Chelsea misfit Shevchenko unlikely to make it to Sampdoria

Sampdoria's director general Beppe Marotta told Corriere dello Sport on Tuesday there is little chance that Andriy Shevchenko will join the Genoese club.

The 31-year-old Ukrainian international – who has had a miserable time at English Premiership side Chelsea since he moved from AC Milan in 2006 – has been linked in recent days with a loan move to Sampdoria, but Marotta said that the only club he is likely to join in Italy is Milan.

“Sheva has been suggested, but there's zero possibility that he will come to us,” said Marotta.

“I just keep thinking of Galliani's (AC Milan vice-president Adriano) words when he declared that if Shevchenko leaves Chelsea it will only be to wear the red and black shirt.”

Marotta did say that it is more likely former Milan and Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo will be arriving at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in time for the 2008-09 season.

Crespo has found himself down the pecking order at Inter Milan, behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Julio Cruz and Mario Balotelli and Sampdoria feel he can follow the example of Antonio Cassano who excelled at Sampdoria whilst on loan from Real Madrid.

“We experimented with the Cassano model, when a top player is taken on loan from a big club. If a similar opportunity comes about that fits in with our plans, then we should have to think about it.”