by redsince2001 » Fri May 26, 2006 8:15 pm
For DUMTALK and HOT HANDED LUKE
FROM BBC SPORT
Chelsea to open Shevchenko talks
Shevchenko scored 19 goals in Serie A last season
AC Milan will hold talks with Chelsea after Andriy Shevchenko confirmed he will leave the Italian club.
Shevchenko, 29, met with Milan vice president Adriano Galliani on Friday to discuss his future and afterwards said: "I'm leaving for family reasons.
"It wasn't a problem of relations and there is no economic problem."
Galliani said: "This is certainly the most painful divorce since I have been at Milan. We will begin negotiations with Chelsea and it will not be easy."
Shevchenko has an American wife and it is understood that they want their son Jordan to learn English.
My wish is that the club can evaluate my transfer
Andriy Shevchenko
Galliani, who is in charge of the day-to-day operations at Milan added: "It's a victory of the English language over the Italian language.
"I've tried to convince him to stay - even one minute prior to the press conference.
Milan offered Shevchenko a contract extension until 2011.
"My wish is that the club can evaluate my transfer," added the Ukraine international.
"Of course I am saddened because I have seen the looks on the faces of the fans and because of the many messages I have received."
Shevchenko's wife, Kristen Pazak, is understood to be friends with the partner of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
"My wife has nothing to do with this," said the striker. "We decided together for the best interests of our family.
"I don't speak English, my wife does not speak Ukrainian - the only language we have in common at the moment is Italian.
"The only way to be able to teach our children our love that we have for them is the English language."
Shevchenko joined Milan from Dynamo Kiev in 1999 and is the second highest scorer in the club's behind Gunnar Nordahl with 173 goals.
He scored 19 goals in 28 Serie A matches last season and he also netted nine goals in the Champions League.
Shevchenko will captain Ukraine at the World Cup finals in Germany this summer.
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do u believe me now dumbA**es?
"we were a family club. There was no ‘them and us’ attitude, it was just ‘us’. "-Kenny Daglish