Boas boys

Posted Sunday, December 11, 2011 by Dailystar.co.uk

Boas boys
Above: Andre Villas-Boas could sign either Pato or Robinho from AC Milan if they sign Carlos Tevez

CHELSEA boss Andre Villas-Boas can sign either Pato or Robinho from AC Milan if the Italian giants sign Man City’s Carlos Tevez.

CHELSEA will be given the chance to sign either Pato or Robinho from AC Milan if the Italian club land Carlos Tevez.

AC have let it be known that one of the Brazilian superstars will have to go if Tevez finally arrives at the San Siro from Manchester City next month.

And both of them have been targets in the past for Chelsea, who will lose a striker when the transfer-listed Nicolas Anelka is offloaded.

There are also doubts about the futures of another two Chelsea forwards – Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou.

The Daily Star Sunday can reveal that top Premier League clubs are aware of the situation with Pato, 22, and former Manchester City record-signing Robinho, 27.

Pato (below left) would be by far the more-expensive signing, as AC value him at £40million.

But Robinho (below right) who interests mega-rich Paris St-Germain, was sold by City to Milan 15 months ago for £15m – after arriving for £32.5m.

The Tevez situation remains deadlocked – Milan want him on loan while City are after a permanent deal. But that could change if Milan bring in big money through selling Pato or Robinho.

The AWOL Tevez has also been linked with PSG, Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s highly-rated defensive midfielder Cheick Tiote is close to securing a £20m move to Chelsea.

Representatives of the Ivory Coast star who is currently sidelined with a knee injury, met with Blues officials last Friday to thrash out a deal.

One stumbling block has been exactly when the midfielder – who Andre Villas-Boas sees as the natural replacement for former Stamford Bridge favourite Claude Makélelé – signs for the club.

With Chelsea leaking goals there is an immediate desire to convince Tiote, who cost Newcastle £3.5m in August 2010, to put pen to paper now and move from the North East in the January transfer window.

In addition, Villas-Boas faces stiff competition from Manchester United for Tiote’s signature. But with fellow Ivory Coast internationals Drogba and Kalou at the club, he is thought to favour a move to the capital.