Eurosport - Sun, 24 Aug 10:31:00 2008
Andriy Shevchenko admitted he was "really happy" after ending his Chelsea experience with a move back to Milan.
The deal - which is subject to a medical - has brought to an end months of speculation linking Shevchenko with a return to the San Siro.
The Ukraine striker endured two disappointing years at Stamford Bridge following a big-money move from Milan and has likened his return to winning the Champions League - a prize he missed out on with Chelsea in last season's final.
"I'm happy," he told Milan's offcial website. "I have hoped for a return for a while and yesterday I began to believe that this deal could end well.
"For me it is as if I've won the Champions League.
"There were some complications, but now that everything is resolved I am really happy."
Shevchenko will have a medical on Monday and if all goes to plan he will link up with his new team-mates - many of whom are familiar faces from two years ago - on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old could make his return to the Milan team in the first game of the season - at home to Bologna on August 31.
Chelsea and Milan have not disclosed details of the deal but reports earlier in the week suggested Shevchenko was set to move on a season-long loan.
The Blues signed the Ukraine international in the summer of 2006 but he failed to live up to his reputation as the world's finest striker.
The former European footballer of the year scored just four league goals in the 2006-07 campaign and five last season as injuries and form undermined his impact in west London.
Shevchenko left Milan as the club's second-most prolific goalscorer of all-time having scored 127 goals in 208 games during a seven-year spell and he will now be hoping to close in on Gunnar Nordahl's 210-goal tally.
Immediately after the deal was announced, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani happily welcomed the striker "home".
"After a series of frantic phone calls during the day today, we have reached an agreement with Chelsea," he told Milan Channel.
"Andriy returns to the Rossoneri, tomorrow he will be in Milan, Monday he will undergo a medical, then he will sign a contract and from Tuesday he will be available to Carlo Ancelotti.
"We succeeded in bringing home the player who in the last 50 years has scored the most goals in our shirt.
"President (Silvio) Berlusconi and I am happy, as is our coach and I believe also our players.
"I believe that Milan are the only club in the world to have three European players of the year in their squad."
Galliani added: "Andriy has returned home and I am happy about it. I am a Milan fan and I am very happy.
"I've spoken to Andriy 48 times in the past three hours...the terms of the agreement are very private.
"Between today and tomorrow Andriy will be in Milan and he will start again his life as a Milan player.
"Andriy made a mistake in leaving and I believe that in the past two years he has realised that this is his home.
"Now he has made his financial sacrifices but at this point the only thing that matters is that he returns to us."
Comment 40 - 59 of 59
AC Milan to win the Serie A this season, they got Ronnie, Pato, Kaka & now Sheva. AC Milan are the 2nd brightest star in European football outshined only by Real Madrid.
now milan,roma,juve and fiorentina are all back and its time to show inter what is competion.(milan have the best attack,but there defencr and goalkeeper worry me)
I would never recommend Chelsea to anyone. There, if you don't deliver you are left dying drop by drop or you are thrown out like a drunk dancing topless in a night club. Look at Ancelotti, he is still coaching in Milan after 2 disappointing years. The Italian version of Chelsea has got to be Inter Milan.
now i know the D.U.M.B.E.S.T fans follow chelsea.... Kaka for Chevo. how stupid is the thought. when we sign alonso its a done deal. love ARSENAL always. ahahaha DUMB chelsea fans
syp95kl if u really think milan would swap kaka for sheva ur mad :D they are not selling kaka at any price and they got sheva so cheap that they arent even saying the price. im sure it was less than 4m. shevchenko wasnt in Scolari's plans and milan wanted him as well as the player himself so chelsea let him go. i respect chelsea more after this move...
and milan surely is the strongest team now :D i cant believe the transfer market this year. they've always had been passive but this year milan got strongest in past 10 years or so. the only problem is with the keeper, they couldnt make frey join them. i really hope that abbiati succeeds, as i dont trust Kalac :D
another problem is who the hell will play in attack? its really hard to choose 2-3 players from this bunch:
ronaldinho (hard to ignore, excellent passing ability, sometimes even scores)
inzaghi (the end of the last season was great for him scoring 11 goals in 5 or 6 matches. and he is still in a
good form, scored against juve last weekend. and lets do not forget hes the best penalty box
finisher in the world. only problem is his age)
pato (excellent in every department :D very high speed, powerful and accurate shot, good header. he is
just too young.)
borriello (physically very strong. scored 19 goals last season.)
seedorf (the best asisting ability in europe i think. he made 22 assists last season! plus great shot and
technique. he'll just need to be replaced after 60-70 minutes due to his stamina.)
shevchenko (second best scorer in milan history with almost 200 goals. that says it all. but i fear he isnt in his
best form)
kaka (uhm, no need to write about him. he WILL be one of those 3 attackers)
paloschi (great substitute. he scored 6 goals with milan shirt last season in 11 appearences)
Cool Right? :D forza milan
At last a Chelsea fan with some brains who's knows about football!
Both Dinho & Sheva never featured for Barcalona or Chelsea last through injury or falling out with the coach, they are not finished yet! they're just getting started.
Forza Milan!!!
i know ronaldinho and sheva will be amazing for milan. im a chelsea fan and i wish sheva all the best and im sorry we didnt use u as we should have. best striker and finisher of my generation!
Chelsea may have the money to compete to buy the best players in the world but when it comes to getting the best out of them they keep failing.
If they tried to treat their players like part of a big family like AC Milan, then just may be they would get the best out of them, both Mutu & Crespo have gone back to Italy to be the players they were before leaving for Chelsea and Sheva will do the same
Another dumb move by Milan ! Ronaldinho and Shevchenko are two players whose best days are distant memory. They are both finished !! Forza THIS !!
Does anyone know what kind of things get put into one of these footballer`s contacts?
chelsea should have dun a swap + a bit of money
shevy - milan
kaka - chelsea
chelsea would only hav 2 pay about 35mil =]
from a chelsea fan...
shevshenko is class but no avence to any one but chelsea are to good and im a united fan but it is good hes going to milan now he can show of his talent
Good for shev, going where the oldies hold sway, my grand pa can fit in milan just 7quids
Clive 745. Why have You got Your font settings set to Sumerian Cuniform? C'mon chelskov!
sheva will shine in milan cause chelsea doesnt know how to play his way.
to all regarding RUSSIAN a licker trouble means Abramavich's a not that Shev is Russian Numpties
If what ive heard over the last couple of years signing 'the shev' did very little for anyone except maybe Milan for getting £30 million for a 30 year old.
It was one of the Abramovich 'deals' which cost 'the special one' his job.
Chelsea havent lost out - there more money than sense owner has - but hey he's good for it - but for how long?
Like a lot of his alleged deals once he gets bored he moves on - and so will Chelsea - the wrong way!!
T.
SheVa The BesT PlaYer Of WorLd.
Vargha
sheva was never good enough for the prem (need pace or ability) he just never had any, brilliant in italybut he must of thought what have i done coming here it's madness too good for him sorry but true.
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