Scolari praises Chelsea target Robinho

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari praised Real Madrid's Robinho as his chief executive admitted talks were "ongoing" to snap up the Brazilian.

Scolari said the unsettled forward had caught his eye with his performances for Real and Brazil.

"He's a great player, a very good player," Scolari said. "He plays in one of the best teams in the world, Real Madrid, and the Brazilian national team." Club chief Peter Kenyon hailed Robinho as a "different talent" who would boost the Chelsea strikeforce.

"He's a player we've identified. He's a different talent and if we could get him, it would add to what we have got," Kenyon said.

"If it doesn't happen, the objectives of Chelsea don't change. So we're still in discussions." Real angered Brazilian officials this week with their late refusal to release the 24-year-old for the Olympics on injury grounds.

The latest reports say Robinho has turned down a new contract with Real and has sent his agent house-hunting in London. Scolari's arrival at Chelsea is said to attract him to the club.

Robinho scored 11 goals for Real Madrid in the Spanish league last season. He has 15 goals with over 50 caps for Brazil's senior team.

Chelsea face Chengdu Blades in Macau on Saturday before heading to Malaysia and then Russia for the Railways Cup.

Sapa-AFP