While Chief executive Peter Kenyon confirmed on Sunday that the club want to sign the Ukraine international - who has said he is thinking of leaving Milan, manager Jose Mourinho could not hide his wish to get the striker,

    He said: "I cannot say that Shevchenko does not interest me, but AC Milan are a very powerful club.

    "They don't need to sell players in order to buy good players. It 's going to be very difficult.

    Mourinho added: "To improve the fantastic squad we have, you can go in two directions - young players you can work with, improve and have success in a couple of years, or the best players in the world."

    Mourinho have also been linked to Argentina World Cup striker Carlos Tevez.

    Mourinho recently traveled to watch play for Corinthians and Tevez, 22, is convinced he is on the brink of a move to Stamford Bridge.

    "Chelsea intend to take me," he said.

    "It's difficult to distance myself from them because they have shown a lot of affection towards me and my family.

    "He's (Mourinho) looking at what's there. There must have been a reason to come to see me play."

    But Kenyon said: "We have looked at him and he is a good player and does a good job but all the reports of him being linked with us are not right. I would be surprised to see him in a Chelsea shirt next season." Enditem