Chelsea have been chasing the Brazilian for a number of weeks now, with new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari having made it clear that the Real Madrid star, along with Deco, were his two transfer targets upon being appointed as Blues boss.

The 24-year-old finished the season happy with the Spanish champions, but became unsettled when murmurs in the press emerged that he could be used as a makeweight in Madrid's pursuit of Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, as that move collapsed, Robinho remained open to leaving Madrid, despite their best efforts to keep the player. Coach Bernd Schuster is thought to have always wanted the former Santos star to stay at the club, but higher-ups within the club were willing to let him leave if Cristiano Ronaldo were to arrive.

Chelsea have pursued Robinho very much in the same manner that Madrid chased Ronaldo earlier in the summer, and despite Madrid's disappointment with the Blues' behaviour, the player himself has remained adamant that he wants to leave the club, even arranging a press conference on Sunday to push for a move to Chelsea.

Madrid have remained adamant that no players would be leaving or arriving in the remaining days of the transfer window, but now appear to have changed their tune as City, who were taken over by Abu Dhabi Group for Development and Investment today, now have even more money than they did under Thaksin Shinawatra, who sold the club today after just over a year in charge. The Citizens will now sign Robinho for a reported British record transfer fee of €42 million - despite missing out on Dimitar Berbatov to rivals Manchester United - and offer the forward a staggering €6 million per year, after tax.

"We have sold Robinho for reasons of human nature," Calderon told Canal Veo TV. "The fact is that we have accepted an offer for Manchester City, and that he is not going for sporting reasons.

"I can't rule out a new signing in December, now that [without Robinho] we have a free slot. But right now there's nobody in the market that we can move for."

The club have also officially announced the deal on their official website: "Real Madrid Football Club has finally decided this evening to transfer their player, Robson da Souza 'Robinho', to Manchester City."

Tears

It is being reported that Robinho was in tears at the thought of not being allowed to leave the club and threatened to go to Brazil and not return until he was sold.

"Manchester City have made a dramatic late deadline-day swoop for Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Robinho," read a statement on City's website.

"The deal to bring the 24-year-old was completed shortly before the midnight cut-off point, and he has signed a four-year contract."

One of the best in the world

City boss Mark Hughes could not hide his delight after a successful summer during his first few months at the club. “I am absolutely delighted to get the opportunity to work with such an incredible talent like Robinho," he told the club's website.

"I have said that in order to compete with the best teams in the Premier League we have to be in the market for players of this calibre, and Robinho is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world.

“I am really looking forward to introducing him to the rest of the squad, and to the City fans at the earliest opportunity. This is a real statement of intent as to the ambitions of Manchester City Football Club.”

this is my worst news ever seen .... i even didnt excepted that ROBINHO will sign for Man CITY.

yllig.

Marca journalist Juan Ignacio García-Ochoa has reported that Real Madrid have rejected the latest and supposedly final offer from Chelsea for the signature of Robinho.

Blues chief executive Peter Kenyon has been working hard over the last few days to seal the deal but his bosses are only willing to offer €32 million for the Brazilian winger, well short of the €40 million the Spanish giants were demanding.

And with time running out in the transfer market, it appears that Madrid, who had previously stated that they would only sell the 24 year old if they can first find his replacement, have put an end to all negotiations and the will retain the services of O Principe for at least one more season.

Although the official word has not yet been released by the club, once and if it is confirmed, Robinho will have to begin the task of winning back the support and affection of the fans and his teammates.

yllig.

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2008-09 GROUP STAGE DRAW

Alongside Deco, Terry, Lampard, Cech and all the rest, a proud Chelsea fan can now wear the name of Robinho on his back.

This morning it was discovered that the Blues have already begun taking orders for Robinho replica kits (see here), indicating the club's confidence that a deal for the Brazilian will go through imminently.

Although the winger has yet to be assigned a squad number, this shirt, coupled with the fact that chief executive Peter Kenyon has predicted that the transfer will take place today, seems to confirm that a deal is on the cards.

Last week Robinho announced that he was looking to leave Real Madrid in favour of the London outfit after a tumultuous summer in which he was banned from going to the Olympic Games and endured fruitless contract negotiations.

The Blues' chief executive is confident that the Brazilian will complete his move from Spain by Friday after several days of reports and rumours that a deal was going through.

Luis Felipe Scolari has admitted that he wanted his compatriot to join him at Stamford Bridge after he took over the reins at Chelsea earlier this summer.

Robinho has told Madrid that he wants to leave after a string of events left him feeling undervalued at the Bernabéu and now he appears to have his wish.

Talks over a new contract for the Brazilian were delayed and then he was offered less than he asked for which did not go down well, but it was his inclusion as a makeweight in the bid to sign Cristiano Ronaldo that saw him decide he wanted to leave.

The player's agent told reporters on Tuesday that a deal "was close to being done" and now Kenyon has backed up that statement by claiming that it will be concluded "within 48 hours".

Robinho was named in Madrid's squad for the Spanish Super Cup encounter with Valencia at the weekend but remained as an unused substitute, although he was jeered by fans before and after the match.

  

Los Merengues have decided to accept the Blues' offer after meetings on Monday saw the Spanish giants decide to use the money immediately to sign two players that coach Bernd Schuster wants, according to AS.

Robinho's transfer will be made official later this week, while Madrid will lodge bids for both Huntelaar and Capel as quickly as possible in order to open talks.

Negotiations with Sevilla will be swift as Madrid's offer of €15m matches Capel's buy-out clause and all that will have to be decided is whether or not the player wants to move.

The 20-year-old has stated in the past that the only club that he would leave the Andalucian outfit for is Madrid and now that will be tested with an official offer.

Huntelaar has been linked with several clubs, but Schuster's insistence that he have another striker before the start of the new campaign has pushed the board to make their move now.

Valencia are refusing to accept any offer for David Villa, so Madrid will press for the Ajax striker to join them in the next few days in a move which will delight the German trainer.

An initial offer of around €25m should see the Dutch club willing to open talks and the Bernabéu outfit will hope that the Netherlands contingent already in their ranks will help smooth the deal through.

Schuster has been keen to sort out the Robinho saga and add to his squad after becoming infuriated that the club's summer became focussed solely on the unsuccessful chase for Cristiano Ronaldo.

yllig.

Spanish daily Marca have speculated that the Brazilian winger could be on his way out of the Spanish capital headed for the English capital in a matter of hours.

According to the reports from the Madrid-based newspaper, Robinho last week rejected club president Ramón Calderón’s latest contract offer, which is believed to be roughly the same amount as what Chelsea were prepared to offer him. This has convinced Calderón to concede that no amount of money will be able to tempt the 24 year old to remain at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Despite coach Bernd Schuster’s optimism that the playmaker will stay on with the blancos squad, his exit has been made all the more imminent after events at the weekend.

Firstly, Robinho was heckled and jeered by a group of fans before the squad left for the game against Valencia. And just before the start of the match, he was whistled at when his name was read out on the stadium’s PA system. The most obvious sign, ofcourse, was his muted celebrations with the rest of the team in the background, away from the spotlight when Madrid eventually beat Los Ché for the Supercopa.

The question of how he will leave and for how much is a different matter altogether.

yllig.

 VS.  

Real Madrid 4-2 Valencia (agg. 6-5)

After going 1-0 down in the first period and having a man sent off, a lacklustre Real Madrid side seemed to be dead and buried. However a fantastic turnaround in the second half, culminating in two goals for a side that was by then down to nine men, saw the Supercopa head from Seville to the capital. Valencia will rue throwing away a 4-2 aggregate lead to a depleted side, meanwhile, but overall they cannot complain too much, given that their defence once again toiled.

Madrid lined up without Robinho, the excellent but somewhat wasteful Arjen Robben playing the early stages of the game on the left of the attacking midfield. Guti and Rafael van der Vaart completed the trio that supported the two strikers, while Mamadou Diarrà played ahead of a back line that welcomed Pepe back to the line-up. Valencia "danced with those that brung them," fielding the side that managed the 3-2 win in the first leg, focused around the double pivot of David Albelda and Rubén Baraja.

First Half

In the earliest stages there was little to separate the two sides. Van der Vaart's fine long-range effort five minutes in tested Hildebrand, while Joaquín got on the end of a Miguel cross to test Casillas, but overall the 'keepers weren't troubled overmuch in the opening 20 minutes. Raúl, in fact, spurned a one-on-one after pouncing on a rebound from a Van Nistelrooy effort, but inexplicably blasted wide - his blushes were spared slightly by the fact that he was offside anyway.

Madrid moved Robben over to the right flank to test Moretti and Alexis, but in fact Valencia were having a fairly easy time of it at the back. Hildebrand was dealing admirably with the crosses, and few central plays of note developed.

Still, Valencia then opened the scoring with virtually their first shot on goal. Striding forward with confidence, David Silva carved out a small gap between the defenders on the edge of the box and drilled a low shot into the far corner. Casillas, unsighted, didn't even move as the ball trundled past him. Valencia were 4-2 up on aggregate.

Things went from bad to worse for Madrid as Rafael van der Vaart saw red. A terrible challenge on Mata - two-footed, studs-up, and with plenty of follow-through - saw the Dutchman shown a straight red card. This could potentially see him out of next week's Liga opener at Deportivo next Sunday, but coach Schuster was more concerned about this Sunday as the teams went in for half time.

Second Half

He needn't have worried too much, for what was to follow was nothing short of incredible.

Still, at that time he didn't know it. Making no changes, his side came out on the offensive, Valencia sitting back somewhat.

Two minutes after the break this was to cost them as, sustaining a period of pressure, they were to concede a penalty. Raul Albiol, jumping to meet a Ruud van Nistelrooy effort at the far post after a cross, hit the ball with his upper arm. For some reason he was spared the red card, but Hildebrand was not spared having to lift the ball out of the net as Ruud slammed the ball home.

Then came the changes. Vicente was on for Mata, and in a true signal of intent Drenthe came on for Torres to add some more attacking spark to a depleted left side. Indeed, with Van der Vaart off and Robben on the right, all the invention was coming down the opposite flank - and how. Robben, although lacking a final ball at times, had the Valencia double pivot and left-sided defence wrapped around his finger.

Nonetheless his task was made much harder when Ruud van Nistelrooy, already booked, went in hard and late on Ruben Baraja, earning himself a red card. Nine-man Madrid still needed to score, and suddenly it seemed that much harder.

Just five minutes later, though, Valencia's timidity again cost them as Sergio Ramos managed that vital strike. After a goalmouth scramble the full-back turned it in at the far post; much deliberation from referee Iturralde González followed, but eventually - to Valencia's displeasure - the goal was ruled onside.

Valencia coach Emery rolled the dice and brought on Morientes for Albiol as he needed a goal, but five minutes from time the game was to fall even further into Madrid's domain. Rubén de la Red, scarcely on the pitch ten minutes, seized the ball in midfield and ran forward from the centre circle until side-footing the ball goalwards from 25 yards. His looping, placed effort foxed Hildebrand, who could only palm it feebly into his own net.

As if to add insult to injury the nine men added a fourth. Alexis played a ludicrously short backpass to Hildebrand and, beating the 'keeper for pace, substitute Gonzalo Higuaín was able to score from a narrow angle.

Morientes pulled one back at his own stomping ground after a Villa assist in the dying seconds, but it wasn't enough. Madrid had done it.

As the players celebrated on the sidelines, one face was notably absent: that of Robinho. The Brazilian was very much off on his own, signifying that his future is more uncertain than ever. Nonetheless this seemed to be almost forgotten as Madrid gained yet another piece of silverware and Robben put in another jaw-dropping, if slightly frustrating performance. For Valencia, meanwhile, this must be a lesson learned. Los Che arguably sat back too much in the second period and invited pressure - their wingers barely saw the ball as hoofed clearances became order of the day - and coach Emery will no doubt have to think long and hard about how to adjust his side before the Liga fixture at home to Mallorca on Saturday.

REAL MADRID 4-2 VALENCIA CF
0-1 Silva 32'
1-1 Van Nistelrooy 49' (pen.)
2-1 Sergio Ramos 77'
3-1 De la Red 85'
4-1 Higuaín 88'
4-2 Morientes 90'

Real Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Heinze, Miguel Torres (Drenthe 63); Diarrà; Van der Vaart, Guti (De la Red 78), Robben; Raúl (Higuaín 80), Van Nistelrooy.

Valencia: Hildebrand; Miguel, Alexis, Albiol (Morientes 82), Moretti; Joaquín (Pablo 67), Albelda, Baraja, Mata (Vicente 59); Silva, Villa.

Red Cards: Van der Vaart 39', Van Nistelrooy 72' -
Yellow Cards: Van Nistelrooy 52', Van Nistelrooy 72' - Alexis 78'

Referee: Eduardo Iturralde González

yllig.

The Brazilian star was told by the Spanish club's president, Ramón Calderón, that was the quantity that it would take for him to be able to rescind his contract, according to Marca.

Chelsea have made to hefty bids for Robinho and have seen both rejected, but they have finally been given a way to land the player without having to hold any negotiations.

With Madrid now keen to see the saga brought to a close, they have outlined exactly what is required in order for the troubled 24-year-old to leave the club.

A payment of €40m to cover the club's transfer valuation of him and a further €5m in compensation for the remaining two years on his contract at the Bernabéu.

It is now down to whether Chelsea are willing to meet that amount and close the transfer via the back door in order to make Robinho their player.

After statng that he wanted to spend many more seasons with Madrid, the former Santos playmaker quickly became disillusioned with life in Spain over the past few weeks.

Madrid's refusal to meet his new wage demands was allied with rumours that he could be included as a makeweight in a deal to prise Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United.

Chelsea's interest then saw Robinho recognise that the Blues would pay him more than he was demanding at Madrid and when Los Merengues refused to match those terms he made his mind up to leave.

yllig.

 

Having earlier announced that the club would not keep a player against his will, Ramon Calderon the Real Madrid president has now hinted that the forward should buy himself out of his contract and has urged Robinho to leave the club quickly if that is what he desires. 

Speaking to Cadena Ser, a Spanish radio station, he explained that the Brazilian must confirm to the club in writing that he wants to leave, as a first step. He said: “I'm sure that Robinho has already weighed up the consequences of his decision and I'm sure that in the next few days he will give a letter to the club to announce that he wants to go. If he does not want to be here, he should leave as soon as possible.”

Both Robinho and the Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari have spoken of their desire for the Brazilian to move to West London however, Calderon explained that the club were not willing to sell the player, and as he is still under contract, he must buy himself out in order to leave.

"I can tell you that Madrid are not going to transfer Robinho. We are not going to sell him. If he wants to go, then he should go now. Telling the press about it is not the right way to do things,” said Calderon before adding, “It's not necessarily that he will have to pay the £120m. He would end his contract but the courts will decide what he has to pay.”

The Madrid president also indicated that the club were not willing to be dictated to by a want-a-away player who still has two years remaining on his deal.

“Nobody is obliged to stay here, but we will defend our interests,” explained Calderon, “This is what we announced publicly on our webpage. He should leave as soon as possible, but he must accept the consequences of rescinding his contract when it has two years remaining. “

Yet, despite this the Real Madrid president did confess that the club were keen to keep the 24-year old forward. 

“I hear that we wants to go, well he will have to give notice in writing,” said the Madrid president, “It's a lack of respect to the club, it's history and to the fans. We want Robinho to stay in Madrid.”

Although Madrid clearly want to keep their player Calderon reiterated the fact that the wouldn’t prevent the Brazilian from moving on if that was what the player desires. However he did reveal he was hoping Robinho might just change his mind, he concluded: “If he says tomorrow that no, he doesn't want to go, that he was only raising the idea, then we can talk."

yllig.