Alves agent confident of Chelsea deal

Daniel Alves's agent said Wednesday he was "80 to 90 percent confident" that Sevilla will strike a deal to sell the Brazil right-back to Chelsea.

The English Premier League title-chasers have denied reports they have reached an agreement with the Spanish side to buy the defender.

The London club have, however, confirmed they are interested in signing the 24-year-old from the UEFA Cup holders.

Alves was left out of Sevilla's squad for Wednesday's Champions League qualifier first leg at home to AEK Athens, fuelling speculation that a move to west London was imminent.

"I am confident in the Chelsea directors. I understand Chelsea is not easy to be driven but let's say at least we are 80 to 90 percent confident that we can close the agreement," Geronimo Suarez told BBC radio.

Spanish giants Real Madrid have also been linked with the Brazil international but Suarez has reiterated Alves' declaration that he wants to head to Stamford Bridge.

"He is determined to go there," Suarez said.

"He has spoken in these terms a lot of times, he has said to the press here in Seville that he is 100 percent determined to go Chelsea.

"He asked for the Seville club to close the agreement with Chelsea as soon as possible. These are his own words."

Suarez said he thought Tuesday was "the perfect day to close the agreement."

However, he added: "It didn't arrive so it may be two or three days or a maximum of one week before both clubs must find a solution.

"We cannot continue in this way for a long time because the player is suffering a lot here.

"Now we are in a complicated moment between the clubs because both are determined to close a deal but it is not easy to finalise in this case. We will need more time, more patience and more confidence in the clubs.

"We are far enough (apart) to not be close and allow the deal, but close enough to be confident that finally the clubs will be able to reach an agreement for the player."

Reports in Spain had suggested Alves was on the brink of completing a move and that the clubs had reached an agreement over a 36-million-euro (48.5-million-dollar) switch to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea said in a statement: "Contrary to reports from Spain, Chelsea Football Club has not reached an agreement for the transfer of Daniel Alves from Sevilla.

"Chelsea FC has confirmed its interest in the player to the club but as yet there is no agreement."

The Spanish press said the signing would pave the way for Dutch winger Arjen Robben's proposed move from Chelsea to Real Madrid, for around 30 million euros.

No point looking back for Man Utd's Vidic

Nemanja Vidic insisted Manchester United cannot afford to dwell on dropped points as they battle to retain their English Premier League title.

The rugged Serbia defender said there was no point getting frustrated this early in the season.

"We cannot afford to think about it too much. It is a long season, so all we can do is assess where we made the mistakes and try to improve."

Vidic admitted the two-month loss of England striker Wayne Rooney to a hairline fracture of the left foot is a hammer blow, although the former Spartak Moscow and Red Star centre-half is convinced United have the players to cope with his absence.

"Wayne is a big loss because he has been in such good form during pre-season," he said.

"Hopefully, he will be back quickly but we have a big squad, with lots of competition for places and there are plenty of others who have the ability to score."

Chelsea's Sidwell not going to go wild on return to Reading

Chelsea's new signing Steve Sidwell makes an early return to his old club Reading with the manager he left behind, Steve Coppell not convinced he will be missed.

The 24-year-old was able to make a dream summer move to Chelsea on a free transfer when his contract ended even though his market value was nearer 5 million pounds.

Former England under-21 international midfielder Sidwell came on as a substitute in Chelsea's opening-day win over Birmingham, but may start the match on familiar territory at the Madejski Stadium.

Coppell and other Reading officials did all they could to persuade Sidwell not to depart, even offering him 25,000 pounds a week, the biggest wages in the club's history.

But Sidwell chose to move on, citing the chance to play in European competition as a major reason. That and wages closer to 35,000 pounds a week.

Coppell has spent a mere 3.1 million pounds on Kalifa Cisse from Boavista and Emerse Fae, either of whom could be long term replacements for Sidwell.

At Manchester United on Sunday, where Reading got a surprise draw, Icelandic international Bynjar Gunnarsson filled the huge gap left by Sidwell.

Not that Coppell believes Sidwell's loss is as catastrophic as some Reading fans feared it might be.

"Of course I wish he was still with us but there will somebody else to fill his boots," said Coppell.

"I am not sure who that will be over the course of a season.

"But having said, I don't think his performances last season were outstanding to the point were saying he was the jewel in the Reading crown.

"At the moment I do not know how much of a loss he is going to be. We will find out as the season progresses.

"Steve Sidwell had our mentality but I do not think any one player makes a team."

Coppell's Reading, who came within one goal of a place in the UEFA Cup last season, are in no mood to become one-season wonders.

The draw at Old Trafford was achieved by a typically gritty performance, packing the defence and giving United's stars little room to manoeuvre.

American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann made several important saves but Coppell praised the team display.

"I am not going to apologise for defending in such numbers. When you play a team of Manchester United's quality, with so many great players, you have to devise a plan to stop them playing the way they want to play.

"It will be the same with Chelsea. They have so many outstanding players, so many wonderful individual talents that if you try to play football their way you will be hammered."

James Harper, who lined up alongside Sidwell in Reading's midfield last season, is looking forward to clashing with his friend and ex-teammate.

"I expect he will kick me just to let me know he is there and no longer on my side, but I am not worried about that," said Harper.

"We showed at Manchester United, we can match the big clubs and we feel we can do the same to Chelsea."