Milan fans plead with Shevchenko to stay

CHELSEA will discover today if they have been successful in their pursuit of AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko.

Shevchenko is to deliver the verdict on his future plans at a showdown meeting with Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani.

But already the club’s fans are fearful their star striker has decided to swap Milan for London and have launched a website begging the Ukraine international to stay.

Shevchenko has been offered a contract extension until 2011 but Chelsea have courted the Milan ace ever since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich poured his millions into the Blues and turned them into Premiership champions.

Milan fans have created a website “shevarestaconnoi.com” (shevastaywithus.com) in hope the 29-year-old will shun Chelsea’s advances.

A statement on the website read: “We are waiting for you after the World Cup, still in an AC Milan shirt, to continue the dream.”

Another fan has also launched a petition aimed at persuading Shevchenko to remain with Milan. The petition, called ‘Please don’t leave us Sheva’, has already attracted more than 10,000 signatures.

Shevchenko told Milan earlier this month he wanted to leave the club after seven years at the San Siro stadium, while Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon admitted on Tuesday he was still hopeful of landing the Ukraine captain.

Meanwhile, the father and agent of Chelsea forward Eidur Gudjohnsen, the subject of an alleged £8m offer from Barcelona, has revealed his son wants out of Stamford Bridge.

Gudjohnsen, 27, has spent six years with Chelsea but is no longer a first-team regular under boss Jose Mourinho.

His father Arnor Gudjohnsen, who also looks after his son’s interests, said: “He wants to leave Chelsea.

“He wants to go to a club where he can win lots of titles and Barca could be the one.”

Mourinho made it clear last week that the club were willing to listen to offers for the Iceland striker and he has since been linked with a move to Manchester United as well as Barcelona.

One Chelsea player aiming to remain at the club is midfield stalwart Claude Makelele.

The 33-year-old France international insists Chelsea are the best team in the world even though they lost out to Barcelona in the Champions League last season.

Real Madrid have not been the same team since Chelsea lured him away from the Spanish giants but Makelele insists their achievements under Mourinho have proved they are not just a bunch of footballing mercenaries.

Makelele said: “Chelsea are the best team in the world now, better than Real Madrid. We give the best demonstration of football. We have everything.

“People used to just speak of Roman Abramovich and his money but after our success domestically they now talk about our football all over Europe.

“People used to think we played for Chelsea only for the money but now people can see our great team spirit and what winning trophies means to us.”

But with a host of players set to leave Chelsea, including reserve striker Carlton Cole, defender Robert Huth, right-back Glen Johnson, and striker Gudjohnsen, Makelele has no such plans.

“It was difficult for me to settle in England at first because the style of play was very different to what I had been used,” admitted Makelele. “In Spain there is no fighting, just good professional play. In England it is 90 minutes of physical contact, a real battle. For the first two or three months it was difficult.

“But I have since adapted well and got used to English football. The other players at Chelsea helped me and I am happy.

“Every experience I have had here has been very special. I want to stay here. I want to win even more.”