CHELSEA have widened their search for a world-class goalscorer by targeting Carlos Tévez, the Corinthians and Argentina striker.

Having failed with attempts to sign Andriy Shevchenko, Adriano and Samuel Eto’o last summer, the West London club are looking farther afield, with Tévez at the top of their shortlist. Shevchenko, who is a friend of Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, and the Russian’s favourite player, remains the dream signing, although there is a growing realisation within Stamford Bridge that it will be impossible to prise him away from AC Milan.

Unfortunately for Chelsea, Tévez could be equally difficult to acquire. Corinthians are well aware of the Barclays Premiership champions’ interest but are loath to sell a player they consider to be the heartbeat of their club, privately claiming that it will take a fee of £60 million to secure his services.

The player may feel differently. He has made a huge impact in Brazil since his £12 million move from Boca Juniors, captaining Corinthians to the league title in his first season, and it is understood that he is ready for a move to Europe. The 22-year-old has spoken to Hernán Crespo about joining him in London, although it is not certain that his Argentina team-mate will be at Chelsea next season.

With rumours of links between the clubs, Tévez has appeared destined for Chelsea since Corinthians made him the most expensive player in South American history two years ago in a controversial deal financed by Media Sports Investments, a London-based consortium run by Kia Joorabchian, an Iranian businessman, but they made contact only at the start of the year.

At least Chelsea have no shortage of South American go-betweens. Tévez’s move to Corinthians was brokered by Fernando Hidalgo, the Argentine agent who took Crespo and Juan Sebastián Verón to West London, while Joorabchian is also close to Pini Zahavi and Jorge Mendes, Chelsea’s agents of choice.

With José Mourinho still considering other targets as he waits for Michael Ballack, the Bayern Munich midfield player, to sign a pre-contract agreement, Chelsea will make a final decision on which striker to sign at the start of April.

Tévez came to international prominence with some sensational performances at the Athens Olympics in 2004, scoring eight goals in six matches as Argentina took the gold medal, although Mourinho has been monitoring his progress since the previous year, when he helped Boca to win the Copa Libertadores. The Portuguese has been impressed by Tévez’s scoring record, as well as his speed, strength and impeccable ball control .

Tévez, who was born in Buenos Aires, is also a strong character, refusing to have plastic surgery after being scalded by boiling water as a child because it would have prevented him from playing football for four months, and as a young man winning over the hostile Corinthians fans who opposed the signing of an Argentinian.

Wearing the No 10 shirt for Argentina has led to Tévez being compared with Diego Maradona, although in one respect he has already surpassed his hero, becoming the first person to be named South American player of the year in three successive seasons.

Such achievements have not gone unnoticed in Europe, with Bayern offering Boca £7.5 million and Sir Alex Ferguson making preliminary inquires after Manchester United’s pre-season friendly against them in the summer of 2004.

Ruud van Nistelrooy was sufficiently impressed to go to the visiting team’s dressing-room after the match to ask for Tévez’s shirt, although the swap backfired when the Argentinian was fined £11,000 for wearing a United shirt at his official presentation by Corinthians that year.

The Brazilian club are taking a similarly dim view of Chelsea’s attempt to clothe him, although that could be nothing more than a bargaining tactic.