© EuroFootball.com
London warned club defender William Gallas that they will not let him go easily. The 28-year-old Frenchman himself stated on Friday that he wants to leave the English champions club.
"I have already made my decision and it is very clear: I want to leave Chelsea," said the defender, who arrived at Chelsea six years ago from Marseille for £6 million.
Chelsea, who recently offered W. Gallas a new four-year contract, released a statement saying that "the club will look skeptically at offers from other clubs for players they want to keep at Chelsea."
This season, W. Gallas was one of the best players for Chelsea, helping them defend their title as the English champions.
"I want a new challenge. I've been playing for Chelsea for five years already, and I want to experience football in another country," the defender told the French sports newspaper "L`Equipe."
"I am interested in Milan, and I would like to play there," said W. Gallas.
The Frenchman also added that "this is not a question of money." It is said that the player was dissatisfied with Jose Mourinho's instructions to play as a full-back, rather than in the center of defense as he was used to.
In the club's statement, which was released shortly after W. Gallas' announcement, it is stated that "London's Chelsea highly values the player's contribution to the team's achievements" and indirectly suggests that, even if W. Gallas does not extend his contract, the club will keep the player for another year - until the end of this contract.
