LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI feels his Chelsea squad is too big and despite his assurance that Frank Lampard's departure would not be the first step towards trimming it down, the midfielder's future remained uncertain last night.

The new manager insisted Lampard is happy and intends to stay but Internazionale and their manager Jose Mourinho, who worked with Lampard at the club, have made the England player their priority signing and submitted a €10 million bid for him last night.

Scolari will aim to cut the squad elsewhere. He has in excess of 30 first-teamers and intends to reduce that to a maximum of 25, preferably 23 or 24. He took his first training session yesterday and he will evaluate them over the next 10 days.

Scolari spoke to Lampard on Monday, his first official day on the payroll, when he oversaw fitness assessments of the players. He claimed he had heard encouraging noises from Lampard, who has 12 months to run on his €132,025-a-week contract.

"He said to me, 'Boss, this, this and this', but I want to stay," said Scolari, who added Lampard would be the vice-captain to John Terry. "I said, 'I want you here and happy' and he said, 'I stay and I am happy'. Now, it's a business decision for Lampard and the club. He has one year minimum with us."

Lampard's agent Steve Kutner, however, was quick to point out his player's situation remains "completely unresolved". The 30-year-old wants financial parity with Terry, who earns €169,747 a week, and a long-term deal that would see him finish his career at Stamford Bridge.

"Felipe had a very amicable chat with Frank, who told him he always envisaged ending his career at Chelsea," said Kutner. "He also told him that unfortunately the terms for a new contract cannot be agreed with the board, despite discussions having been ongoing for over two years."

Inter faxed a request to Chelsea on Sunday for permission to open talks with Lampard, which has not been granted. Chelsea said yesterday they had "informed Inter that we will not enter into any discussions regarding the transfer of Frank Lampard".

But Massimo Moratti, the Inter president, gave the impression of a man confident of getting his way. "Am I optimistic? We will see what happens," he said.

Scolari also wants Didier Drogba to stay, despite overtures from Inter and Milan. "I am not 100 per cent happy with him, I am 200 per cent," he said. "Two seasons ago I voted for Drogba as the best player in the world and I think three seasons ago, I chose John Terry. Now they are with me, I am happy."

Yet change was in the air yesterday. "I want to work with 23, 24 players, maximum 25, because I will bring in some young players [from the academy]."

Scolari added. "I have 32 players but now is the time to change the players. They know this because when I spoke to them [on Monday], I said this in front of them, '23, 24 or maximum 25 [will] stay with me'. After this, it is not my business any more. Contracts, changing clubs; it is for the players. Maybe the players will say after, 'The coach did not say this to me before'. No. All the players know that I want to work with 24, 25 maximum."

Chelsea have already signed the full-back Jose Bosingwa and the midfielder Deco, Portgual players under Scolari, who insisted Deco had not been bought to replace Lampard but suggested that every additional arrival, and he expects some, would mean a player leaving.

The Brazilian also said that no one would be signed over his head by Roman Abramovich or the chief scout Frank Arnesen.

"I cannot imagine that sort of situation ever arising," he said. "I would always expect to be consulted before a player is bought. Whenever I want a player, I give three options and we go from there."

One who appears unlikely to join is Ronaldinho, the Barcelona player who was part of Scolari's 2002 World Cup-winning Brazil team. "We have some players in this position," Scolari said. "I think Ronaldinho goes to another club in England."

Scolari has arrived with his long-standing assistant Flavio "Murtosa" Teixeira, his fitness coach Darlan Schneider and Carlos Pracidelli who, according to Scolari, is "a goalkeeper coach and the man that goes three days a week to see the training in the academy".

He will recommend promising players. "The academy is fantastic," added Scolari. "And I am the coach who helps [to promote] young players. I put many of them into the team at my previous clubs."

Steve Clarke, the assistant coach, and Christophe Lollichon, the goalkeeper coach, have been retained.

Guardian Service