Anelka misses Chelsea trip

Nicolas Anelka did not travel for Chelsea’s Champions League game at Bayer Leverkusen tomorrow, fuelling speculation he was close to agreeing a January move from the club.

The French striker was left back in London on the day it emerged he had been made a lucrative offer to join Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.

Right-back Paulo Ferreira also stayed at home, as did the ineligible Romelu Lukaku, with long-term injury victim Michael Essien the only other absentee.

Provisional squad: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Cole, Luiz, Mikel, Romeu, Ramires, Lampard, Mata, Malouda, Meireles, McEachran, Torres, Drogba, Kalou, Sturridge, Turnbull, Hilario.