• Scans confirm Chelsea midfielder has calf muscle tear
• Lampard to miss FA Cup tie against Queens Park Rangers

Frank Lampard is a major doubt for Chelsea’s home Premier League game against Manchester United early next month after scans confirmed the midfielder sustained a small tear to a calf muscle during Saturday’s goalless draw at Norwich. The 33-year-old was taken off in some discomfort after 36 minutes at Carrow Road amid fears that the damage was severe. Although the swelling has receded and the medical tests have offered a more positive outlook, Lampard will miss Saturday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Queens Park Rangers and the trip to Swansea City next Tuesday. The United game, on 5 February, may also come too soon for the Londoners’ joint leading league scorer this term, leaving André Villas-Boas to contemplate his midfield options for the fixture. Lampard is to join up with the rest of the Chelsea squad who are currently on a warm-weather training camp in Mallorca and will undergo further treatment on the calf there.

Alex, the transfer-listed Brazil defender who was close to moving to QPR last week, is now expected to join the former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti at Paris St Germain with talks on-going between the clubs. The 29-year-old had been reluctant to move to Loftus Road despite being marginalised at Stamford Bridge, but has expressed a willingness to move to the French club, a rising powerhouse in European football backed by Qatari Sports Investments.

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• Brazilian defender could become Mark Hughes’s first signing
• Reports suggest Alex may wish to leave England

QPR have reportedly agreed a fee with Chelsea to take the defender Alex to Loftus Road.

Rangers had a bid turned down for theBrazilian earlier in the week but have now reached a consensus with their west London rivals.

They must now convince the 29-year-old to become Mark Hughes’ first signing as manager, amid reports he may no longer wish to remain in England.

Chelsea accepted QPR’s offer less than 24 hours after Gary Cahill travelled to London to complete the formalities of his move from Bolton.

Alex, who has also been linked with Paris St Germain and Juventus, was banished from the Blues’ first-team squad in November after submitting a transfer request.

His signing would represent another coup for ambitious Rangers after they convinced Hughes to succeed Neil Warnock as manager on Tuesday.

As well as having a previous bid for Alex snubbed – reportedly £3m – they have had offers turned down for Andy Johnson, Christopher Samba and Steven Pienaar.

Should Rangers complete Alex’s signing, he will have to wait to make his debut as the club missed the deadline for tomorrow’s game at Newcastle, while he is ineligible for Tuesday’s FA Cup third-round replay against MK Dons.

His first game would therefore be next Saturday’s league match against Wigan, which is followed by a possible FA Cup clash with Chelsea.

Speaking on Wednesday, Hughes said of Alex: “There is interest in top-quality players and the player you mention is very much in that level.”

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas said 24 hours later: “We’re just trying to reach the level of proposal we think is good for the player. We’ll present anything to the player.

“He has to make a decision. He has generated interest from a lot of clubs.”

Chelsea signed Alex from Santos in 2004 but work-permit issues saw him loaned to PSV Eindhoven for three seasons before he joined his parent club in the summer of 2007.

The Brazil international helped the club win the FA Cup in 2009 and their first ever double the following season.

The arrival of David Luiz a year ago saw him marginalised and although he eventually won back his place and started this season in the team, he soon fell back behind Luiz in the pecking order, culminating in his transfer request.

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• Initial offer of £2m brushed aside by Chelsea
• Josh McEachran to spend six-month loan at Swansea

Queens Park Rangers are to submit an improved bid for the transfer-listed Chelsea defender Alex and hope to persuade the Brazil international to move to Loftus Road.

An offer of around £2m was rejected on Thursday and QPR will return with a bid closer to £3.5m, which they hope will prove acceptable.

Alex’s instinct had been to seek a return to his homeland, though the centre-half lives close to Rangers’ training ground in Harlington and shares his adviser, Kia Joorabchian, with the club’s new manager, Mark Hughes. That has prompted confidence at Rangers that the 29-year-old can yet be lured to assist the team in a relegation battle.

The Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran will move to Swansea City on Monday on a six-month loan deal and be reunited with the former youth team and reserve manager Brendan Rodgers at the Liberty Stadium.

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