Carlo's pledge to Chelsea

Carlo Cudicini has vowed to stay at Chelsea for the rest of the season despite interest from Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger, who has a dilemma over the choice of number one for the crucial Champions League clash with Rosenborg tomorrow, was considering making a £3million move for Chelsea's second-choice goalkeeper during the January transfer window.

But the Italian is determined to stay and fight for his place at Stamford Bridge despite being a peripheral figure since the arrival of Petr Cech in the summer, making just three appearances in the Carling Cup and one in the Champions League.

Cudicini is still rated by many observers as the second best goalkeeper in the Premiership. The 31-year-old would walk straight into the starting line-up at Arsenal, who have struggled to find a reliable stopper since the retirement of David Seaman, but is reluctant to end his five-year stay at Chelsea, where he was player of the year in 2002.

A friend of the player said: "Carlo is playing his part in a squad that seemed destined for unprecedented success and will not simply give up. All it takes is an injury or a mistake from Cech and he'll be back in the side. At the end of the season he could end winning the Champions League and Premiership so is not going to walk away."

Cudicini will address the situation again at the end of the season and Chelsea accept he is likely to leave if he is unable to displace Cech. However, he has indicated privately that he would be reluctant to join Chelsea's main rivals, Arsenal or Manchester United.