Chelsea last night insisted Mark Hughes still had a future at Stamford Bridge despite breaking their club transfer record with the signing of Pierluigi Casiraghi (above).

The European Cup Winners' Cup holders paid £5.4 million sterling for the Italian international striker in a four-year deal that reunites him with former team-mate Gianluca Vialli.

Casiraghi's arrival leaves Chelsea spoilt for choice up front with player-manager Vialli, Hughes, Gianfranco Zola and Tore Andre Flo also fighting for places. Hughes is the oldest of the strikers at 34 and has already been forced to accept that he cannot command a regular place in the starting 11.

But Chelsea managing director Colin Hutchinson was adamant that Hughes is part of Vialli's plans for a serious assault on the Premiership next season.

"His situation will be looked at in about a week's time and I would like to stress Mark has one year left on his contract," Hutchinson said. "There will be no moves to push Mark out of Chelsea. He has been a good servant of the club and still can be."

Meanwhile, Inter Milan's French international Youri Djorkaeff has denied he is about to be replaced by Roberto Baggio at the UEFA Cup holders.

Inter president Massimo Moratti would like to acquire Baggio to play alongside Ronaldo in attack next season.

But Djorkaeff, who partnered the Brazilian last season, does not believe he will soon be out of a job. "If Baggio came, that would be absolutely fine," Djorkaeff said. "It means that I could go back to playing in the middle, like I did in my first season with Inter, two years ago."