March 15, 2008 2:30 PM

SOURCE:
goal.com

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Chelsea Set To Tie Down Carvalho

Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho wants to stay at the club and will put pen to paper on a new contract soon.

The Portuguese stopper, who moved to Stamford Bridge in 2004 for near on €30m (£20m) from then-European champions FC Porto, has been a solid presence at the back for Chelsea over the seasons.

Along with skipper John Terry he's helped form a strong central defensive partnership and has no intention of trying his luck elsewhere.

A few minor details in the new deal must yet be ironed out with the player's agent, but it's close to certain that Carvalho will sign on in the coming months.

“Talks about a new deal have been ongoing and they should be concluded before the end of the season," a Chelsea insider told The Sun.

It is not yet known for how long the new deal will be, but there is more than a chance it could mean the 29-year-old Portugual international will see out his career at Stamford Bridge.

Carvalho follows in the footsteps of fellow Portuguese Blue Paulo Ferreira: the full-back signed a new five-year deal last month.

Of course, the news is entirely different on Frank Lampard, who has been frustrated by the club's lack of action. His wishes to stay on, but demands that the club treat him at par with Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko.

Talks seem to have practically collapsed since the departure of Jose Mourinho, who made no bones about the importance of the club hanging on to him. Avram Grant has refused to treat him as one of the untouchables, and being dropped for the weekend's Carling Cup clash has also peeved him.

Chelsea are also looking to hand John Terry a new contract, but once again, his pay demands are similar to Lampard's.