Seems like it's a done deal...
Chelsea land Milan's Shevchenko
By IAN MCGARRY, Daily Mail
08:09am 30th March 2006
Chelsea will sign Andriy Shevchenko from AC Milan this summer after agreeing in principle a four-year contract worth at least £110,000 a week to the Ukraine striker.
Sportsmail understands that the personal terms of the transfer have been agreed with Shevchenko, who is prepared to request a move from Milan to ensure that the deal goes through.
The signing will bring an end to three years of courting by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who has tried to recruit Shevchenko on three occasions since he took over at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2003.
On top of personal terms in excess of £20million, Chelsea are ready to meet Milan's valuation of around £35m for a player who has three years left on his contract. Hernan Crespo may become a £10m makeweight in the deal.
The wife of the 29-year-old forward, American model Kristin Pazik, visited London last month to confirm her approval of the lifestyle change.
She is believed to have been a guest of Abramovich and his wife Irina.
She visited the club's training ground at Cobham and was taken on a tour of properties in the surrounding area, where she and her husband expect to set up home.
The move for Shevchenko is a further statement of Chelsea's financial power, but more significantly of Mourinho's intention to rebuild the team for next season, adding players of the highest pedigree.
Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack is also moving to Stamford Bridge and attempts to sign Arsenal's Ashley Cole will resume when the season ends.
While no fee for Shevchenko has been finalised with Milan, the Italian club have been kept informed of developments and talks with Chelsea have been going on for the past four months.
Crespo will be leaving Chelsea this summer and as long as his ally and admirer, Carlo Ancelotti, remains in charge at Milan, the Argentina forward will sign for the deposed Italian champions.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's search for a world-class striker will finally come to a successful end.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have announced an alliance with American soccer company AEG, who own or operate the franchise for four Major League Soccer clubs, including LA Galaxy and DC United.
The deal will mean Chelsea have first option on player transfers from those clubs — one of whom is DC's teenage star Freddy Adu — as well as the option of sending young players to gain experience in MLS football.
