Chelsea has rejected an approach from Inter Milan for Frank Lampard and new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said the England midfielder would not be going to Italy.

Chelsea said that it will not enter into any negotiations regarding the 30-year-old Lampard, who has one year left on his contract.

Scolari met Lampard for the first time on Monday.

"We spoke for 15 minutes, and after this, when we finished, I was very happy because I asked if he wants to stay and he said, 'Yes, I (will) stay at Chelsea,''' Scolari told Chelsea TV.

No financial offer was made, Chelsea added on its Website.

Lampard has been persistently linked with Inter, which is coached by former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho has said Lampard is likely to join him, whether that is during this offseason or on a free transfer when his contract expires.

"Lampard is one, just one, of our targets," Inter official Ernesto Paolillo told British broadcaster Sky Sports News. "If he comes he will be welcome. Of course it is always a question between quality and price. If it is not possible to reach Lampard, we will try something else."

Meanwhile, Michael Ballack called Chelsea the right club to win his elusive first major international title, although the Germany captain is in no hurry to sign a new contract.

Ballack was also eager to set the record straight about his failure to land a major trophy following Germany's 0-1 loss to Spain in the European Championship.

"My contract runs until 2009 and there is an option to extend it, so there's no need to rush," Ballack told the Bild newspaper. "We are capable of winning anything, including of course the Champions League next season - that was the reason I signed with Chelsea."

Ballack said his three losses in major title finals doesn't spoil his record as a winner. The 31-year-old midfielder has claimed eight national titles at various clubs.

"Naturally I'm missing the major title," Ballack said. "But who has a better record to show than me? Some have won just one title and live from it their whole lives, some never win anything."

His loss to Manchester United this season with Chelsea was the second time Ballack failed to win a Champions League final. In 2002, Bayer Leverkusen lost to Real Madrid 1-2 on Zinedine Zidane's goal.

Ballack feels unjustly blamed for Germany's 0-2 loss to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup final, although he was suspended for the match. He points out his winners in the quarterfinals and semifinals of that World Cup, before a deliberate foul to prevent a goal triggered his suspension.

"A top performance is presented years later as something negative. People have to understand that."

Ballack alluded to the fact that John Terry's penalty kick would have won the Champions League final against United during the shootout, but the English player slipped and his shot flew right of the post.

"Sometimes things come together and you leave the pitch as a winner," he said. "Sometimes things happen like that Champions League final that you can't influence anymore. But that's what football is about."

(Agencies via Shanghai Daily July 9, 2008)