RICARDO Carvalho is expected to move to Inter Milan now the Chelsea player's World Cup dream is over.

The Portuguese centre half was linked with a move to Italy last summer, but back then Inter president Massimo Moratti baulked at Chelsea's asking price.

Although two years are left to run on Carvalho's contract at Stamford Bridge, talks are expected to recommence once Carvalho has unpacked his bags from the trip to South Africa.

The Blues' reluctance to release young defender Michael Mancienne to Wolves is clear evidence of a shake-up in their back-four. Mancienne, a favourite of Wolves boss Mick McCarthy, featured in 30 league games for the Wanderers as part of a loan deal last season.

But McCarthy has expressed frustration that Chelsea dragged their feet over negotiations to make the deal permanent.

The Wolves boss said: "I’ve been asked about Michael Mancienne, but we’ve done business and signed a centre-half in Steven Mouyokolo.

“I can’t hang around waiting for decisions that might be negative ones. I could lose the ones that I’ve been looking at so I don’t know what will happen with that one (Mancienne)."

Chelsea are understood to want to keep the England Under-21 man as defensive back-up, with Carvalho on his way out. Chelsea are not immediately expected to sign a Carvalho's replacement, and will go into the season with John Terry and Alex as the first choice pairing, with Mancienne and youth prospect Jeffrey Bruma as cover.

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