ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has taken personal charge of Chelsea’s latest attempt to sign Andriy Shevchenko, the AC Milan forward, as he plans his biggest spending spree since his outlay on buying the club three years ago. It is understood that Chelsea hope to sign five players during the summer rather than the three-in three-out policy publicly described by José Mourinho, with two strikers, a central midfield player, centre back and left back featuring on the wanted list.
Chelsea have attempted to curtail their spending since splashing out £111 million on ten new players in the immediate aftermath of Abramovich’s takeover in 2003, but such restraint has been abandoned as Mourinho seeks to build a squad capable of dominating the Barclays Premiership and the Champions League.
With Michael Ballack close to completing his move from Bayern Munich on a free transfer, Shevchenko will be the centrepiece of this summer’s transfer activity, with Abramovich masterminding the recruitment of a player he counts as a personal friend. It is understood that the Russian billionaire phoned Shevchenko last weekend to sound him out and will fly to Milan for a face-to-face meeting after the club’s final Serie A match of the season on May 14. As Abramovich is also close to Adriano Galliani, AC Milan’s vice-president, all talks will take place with the blessing of the Italian club.
Abramovich undertook a similar trip to Milan with the intention of signing Shevchenko two years ago only for the Ukrainian to sign a new five-year contract the day after he left, but is increasingly confident of landing his man. Although Shevchenko’s commitment to a club he joined seven years ago has not wavered, his representatives are expecting another bid, with sources at Milan indicating that an offer of £30 million may be too big to turn down for a player who will be 30 in September. Milan’s financial situation is by no means perilous but their ageing squad needs rebuilding, particularly if Carlo Ancelotti, the manager, leaves to join Real Madrid.
With Abramovich taking care of Shevchenko, Chelsea’s other executives are looking elsewhere in case their primary target turns them down for a fourth time. Peter Kenyon, the chief executive, is championing the cause of Ruud van Nistelrooy, but although the Holland striker appears to be on his way out of Old Trafford, it is doubtful that Sir Alex Ferguson would sanction a move to Chelsea.
Mourinho has also requested a secondary striker, capable of playing just behind or alongside the main goalscorer in a 4-4-2 formation. The Portuguese wants a small, quick man with a good touch who can give Chelsea options going forward, but who will not necessarily come to the club expecting to be first choice. It is this sort of role that has been earmarked for Jermain Defoe, who Mourinho continues to admire despite a difficult season at Tottenham Hotspur, while he also went to watch Salomon Kalou, Feyenoord’s Ivory Coast striker, last month. With a hefty transfer fee round his neck, Carlos Tévez, the Corinthians forward, would be bought only for a leading role, but his style of play fits the bill.
Chelsea’s defensive recruitment is more dependent on who leaves, with Ricardo Carvalho and William Gallas seeking a way out, but a left back and centre back are being sought. Mourinho is having second thoughts about signing Ashley Cole, dispatching scouts to watch Taye Taiwo at Marseilles and Younes Kaboul at Auxerre in the past week.
Ledley King’s decision to sign a new four-year contract at Tottenham does not rule him out, but Mourinho is looking at other options, including Rafael Márquez, of Barcelona, and Joseph Yobo, of Everton.
