Exclusive: Chelsea FC launch £35m Alex Teixeira bid

The London club have launched a late bid to secure the services of Shakhtar Donetsk’s Alex Teixeira. The Premier League champions have made their move and have a good relationship with Shakhtar Donetsk’s hierarchy.

Roman Abramovich has sanctioned the £35m bid and it’s thought to be paid upfront rather than installments. Liverpool FC have had an offer of £24.5m rebuffed by the Ukrainian league leaders last week after chief executive Ian Ayre met with Shakhtar officials in Florida.

A source in Ukraine has told Winner Sports: “Chelsea have now entered the race to sign Alex, Shakhtar are happy with the bid and it is sufficient.”

Liverpool may now have to either match or better the Blue’s late bid or risk losing out again to Chelsea as they did in 2013 with the signing of Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala.

Manager Jurgen Klopp has made no secret of his need for extra firepower and Teixeira fits the bill after scoring 22 goals in just 15 league games this season.

Shakhtar are notoriously difficult to negotiate with and their valuation is still some distance from Liverpool’s two offers.

When quizzed about Liverpool raising their bid on Monday, Klopp rebuffed the question, saying: ‘There’s absolutely nothing to say. Maybe it surprises you. I have nothing to say to things like this.’