The Brazilian featured, along with summer recruit Deco, on Luiz Felipe Scolari's shopping list when Chelsea's new manager pinpointed the players he wished to bring to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon said: "We are ever confident that it will get done but we have always said it will go to the wire. We will keep moving it on and we hope that he will be joining us here at Chelsea."

He added: "There were two players Luiz Felipe Scolari identified. One was Deco and one was Robinho and we have already seen the impact Deco has made on the Premier League.

"I think the squad is strong and capable of competing in all competitions without Robinho, but with him it is an added dimension."

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon insisted on Wednesday night that he has not given up hope of staving off Chelsea's attempts to sign Robinho.

He told Spanish television channel La Sexta: "Robinho continues being a Real Madrid player and the coach counts on him.

"Those in charge of the sporting side of things want him to continue, and I've always wanted to follow the plans of those who really know about these things."