All players are up for sale says Scolari

Last updated : 18 January 2009 By Paul Lagan

All Chelsea players are for sale, but clubs will have to stump up the cash for them,

That's the message from Luiz Felipe Scolari after his side's remarkable victory over lowly Stoke City at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

He said: "People [other clubs] can come and buy my players. Over the past months they contact us about players but now is the time for them to put in offers.
That invitation might just alert Manchester City who would love to add the England captain to their megabucks club.

"Ask John Terry if he wants to go. Many clubs want John. Will he go? Of course not, he loves Chelsea and he wants to stay. But if you don't want to play for us then you can go."

That comment seemed aimed directly at out of favour Didier Drogba.

Ivory Coast hitman Didier Drogba was dropped from the squad and Scolari said: "I did not have Drogba on the bench. It's my choice.

"Nothing has happened between me and Didier. Maybe next week he will be in the squad.

I am the only manager over the past five years to put young players on the pitch.

I put Franco di Santo and Miroslav Stoch on. I have nothing against Drogba or any player. But I made the choice.

"Two kids [both just 19] on the bench are better than Didier Drogba for this game.

"Players can go if they are bought. If the money is right they can go.

"It's up to Mr Kenyon [chief executive], he added."

Stoke were just two minutes away from winning and heaping massive pressure on Scolari and his side.

Rory Delap opened the scoring on 59 minutes only for Juliano Belletti to nod home on the 88th minute. Frank Lampard then popped up to snatch a last-gasp winner.

Lampard's value to Scolari's job safety cannot be underestimated and the Brazilian spoke warmly of Lampard, captain in the absence of injured John Terry and playing his 400th game for the Blues.

"One day, if I go back to national managership in a couple of years, I will vote for Frank Lampard as player of the year.

"He is the man. Everyday he gives everything for this club. Frank is part of Chelsea's history. His son and his family will remember for life the goal he scored in his 400th game for Chelsea."

Lampard was captain because John Terry limped off during the warm-up with an injury to his back.

Joe Cole went under the knife yesterday on a anterior cruciate ligament injury and will be out for the rest of the season.

But will Chelsea buy replacements?

Scolari does not know.

"I don't know if I will buy, it's up to the club," he said.

Yep, Felipe - it's up to the club.