Kiev keen to lure Shevchenko back
Reuters - Friday 03 July 2009, 12:11
KIEV - Unsettled Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko is considering an offer to join Dynamo Kiev, the president of the Ukrainian champions said on Friday.
"We've made a proposal to Andriy to return to Dynamo as a player and then, after his retirement, to become part of the coaching staff," Ihor Surkis told Reuters in a telephone interview from Monaco.
"His reaction to this proposal was very positive. Everything now depends strictly on him."
Shevchenko, 32, joined Chelsea from AC Milan for a club-record 30 million pounds in 2006 but he struggled for form and fitness during two seasons in London.
The 2004 European Player of the Year was loaned back to his former club last August but must now report back to London after Milan decided against extending his stay in Serie A.
Despite Chelsea appointing Carlo Ancelotti, Shevchenko's former mentor at Milan, as their manager last month, the Ukrainian, in the twilight of his career, is keen to come home to a place where he had made his name as a player.
After coming through Dynamo's youth school, Shevchenko joined the first team in 1994. After helping Ukraine's most popular club to win five consecutive league titles he was sold to AC Milan for $26 million in 1999.
Surkis said Shevchenko was on holiday and planned to visit Kazakhstan for the opening of a new stadium before rejoining Chelsea in mid-August.
"I expect him to give me a definite answer by next month," Surkis said.