Alves set for Blues as Robben flies nest

CHELSEA are set for a frantic end to the summer transfer window after Jose Mourinho confirmed the club’s interest in Daniel Alves and the impending departure of Arjen Robben.

Chelsea have prepared a €30m offer for the Brazilian and Mourinho hinted yesterday a deal for the Brazilian right back could be completed before the August 31 transfer deadline.

“I think that we will make an offer, a balanced offer not a stupid one, and if they accept, good,” Mourinho said. “We want to make our squad even better and to do that you need a good player. Alves is a good player.”

Alves’ arrival is not dependent on Robben’s departure to Real Madrid, but the Dutchman’s exit looks inevitable. With Real tabling a €33m bid for the 24-year-old, Mourinho seems resigned to losing him. A knee injury rules him out of the squad for tomorrow’s meeting with Birmingham City, although he would almost certainly have been omitted anyway.

“There is some truth in speculation about Arjen,” Mourinho confirmed.

“Everything is possible until 31 August, both going in and coming out.”

Mourinho said he is comfortable with Frank Lampard’s decision to postpone talks on a new €192,000-a-week deal until next summer. Lampard has 22 months left on his current deal.