CHELSEA are set to continue their pursuit of Real Madrid forward Robinho following talks between sporting director Frank Arnesen and the Brazilian's agent.
Robinho could become new coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's second major signing after the arrival of Portugal international Deco from Barcelona this week. Robinho's agent Vagner Ribeiro confirmed he had spoken to Arnesen and the Blues were interested in si
gning his client. The fee is likely to be around £27million.
"It's true that Chelsea are interested in signing Robinho," Ribeiro told Spanish sports daily AS.
"They have been after him for a while and there has been much more contact since Scolari became the new Chelsea coach. I met with Arnesen in London and he confirmed to me that Chelsea wanted my player for next season."
The Spanish league champions are reportedly keen to offload the player to free up some cash to buy Cristiano Ronaldo.
Meanwhile, England midfielder Frank Lampard could sit out the remainder of his contract and quit the club as a free agent next summer. Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho is convinced Lampard will join the club for the 2009/10 season. Lampard's future at Chelsea was put in further doubt with the arrival of Deco, who joined the club on Monday.
The England midfielder has a year to run on his current contract and is due to resume talks when pre-season training gets under way next Monday. Lampard, 30, wants Chelsea to match the kind of money Inter can offer him and desires a four-year deal. But he has the option of letting his deal expire next summer and walking away from Chelsea as a free agent.
The full article contains 284 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
