[2008] Messi is Chelsea top target

this post was published exactly one year ago:


British tabloid The Daily Mirror reports that Chelsea owner and Russinan billionaire Roman Abramovich is ready to hand Chelsea manager Avram Grant 125 million euro to spend in the summer transfer market, giving the Israeli manager the chance to prove himself next season with a squad he has built himself.

The tabloid claims that, together with AC Milan playmaker Ricardo Kaká and Bayern Munich right winger Franck Ribéry, Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (20) is heading the list of Chelsea summer targets.

Asked about the rumours, Chelsea manager Grant admitted in an interview with British tabloid The Daily Star that he's planning serious changes in the squad and didn't want to exclude any names: "We need to do something. We want to be more consistent and we want a different style of football, and of course I need players who can help with this. Will it take a flair player like Kaka or Messi? I will not reject that one of those names will be here. Will they come? I think so, yes. This is a big club."

In an interview with British newspaper The Guardian, Grant nevertheless seems less sure about the possibility of Chelsea being able to transfer the Argentinian striker: "The advantage we had three years ago was that the other big clubs didn't have the money, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Barcelona, so we could show the money and get the player. Now it has changed. For example, I don't think Barcelona would give you Messi even if you showed them big money."


More 16 April 2008 news:
First contact with Lyon on Benzema
Transfer history: Cruijff