Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has apparently given up on signing Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic from Chelsea this summer.
Mourinho was rumored to be interested in signing the strong Chelsea defender this summer but Chelsea have no intentions of selling him. The 28 year old has a contract till 2016 at Stamford Bridge and has recently in an interview stated his desire to stay with the European champions.
‘I’m very happy with Chelsea, I have just won the Champions League. A change is complicated, I am very happy in London’, Ivanovic said.
According to sources it is Chelsea’s evaluation of the player that has put off Real Madrid’s interest in him. The club officials at the Bernabeu have decided not to follow up their interest in the player as they believe £23m for the defender is too much. Napoli are also interested in Ivanovic, but it is not likely they can match Chelsea’s asking price for him.
The Serbian center half who can also fill in as the right back has been a key figure in Chelsea’s Champions League winning campaign last season. With almost 4 years still left on his current contract, Ivanovic looks set to stay at Chelsea.