Argentina and Corinthians winger Carlos Tevez has announced that Premiership champions Chelsea are intending to sign him this summer, admitting he feels flattered by the possibility.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho recently visited Brazil to watch 22-year-old Tevez playing for his club-side, Brazil’s Corinthians, against River Plate in the Copa Libertadores.

This led to Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon having to confirm that Chelsea had looked at the striker, but denied speculation they were about to sign the talented Albiceleste midfielder in a £22m (€30million) deal.

"We have looked at him and he is a good player and does a good job but all the reports of him being linked with us are not right. I would be surprised to see him in a Chelsea shirt next season," said Kenyon.

However, Tevez, whose performances for Corinthians have earned him a place in Jose Pekerman's Argentina World Cup squad, said: “Chelsea intend to take me. It's difficult to distance myself from [my club] because they have shown a lot of affection towards me and my family.”

When asked about Jose Mourinho's recent visit to Brazil, Tevez added: “The chances are there. He's [Mourinho] looking at what's there. There must have been a reason to come to see me play.”

Mourinho has already stated that he wants: “Three players in, three players out” in the summer, and has already unveiled German captain Michael Ballack at Stamford Bridge, meaning that if the Chelsea boss is true to his word, there will only be two more signings.

Mourinho has admitted that he hopes to bring another striker in, with AC Milan's Ukrainian forward Andriy Shevchenko and also Inter Milan’s Adriano both having been linked with the Premiership champions, but Mourinho accepts that it will be particularly hard to tempt the Ukrainian star away from the Italian giants – one of the few clubs in the world that can come close to matching the wealth of the Premiership champions.

“I cannot say that Shevchenko does not interest me, but AC Milan are a very powerful club. They don't need to sell players in order to buy good players. It's going to be very difficult,” said Mourinho.

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