Shevchenko laughs off reports of Chelsea offer

MILAN, Mar 30 (Reuters) AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko has rejected newspaper reports that he has agreed a move to English club Chelsea.

The Guardian today reported that Shevchenko had agreed ''in principle to a four-year contract worth in excess of 110,000 pounds (191,700 dollars) a week'' and that the player had told Chelsea he would put in a transfer request to Milan.

But the Ukrainian striker told the Italian news agency ANSA: ''I don't know of any offer and I am calm. I don't need to deny anything, it is all clear. It is just that others keep talking about this story,'' he said.

Shevchenko, who is in his seventh season with Milan after joining them from Dynamo Kiev, recently said that he hoped to emulate captain Paolo Maldini and stay with the club until the end of his career.

The striker has frequently been linked with a move to Chelsea who are owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, but he laughed off the latest reports saying: ''I'd like to thank the English journalists because this way maybe Milan will call me and extend my contract''.

This season Shevchenko has scored 19 goals in 24 Serie A matches and eight in nine Champions League appearances.

REUTERS DH RAI2048