Chelsea win Di Santo battle

Argentine on his way to Stamford Bridge

By Patricio Figueroa   Last updated: 18th December 2007

franco di santo

Di Santo: Chelsea-bound

"Playing at Chelsea would be very nice. It would be fantastic."

Franco Di Santo
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Chelsea have won the race to sign Argentine hot-shot Franco Di Santo.

The Blues have agreed a deal worth $7million (£3.4million) with his club - Chilean outfit Audax Italiano, and the 18-year-old will move when the transfer window opens in January.

Di Santo started his career in the youth side of Godoy Cruz de Mendoza - but he then opted to switch to Chile and he has since flourished with Audax.

From 35 starts he has bagged 13 goals in less than two seasons, and has also shone for Argentina's youth sides after he opted to play for the country of his birth rather than Chile - who also wanted him.

Now Chelsea have beaten a host of clubs from around Europe - to seal a deal for Di Santo - who is free to move to England as he holds an Italian passport.

Interest

Indeed Chelsea are understood to have held off competition from nine rival Premier League clubs - including Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal - who all expressed an interest.

"Everything is nearly agreed, there are only a few details to be resolved but there will not be any problems," Audax president Valentin Cantergiani confirmed.

"We only have to agree the fee that Audax will receive if Di Santo is transferred again in the future and that's all. All the rest has been arranged.

"We are exchanging the last documents."

Cantergiani admitted that Chelsea have been very good to deal with.

"Chelsea has been more than a year following Franco and all the negotiations have been all the time very polite.

"They want to add him their squad when the transfer window opens in January. As Franco holds an Italian passport he can be at once part of their team."

Happy

The player expressed his delight at the impending move to West London.

"My agent told me not to talk about this, but the truth is I won't go on playing at Audax," he admitted.

"Playing at Chelsea would be very nice. It would be fantastic."