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Germany midfielder Michael Ballack and England midfielder Joe Cole will be released by Chelsea when their contracts expire at the end of the month, the club said on Wednesday.
Their departures on free transfers will spark a scramble to secure the services of two players who have played a key role in the London club’s success in recent years.
Ballack, 33, was signed by former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho in 2006 and played his final game for the club in their FA Cup final triumph over Portsmouth last month, a match which ended disastrously for the German after he injured an ankle and was ruled out of the World Cup.
Cole has played himself back into contention for Fabio Capello’s England side despite being marginalised at Stamford Bridge under Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Ballack’s agent Michael Becker said the player had been unable to agree a new two-year contract with Chelsea – the club only wanted to offer a one-year deal.
Becker ruled out speculation the former Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich playmaker was set to return to Bundesliga in the colours of Werder Bremen.
“It won’t be Werder,” Becker told Germany’s SID sports agency, but Werder’s rivals Schalke 04 are believed to be extremely interested in talking to Ballack.
“I want to play two more years at the highest level,” said Ballack, who is currently on holiday in Miami.
Ballack, who was replaced as Germany captain by Philipp Lahm after the injury ended his World Cup chances, wants to round off his international career at the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.
Cole, 28, joined Chelsea from West Ham for STG6.6 million ($A11.79 million) in 2003.
His availability will alert several Premier League clubs, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City all believed to be interested.
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