Chelsea v Manchester Utd:Jose Mourinho has issued the strongest indication yet that he will be in charge of Chelsea next season by revealing his plans for the first-team squad.
Mourinho says he will not require a bigger squad for the next campaign despite player fatigue and injuries being widely blamed for Chelsea's failure to win the Champions League or retain the Premiership title. Their 2007-08 squad also looks likely to include Arjen Robben.
The Dutch winger's future has been the subject of speculation, but a source close to the player last night confirmed he has opened talks on a new Chelsea contract. Barcelona and Bayern Munich have been monitoring Robben's situation, but it is understood the 23-year-old wants to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho, whose team face Manchester United tonight, has forged a close-knit spirit within a compact squad during his three years at Chelsea and, although events have sometimes undermined that strategy this season, there will be no significant change of approach.
"It is impossible to have a squad of 35 players," said Mourinho. "What we have to do is pray a lot, because the situation we have in terms of injuries is not possible to be repeated. We had, I think, seven surgeries and 14 players with traumatic injuries, not muscular or tendon strains, everything we had was a broken bone, a knee ligament, a skull fracture, everything was really bad stuff and we cannot have a bigger squad.
"Maybe next season I have big, big problems to choose a team, because I have 24 players ready to play and everybody is fit. It is something we cannot control and I think the numbers we had this season were correct."
Chelsea's main problems came over Christmas and the new year when John Terry and Petr Cech were out and Mourinho was frustrated in attempts to bring in defensive cover. He believes that one extra central defender will be sufficient.
Mourinho is also well aware of the effect the African Cup of Nations next year might have on his squad, with Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Mikel John Obi, Michael Essien and Geremi all potentially involved.
"The competition is between January 20th and February 10th, so it is around 20 days long," said Mourinho. "By the rules the players have to go eight to 10 days before that, so it is around a month. That's one month when there are some Carling Cup and FA Cup games, so I don't think it is a period with seven Premiership matches. I think it will be three, maximum four league games. We have to look at it like a moment when the players are injured and we cannot use them."
One move that could assist Mourinho deal with the problem is the likely move of Steve Sidwell to Stamford Bridge. The 24-year-old midfielder, who is out of contract at Reading in July and has rejected the club's offer of a deal, has emerged as a target.
Another area which Mourinho would like to strengthen is the quality of emerging players to complement his senior squad. After a successful loan spell at Plymouth earlier in the season, 18-year-old forward Scott Sinclair featured in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Arsenal.
"What we can have to give a little protection is a reserve team with kids with potential and who are ready, like for example Scott Sinclair," he said. "It is not an easy game to come on and play for 15 minutes, but I think Scott is improving, and we need three or four kids of 18 to 19 who are ready to play for us if we need."
Chelsea's youth team manager, Ruud Kaiser, is set to leave at the end of the season. Formerly with the Dutch FA, he worked alongside Frank Arnesen, the club's chief scout and director of youth.
Meanwhile, Alex Ferguson has promised the Premiership's relegation-threatened teams he will not field a weakened side against West Ham on Sunday. Ferguson intends to use his fringe players when Manchester United visit Chelsea tonight, with both clubs already looking ahead to the FA Cup final, but he insists he will not do West Ham any favours when they visit Old Trafford for the match that will determine whether they stay in the league.
Alan Curbishley's team need a point to survive after a run of six victories in their last eight Premiership matches has taken them out of the relegation zone. However, a defeat is likely to send the London club into the Championship if Wigan Athletic win at Sheffield United, and Ferguson said he had to be fair to the other clubs.
"I am going to make changes (against Chelsea) because our players are running on empty," he said. "But the West Ham game is a very important issue. We have to respect their reputation, and Alan Curbishley is a very good friend of mine. But he understands I have to respect the issues of the other managers as well. I get on very well with Paul Jewell, for example, because he's an excellent chap. They (Wigan and Sheffield United) deserve our best attention to the game and I will be picking a team to win."
His declaration will be welcomed by West Ham's rivals, although it is still highly conceivable Ferguson will keep key players back for the visit to Wembley on May 19th.
The champions will be given a guard of honour by Chelsea's players tonight, and Ferguson, who intends to take Mourinho a conciliatory bottle of wine after their recent falling-out, said: "All we can do is enjoy the occasion. It's been a terrific achievement by us and I'm happy to be going there as champions, because it would have been some game if we weren't."
