Cheapskate Chelsea sign up Brazil man
Alex for $1
Jose Mourinho is on the verge of signing Brazil defender Alex for
just one dollar. The Chelsea manager, who will announce another
bargain capture on July 1 when Steve Sidwell joins on a free
transfer from Reading, is close to tying up the deal with Dutch
champions PSV Eindhoven, who confirmed Alex has been in London for
talks.
Alex was bought by Chelsea from Santos for £5million in 2004, but
they were forced to "park" him at PSV after he failed to meet
work-permit criteria. Although Chelsea maintain they do not own the
defender, who was named on Thursday night in the Brazil squad to
play England at Wembley on June 1, the FA Cup Finalists have an
agreement to re-sign him at any stage for $1 (50p).
Alex was in London the day after Chelseas 1-0 victory over
Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at
Stamford Bridge and agreed terms before flying back to help clinch
the Dutch title on April 29.
Mourinho was first offered the chance to sign Alex whose goal
knocked Arsenal out of this seasons Champions League during
January. Instead, the Chelsea chief went for Bolton defender Tal
Ben Haim but that deal collapsed. PSV spokesman Pedro
Salazar-Hewitt revealed on Thursday night: Alex has been in London
for talks with Chelsea.
"They held a series of meetings at the end of last month and it was
done with the full co-operation of PSV. It is no problem." Mourinho
is also hopeful of persuading Atletico Madrid striker Fernando
Torres to join, but he claimed yesterday that the days of
extravagant spending at Chelsea are over. He said: "Manchester
United have the potential to pay a big fee for a player and that is
normal. Everyone wants to improve and Chelsea will do the same
without spending so much money."
