Revealed: Who lined up Chelsea's deal for Brazil striker Alexandre Pato

JOSE MOURINHO had an agreement in place to sign Alexandre Pato before he was sacked as Chelsea manager, according to reports.

 

The deal for Pato is said to have been in place before Mourinho was sacked

 

The Portuguese boss was dismissed shortly before Christmas but he had already set up a deal to bring the Brazilian striker to Stamford Bridge.

However, his successor Guus Hiddink is not completely convinced about completing the move in the current transfer window.

But News News Blog Sport understands he has now at least settled on a value for the player with a loan deal much more preferable with the 26-year-old's injury record.

 

Should Pato prove himself fit and of the standard that saw him win Serie A Young Footballer of the Year in 2009, then Chelsea may consider a permanent deal in the summer.

Having signed for AC Milan at the tender age of 17, the striker became a regular in the side and racked up 150 appearances in six years with the club.

He also broke into the Brazil team but became plagued by injury problems and ended up quitting Milan to return to the country of his birth.

But now his stock is rising again, and Pato's current employers Corinthians are hopeful of getting a deal done for the player to return to Europe in the next 48 hours.

And if Chelsea do renege on their previously agreed deal, there is a Portuguese club who have also made an offer for the player although it is understood not to be Sporting Lisbon.

But the Brazilian would prefer to move to the Premier League and live in London if possible.