Soccer

Kenyon rules out Chelsea additions

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has ruled out the prospect of new singings in the January transfer window but expects Luiz…

Mon Dec 01 2008 - 00:00

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has ruled out the prospect of new singings in the January transfer window but expects Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad to be strengthened by the return of a number of injured players.

The Blues have been left with much to ponder after Sunday's 2-1 home defeat by Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, which opened the door for Liverpool to assume leadership of the Barclays Premier League with any kind of result against West Ham.

Kenyon does not believe the solution to Chelsea's problems lies in delving into the transfer market in January.

Instead, he is confident the return of the likes of Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Essien and Juliano Belletti, plus the regular involvement of striker Didier Drogba, will be enough to add impetus to the Londoners' season.

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"I don't think we will be doing any business in the January transfer window because the type of players we are looking for are not available," said Kenyon at a press conference to announce a four-year sponsorship extension with tour operator and travel partners Thomas Cook.

"Another reason is that we have still got some long-term injuries coming back and in January or February, Chelsea will have more player availability.

"We put our squad together in the summer and we are concentrating on the squad we have and making sure our players get back from injury. On that basis, we think we have got a good enough squad to improve on last season."

The English FA, meanwhile, will examine comments made by Scolari about referee Mike Dean following defeat to Arsenal.

Scolari said he expected an apology from Dean and his assistant for their failure to disallow Robin van Persie's equaliser.

The Arsenal frontman was clearly offside as he fired the ball beyond Petr Cech to put Arsenal level in the 59th minute.

The goal changed the game and three minutes later van Persie struck his ninth of the season to clinch all three points and put the Gunners back in the title hunt.

A spokesman for the FA said: "We are aware of the comments and will be looking at them in due course."