• Premier League

Pastore's Chelsea transfer 'very probable'

ESPNsoccernet staff
July 24, 2011
Javier Pastore appears to be heading to Chelsea © Getty Images
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Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay says that the club will sign two new players ''in the next eight to 10 days" as they continue to be linked with bids for Luka Modric and Javier Pastore.

Barcelona teenager Oriol Romeu is certain to become the first, after the two clubs agreed a fee of around £5 million this week. However, with another midfielder also needed and both Modric and Pastore valued at over £40 million, it seems the Blues will be forced to spend big again after an outlay of around £75 million in January.

"Andre has come in just a few weeks ago and needed some time to look at the pool of players we have, and we strengthened in January with bringing Fernando Torres and David Luiz into the squad," Gourlay told Chelsea's official Thailand supporters club.

"When a new coach comes in he has to look at players he has and think about tactics and systems, because different players play differently under different coaches and in the next 10 days Andre has the chance to analyse the squad and then we take it from there.

"But from our activity in the market place in the past, if the coach feels there is a player available that can strengthen our team then we almost definitely go into the market place. We will have at least two signings in the next eight to 10 days."

Indeed, a deal for Argentine playmaker Pastore appears to be gathering pace as Palermo vice-president Guglielmo Micciche has claimed it's "very probable" that the midfielder will join Chelsea. Pastore has been linked with a host of top clubs such as Roma, Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Manchester City, but the Blues are now favourites to land him.

''It's very probable that Pastore will go to Chelsea, but I think there are other top-level teams who are after the player," Micciche told Radio Sportiva. "He wants a big club and there are advanced talks with very important teams. His agent [Marcelo Simonian] is working very well, and if someone pays the right money then we will be happy to sell him. If not, we will keep him.

"Let it be clear, we do not want any players as part of the deal.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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