Chelsea willing to spend £60m on van Nistelrooy

CHELSEA have revealed that they would be prepared to spend £60million on Ruud van Nistelrooy if the Dutchman became available – and up to £100m on a single player if the need arose.

However, the Blues have still made it abundantly clear that despite Roman Abramovich's incredible financial resources, they will not be ripped off when the transfer window opens next month.

Chelsea's acting chief executive Paul Smith revealed that a central defender and a midfielder are the club's main priorities in the new year sales.

However, Chelsea would also clearly be interested if the right world-class striker became available. After all, it was only last week that they enquired for the second time in six months about the availability of Thierry Henry.

Abramovich seems to have reluctantly concluded Arsenal striker Henry is not for sale, even for £50m, but Smith does not discount the possibility of the Blues setting a new world transfer record if a player of the calibre of van Nistelrooy became available.

The Manchester United striker is currently in negotiations with his club about a new contract designed to keep him out of the clutches of Real Madrid. However, it would seem that United could face another rival for his services if van Nistelrooy ever indicates any desire to leave Old Trafford.

While the Holland international insisted in a recent interview that he loves it at Old Trafford, he also stated when asked about Real's interest that everything is possible in football.

Smith declared: "If Pele was on the market today for £100m then we'd maybe go for him, but we won't pay £30m for Joe Nobody. If van Nistelrooy was priced at £60m and we

considered it a good investment, then we would probably pay that.

"It's not about the fee but about getting good value for money. We want the right quality and the right value," he said.

While Smith, who is in charge of recruitment next month, may have been merely using van Nistelrooy as an example, his decision to name the player in an interview with the Evening Standard is hardly likely to help relations with Old Trafford.

After all, Smith is only in his current post until Chelsea reach agreement with United on when Peter Kenyon can join them as their new chief executive after luring him from the north-west.

Smith was nevertheless at pains to stress that although Abramovich has already spent more than £100million on new players and would be prepared to double that overnight he will not pay over the odds.

His comments came on the same day that FIFA president Sepp Blatter spoke out in condemnation of billionaire clubs and warned that "if we are not careful, football may degenerate into a game of greed a trend I will vigorously oppose".

Claudio Ranieri has previously indicated he will not strengthen his squad during the transfer window.

However, injuries to Emmanuel Petit and Juan Sebastian Veron, as well as the need for a fourth experienced centre-back, seem to have changed the club's mindset.