Boost for Chelsea as Carvalho stays

Chelsea have won the battle to keep defender Ricardo Carvalho at the club.

The 30-year-old went away on holiday following Portugal's quarter-final exit and then defender Alcides, who has been on loan from Chelsea at PSV Eindhoven, claimed he was finally going to get the chance to play at Stamford Bridge because Carvalho was going. However, the former Porto centre-half returned to training last Thursday and has since had the chance to hold talks with new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Carvalho is a huge fan of Scolari, having worked with him for five years in his role as Portugal coach, and is now happy to stay. He said: "Now I am back it is good to see all the people again, fighting for the club together like we have for the past few years." Chelsea's bid to keep the influential defender, who joined from Porto for £19.85million in 2004, has been helped by the arrival of two more Portugal teammates in West London - right-back Jose Bosingwa and midfielder Deco.

Carvalho agreed a new five-year contract last season but is now hoping to negotiate a pay-rise from £80,000-a-week to bring him closer to captain John Terry's salary of £130,000.

But Chelsea are set to lose 35-year-old midfielder Claude Makelele, who is close to agreeing a two-year deal with Paris St-Germain.

Defender Wayne Bridge, who started only nine League games last season after Ashley Cole cemented the role of first-choice left-back, has also been strongly linked with a £5m switch to Portsmouth.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have been told they will be able to sign Robinho this summer by his agent Wagner Ribeiro, but only if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United for Real Madrid.

The Brazil international today claimed he wants to work with Scolari at Chelsea, just 24 hours after saying he was staying at the Spanish club.