• Club and striker confident of swift agreement
• Talks over Joe Cole’s new deal remain deadlocked

Chelsea have opened talks with Nicolas Anelka’s representative over extending the France striker’s stay at Stamford Bridge. The 30-year-old’s current contract expires at the end of next season, with discussions now under way to keep him at the club until 2013.

Anelka’s adviser, Doug Pingisi, was in London last week for preliminary discussions with both club and player confident negotiations will be concluded swiftly. The Frenchman moved to Chelsea from Bolton Wanderers for £15m and has been one of their most consistent performers over the last two campaigns, scoring 19 league goals last season.

His form, which has led to eight league goals to date this term though none since January, has impressed Carlo Ancelotti. “Anelka is a top player and this club needs to have a lot of top players,” the Italian said recently. “I’m confident he’ll stay with us. The club will try to find the right solution for both Chelsea and for him.”

The speed at which negotiations are expected to be favourably concluded contrasts markedly with the currently deadlocked talks with Joe Cole. The England midfielder, an unused substitute in Sunday’s 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Stoke City, is seeking to increase his wages from £80,000 a week to nearer those of the higher earners at the west London club with compromise yet to be reached.

Both Chelsea and Cole – who was absent for seven months up to September after suffering a serious knee injury – remain hopeful that a deal can still be struck that will extend the player’s seven-year stay beyond the end of the season, when his current deal is due to expire. “Joe’s had a very traumatic time with his knee, and you get highs and lows,” said the assistant manager Ray Wilkins when asked about the midfielder’s recent dip in form. “But he’ll play plenty of games for Chelsea.”

Ashley Cole is expected to return to Cobham after the weekend after a spell undertaking rehabilitation on his fractured ankle in the south of France. The England full-back’s progress has been steady since he underwent surgery on the joint broken in a challenge with Landon Donovan at Everton last month, and he remains confident that he will prove his fitness well ahead of the summer’s World Cup finals.

ChelseaPremier LeagueDominic Fifieldguardian.co.uk

• ‘Victimised’ full-back will fight disciplinary action
• Ashley Cole may consider leaving Stamford Bridge

Ashley Cole intends to fight any disciplinary action taken against him by Chelsea over allegations about his off-field behaviour. The left-back believes he is being victimised by the club, which has summoned him to a meeting this week with the chief executive, Ron Gourlay, and may consider leaving Stamford Bridge.

Cole could face sanctions up to and including the possibility of being transfer-listed, although a hefty fine is a more likely punishment following allegations about extramarital relationships. He is said to feel he is being unfairly singled out after no action was taken against Chelsea’s captain, John Terry, for an alleged affair with the former partner of Wayne Bridge which cost the central defender the England armband.

There are indications that Cole is so incensed at the prospect of being punished that he could look to leave Chelsea in the summer. He is expected to make his feelings known to Gourlay when they meet, most likely on Thursday or Friday rather than before tomorrow’s Champions League game at Internazionale, which Cole will miss because of injury.

Terry has received public support from the manager, Carlo Ancelotti, and was given time off to travel to Dubai to try to patch up his marriage, missing an FA Cup fifth-round tie against Cardiff City. Chelsea feel there is a difference, though, with Cole’s alleged indiscretions, which are said to have occurred while away on official club business.

Ann Corbitt, the latest woman with whom Cole has been linked, is said to have been transported back to the team hotel on a pre-season tour of the United States in the official bus. Another woman told how an aide in an official tracksuit had escorted her to Cole’s hotel bedroom.

Chelsea’s decision to call Cole to account comes after Gourlay warned the squad last week – at the prompting of the owner, Roman Abramovich – that any further controversies which tarnish the club’s reputation would not be tolerated and would bring severe disciplinary action. Cole’s alleged indiscretions were subsequently reported in Sunday’s newspapers.

If Cole goes as far as to seek a move from Stamford Bridge, there is likely to be interest from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter among others. He joined Chelsea in 2006 after falling out with the hierarchy at Arsenal, where he felt undervalued.

Ashley ColeChelseaPremier LeagueOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk