Blues 'lodge Robinho bid'

Agent claims that Chelsea have made £31.75m offer

By Lewis Rutledge   Last updated: 19th July 2008

Robinho

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Robinho's agent has claimed that Chelsea have made a 'firm offer' of £31.75million for the Real Madrid forward.

The Blues have been linked with the Brazilian forward since Luiz Felipe Scolari was appointed as the new manager at Stamford Bridge earlier this summer.

Speculation also surfaced on Thursday suggesting that Barcelona were preparing to table a bid for the player, although the Catalan club quickly dismissed the reports.

Robinho's representative Wagner Ribeiro maintains that he has been contacted by Barca scout Pepe Costa, but he expects the 24-year-old to stay at the Bernabeu.

Ribeiro insists that Real president Ramon Calderon is determined to keep Robinho, and does not expect Chelsea to be successful with their opening bid.

"I don't have an offer from Barca," Ribeiro told Catalan radio station Onda FM.

Difficult

"But a director from the club called me to see how things are going with the player.

"I told him that there was a firm offer from Chelsea for 40million euros (£31.75million) but that (Madrid president) Ramon Calderon didn't want to transfer him.

"I am a man and I don't lie and the director who called me is Pepe Costa.

"I think it is difficult for Robinho to move to Chelsea and even more so to Barcelona because of the rivalry that exists between the two clubs.

"I told (Madrid sporting director) Pedja Mijatovic that Barca called me but it's as if Real Madrid wanted to sign Leo Messi."