Brazil winger Robinho eyes Chelsea move
Real Madrid winger Robinho is seriously considering joining Chelsea, although the west London club are unlikely to pay more than half the £48m they were reported to have offered.
Robinho’s agent Wagner Ribeiro confirmed yesterday he had held talks with Chelsea, and that the 24-year-old was keen to work with new Blues boss and fellow Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari.
“What is making Robinho seriously consider accepting Chelsea’s offer is that Scolari helped him a lot when he still wasn’t very well known in Europe,” said Ribeiro.
“Scolari called him up to play a game in Basle, between the Friends of Ronaldo and Friends of Zidane in 2003 Scolari spoke to Robinho and gave him strength.”
However, reports that Chelsea had already lodged a bid of £48m for a player who has only intermittently lived up to his billing since a £20m transfer from Santos in 2005 are thought to be inaccurate.
“The Chelsea offer is big, but it’s not that big,” Ribeiro added.
The Blues were last night reported to be considering making an opening offer of £18m, and are prepared to double Robinho’s £30,000-a-week wages. Scolari is said to have stepped up his interest after learning that Barcelona’s Ronaldinho preferred AC Milan to Stamford Bridge.
But any deal for Robinho could depend on Real’s drawn-out pursuit of Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Signing the Portugal winger would push the Brazilian down the pecking order and nearer the door.
Meanwhile, Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge yesterday spurned advances from Portsmouth to sign a new four-year contract. Ricardo Carvalho could be next, with the Portugal centre-back looking set to stay despite interest from Inter Milan.