Desailly joined Chelsea in 1998

Chelsea captain Marcel Desailly has been told he can leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.

The French World Cup winner has a year left on his contract and had hoped to finish his playing career at Stamford Bridge.

But Chelsea are reportedly prepared to let the 34-year-old, who they bought for �4.6m from AC Milan in 1998, go at the end of the season.

"My directors have offered me my freedom in June if I should want it," Desailly was quoted in The Sun newspaper as saying.

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Desailly has just come back from a hip injury but his absence has seen Blues boss Claudio Ranieri choose John Terry and William Gallas ahead of the French captain at the heart of his defence.

Despite uncertainty over his club future, Desailly will become France's most capped player on Wednesday.

The defender will make his 104th appearance for the national side in a friendly against Egypt in Paris.

"You must be very lucky to reach such a number of caps," said Desailly.

"It is not the money which makes me run on the pitch, it's the passion for my job."

Desailly will surpass the previous mark set by another former Chelsea player, Didier Deschamps.