The player’s recession clause is 20 million euros, and although the Blues seem unwilling to meet that price, they are preparing an offer of between 14 and 16 million.

The player would sign a four-year contract, with the terms improving as he established himself at Stamford Bridge.

Del Horno’s agent Jokin Barcena was in London on Tuesday discussing the matter with Chelsea representatives.

A string of titles at Milan. Then to Real Madrid. The Meringues at that time were in poor shape; not for long however. Along with the former president Sanz, a string of masterful signings from Capello transformed Madrid and gave them a foundation which I believe led to their successes in the last decade: Mijatovic, Roberto Carlos, Suker, Seedorf to name but some. Needless to say, Madrid won the title that year, the only season The Don spent in the Spanish capital. The next season with the same team Real won the European Cup once again. Perhaps one day he will return to perhaps the most famous club in the world.

It was a surprise to me when he was announced as the new Roma coach. Perhaps Capello likes a challenge, as the team from the capital had not won Serie A since the eighties. Once again the transfer market was dipped into and an ageing Gabriel Batistuta was signed for a massive $30m. The fee was, however justified. Batigol along with Totti et al gave Roma the Serie A title in Capello’s first season in charge, a remarkable achievement considering the competition.

Unfortunately for Roma they are experiencing ‘Capello fallout’ this season. It highlights the achievements of the The Don, true he took Emerson with him to Juve, but there was more to Roma than the Brazilian.

When I heard he had taken the job at Juventus I knew the Old Lady was in for some success. It would be premature to say Juve will win the title this season but after their wonderful win against the Rossoneri, they are odds on favourites. Emerson, Cannavaro and Ibrahimovic gave a new spine to a team that craved new blood. If Juve do indeed win the title it will be a fantastic achievement. A mostly injured Trezeguet, and an up and down Del Piero hasn’t stopped Juventus topping the table for most of the season, with arguably an inferior squad to the close competition.

Although undone by the tactically brilliant Benitez in Europe, Capello has cemented his position as the top coach in world football. It is ironic that Mourinho, a budding master, also lost out to the Spaniard’s tactics in Europe this year.

The only thing left for Don Capello is the international stage. If he can achieve things with Italy in the future, Capello will be a name never to be forgotten.

Gavin Dunne

The 3-1 victory was Chelsea’s 29th of the Premiership campaign – beating United’s record of 28 in 1999-2000. And it took their points tally to 94, eclipsing United’s mark of 92 in in 1993/94.

"It is perfect," Mourinho said. "The record was our motivation. We wanted to beat it and this is a special moment.

"It is the perfect way to do it - at a great stadium against a team who in Sir Alex Ferguson have a manager who leads by example in success and fair play."

The Portuguese coach was quick to dedicate the victory to Chelsea captain John Terry, whose season has been ended by a toe injury.

"We don’t want to forget John as he would love to be here with us - and the other players with injuries," said Mourinho.

"This victory is for him as our captain. As a Chelsea boy as a child he must be the most proud about the record."

Blues striker Eidur Gudjohnsen – who scored the second goal - was also thrilled with the team’s success.

He said: "The record meant we still had something to play for. We worked hard and fully deserved to win.

"From the attitude of our players you would think we had still needed a point here. As champions we are the best team in the country and we showed that.

"The season could have been even better if we had got to the Champions League final but you’ve got to start somewhere and we’ve got two trophies this season, which is a great achievement.

"We’ll enjoy the last game (at Newcastle), the summer break and will come refreshed into the new season.

"We are the champions and it is a great feeling."

Meanwhile, Mourinho has already begun plotting for next season, in which the aim will be to build on the success achieved in his first campaign in West London.

"I will look forward to seeing the first pre-season training session on July 6 - I’ll be coaching and watching and seeing what we want for the future," he added.

"In such an important league you don’t fail if you don’t win the league but in my five years if I don’t win the championship once or twice more I’d say we don’t have a really great team."

“Once Chelsea’s second goal went in they were worthy winners," he said.

"I didn’t expect us to get second place after a disappointing result against West Brom on Saturday.

"But tonight was about trying to keep our confidence up and on the whole it was good. That is the one thing I can take out of the game."

Ferguson said he was impressed by the way both teams performed and felt it was an entertaining game.

"The tempo was fantastic and anyone watching as a neutral would be thrilled by the football played," he added.

"I thought we played some good football, the match was very competitive and it was really a game for professionals."

Ruud van Nistelrooy put United ahead on eight minutes, but Tiago equalised for the Blues.

Eidur Gudjohnsen made it 2-1 on the hour, and Joe Cole completed the victory in the 82nd minute.

Carlo Cudicini had to watch a Cristiano Ronaldo effort early on, but United were ahead on eight minutes when van Nistelrooy steered a Wayne Rooney shot into the net.

Chelsea were level with their first real effort of the match when Tiago’s superb shot caught Roy Carroll by surprise.

After Ricardo Carvalho had denied van Nistelrooy, Cole curled just wide.

Rooney saw an effort blocked by Tiago, but the two sides went in level at the break.

Chelsea came out well after half-time, with Carroll denying Cole, and Glen Johnson unable to get his shot away when in a good position.

Carroll was again on hand to stop Cole, while at the other end Darren Fletcher’s shot smacked against the bar.

Chelsea went 2-1 ahead on 61 when Gudjohnsen ran on to a fine pass from the impressive Tiago and the former Bolton striker easily lobbed over Carroll.

After William Gallas had almost put Chelsea further ahead after Wes Brown’s poor clearance, Ronaldo somewhat selfishly shot wide.

A suspiciously offside Cole completed the win late on when he converted after Frank Lampard’s pullback.

Chelsea are now an amazing 20 points clear of United at the top of the league.

Winning the Premiership and the Carling Cup in a season is a very worthy reward, and the idea that they would sweep all before them and take the quadruple, which was at times priced as low as 25/1, was just plain stupid. That ultimately they fell to Liverpool in the Champions League, by far the easiest of their draws on paper, proves that it never comes down to just the talent at your disposal.

However, the last thing that Chelsea can afford to do is rest on their laurels. Mourinho doesn’t appear the sort that would and he must ensure that his players are of the same ilk. For while Chelsea are being hailed as a great success, the measure of a true team is being able to repeat the feat. Ask Arsenal, last year’s greatest side of all time, just how hard it is to win the title in consecutive titles, and they will tell you.

They went into this campaign, unbeatable and invincible, apparently, but it wasn’t long before they found the wheels had come off. Who would have thought that at various times, their deficiencies would be put down to the absences of the once maligned Edu and Gilberto Silva.

So Chelsea now are in a similar position. While they have established a firm grip on the championship this year - with everyone gunning for them next and with perhaps a little less luck with injuries and suspensions, they are going to find things a whole lot tougher. Their squad is wide-ranging, but some of the players are clearly going to leave, and the right replacements need to be acquired.

Over the past two seasons the buying of players has been easy to an extent. Ranieri and Mourinho have used a scatter gun approach, whereby all areas of the squad needed improving and so many players could be brought in, in different positions, and moved in and out until a balance was struck. Now they face a different proposition – fine-tuning.

If Chelsea believe they are good enough and stand still they will stagnate. This is the problem that Wenger in particular has faced at Arsenal. Unable to see the deficiencies in his squad last year Wenger failed to act, and immediately found himself and his team a step off the pace. At Manchester United, Ferguson, once the master of keeping his squad evolving, tried to introduce too many players not of the required standard, and consequently slipped back.

Chelsea need to keep the freshness, and keep the squad changing. It is safe to assume that Hernan Crespo and Juan Sebastian Veron will make their moves to Italy permanent, and so aren’t really in the picture. The goalkeeping situation is fine, unless Cudicini decides that he must get first team football elsewhere, then an adequate replacement is needed.

In defence everything appears strong in the centre, but Gallas is already voicing concerns about being played out of position, and is encouraging overtures from Barcelona. Carvalho and Terry will remain the central two, and hanging on to Robert Huth will be a bonus. Fullbacks are Mourinho’s problem. He clearly is not keen on Wayne Bridge, or overly enthusiastic about Glen Johnson. Paulo Ferreira is sure to keep his place, and so Chelsea are definitely in the market for a left back, with Ashley Cole likely to make a move.

In midfield, Gerrard was a certainty to join a month ago, but apparently is aggrieved with the way Chelsea have used him in the press, and sources suggest this is by no means a certainty. Liverpool’s victory last night may also put this back at least another season. Lampard and Makelele are an excellent pairing and so there is no great need to disrupt this anyway. Smertin could well leave, and Tiago is a squad player of the like Chelsea will need. Joe Cole’s progression suggests that he will continue to flourish and could become one of Mourinho’s most vital players in the years to come.

Damien Duff’s ability to supplement the attack from wide areas, forced Mourinho into a re-think early in the season, and the Irishman has been a top performer for his side. Arjen Robben’s recent attitude must be a concern for Chelsea fans’ though. Robben has undoubtedly been one of the success stories of the campaign, but his injury proneness and recent revelations about his refusal to start the first leg of the Champions League semi-final are reasons to raise an eyebrow. It appears that he has not ingratiated himself with his Chelsea colleagues over the past few weeks, and his absence from the team in the title deciding match may have been Mourinho’s reaction to this. His poor form and positional indiscipline at Anfield, that led to William Gallas telling him where to play, suggest that all is not happy in the camp. Robben would be a huge loss to the Chelsea side, but don’t be too surprised to see him on the way out this summer.

Up-front is where a real make-over is needed. Kezman has voiced his displeasure at being left out, and wants a move. Hardly a surprise given his record. Didier Drogba is the biggest worry for Chelsea. At £24 million he has fallen way short of the standard required for a centre forward for a team hoping to win trophies. The price tag seemed more than a little high for a player that had only had one decent season previously. His lack of first touch and natural scoring instinct have been exposed in what otherwise is a technically gifted Chelsea team. Other than knocking long balls up to him, the Chelsea side do not play to his strengths. Last night’s match was the perfect example, their inability to put the ball wide and cross, was a major flaw in their approach. Drogba is a decent header of the ball, and the one time they did put a cross in he was almost on the end of it. He has been adequate, and could well be a good second choice, but given the price-tag it is not what he or Chelsea were looking for.

Eidur Gudjohnson continues to prove his worth and will stay in the squad. Mikael Forssell has found his way onto the bench over the last few weeks, and with a full pre-season behind him could find that he is a major player in the squad next year. Carlton Cole on the other hand has again struggled to impress elsewhere. Drogba and Kezman are certainly the most vulnerable here, and it is a striker that Mourinho will most want. He has been linked with defenders and midfielders through illicit meetings etc, but it is certainly the forward area that needs attention.

Chelsea may have won the title this year, but they are certainly in danger of letting it all slip away if they fail to attend to their weaknesses. Mourinho needs to be sure to let some of the players leave if he is to bring others in though. Not to create a financial balance, but to ensure his squad doesn’t become too cumbersome. Team spirit has been a Chelsea hallmark this year, but the cracks have started to show, and too many millionaires sitting on their hands can only spell trouble.

Tim Webber