Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini has refused to rule out a summer move to Chelsea. The Belgian international has been strongly linked with a transfer to west London, among other places. However, there has been no official approach from the club.

Marouane Fellaini
Reuters

"Am I interested in Chelsea? It's normal, right? I've never played in the Champions League! I'm happy here, I know everyone, I get along with my team-mates. It's my home. On the other hand, I also want to take the next step. Fate will decide. Everton paid £20million and do not want to sell me for nothing. If a big club wants me, they will have to pay the price," Fellaini said, after the Toffees' defeat to Norwich City, at Carrow Road, in a Premier League match on Saturday.

Fellaini is in excellent form this season, with 10 goals and three assists from 21 Premier League appearances. The 25-year-old is considered one of the finest midfielders in English top flight and joined Goodison Park in 2008.

Earlier reports consistently quote the midfielder as expressing his satisfaction at remaining with David Moyes' side if no formal offers were tabled. And Fellaini has also indicated that he would love to remain with the blue half of Merseyside and take them into the Champions League.

The Belgian recently signed a long-term contract with the club, which runs to 2016.

Benitez on Chelsea Role

Meanwhile, Blues' boss Rafael Benitez has blamed the strenuous travel schedule of his side for recent poor performances. The ex-Liverpool manager claimed the demand to play a large number of games in a short period of time, across different countries and even continents, has affected his player's match fitness.

"The problem we had before, when I just arrived, was that [John] Terry and [Frank] Lampard were injured. We played Oriol [Romeu] in midfield and then he got injured, so we didn't have many players. We then had to play with Lampard and Ramires together for six or seven games in a row, playing 90 minutes twice a week, and we couldn't manage," the Spaniard told the club's Web site.

London