Home
[50%] 
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,283-2569789,00.html
Cannavaro will be first 'London galactico'
Duncan Castles
Chelsea have already made a bid for the World Cup winner to launch phase one of the post-Mourinho era
CHELSEA want to instigate the post-Jose Mourinho era with the signing of the World and European Footballer of the Year Fabio Cannavaro. The club has agreed in principle a salary of £3.4million with the Italy defender and has been told by Real Madrid’s current administration that it will not stand in the way of a summer transfer.
Mourinho, who blocked a move for Cannavaro last summer, has no involvement in the revived deal, as the club do not expect him to be at Stamford Bridge when the 33-year-old World Cup-winning captain arrives in the close season. By then, Chelsea intend to have replaced their manager with the Internazionale coach, Roberto Mancini, who is understood to have recommended his compatriot to the club.
Cannavaro will be the first recruit of a “London Galactico” transfer policy that Roman Abramovich has long wanted to enforce at his club, but has seen stymied by Mourinho’s reluctance to work with older, more storied players. Chelsea’s billionaire owner believes he can combine such individuals with carefully recruited young talents in a squad instructed to play attractive and successful football modelled on, but superior to, that of Barcelona, the European Cup holders.
Leading that squad, Abramovich wants a young, personable coach, who will both buy into the owner’s recruitment policy and manage the playing resources without resort to the drama and confrontation that has marked Mourinho’s reign. Having failed to convince Didier Deschamps to take on that role, Chelsea have placed Mancini at the head of their recruitment list. An initial approach has been well received by the Italian, who will be a free agent at the end of this season and is stalling on a contract extension.
Cannavaro has also encouraged Chelsea’s advances. The centre-back spent time with Abramovich on one of the Russian’s luxury yachts last summer and discussed a transfer from Juventus to Stamford Bridge before Chelsea withdrew from negotiations.
The player then signed a two-year contract with Real Madrid, but has endured a traumatic six months in Spanish football as his club has struggled and he has been the focus of press and supporter criticism. Cannavaro has also been slow to adapt to life in Madrid, is still living in a hotel, and is unhappy with the city as a place to raise his three young children. Real have been similarly disappointed with their high-profile recruit. Aware of Chelsea’s approach, they are prepared to let Cannavaro leave at the end of the season.
A source close to Mancini indicated that Inter were yet to put a concrete figure in front of him in discussions over a new contract. Last week he was quoted as saying: “Nothing has been decided yet about the contract with Inter, but this is not a formality. I’d really love to manage a Premiership side one day. Chelsea? It would be fantastic.”
Ironically, Inter were courting Mourinho as Mancini’s replacement in 2005, although the Portuguese is now more inclined to Real Madrid or AC Milan as a venue for his turnaround management techniques.
Having unsuccessfully gone to war with Abramovich over interference in transfer policy and Andriy Shevchenko’s limited contribution to the team, Mourinho has now accepted that no money will be made available to him in this transfer window to sign a central defender of his choosing. Though Abramovich is currently covering the costs of an $8m friendly tournament in Israel involving teams from the home country, Russia, and Ukraine, and is ready to bankroll Cannavaro’s transfer, the Russian has refused to meet Bolton’s £3m asking price for Tal Ben Haim, whom Mourinho requested as defensive cover. Instead, Chelsea’s focus now seems to be on life after Mourinho. Concerted effort has been placed into sourcing a replacement manager. First choice had been Guus Hiddink — already on the Abramovich payroll in the role of Russia coach — but the Dutchman has been persuaded against taking on the job by his partner. Sevilla’s Juande Ramos was also sounded out, but has neither the charisma nor the English-language skills Chelsea want. Deschamps has been approached three times, but he enjoyed neither London nor English football when he played for the club seven years ago and prefers to remain with Juventus.
Though Marcello Lippi remains available after guiding Italy to the World Cup, Abramovich considers him too old, while Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard is expected to take a year’s sabbatical from football at the end of this season. Marco van Basten fits the profile of a young coach, but is committed to Holland’s Euro 2008 campaign and is not well liked by Abramovich’s personal football adviser, Piet de Visser, who publicly attacked his tactics at the 2006 World Cup.
Cannavaro will be first 'London galactico'
Duncan Castles
Chelsea have already made a bid for the World Cup winner to launch phase one of the post-Mourinho era
CHELSEA want to instigate the post-Jose Mourinho era with the signing of the World and European Footballer of the Year Fabio Cannavaro. The club has agreed in principle a salary of £3.4million with the Italy defender and has been told by Real Madrid’s current administration that it will not stand in the way of a summer transfer.
Mourinho, who blocked a move for Cannavaro last summer, has no involvement in the revived deal, as the club do not expect him to be at Stamford Bridge when the 33-year-old World Cup-winning captain arrives in the close season. By then, Chelsea intend to have replaced their manager with the Internazionale coach, Roberto Mancini, who is understood to have recommended his compatriot to the club.
Cannavaro will be the first recruit of a “London Galactico” transfer policy that Roman Abramovich has long wanted to enforce at his club, but has seen stymied by Mourinho’s reluctance to work with older, more storied players. Chelsea’s billionaire owner believes he can combine such individuals with carefully recruited young talents in a squad instructed to play attractive and successful football modelled on, but superior to, that of Barcelona, the European Cup holders.
Leading that squad, Abramovich wants a young, personable coach, who will both buy into the owner’s recruitment policy and manage the playing resources without resort to the drama and confrontation that has marked Mourinho’s reign. Having failed to convince Didier Deschamps to take on that role, Chelsea have placed Mancini at the head of their recruitment list. An initial approach has been well received by the Italian, who will be a free agent at the end of this season and is stalling on a contract extension.
Cannavaro has also encouraged Chelsea’s advances. The centre-back spent time with Abramovich on one of the Russian’s luxury yachts last summer and discussed a transfer from Juventus to Stamford Bridge before Chelsea withdrew from negotiations.
The player then signed a two-year contract with Real Madrid, but has endured a traumatic six months in Spanish football as his club has struggled and he has been the focus of press and supporter criticism. Cannavaro has also been slow to adapt to life in Madrid, is still living in a hotel, and is unhappy with the city as a place to raise his three young children. Real have been similarly disappointed with their high-profile recruit. Aware of Chelsea’s approach, they are prepared to let Cannavaro leave at the end of the season.
A source close to Mancini indicated that Inter were yet to put a concrete figure in front of him in discussions over a new contract. Last week he was quoted as saying: “Nothing has been decided yet about the contract with Inter, but this is not a formality. I’d really love to manage a Premiership side one day. Chelsea? It would be fantastic.”
Ironically, Inter were courting Mourinho as Mancini’s replacement in 2005, although the Portuguese is now more inclined to Real Madrid or AC Milan as a venue for his turnaround management techniques.
Having unsuccessfully gone to war with Abramovich over interference in transfer policy and Andriy Shevchenko’s limited contribution to the team, Mourinho has now accepted that no money will be made available to him in this transfer window to sign a central defender of his choosing. Though Abramovich is currently covering the costs of an $8m friendly tournament in Israel involving teams from the home country, Russia, and Ukraine, and is ready to bankroll Cannavaro’s transfer, the Russian has refused to meet Bolton’s £3m asking price for Tal Ben Haim, whom Mourinho requested as defensive cover. Instead, Chelsea’s focus now seems to be on life after Mourinho. Concerted effort has been placed into sourcing a replacement manager. First choice had been Guus Hiddink — already on the Abramovich payroll in the role of Russia coach — but the Dutchman has been persuaded against taking on the job by his partner. Sevilla’s Juande Ramos was also sounded out, but has neither the charisma nor the English-language skills Chelsea want. Deschamps has been approached three times, but he enjoyed neither London nor English football when he played for the club seven years ago and prefers to remain with Juventus.
Though Marcello Lippi remains available after guiding Italy to the World Cup, Abramovich considers him too old, while Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard is expected to take a year’s sabbatical from football at the end of this season. Marco van Basten fits the profile of a young coach, but is committed to Holland’s Euro 2008 campaign and is not well liked by Abramovich’s personal football adviser, Piet de Visser, who publicly attacked his tactics at the 2006 World Cup.
Fabio will stay at Madrid!
