It’s always the way isn’t it? Just when Claudio seems finally to have instilled a Chelsea consistency to match it’s creativity, a consistency based on the foundations of Desailly and Gallas, a new threat emerges that casts doubts over the future of French star William Gallas.
Gallas, who scored the first on Saturday to finally cut through a dogged, battling Sunderland, has built a central defensive partnership with senior partner and compatriote Marcel Desailly that is surely the envy of the Premiership. 
Now, though, unconfirmed reports have surfaced that Spanish giants Barcelona want Gallas - signed by Ranieri from Olympique Marseille for £6.2million at the start of last season - and that he could be on his way to the Nou Camp for £7.5m in January when FIFA's transfer windows is due to re-open.
Chelsea have so far remained silent over suggestions that there is a clause in Gallas' contract - entitling him to negotiate with any potential buyer who offers at least £1m more than it cost to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
And although it cannot be denied that Chelsea are burdened with debts which prevented them adding significantly to their squad at the start of the campaign – a situation that has beneffited the squad’s understanding, unity and spirit - chairman Ken Bates has consistently ridiculed speculation that they are ready to sell either of their prolific strikers Eidur Gudjohnsen and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink or England Under-21 defender John Terry.
Now Ranieri must hope that Bates and the rest of the money men stay equally strong over Gallas - a revelation this season and now earmarked for a another new golden centre-back partnership with Londoner Terry when Desailly, 34, hangs up his Chelsea boots.
Gallas, along with John Terry, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Forsell, Carlton Cole etc. are the future of Chelsea Football Club so……….everyone just please go away and leave us alone!