Luiz Felipe Scolari wasted no time in stamping his authority at Chelsea yesterday when he met his players for the first time. At a 9.45am meeting at the club’s training ground in Cobham, Surrey, the new Chelsea manager introduced his three Brazilian assistants to his players and told them that every member of the first-team squad would be given a chance to prove that they have a future at the club.

Players such as Andriy Shevchenko and Didier Drogba, who have been linked with moves to Barcelona and AC Milan respectively, were told that the slate had been wiped clean and that they would be judged in the double training sessions that start today and last for the rest of the week, and on the pre-season tour to China and Russia. Drogba, who has been restless since José Mourinho left in September last year, even remembered to bring his passport so that the club could apply for Chinese and Russian visas on his behalf.

“You start again when a new manager comes in,” Ashley Cole, the England left back, said. “There are no favourites. Preseason training will be really hard, but the manager seems like a good guy and he seems like a fair guy, so a lot of players will be trying to impress him.”

Scolari was dressed casually in a shirt and slacks as he introduced himself to the players individually after the team meeting while they had a series of rigorous medical tests. The former Brazil and Portugal coach will have his tracksuit on this morning as the Chelsea players train with him for the first time.

One of the first players to arrive at Cobham yesterday was Frank Lampard. The England midfield player will decide whether to stay at the club or move to Inter Milan this week, with indications that he is inclined to delay his departure for at least one more season. The Serie A club are keen to sign Lampard but have not made an official approach, despite claims yesterday that they had faxed Chelsea a £6.5 million offer on Sunday evening.

Lampard’s contract runs out at the end of next season and he could join Inter on a free transfer next summer, but Chelsea are confident that he will sign a new four-year, £130,000-a-week deal before the start of the season.

Drogba arrived on time and with a spring in his step, but it remains to be seen whether he will be at Stamford Bridge when the new season kicks off at home to Portsmouth next month. The Ivory Coast forward wants to follow Mourinho to Inter, but Chelsea have not received any bids for him, despite reported interest from Barcelona, Real Madrid and the two Milan clubs.

Andrei Arshavin could be playing in London in the new season after the Russia playmaker’s agent claimed that he is on his way to England. “Zenit St Petersburg are negotiating with more than one club,” Dennis Lachter, the player’s agent, said. “It is most likely that we will be heading for England.”