
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.