LONDON Chelsea say they want Captain Dennis Wise to stay at the Premier League club after a newspaper reported on Saturday that he had decided to leave.

"Dennis knows full well that we want him to stay," Chelsea's Managing Director Colin Hutchison was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"I have talked to him this week and so has Claudio Ranieri. We have made it very clear to him that we do not want him to leave the club."

****The Sun**** newspaper said 34-year-old Wise, who has been at Stamford Bridge 10 years, had told the FA Cup holders he wanted to leave the club because he wanted first-team football.

Chelsea Head Coach Claudio Ranieri left Wise on the substitutes' bench in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa on New Year's Day.

Wise, who was a regular choice under former Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli, will be hoping for a recall when Chelsea start their defense of the FA Cup at home to Peterborough United on Saturday.

(Reuter)