Michael Ballack can't see himself succeeding in the Premiership with Chelsea, it has been revealed.

An unnamed Germany teammate of Ballack's told AS that the former Bayern Munich star can't handle the hurly burly of the Premiership: "The game starts at exactly the same pace as it finishes."

Ballack, it is reported, prefers a game to change tempo and several German football identities, including Franz Beckenbauer, Steffen Effenberg and Gunter Netzer have urged him to leave Chelsea.

"The best thing for him and Germany is that he changes teams," said Netzer.