Alex urges Chelsea to spend

Chelsea defender Alex has conceded his view that the club would be wise to invest in the January transfer window.

Chelsea star Alex speaks exclusively to skysports.com

Chelsea defender Alex has conceded his view that the club would be wise to invest in the January transfer window to compensate for the players they are set to lose to the African Cup of Nations. While Chelsea are currently riding high at the Premier League summit and into the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League, their campaign is set to be interrupted at the turn of the year. Key duo Didier Drogba and Michael Essien will be joined in Angola by team-mates Salomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel for a tournament that commences on 10th January and runs until the end of the month. Kalou recent allayed fears that the quartet's absence could prove telling in the title race after citing a favourable run of domestic fixtures in January, but Alex accepts they will be missed. "It is always good when your club brings in quality players to the squad," he told skysports.com. "In this situation, then yes, it would be beneficial for Chelsea to bring someone in. When the players go to the African Cup of Nations we will obviously miss them. "They are players that hold key positions. Those missing are ones that make us strong and so we will miss them. "Hopefully Chelsea can bring in players that fill-up those positions and be of the same quality but it depends on management."

Fighting fit

Having endured a frustrating time with injuries since moving to England in 2007 the talented Brazilian is confident he is now reaching full fitness. Alex has been restricted to just a couple of appearances so far this season after undergoing a hernia operation over the summer. His injury had medics at a loss to come up with a satisfactory diagnosis but he is now confident they have got to the root of the problem. The 27-year-old admits rehabilitation has been hard work but speaks with enthusiasm and confidence about the remainder of the campaign. "I've just come back from injury. I've been working very hard in both the mornings and afternoons to speed up my recovery," he added. "It's been going quite well. I am absolutely sure that I will have no more problems with these injuries between now and the end of the season. "I am more than ready to be part of the group and to help the team to achieve our goals for the rest of the season."

Frustration

Eager to show Carlo Ancelotti his true capabilities, Alex is adamant his injury nightmare is behind him. "It has been very frustrating because I started this season well. My career at Chelsea actual began very well, without any problems. "But they couldn't find the reason for the injuries and that was the really frustrating thing. I was playing with the injury but there was no-one who could provide a proper diagnosis for the problem. "I spent four months in Brazil to find out what the problem was. Finally they did discover what it was and I've been treated now and I am really sure that it is behind me. "I am ready to start again and am positive that it will not reoccur again this season."

We have a Chelsea shirt signed by Alex to give away - click here to enter our competition. Alex was speaking at an event for Thomas Cook Sport, official travel partner of Chelsea and the UK's number one sports tour operator. Thomas Cook Sport takes football fans closer to the live action and offers Chelsea match breaks and 2010 World Cup packages. For more information, visit www.thomascooksport.com or call 020 8739 2360.