CHELSEA are closing in on an £8 million deal for Corinthians striker Alexandre Pato after agreeing terms on a three-year contract.
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| Alexandre Pato has not played since November and is lacking match fitness |
Chelsea are in talks with Corinthians over the fee for Pato, 26, who is desperate to come to the Premier League.
The Stamford Bridge club, who have seen a £30m move for Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Alex Teixeira stall in the last few days, are trying to negotiate Pato's fee down and may opt for an initial loan move.
The former AC Milan striker will need a work permit, and is some weeks off full fitness having not played since November, but the deal could still be completed this week.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ALEXANDRE PATO
Chelsea are still looking at other targets, with Milan striker Carlos Bacca and West Brom forward Saido Berahino potential alternatives, while manager Guus Hiddink is reluctant to allow restless forward Loic Remy to leave in search of regular football.
Hiddink would like to get rid of Radamel Falcao. His club Monaco rejected the chance to take the on loan Colombia striker back last month, but there is still hope an agreement to cut short the deal can be reached.
Branislav Ivanovic is expected to sign a new one-year deal this week but fellow centre-back Papy Djilobodji, who has played only one minute of football for Chelsea after a surprise £2.7m switch from Nantes on deadline day, is poised today to complete a move to Werder Bremen after undergoing a medical.
And they are preparing to call time on £21m Spain winger Pedro, who could be sold on in the summer after just 10 months at the club.
Express Sport understands that winger Pedro, who also signed on deadline day in August, could be sold on this summer.
The former Barcelona star has not had a successful time in the Premier League and it is understood both sides are willing for the deal to be cut short if a buyer can be found.
Meanwhile Frank Lampard has admitted he is shocked by the state his former club find themselves in.
Chelsea's all-time leading goalscorer has watched his club falter to 14th in the table, just four points above the relegation zone, and he said: "A bad season for us was second, third, or fourth place at the most, so it's shocking now.
"Chelsea are a huge club, and there have obviously been issues. You see that when they fire the manager who won the league six months before.
"Nobody was happy there. The players wouldn't have been happy with the club's position. Jose Mourinho himself wouldn't have been.
"Sometimes that means a change. Chelsea are very used to change, but what they've always had is results."
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