Chelsea have offered Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen to Real Madrid as part of a deal for Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos, reports The Times.
Gudjohnsen has been subject to speculation linking him away from Stamford Bridge after Chelsea manager José Mourinho admitted the club would listen to offers for the 27-year-old flamboyant striker.
Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Newcastle United have all been linked with a move for Gudjohnsen but no official approach has been made to Chelsea for the striker.
Chelsea are expected to offload Spanish left-back Asier Del Horno in the summer and Roberto Carlos has emerged as the favourite to replace the Spaniard after Chelsea's attempts to sign Arsenal defender Ashley Cole failed.
Mourinho confirmed yesterday that he is interested in signing Carlos, who has claimed he has been offered a lucrative three-year deal by Chelsea which he is considering while he is away on World Cup duty.
"Roberto (Carlos) is thirty-three but I consider him to be the best in his position and I wish it would be possible," Mourinho told Portuguese television station TVI.
Real Madrid have lined up a list of replacements for the club's French playmaker Zinedine Zidane, after the elegant midfielder confirmed last month his wish to retire after the World Cup in Germany.
Whether Gudjohnsen is on that list or not, is speculative, but Chelsea's decision to offer the striker to another club surely sends out a clear message to the Iceland international that he's not needed for further services in Chelsea's Russian revolution.