Carlo's Chelsea Conundrum

Carlo Cudicini is unhappy with Chelsea's decision not to sanction his departure, despite the fact he spent much of last season as third choice.

The capable Italian, prior to Petr Cech's arrival at Stamford Bridge, had been rated as one of the Premier League's top goalkeepers but in the past three years he has started just 15 league games. At 34-years-old he has now concluded that he wants to quit West London in the pursuit of first-team football, but Chelsea are refusing to let him move on.

Both Manchester City and Newcastle have been linked with an approach, possibly in a loan swoop, and Cudicini's agent, Fernando Pastorello, is far from enamoured with his present employer's standpoint.

Unhappy camper

"Carlo is not happy," he told the Daily Mail. "He had an opportunity to leave and play a bit more but Chelsea said no. "They told him he had to stay because there was not enough time to find a new goalkeeper to replace him.

"Carlo thinks it is time for him to play a bit more. At Chelsea he expects to be the second choice but when you get the chance to play it is something you have to be interested in."