Chelsea’s Shevchenko agrees to terms with AC Milan

LONDON – Andriy Shevchenko’s miserable spell at Chelsea is nearing an end after AC Milan agreed to re-sign the striker if he passes a medical examination on Monday. The Ukraine international agreed to terms on Saturday to return to the Italian club after failing to live up to expectations during two injury-plagued seasons in England. “I’m happy," Shevchenko said. “I have hoped for a return for a while and yesterday I began to believe that this deal could end well. “For me it is as if I’ve won the Champions League. “There were some complications, but now that everything is resolved I am really happy." Shevchenko amassed 173 goals in 296 games during seven seasons with Milan, but scored just nine times in 47 appearances for Chelsea after an English Premier League record transfer of 31 million pounds (then US$62 million; €45.5 million) in the 2006 offseason. “We have succeeded in bringing back home the player who scored the most goals with our jersey in the last 50 years," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said on Saturday. “Andriy is back home and I am happy." The 31-year-old Shevchenko will arrive in Milan on Sunday, a day before he is due to finalize the deal. Neither side has disclosed the financial details, but Galliani indicated that Milan will not meet the reported 120,000 pound (US$222,000; €150,400) weekly package at Stamford Bridge. “Andriy made a mistake to leave and I think that over the last two years he has realized that this is his home," Galliani said on the club Web site. “Now he has made his financial sacrifices, but at this point the only thing that matters is that he’s back with us." Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was instrumental in the four-year deal, which was seen as undermining the authority of then manager Jose Mourinho, who thought Shevchenko wasn’t a necessary addition to the side. Within months of his arrival, Shevchenko was linked with a move back to Italy as Mourinho became increasingly frustrated with his inability to find the net. It was a factor in exacerbating the friction between Abramovich and Mourinho, who left last September. Shevchenko didn’t prosper under Avram Grant, scoring his last Chelsea goal in May’s 1-1 draw with Bolton on the final day of the league season and playing no part in the Champions League final defeat to Manchester United. Shevchenko began his career at Dynamo Kiev, winning five league titles and two national cups with the team from 1994-99. – AP