Fed-up Duff the first to speak out

Duff's colleague Geremi, signed from Real Madrid, complained he was being played out of position. He said: 'I prefer playing wide on the right. I can be more attacking there. But if the manager wants me to play in front of the defence, then that's what I'll have to do.'

He added:'We have one of the best squads in Europe. We have to find a team within it. Until we do, we cannot be considered a big team.' Another worry for Chelsea fans is a frank admission from their new cult hero Adrian Mutu.

The Romania striker, a £15.8m signing from Parma, confessed that he already sees a future beyond Stamford Bridge.

Mutu, 24, said: 'I have joined a great club and I couldn't be happier. But if you asked me whether there was another club I would like to play for one day, I would have to say Real Madrid. I don't see how anyone could turn them down and I would certainly find it difficult. If you think about taking your career to the very pinnacle, it would have to involve playing for Real.

'No-one should put the wrong interpretation on that. There is a lot I want to achieve with Chelsea and I can easily imagine staying with them for the full five years of my contract. But being a part of the great Real Madrid has always been a dream. Yes, I would like that one day.'

Mutu's new strike partner Hernan Crespo has also admitted that his heart may lie elsewhere by talking of his regret at leaving Italy.

The Argentina superstar was prised away from Inter Milan when Chelsea waved a near-£17m cheque at the Italian club. Crespo said: 'I'm sad that I left Italy as I always wanted to stay. My dream was to play for a big team in Italy and I had finally achieved that. But somebody saw it differently and they sold me.'