Source: Telegraph
Chelsea set to miss out on David Villa to Real Madrid
The London-based club look set to lose out on 27-year-old Villa after his current side Valencia confirmed he had his heart set on a move to Real Madrid.
Valencia's soaring debts mean they are forced to sell their prize striker, but Villa is insisting he has no intention to leave Spain.
Chelsea manager, Carlo Ancelotti's efforts to raid his former club also appear to have failed after AC Milan's new man in charge Leonardo said neither Pirlo or Pato would be leaving the San Siro this summer.
The Italian side have already parted ways with Kaka and are adamant they will hold on to their remaining big names.
"They are not moving from Milan," Leonardo said. "They are both very important for the team. They are fundamental parts of a recent victorious past, Pirlo especially."
His sentiments were echoed by the club's chief executive Adriano Galliani who sought to reassure fans by saying: "All the big names will 99.9 per cent (certainly) stay.
"Pato, the best 19-year-old striker in the world, (will stay) 100 per cent."
The fourth blow to Chelsea's transfer plans came with news that Manchester City are prepared to dwarf their bid to land Portsmouth full-back Glen Johnson.
Chelsea had been hoping to lure the 24-year-old, who left Stamford Bridge in 2004, with the promise of Champions League football, but it appears City's money is set to do the talking in a deal that could see Johnson land a contract worth £120,000-a-week.
Still in the pipeline for Ancelotti this summer is Zenit St Petersbug's Yuri Zhirkov who carries a minimum £20 million price tag. Sergio Aguero is also on their radar but may prove impossible to land owing to a demanding wage packet of £11 million.
