Real cast Robinho doubts

Spanish giants could keep Brazilian in the capital

Last updated: 29th August 2008

real madrid robinho

Robinho: Deal not yet done

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Real Madrid have hinted they are ready to pull the plug on Robinho's move to Chelsea, despite the Premier League club already advertising replica shirts adorned with the player's name.

The Brazilian's purported move to Stamford Bridge has been one of the summer's more protracted transfer stories but in the past few days it had looked as though a deal had been struck with Madrid.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has spoken confidently of the player's imminent arrival and the kind of impact he might have in West London, but the somewhat presumptuous manner of Chelsea's behaviour has not sat well in the Spanish capital.

And now Real sporting director Pedrag Mijatovic has intimated the player could yet stay in Spain.

Real doubt

"Robinho still two years left on his contract," he is quoted as saying in the Daily Star.

"That being the case he is our player for the next two seasons so you can draw your own conclusions from that.

"In a healthy environment and in a team with a winning spirit there is no problem that cannot be sorted."

Should Chelsea prove successful in luring the forward to West London then they will have landed a talent of considerable pedigree, according to Frank Lampard.

Lamps backing

The England midfielder, who on Friday was crowned as last season's top player in his position in the UEFA Champions League, cannot wait to play alongside the 24-year-old.

"He is a fantastic player, I saw a lot of him last season watching the Spanish games. He had a very good season until he got injured and it broke his season up a bit," Lampard said on Chelsea's official website.

"He has great flair, and something that would be nice to bring into our team. We have flair players already but he is another option and he could light up the league.

"He will have to get used to it because it is different to Spain, but he showed he is a world-class player both at Madrid and for Brazil, and world-class players adapt."