Chelsea are trying to 'break me mentally' says Florent Malouda

France international has not played all season

Best off the bench: Florent Malouda After being denied a starting position, the Frenchman was brought on as Chelsea pushed for a goal. 6 (GETTY IMAGES)

Chelsea exile Florent Malouda has spoken out about his ongoing dispute with Chelsea.

The France international has been excluded from the Blues' 25-man Premier League squad for the rest of the current campaign, and has been training with the under-21 team for most of the season.

The exact nature of the dispute is unknown, but the 32-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer, has expressed his dismay at the situation.

"The details I'll explain when I'm free, but the strategy they use is to make me look like a player seeking substantial compensation," Malouda told France-Guyane.

"It's petty but more than anything else it makes me smile because it shows how these people regard me.

"If you are excluded for one year, it is very, very long. You must be armed mentally.

"All this is done to break me mentally, but in reality it motivates me enormously."

Malouda joined the club from Lyon for 13.5m in 2007 and played a pivotal role in their Champions League success last season, coming on as a substitute in the final against Bayern Munich.

However, Malouda has not played a single minute of football this season and reports earlier this season suggested he had never met manager Rafael Benitez, despite the Spaniard taking over at Stamford Bridge in November.

He would not reveal any further details of his dispute during the interview with France-Guyane, saying he could not do so due to "confidentiality" reasons.

The forward has been linked with a move to Anzhi Makhachkala, with the Russian transfer window open until the end of this month.