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Friday, August 22, 2008

Daily Mail EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea seal Robinho deal after Kenyon makes Madrid trip



Chelsea were close to completing the signing of Robinho for £25million last night after chief executive Peter Kenyon was seen arriving in Madrid to tie up the deal.

The Brazil forward described a switch to Chelsea as his 'dream move' earlier in the summer but Real Madrid's failure to secure the services of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United had put the transfer in jeopardy.

The situation now seems to have been resolved and Luiz Felipe Scolari will be delighted to add his countryman to a list of summer signings that includes Deco and Jose Bosingwa.

Robinho's arrival will lead to the departure of Andriy Shevchenko, who has been told by Chelsea that he can return to AC Milan on a one-year loan after a disastrous spell in the Barclays Premier League.

Chelsea are prepared to take a massive financial hit on the deal, by paying Milan to take back the Ukraine striker.

Shevchenko, 31, is expected to return to the San Siro in the next 48 hours, two years after he joined Chelsea for £30m. The 2004 European Footballer of the Year will have part of his £5m-a-year contract covered by Chelsea.

The club's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich met Milan counterpart Silvio Berlusconi to discuss the deal in Sardinia last week, and Silvano Ramaccioni, a director of the Italian club, confirmed: 'There really isn't much more to be done. We are close to the end of the deal.'


Shevchenko on verge of Milan move

Shevchenko has long been linked with a move back to Milan
Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko is close to securing a return to AC Milan, according to one of their directors.

The 31-year-old Ukrainian has endured two disappointing years in England since his £30m move from Milan.

Milan director Silvano Ramaccioni said: "We are close to the end of the deal and I hope these little things that have to be fulfilled are done soon."

Shevchenko is AC Milan's second-most prolific goalscorer of all-time with 127 goals from 208 games.

An initial one year loan deal was reportedly discussed when Milan chairman Silvio Berlusconi met Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in Sardinia last Thursday.

The Italian press claim the deal will be finalised on Thursday or at the latest 24 hours later and Ramaccioni agrees.

"Shevchenko in the Rossoneri shirt - there really isn't much more to be done," he told Italian radio station Radio Goal.

"I would be extremely delighted if Shevchenko returns to Milan and I am ready to embrace the Ukraine champion again, for us it's about a return home."


Reports: Shevchenko To Milan Collapses
There are reports emerging from Italy that Andriy Shevchenko’s move back to Milan has collapsed after Chelsea refused to release the player on loan.

The Rossoneri have been searching for a first striker all summer, and it had seemed as though former hero Shevchenko was on the verge of a move back to San Siro.

The basis of a one-year loan move, with Chelsea contributing part of the Ukrainian’s wages, had supposedly already been agreed upon.

The Corriere dello Sport claimed this morning that Milan transfer chief Adriano Galliani was to travel to Monte Carlo today to dine with Shevchenko and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon.

There they would tie up the last details of the deal, before the transfer would be officially signed, sealed and delivered tomorrow, with Sheva arriving in Milan on Sunday or Monday.

However, according to reports just emerging from Italy, the transfer has now collapsed after Chelsea refused to release the player on loan, with an option to make the move permanent.

The Londoners have made it clear to Milan that they will only offload Shevchenko if Milan buy him outright. The Rossoneri will not consider such a proposal, and if these reports are true, it now seems as if Sheva’s hopes of re-joining the Diavoli have all but disappeared.

Goal.com

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