Classic Times Fantasy Football is back. Sign up for £3 a team or 3 for £6

Peter Kenyon, the Chelsea chief executive, is planning to return to Madrid today in a renewed attempt to sign Robinho after yesterday's shuttle diplomacy failed to secure the Brazil forward. Kenyon held lengthy talks with Ramón Calderón, the Real Madrid president, but the Spanish club would not lower their £32million valuation.

Kenyon will try again, encouraged by the news that Real have told Robinho that he can leave for the right price. Chelsea had a bid of £19.2million rejected last week and are willing to make an increased offer of £27million, but are adamant they will not meet Real's asking price. According to the player's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, Chelsea have already informally agreed personal terms with Robinho, who wants to move to Stamford Bridge.

“Robinho never said that he is not happy at Madrid, but the fact is that he has a more interesting economic offer, that's all,” Ribeiro said. “Yes, I have to say that until August 31 anything is possible, until the transfer market closes we do not give this matter up as closed. The president has promised that if the club is presented with an offer of €40million (about £32million) he will be allowed to leave.”

Now there are TWO ways to feed your fantasy

We have built on last year's success of PlayTheGame by offering fantasy football managers double the fun this coming season

Related Links

• Window watch: Cissé joins Sunderland

• Berbatov talks enter 'crucial phase'

• Reading refuse cut-price offer for Doyle

Andriy Shevchenko's hopes of returning to AC Milan appear to be over after Adriano Galliani, the Milan vice-president, said yesterday that talks are “frozen” because of a disagreement between Chelsea and the Italian club. “Negotiations for Shevchenko are at the moment frozen,” Galliani said. “Milan had wanted to take the player on loan with the right to buy him, but Chelsea said no because they wanted us to buy him outright. Therefore negotiations are through.”

Chelsea have signed Fábio Paim, the Portugal Under-21 winger, on a season-long loan from Sporting Lisbon, according to the Portuguese side.

Arsène Wenger has reaffirmed his interest in signing Gareth Barry, but Aston Villa's £18million asking price is likely to prove prohibitive. The Arsenal manager insisted that he will not be put off even though Barry has already played in the Uefa Cup this season, because the player would be eligible to play in the Champions League for a new club when the knockout stages begin next February.

“He's one of the players we follow,” Wenger said at the launch of Arsenal's partnership with the Teenage Cancer Trust. “I find Barry a good player, but the problem with players who are 27, 28 is that when you pay big money you get nothing back, there's no resale value.”

Dead certs

Manchester City are close to completing the £6million signing of Vincent Kompany, the Belgium defender, from SV Hamburg. Southampton have beaten off competition from Sheffield Wednesday to sign Jack Cork, the Chelsea defender, on loan until January 1.

Decent bets

Paul Ince, the Blackburn Rovers manager, hopes to bring in Keith Andrews, his former captain at Milton Keynes Dons. Bolton Wanderers say they have offered Fulham £3million for Jimmy Bullard, but the London club have denied that they have received any bids for the midfield player.

Long shots

Tiago has poured cold water on reports linking him with a move to Everton after the Merseyside club agreed a 12-month loan deal with Juventus for the Portugal midfield player. “I will not be going to Everton,” he said.

Crystal Palace are interested in Collins John, the Fulham striker. Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers want to sign Danny Higginbotham, but Sunderland will only sell the defender if they sign Anton Ferdinand of West Ham United.

Kevin Doyle, the Reading striker, has admitted that he might be interested in a move to Aston Villa. “I think there has been interest but Reading and whoever is interested have to come to an agreement,” he said.