I’m not greedy, insists Cahill

GARY CAHILL admits he was upset by the insinuation he was motivated by greed during wage negotiations with Chelsea.

Cahill completed his £7m move to Stamford Bridge on Monday and is included in the squad for today’s early Premier League kick-off at Norwich.

It marked the end of a protracted transfer saga that was reportedly held up when Chelsea balked at his wage demands.

But the 26-year-old England defender insists his desire to join the Blues was founded on footballing reasons alone.

“It’s disappointing when you see things in the press. You bite your lip because I didn’t read one report that was correct,” he said.

“It was upsetting, but my family and the clubs knew the real situation. It was really hard (to accept the perception I was greedy) because that’s the perception I got.

“It was difficult to read some of the stories. If it was about wages, I would have waited until the end of the season to make the move.

“But I want to play football at a high level and would never turn down the opportunity to join Chelsea.”

Cahill explains the reason for the delay in his transfer — the move was not finalised until three two weeks after a fee had been agreed between Bolton and Chelsea — was simply down to timing.

“The fee was announced really early because it had been agreed so early,” he said. “I’d had no dialogue with Chelsea, but it had come out in the press that a fee had been agreed. It took four or five days from that point before we even sat down to speak about the move.

“It took a couple of weeks before I had a meeting to speak with the manager. Two days after that I signed. The contract took no longer than any other contract I’ve signed, even my first at 16.

“But it felt like that because the negotiations were in the public eye as the fee had been agreed so early. There’s never been a contract that was sorted out on the first day.

“You say what you want and then you meet halfway, that’s how it goes.

“It was just a matter of time, making sure everything went right.

“It was a big move so everything had to be perfect.

“Now that I’m here, I’m happy and want to concentrate on my football.”

Cahill insists he arrives at Stamford Bridge happy to play ugly, if that is what is required.

“It would be nice to get on the ball and play, but I also want to be that English defender who gets their head in and gets stuck in.

“Sometimes it doesn’t have to be pretty and if that’s the case I’ll make it not pretty.”

Cahill believes his career will flourish from playing alongside Terry on a regular basis.

“John reads the game fantastically well and people don’t realise how good he is on both sides, it doesn’t matter what foot it comes to,” he said.

“I can learn from him how to read the game and get in the right positions before the ball has arrived. I can learn how to work my left foot better too.”

Meanwhile, Didier Drogba confirmed he intends to stay at Chelsea at least until the summer.

The 33-year-old striker has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this month, with Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Chinese outfit Shanghai Shenhua reportedly eager to sign him.

But the Ivorian told France Football magazine the announcement of his departure would be “not before next June.”

Drogba is currently with the Ivory Coast for the African Nations Cup.

Earlier this week, former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti claimed the Blues would have to sell Drogba for Fernando Torres to flourish, a view rejected by current manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Ahead of today’s clash at Stamford Bridge, Norwich manager Paul Lambert has backed Fernando Torres to come good despite the Chelsea striker’s goal famine.

And Lambert believes the Spaniard’s poor form has nothing to do with the £50m price tag around his neck.

“Would I like to have Torres? Yeah, course I would. I wouldn’t bother about his price tag,’’ Lambert said.

“I know the lad’s not scored for a while but he is still a top player, a brilliant footballer, a terrific striker.

“I don’t think it’s anything to do with a price tag hanging over his head.

“As long as they have got the hunger to go out and do it, it shouldn’t matter how much they cost.

“Football is about lifting trophies. You want to win things.’’