Cudicini pledge to stay

Meanwhile, Charlton chairman Martin Simons has told Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich to keep his money and "get lost".

Chelsea have had two offers for Scott Parker turned down - the latest worth £7.5m with bonuses based on the number of appearances. But Simons does not want to sell and refuses to be intimidated by Abramovich's financial muscle.

He said: "Chelsea must be shown they can't just take our best players without us putting up a fight.

"We are fourth in the league, they are third. In the last few weeks we have been catching them up. So it hurts when a club with their buying power has the ability to see the club beneath them and say, 'Oh, let's spend a few million and take their best player'. Well I say, 'Get lost Abramovich' and I think I speak for the rest of football.

"Somebody has to make a stand. We don't want Chelsea's money. We are not the Charlton of old, where if someone offered us £1m for a player we would ask for £1.25m. We don't want the gap between the top three and the rest to get wider. If that happens, they may as well go off and play in a league of their own."

Simons expects Parker to honour his contract and added: "We are not denying Scott the chance of a lifetime at all. He signed a contract in June for five years and still has four-and-a-half years left."

Chelsea face an injury blow before Saturday's FA Cup tie at Scarborough with John Terry doubtful. The Chelsea defender returned to training yesterday after missing Sunday's draw against Birmingham with a groin strain, but is still some way short of full fitness.