Chelsea make Fernando Torres their main target

Chelsea's response to their elimination from the Champions League appears to vary dramatically according to who you listen to.

Some reports suggest that the club will keep faith with the core of the team they have at the moment and which could go on and win the domestic double. Others state that the Blues are lining up some massive summer signings including Fernando Torres, Franck Ribery and Sergio Aguero.

What everyone does agree on is that Carlo Ancelotti is the man who will be in charge next season. However, it is reported that Roman Abramovich was not overly impressed by the way his manager was out-thought tactically by his former employee Jose Mourinho, and the pressure will start to build on the Italian if he fails to win at least one trophy this season.

Abramovich went to the Chelsea dressing room after the defeat against Inter Milan on Tuesday and was at the club's training ground the next day where, according to the Daily Mail, he confronted the players and asked: "Are you good players or are you well-paid players?"

He also held talks with manager Ancelotti about the club's transfer policy. The Russian is said to be concerned about the possibility that Chelsea could grow long in the tooth and begin the sort of decline that has been seen at Ancelotti's former club AC Milan.

So, after a couple of quiet seasons on the transfer market it seems the famed Chelsea chequebook could be set for a dramatic return this summer.

Fernando Torres is now widely regarded as the Blues' main target, particularly as the Liverpool striker has begun to show signs of unrest over the Reds' slide out of the top four. Chelsea are confident that they can lure him to Stamford Bridge if Liverpool finish outside the Champions League places, as seems likely.

Last summer when Torres was the subject of transfer speculation he was valued at £80m and if he has a good World Cup that figure could rise even higher - but Chelsea will not be put off by financial considerations.

Also on the Blues wish-list are the likes of Franck Ribery, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria, David Villa, Marek Hamsik and one of the architects of their downfall on Tuesday, Wesley Sneijder.

To make room for all these big names Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Juliano Belletti and possibly Salomon Kalou could be shown the exit, while Joe Cole and Michael Ballack who are out of contract at the end of the season could also leave.

However the likes of Dider Drogba and Florent Malouda expressed a desire to stay, although they may have to reinvent themselves as defenders if Chelsea do press ahead with their plans and sign up a bevvy of strikers while offloading many of their best defensive players. ·