Liverpool have successfully secured England international Joe Cole on a four-year deal, subject to a medical.

The midfielder became a free agent at the start of the month when his contract with Chelsea expired, with the Blues choosing not to extend his seven-year stay at Stamford Bridge.

New Reds boss Roy Hodgson claimed at the weekend that he had not held talks with the former West Ham player, but the deal has now been concluded.

Cole moved to Chelsea from Upton Park in a £6.6 million switch in the summer of 2003, but was shown the door with the Blues not willing to meet his wage demands.

The 28-year-old has three Premier League winners’ medals to show from his time with Chelsea and also helped the Blues to two FA Cup successes.

Frank Lampard has admitted not one player in the England squad has played up to their standard at the World Cup.

The Chelsea ace has come under fire from the media for failing to reproduce his club form in England’s opening two games against USA and Algeria.

England have failed to impress in South Africa, with doubts also raised over the performances of key player Wayne Rooney.

Lampard concedes the players have not been good enough by their own high standards, but he believes they can turn it around in their crucial clash with Slovenia on Wednesday.

“So far we’ve played in fit’s and starts,” Lampard told the Daily Mirror.

“With hindsight, I think the USA game wasn’t actually too bad considering it was an opening game.

“If you’re blatantly honest about the game, we should have won it on the chances.

“But personally, I don’t think any player in the squad can say they have played to expectations and be really that honest about it.

“I think we’ve all been slightly below par, particularly against Algeria, and I want to come back firing and show what I can do.

“You’re only as good as your last game, but the most important game is always your next game.”

Michael Ballack has admitted he would like to stay at Chelsea but owner Roman Abramovich has made the decision to release him at the end of his contract.

The 33-year-old German international captain, who has been ruled out of this summer’s World Cup due to an ankle inury picked up in the Blues’ FA Cup final win against Portsmouth on May 15, will not be offered the two-year deal he wanted to stay at Stamford Bridge.

Therefore Ballack, who was signed in summer 2006 from Bayern Munich, is free to leave the club from June 30 and hinted at a return to his homeland.

However, he revealed that his first option would be to stay put with Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea side.

“It’s unfortunate we couldn’t come together, but I have to put it behind me,” Ballack said in The Times.

“I’ve known for a while that the negotiations had stopped and it’s time to move on. I have to find a new club and carry on with my career.

“Chelsea was always my first choice as I had four great years at the club and enjoyed every minute, but it was not to be. It’s still my first choice, even now, but it was not up to me.”

He added, significantly: “The decision was down to Roman.”

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has now confirmed that he would like to sign Joe Cole when his contract with Chelsea expires this summer.

Redknapp, who last week said he did not think it was worth pursuing the 28-year-old England international because he thought the player had already lined up a move to another club, has now revealed that he would like to take him to White Hart Lane.

Cole, who scored England’s second goal in the 3-0 World Cup warm-up victory against Platinum Stars on Monday afternoon, is also thought to be interesting Manchester United and Arsenal. However Redknapp now looks prepared to make a move for the player.

He told the Daily Express: “Yes, I am prepared to declare my interest in Joe Cole. Why not? He is a great player, his contract is up and he is on a free transfer.

“When he returns (after the World Cup) I would love to talk to him about coming to Spurs.”

Chelsea number two Ray Wilkins has rejected claims midfielder Joe Cole has already jumped ship to rivals Arsenal on a free transfer.

Cole, 28, is out of contract this summer and with nothing being agreed with the Blues, speculation has suggested the former West Ham youngster is off to his third London club.

But Wilkins claims Cole is still rated by boss Carlo Ancelotti despite the fact he failed to nail down a regular first-team place since returning from a serious knee injury last season.

Wilkins told the BBC: “We’ve obviously been in dialogue with Joe for months now and it’s pretty evident that Carlo and myself would love Joe to stay.

“It’s down now to the club to see what we can do. We sincerely hope Joe stays with us.”

Cole is currently away at the World Cup finals with England.

Chelsea ace Michael Essien has been handed a boost after extending his deal at Stamford Bridge until 2015.

The Ghana ace, who will miss the World Cup because of a knee problem, has not played for the Blues since December when he tore a hamstring.

Essien attempted a comeback at the African Cup of Nations in January but was crocked again and has not made it to South Africa.

But his long-term future is secure with the Blues after joining them from Lyon in 2005 for £26m.

Essien said: “I am looking forward to coming back and enjoying my football and winning more trophies with the club.

“That is why I am here. I think it is one of the most important contracts in my career.”

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck says there is “no chance” that midfielder Frank Lampard will be leaving the club this summer.

Jose Mourinho, who will be unveiled as the new Real Madrid manager on Monday, is reportedly interested in bringing the 31-year-old to the Bernabeu.

Reports have suggested that the former Chelsea boss could swap Brazilian playmaker Kaka for Lampard in a deal this summer.

Mourinho has tried in the past to buy Lampard whilst coaching Italian giants Inter Milan.

However Buck is sure the Blues player will not be leaving Stamford Bridge in the next transfer window.

He said: “Lampard is a great player.

“But you can’t possibly imagine Frank Lampard wearing anything other than the Chelsea shirt,” he added.

Lampard is currently preparing for the World Cup in South Africa with England and is a likely candidate to start in their first game of the tournament against the USA on June 12.

The star midfielder has said that confidence in the England camp has improved since Fabio Capello took the job as the national manager.

Players were suffering a dip in self belief after the side failed to qualify for the European Championships in 2008 but the Italian has turned things around according to Lampard.

Portsmouth and Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has angrily denied claims he deliberately injured Germany captain Michael Ballack in Saturday’s FA Cup final with Chelsea.

Chelsea midfielder Ballack has now been ruled out of the World Cup after learning his ankle injury will take eight weeks to heal.

Boateng has since apologised to Ballack, but the Germany midfielder has hinted he may take legal action against his Black Stars counterpart.

However, Boateng has now hit back at Ballack, claiming the former Bayern Munich favourite slapped him in earlier in the game.

He said told German sports publication Bild: “There is my foul on the one hand and his slap on the other, and I think that violent conduct is far worse than a foul.

“Ballack really does surprise me. He complains for weeks when (Lukas) Podolski slaps him and yet he does it himself.

“He is no better than Podolski. What kind of behaviour is that?”

Boateng’s Ghana will meet Germany in World Cup Group D, with the two sides facing each other in the final round of group fixtures on June 23.

Kevin-Prince Boateng‘s father has revealed that Saturday’s tackle on Michael Ballack that ended the German’s chances of playing in the World Cup could have been part of an ongoing feud between the players.
 
The Ghanaian International star injured Ballack in a first-half tackle in the FA Cup final and subsequent scans revealed the veteran midfielder had damaged ankle ligaments, ruling him out of the summer showpiece event.
 
While Boateng’s father denied that his son tried to injure the Chelsea star on purpose, he did reveal a history between the players that goes back to the Portsmouth midfielder’s time playing in Germany.
 
“You have to look at the whole story. (In 2006) Kevin had just scored his first goal for Hertha Berlin,” he said. “Then they played Bayern Munich. He had an argument with Ballack.
 
“Ballack said to him, ‘You’ve scored one goal, and you think you are the best’ and Kevin has never forgotten. Unfortunately, Kevin isn’t diplomatic. But I am sure, even if he did foul Ballack, he didn’t mean to injure him.”
 
Boateng has become a hate figure among German football fans and he could be in for a rough time at the World Cup as Ghana are in Group D along with the Germans, with fans blaming him for the absence of one of Germany’s best players.
 
With Pompey slipping into the Championship and Ballack’s future at Chelsea far from assured, it is unlikely the two players will come face-to-face in the near future – but the German fans will doubtless remind him of his misdemeanours on June 23.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has told the club he would be happy to stay for 10 more years and sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian delivered the double in his first season in charge but will know he has to land the Champions League if he is going to become a fixture in west London.

However, Ancelotti is due to hold talks with football director Frank Arnesen and club officials to plan for his second campaign at the helm.

“If every season is like this one I would like to stay here for maybe ten years,” Ancelotti said.

“I am ready to sign a new contract. It is better to have stability for the club and also for the manager.

“It is not easy to change every year.”