Kenyon expects Lampard, Drogba to start season with Chelsea

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon expects Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Andriy Shevchenko to start the season at Stamford Bridge, and has reiterated the club's interest in Robinho.

“Negotiations are ongoing with regards to Frank, but we expect all of them (Lampard, Drogba, Shevchenko) to start the season,” he told the club's website.

“We've bought in Jose Boswingwa, we've signed Deco, but we need one more player, and we're definitely showing interest in Robinho.”

But Kenyon once again quashed reports that they had tabled a bid for AC Milan's Kaka.

“We have made no bids despite what media reports say,” he said. “Milan insist he is not for sale.”

The Chelsea transfer rumour mill has gone into overdrive ahead of the new Premier League season, and according to British weekend reports they are now ready to meet Lampard's demand of a five-year contract extension.

This would be worth 150,000 pounds a week (300,000 dollars) to the 30-year-old England international in a blockbuster deal worth 39 million pounds.

The player and club have been involved in a year-long contractual stand-off, with Chelsea only prepared to extend the length of any deal to four years, sparking speculation that he could move to Inter Milan.

Meanwhile Drogba, who is missing the club's pre-season tour of Asia through injury, said he wants his future sorted out as soon as possible.

“As for my future at Chelsea, well I have a contract with the club that is clear. But my agents will have a meeting in London and then it will be known once and for all,” he was quoted as saying in the Daily Mirror.

The striker has been subject of interest from AC Milan and Barcelona.

Shevchenko has endured a miserable time since his move from AC Milan in 2006 and the Italian club have made it clear they would like to re-sign him, but new Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is keen to offer him a fresh start.

Kenyon added that the club was keen to play attractive football, as well as win trophies.

“The first objective was to improve the infrastructure and win trophies. It's what our fans want and we succeeded. But football's about entertainment and we want to play good football,” he said.

“We want to be a team that wins in style and that's about the club growing up.”

Chelsea romped past Chengdu Blades 7-0 on Saturday after thrashing Guangzhou Pharmaceutical last week in their first two games under Scolari.

They play a Malaysian XI in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday and then head to Moscow for the Railways Cup.