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Chelsea faced disappointment and embarrassment last night as Real Madrid dug their heels in over the transfer of Robinho to Stamford Bridge, placing a move that had seemed a done deal into jeopardy two days before the transfer window shuts.

Peter Kenyon, the Chelsea chief executive, was confident enough to talk in depth on Wednesday about Robinho's arrival, saying that there were “no hitches” even though he expected it to “go to the wire”. The next day, an interview with Frank Lampard, in which he was asked for his assessment of the Brazil forward, appeared on the club's official website and their online shop briefly offered Robinho replica shirts. The player has said that he is keen to move to London. However, that sense of certainty has faded since Kenyon had dinner in Madrid in midweek with Robinho's agent, Wagner Ribeiro.

Ramón Calderón, the Real president, said yesterday: “Robinho is staying in Madrid and there is no possibility of going back on that.”

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Real may be making Chelsea sweat, partly as punishment for their presumptuousness in believing that the transfer was certain, but more importantly to try to extract a higher fee for the 24-year-old. Real value Robinho at £32 million, but Chelsea's offer falls about £5 million below that.

Real, though, had wanted to secure a replacement for the forward before allowing him to leave, but failed to capture David Villa, of Valencia, or Santi Cazorla, of Villarreal. Without a big-name signing this summer after his pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo fell flat, Calderón would suffer criticism from Real fans if he allows Robinho to leave, especially after Bernd Schuster, the Real coach, had expressed a desire to hold on to him.

“We are still hopeful of getting a deal,” Chelsea said last night. Privately, the club say that they are not surprised by Calderón's intransigence given Real's transfer-market struggles and they insist that negotiations are continuing.

As Chelsea's players lined up for a team photo yesterday, Robinho was training in Madrid. Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea manager, said that he had not spoken to Kenyon since Wednesday. “If [Robinho] doesn't come, he doesn't come,” he said. “I have players for that position, no problem.”

It is other areas of the pitch that present a more immediate challenge as Chelsea prepare to host Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Premier League tomorrow. A foot injury will keep Michael Ballack out for two weeks. John Obi Mikel also misses tomorrow's game and Michael Essien is doubtful, so Scolari may be forced to use Paulo Ferreira or Alex as a midfield holding player.

With Kaká sure to stay at AC Milan, Scolari has no alternatives if Robinho does not arrive, but he said that he is likely to freshen up the squad in the next transfer window. “In January, maybe, I'll have one more player in or one or two leaving,” he said. “Now I know the balance for the team, what I need if I have injuries here or there. Before, I didn't know very well.”