Inter Milan's troubled striker Adriano has revealed he was on his way to Chelsea in January. He said: "I confirm what I said on Thursday, that [Inter President Massimo] Moratti is a marvellous man and a father figure. He spends too much and was perhaps too kind to me.

"It's just a shame some people continually tried to turn him against me. They would say, 'give him a lesson and make an example of him, give Adriano a mega fine' or 'Sell him, it's better.'

"That's one of the reasons why I had agreed a move abroad. In autumn I was contacted by Scolari, who wanted to take me to Chelsea. We had a deal on everything, then [Roman] Abramovich fired him and I remained in Milan."