Chelsea defender to ask for January move

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill says he will ask for a move away from the club in January if he continues to be left out of the first team.

The defender, 33 in December, is out of contract at the end of the season and is yet to play a minute under new head coach Maurizio Sarri.

Cahill, who was captain under Sarri's predecessor Antonio Conte, stepped aside from England duty last month.

"I have to take charge of my own future," he said.

The former Aston Villa and Bolton player joined Chelsea in January 2012 and went on to win every major club honour with the Blues, including the 2012 Champions League, and was captain for their 2016-17 Premier League-winning campaign and May's FA Cup success.

Sarri made five changes for Thursday's Europa League win against PAOK Salonika, with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen starting in the centre of defence while Cahill did not come off the substitutes' bench.

"For me to do this all season is going to be very difficult," he said.

"I realise sometimes football doesn't wait for people. Sometimes you have to make those decisions to keep going and progressing.

"Obviously the most important thing is the club, but I have to look at my situation.

"And if I'm sat doing what I'm doing at this moment in time, I just hope that the club will respect that when it comes to the time."