It is a real surprise that Chelsea have today announced that Joe Cole and Michael Ballack can leave for free when their contracts run out at the end of June and the news will alert some, if not all of Europe’s top clubs.

Manchester United and Arsenal have been sniffing round Cole for some time and it is believed that Arsenal would have already made their move were it not for the former West Ham player’s exorbitant wages. That could also be a stumbling block for cash-strapped United and it certainly rules out almost everyone else bar Manchester City and possibly Spurs.

Ballack will be in demand right across Europe. Again, high wages could be a stumbling block but with the Bundesliga now the most financially strong league in Europe a move back home could be on the cards.

Both will find new clubs with relative ease – it is Chelsea’s decision to let them go that is puzzling. Cole hasn’t featured too much under Carlo Ancelotti, due to injury, a lack of faith from the manager and the form of his team mates but he is still a quality player capable of stepping into most sides in England, if not Europe.

Ancelotti must feel he has plenty of cover for a Cole-type player, but I don’t think the same can be said of Ballack. Age and his injury might be part of the decision but he will have to buy as he cannot rely on the likes of the also injured Mikel or Essien to fill the void the German will leave. It will be a real blow for Ballack too, on top of his misfortune in missing the World Cup.

Chelsea have the cash, of course, and Ancelotti is not one to leave things to chance so he presumably has a plan to replace both players. What that plan is, I can only guess, but this decision does seem to weaken Chelsea in the short term. Expect Chelsea to spend big in the transfer window.