EXCLUSIVE: CHELSEA TARGET ZLATAN
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CHELSEA were last night preparing
to join the hunt for £30 million-rated Inter Milan striker Zlatan
Ibrahimovic. Owner Roman Abramovich has turned his attention to
Sweden star Ibrahimovic, 27, after being so far frustrated in his
efforts to bring in Kaka, David Villa and Carlos
Tevez.
Abramovich is determined to bring in at least one prestige
signing to bolster new coach Carlo Ancelotti’s first season in
charge at Stamford Bridge. A £40m bid has been tabled for Bayern
Munich’s Franck Ribery – but Ibrahimovic has emerged as another
major target.
With Kaka having joined Real Madrid, Villa seemingly set for
Barcelona and Argentinian Tevez looking increasingly likely to
switch across Manchester from United to City, Chelsea’s options
have dwindled.
The club, as the Daily Express revealed yesterday, will make a
last-ditch effort to persuade Tevez to come to London, but are now
casting their net wider. Ribery is also being chased by Manchester
United, Barca and big-spending Real Madrid.
But with Inter already in talks with Chelsea over the double duo
Ricardo Carvalho and Deco, Abramovich could use them as a
bargaining tool for Ibrahimovich, top scorer in Serie A last season
with 25 goals.
So far, Inter have offered cash plus Argentina defender Nicolas
Burdisso – on whom Chelsea are not keen – for the pair. The player
Inter chief Jose Mourinho really wants is Didier Drogba, whom he
groomed to world stardom at the Bridge. But Chelsea have offered
Drogba a new three-year deal, which they are hopeful he will sign
in the next fortnight, and are not willing to do a swap. Drogba is
set to be hit with a three-game ban by UEFA
today for his outbursts at Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo at
the end of their Champions League semi-final defeat by
Barcelona.
Drogba later apologised, as did full-back Jose Bosingwa, who
labelled Ovrebo a “thief” but Chelsea’s plea of mitigating
circumstances at the hearing in Nyon is unlikely to prevent a ban.
The club are also seeking players, while Bosingwa is likely to be
handed a one-game ban.