Dynamo in bid to sign unsettled Shevchenko

ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO is set to begin talks with former club Dynamo Kiev this weekend after the Chelsea and Ukraine striker decided to leave the London club yesterday.

The experienced striker returned to Chelsea over the summer after a frustrating season on loan with AC Milan in 2008/9.

However, he has been unable to break into the Blues side this term and his prospects of regular football at Stamford Bridge appear bleak.

Carlo Ancelotti had admitted earlier that he would be prepared to let Shevchenko leave Stamford Bridge after holding talks with the player.

Dynamo are interested in bringing the 32-year-old back to Ukraine and have made contact over a possible move. The striker made his name with Kiev at the start of his career before heading to Milan in 1999.

He enjoyed seven successful years with the Rossoneri but has struggled to play to the same level since joining Chelsea in 2006.

Ancelotti, meanwhile, rejected fresh speculation that the Blues had made a £57m bid for Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery.

“I spoke with Shevchenko,” said Ancelotti. “He would like to play with continuity here for me but it is difficult for me to give him the possibility to play a lot of matches and he will take the right decision for him.

“He will take the decision. We have told him he can go. Sheva didn’t have the possibility to play consistently, so he has taken the decision to go.”

Ancelotti denied that Shevchenko had chosen to quit after being omitted from the Champions League squad.

“No, he did not, because I have the time to choose the squad for the Champions League,” said Ancelotti.

Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery’s future was also the subject of speculation involving Chelsea yesterday with reports emanating from his native France that the Blues had made a £57m bid for the player. But Ancelotti said: “No that is not true.”

New boys Burnley will provide Chelsea with another potential banana-skin today. Owen Coyle’s side dumped the Blues out of the Carling Cup last season and have made a fine start to life in the Premier League.

Chelsea, second in the table, have a 100% record with wins over Hull, Sunderland and Fulham but Ancelotti is well aware of the task ahead – predicting an open game in the early kick-off at Stamford Bridge.

“In these last three matches we played very well,” said Ancelotti.

“For sure, we can improve. But I didn’t find in these matches a lot of mistakes. The team played very well in these games. It’s important to continue and maintain a very good motivation.

“With Burnley, it’s important to take control of the game. They have good quality in attack and can use the wings, the long ball, and the quality of their midfielders. It will be an open game. They have had a very good start to the season – they beat Manchester United and Everton. I watched these games and they like to play football.

“They will not come to Stamford Bridge just to defend and I am impressed with the quality of their play.”

Chelsea will still be without midfielder Joe Cole, defender Alex, and new signing Russian Yuri Zhirkov against Burnley.

“Zhirkov is feeling a bit better and will go with the national team, if it’s possible, to play with them. He’s very close to a return to playing

“Joe started to train with us on Tuesday. With him, we have to stay calm because he came out not easy from the injuries. We have to put him in the squad at the right time. Now is not the time to do this, but we hope in the next few weeks that he can train and play with us.

“After the international games, we’ll be more precise on his return. But I think he’s very close to a return to playing.”