Ballack patient over new contract

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has said he is in no rush to sign a new contract with Chelsea, but insists that he is keen to stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are already back in training but Ballack, who has a year to run on his current contract, has opted to holiday in Sardinia following his country's Euro 2008 final defeat to Spain just over a week ago.

The 31-year-old will not return to London for another couple of weeks but he believes there is still plenty of time to consider his future.

“I have a contract until 2009 and there is an option to extend it, so there is no need to rush,” he told Bild newspaper. “We will just wait and see what happens.”

Although he narrowly missed out on silverware last season, conceding the Premier League and Champions League titles to Manchester United, Ballack believes being at Chelsea gives him the best chance of glory.

“I am playing in the best league in the world with one of the strongest teams in the world. That's why at the moment there is no question of me returning to the Bundesliga,” Ballack said.”