Malouda made to train with U21s

Florent Malouda: Has been deemed surplus to requirements by Roberto Di Matteo

Florent Malouda has revealed that he is training with the U21s at Chelsea after being forced out of the first-team picture.

The France international has entered the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge and was expected to be moved on during the summer transfer window.

No deal materialised, though, and the 32-year-old remains on the Blues' books.

He is, however, deemed surplus to requirements by Roberto Di Matteo and was left out of Chelsea's UEFA Champions League squad on Tuesday.

It looks like being a long season for Malouda, with there little chance of him forcing his way back into a set-up which is brimming with creative midfield talent.

That means he could find himself stuck in the shadows until May, with a man who graced Euro 2012 earlier this summer forced to try and keep himself fit with Chelsea's youth team.

Malouda took to Twitter on Tuesday to reveal what lies in store for him, posting a picture of the Blues' U21 headquarters alongside the message: "This is where I'll train for my last season with the blues !!!"