Real Madrid forward Robinho will complete his €36m move to Chelsea in time to make his debut in the home derby with Tottenham Hotspur, according to his agent Wagner Ribeiro.
Robinho, along with Deco, who has already made the move to Stamford Bridge, was one of two transfer targets identified by Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari on his appointment in June.
Ribeiro told the Daily Telegraph that he expected Robinho to be a Chelsea player “by either tomorrow or Friday,” adding, “he should be available to Scolari for this weekend”.
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon believes the Brazilian international can help take the club to the ‘next level’.
“He’s the right age and he comes from Madrid so he understands what a big club is all about,” Kenyon said.
“What we’re doing is supporting Scolari. He wants to change and move the style a bit [and] is confident about the player’s ability and mentality and that he will fit in and make an impact.”
Chelsea had two bids for the 24-year-old turned down by Madrid earlier in the transfer window, but the player was unhappy at being used as a makeweight in the club’s pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo and wants to quit the Santiago Bernabeu.
Robinho is expected to wear the No7 shirt vacated by Andriy Shevchenko, who has rejoined Milan two years after Chelsea signed him for £30m.
