportedly prepared to pay as much as 50 million dollars to land Torres, who was injured in the World Cup final victory over the Netherlands.
According to The Sun, Chelsea have so far spent only five million dollars on midfielder Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool to bolster their squad, but are keeping their options on Torres open.
"We are able to defend the title. We have to defend this title. We want to do our best in all competitions," Ancelotti said.
He also admitted that there was nothing he could do to keep England midfielder Joe Cole, whose contract ran out in the summer.
"The problem was economic. It was a problem between the club and Joe Cole, not me. It was not my problem," he added.
ANI
First Published: Monday, July 19, 2010, 19:28