Chelsea want boss Luiz Felipe Scolari to generate his own transfer funds by selling first, it has been revealed.

The Times says the new sense of prudence is a response to the global economic crisis and a renewed determination to operate independently from the largesse of Roman Abramovich, the club's billionaire owner.

It is unclear how much the Russian has lost as a result of the worldwide stock-market crash, with his spokesman dismissing estimates of a £12billion fall in his fortune as "arbitrary" and "paper losses", but there is a general acceptance at the club that his losses have been significant.

Chelsea's stated target is to break even by 2010.