Soccer: Leboeuf happy to stay at Chelsea as Petit signs up

Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf today revealed he would be happy to stay at Stamford Bridge for another season.

The French international had said he wanted to leave the club in January and was bound for Monaco until the Principality club pulled out of a £2.5m deal.

Leboeuf did not give up hope that the move would go through, however, and in April said: ‘‘I still haven’t closed the door on Monaco.’’

But today he was joined at Chelsea by fellow French international Emmanuel Petit, and the 33-year-old insisted he now wants to stay.

The outspoken defender said he had not sought a move since January.

He said: ‘‘Since then I have never said that I wanted to leave.

‘‘I gave my best until the end of the season. I’ve been injured - that’s why I didn’t play the last two months.

‘‘But I played a Confederation Cup game for France, so I’m back for the battle and I just want to be in the squad next year.

‘‘I want to play because I am sure we can win the championship and I want to play because I’ve got the World Cup next season.’’