Chelsea to sign Real Madrid's Robinho in next 48 hours, says Peter Kenyon
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon says the club will complete the £29 million signing of Robinho inside the next 48 hours.
By Jeremy Wilson and Mike Norrish
Last Updated: 5:16PM BST 27 Aug 2008
Chelsea bound: Real Madrid's disaffected Brazilian striker Robinho Photo: AP
After weeks of negotiations, agreement was provisionally reached with Real Madrid on a transfer fee following the Spanish club's acceptance that they cannot keep the 24-year-old against his will.
"The Robinho deal is continuing to rumble on and it will probably go to the wire," said Kenyon. "There are two players the manager (Luiz Felipe Scolari) identified when he came here: Deco and Robinho.
"We seen have already seen the impact Deco has made on the Premier League. The squad is strong and with him (Robinho) it will have that added dimension," said Kenyon.
Chelsea previously had two bids rejected, but the situation has changed now that Real are confident of signing Villarreal winger Santi Cazorla and Valencia forward David Villa.
If Robinho's move is completed before the weekend, the Brazilian could potentially make his debut against Tottenham on Sunday.
Robinho, who is likely to double his wages, was booed before Real beat Valencia in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, following the public admission of his desire to leave. "He's shown a complete lack of respect to the club, his fellow players, our history and the fans," Real president Ramon Calderon was quoted as saying.
The signing of Robinho is likely to have significant ramifications for others in the Chelsea squad, with Shaun Wright-Phillips the subject of a £10 million bid from former club Manchester City. Everton are also interested.
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, has told Ford's FeelFootball.com that signing Andrei Shevchenko was not his first choice. "I had a first option and a second option that were not possible," he said. "When I was faced with the possibility of Shevchenko, I said yes. But he was like a prince in Milan – and in Chelsea our philosophy was different. We had no princes. Everybody is the same."
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon says the club will complete the £29 million signing of Robinho inside the next 48 hours.
By Jeremy Wilson and Mike Norrish
Last Updated: 5:16PM BST 27 Aug 2008
Chelsea bound: Real Madrid's disaffected Brazilian striker Robinho Photo: AP
After weeks of negotiations, agreement was provisionally reached with Real Madrid on a transfer fee following the Spanish club's acceptance that they cannot keep the 24-year-old against his will.
"The Robinho deal is continuing to rumble on and it will probably go to the wire," said Kenyon. "There are two players the manager (Luiz Felipe Scolari) identified when he came here: Deco and Robinho.
"We seen have already seen the impact Deco has made on the Premier League. The squad is strong and with him (Robinho) it will have that added dimension," said Kenyon.
Chelsea previously had two bids rejected, but the situation has changed now that Real are confident of signing Villarreal winger Santi Cazorla and Valencia forward David Villa.
If Robinho's move is completed before the weekend, the Brazilian could potentially make his debut against Tottenham on Sunday.
Robinho, who is likely to double his wages, was booed before Real beat Valencia in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday, following the public admission of his desire to leave. "He's shown a complete lack of respect to the club, his fellow players, our history and the fans," Real president Ramon Calderon was quoted as saying.
The signing of Robinho is likely to have significant ramifications for others in the Chelsea squad, with Shaun Wright-Phillips the subject of a £10 million bid from former club Manchester City. Everton are also interested.
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, meanwhile, has told Ford's FeelFootball.com that signing Andrei Shevchenko was not his first choice. "I had a first option and a second option that were not possible," he said. "When I was faced with the possibility of Shevchenko, I said yes. But he was like a prince in Milan – and in Chelsea our philosophy was different. We had no princes. Everybody is the same."
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