Robinho to Benfica? [R]

good news to Benfica

 

more news, chelsea is teh main target again..this looks like a novela

Chelsea in pole position to sign Robinho

By EuroBlue
Date: 24/11/2004

In recent weeks, there has been uncertainty in the press as to who, of Madrid or Chelsea, were closest to signing Brazilian wonderkid Robinho. The last we read suggested that the Santos striker's move to the Spanish under-achievers was all but signed and sealed. Not so, say new reports.

Robinho's manager, Wagner Ribeiro, had already gone on the air in Brazil to state that Chelsea was the only club that had, as yet, made a firm offer to the youngster's club, Santos. From that point of view, Chelsea were the closest to signing him for the moment. But then Madrid got involved. An interview was published in 'As', the Madrid daily fanzine / newspaper, in which Robinho was asked the usual tosh, and answered in a diplomatic fashion that allowed many to conclude that he was, at this very moment, packing his bags for Madrid. 'What player wouldn't want to play for Madrid' was the sort of thing that he said. And so, the Madrid press propaganda machine spun into life with the notion that Robinho was on his way to Madrid. Consequently, of course, Chelsea were out of the race. Taking it a step further, 'Marca' (the other daily Madrid fanzine) started declaring that the deal was (all but) done. It made such declarations, conveniently, without presenting a shred of evidence.

Not so, say reports from Brazil, which suggest, actually, that Robinho is much closer to going to Chelsea than Madrid. Wagner Ribeiro went on the air again yesterday to state that Robinho had closed no deal at all with Real Madrid. "I can guarantee that what is happening right now is pure speculation", Ribeiro said on Brazilian radio.

"2 weeks ago, I was in Madrid, and had talks with Madrid bosses, but nothing was signed or agreed. Since then, nothing has happened". So that's in direct contradiction with the Marca and As statements. In the process, Ribeiro also confirmed that Chelsea was the only club which had, as yet, tabled a bid for the player. Indeed, Ribeiro categorically denied that Madrid had signed a deal for €12 million for Robinho. It was all the easier to deny this since Santos have set their minimum price for the player at €20 million. Given the number of clubs interested (as well as Madrid and Chelsea, PSV, Porto and Juventus are also on the case), there is no reason for Santos to sell the player at a knock-down price. And given that Chelsea are said to have tabled an offer of €26 million, one wonders why Santos would agree to sell the player to Madrid for less than half of that.

So there you have it: Chelsea are the only club that have made an offer. Madrid have not made an offer. Anything that might emanate from the Spanish capital is therefore pure wishful thinking on Madrid's part.

Furthermore, it has been widely reported that Robinho has no intention of signing any contract - or even playing for the moment - as his mother was kidnapped on November 6th, and until she is freed, Robinho will not be taking any decisions. That is despite the fact that the Brazilian season is reaching its climax at the moment. Due to end in December, Santos are in a good position to claim the title. It will have to be without Robinho for the moment, pending his Mum's release.

That said, Ribero also revealed that Robinho has given instructions to his agents to look for a European club so that the player can leave Brazil as soon as possible. This very year, preferably. The lad is - justifiably - concerned at the safety of his family and wants to leave.

Furthermore, there are 2 additional strong reasons to doubt, severely, that Madrid are well advanced in landing the player. A first is that signing a striker to a team that is so hopelessly unbalanced as Madrid seems an absurdity even beyond idiotic Madrid President Florentino Pérez. Even if Madrid would try that, why on earth would Robinho want to go there? How can Robinho possibly fit into a team that already possesses Ronaldo, Raúl, Fernando Morientes and Michael Owen? In which the latest galactico Michael Owen is lucky to get a place on the bench? With Madrid crying out for reinforcements elsewhere in the squad, the one place they really don't need a new player is at the front. This is, of course, in contrast with Chelsea who, having lost Adrian Mutu, are currently lacking a striker.

Another issue, however, might be more serious. There were already reports 2 weeks ago that Madrid were out of the running for Robinho. The reason for this is that Madrid had begun exercising an unseemly pressure on Santos … immediately after Robinho's mother's kidnap. Apparently, with very little consideration for the way the lad might be thinking, Madrid started pressing the club and the player to sign for them. The lack of tact is said to have infuriated Santos, not to mention Robinho himself, to the extent that he has rejected the option of playing for a club which displayed such a lack of sensitivity. That is in addition to the usual problems that Madrid create for themselves of trying to bend the rules to sign players: they start to talk to the player, and then move on to speaking with his club. This process is illegal under the FIFA rules. It's nevertheless the way that Madrid carryout all their transfer business. In this care, the method appears to have backfired, as it succeeded in merely alienating Robinho.

If we are to piece together what we read, Robinho will be leaving Brazil at the end of the year. It is a far from foregone conclusion that he will be going to Madrid. Indeed, there are strong indications that Chelsea are still in pole position to sign the lad.

Chelsea are said to be exercising only a discrete presence behind the scenes, and in discussions via the club for the moment (according to the rules), pending his mother's release. An event that we can all hope for as quickly as possible.