CHELSEA will slug it out with old boss Jose
Mourinho for Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o. Blues are set to move
for the Cameroon star after agreeing to sell Didier Drogba to AC
Milan for £18million. But they face stiff competition from Mourinho
and Inter Milan, who have also made Eto’o (left) a top
priority.
Chelsea will bid £22m for the 27-year-old and offer him
a £110,000-a- week deal. As part of the agreement to sell them
Drogba, Blues want San Siro outfit AC to end any interest in Eto’o.
But Chelsea have told the Italian giants that Andriy Shevchenko is
not for sale.
AC Milan vice- president Adriano Galliani revealed: “I
spoke with Peter Kenyon and Chelsea have agreed that we can speak
with Drogba. “But we are sad that we are not able to take forward
the chance to bring Shevchenko back.”
Chelsea may have negotiated AC out of the Eto’o
picture. But missing out on Drogba has sharpened Mourinho and
Inter’s appetite for the Barca star, who is keen to quit the Nou
Camp.
Along with Eto’o, who has already drawn Spurs’
interest, Chelsea will also try to sign Valencia front man David
Villa. Ivory Coast striker Drogba will cut short a family holiday
in America and fly to Italy to meet Milan officials this week.
Portugal coach Luis Felipe Scolari’s refusal to be
distracted from Euro 2008 has left Frank Rijkaard and Roberto
Mancini in pole position for the Chelsea job. SunSport now
understand they will both be interviewed by Blues owner Roman
Abramovich on his yacht off the south of France later this
week.