• ‘Didier will be a Chelsea player next year,’ says chief executive
• Chelsea to make transfer funds available for Carlo Ancelotti

Chelsea have confirmed that their striker Didier Drogba is not for sale and also that the manager Carlo Ancelotti will be handed more transfer funds if the Italian asks for them.

Drogba, who was back at the club’s training ground today after groin surgery, had been linked with a move to Manchester City by the player’s agent. However, the chief executive Ron Gourlay said: “Didier will be a Chelsea player next year. Didier is under contract. The thing about this time of year is we always get [this]. For our players to be in the news – it’s normal. But Didier Drogba will be a Chelsea player next year.”

Ancelotti, meanwhile, has thus far made just one major summer signing – the acquisition of Yossi Benayoun from Liverpool for £5m. The Israel captain’s pre-season progress has been hampered by a slight groin problem but he is expected to be included on the club’s forthcoming tour of Germany.

The club have also lost the defender Alex and the goalkeeper Petr Cech through injury. Gourlay has confirmed that funds will be made available to Ancelotti should he require them. “If Carlo wants to bring a player or two in to the squad then we will look at that,” he said.

“It has to be the right player to fit into the squad and obviously at the right price. If these things all come together then fine, we’ll strengthen the squad. But only if Carlo feels it’s necessary.”

Deco’s future also continues to be the subject of continued speculation with Fluminese rumoured to be ready to land the Portugal midfielder. Although the player was today undergoing double training sessions at Cobham, it is understood he wants to return to his native Brazil to be with his ill son.

ChelseaCarlo AncelottiTransfer windowguardian.co.uk

• Benfica midfielder will cost the champions £16.8m
• Portuguese club entitled to performance-related bonuses

Chelsea hope to secure the capture of Benfica’s Brazil midfielder Ramires this week, when he returns to Lisbon from his post-World Cup break. Ramires will discuss the proposed transfer with Benfica’s directors and he is expected to move to west London for ¤20m (£16.8m). The Portuguese club would also be entitled to performance-related bonuses.

The deal has not yet been concluded and Benfica would like to discuss Chelsea including players in part-exchange. But, having added only the midfielder Yossi Benayoun so far this summer, the Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti, is close to broadening his options.

Ancelotti has seen the midfielders Joe Cole and Michael Ballack leave the club as free agents and another midfielder, Deco, is expected to return to his native Brazil, so that he might spend more time with his seriously ill young son. Chelsea have also released the defender Juliano Belletti.

Ramires, 23, is a competitive and durable midfielder – he is rarely injured – and he would appear well suited to the Premier League. If Benfica were to sell him, it would suit them to close the deal quickly, so that they could sign a replacement. The businessman Kia Joorabchian has a 50% stake in the player.

ChelseaTransfer windowDavid Hytnerguardian.co.uk

• Chelsea’s Cech has torn a muscle in his right calf
• Hilário likely to be given the nod ahead of Turnbull

Henrique Hilário is in line to start the new season in goal for Chelsea, after the club confirmed that Petr Cech had torn the calf muscle in his right leg and would be sidelined for the next four weeks.

Carlo Ancelotti, the manager, is expected to prefer Hilário to his other back-up goalkeeper, Ross Turnbull, for the Community Shield fixture against Manchester United two weeks on Sunday and the Premier League opener at home to West Bromwich Albion the following Saturday. If Cech’s rehabilitation goes according to plan, he should be back for the game at Wigan Athletic on 21 August.

Cech had returned to Chelsea training on 5 July, together with Hilário and Turnbull, and he had hoped to benefit from a full pre-season, as a side-effect of the Czech Republic failing to qualify for the World Cup. But after playing for 30 minutes in the 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday he will now miss the club’s remaining friendlies against Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg.

Hilário was put through extra training yesterday by the goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon, after Cech felt his calf muscle tear during a routine jog and the 34-year-old Portuguese, who made 11 appearances in all competitions last season, is preparing for a return to the spotlight.

Chelseaguardian.co.uk