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Going home Zola leaves Chelsea for Sardinia's CagliariPosted: Wednesday July 02, 2003 9:13 AMMILAN (Reuters) -- Chelsea favorite Gianfranco Zola has returned home to Italy after seven years in London and will play for Sardinia's Cagliari next season, the Serie B club said Wednesday. Zola, voted the greatest player in Chelsea's history in an internet poll last season, had been offered another year with the English Premier League club after his contract ran out. The Sardinian-born forward played for Napoli and Parma in Italy before moving to Chelsea in 1996 for 4.5 million pounds (US$7.48 million). "Gianfranco Zola regretfully told Chelsea today that despite the club offering him terms with which he could agree, he would be honoring his promise to join Cagliari," read a statement on the Chelsea Web site. Zola won the FA Cup twice with Chelsea and the European Cup Winners Cup in 1998. The west London club was taken over by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich on Tuesday. "Zola was undoubtedly one of Chelsea's greatest players ever," said chairman Ken Bates. "He's been a joy to watch and a great influence both on and off the field, particularly because of his great interest with young fans. We owe him one hell of a lot of thanks. "On behalf of every Chelsea fan I wish him and his family all the very best of good fortune in the future and I'm delighted that we hope to see him back at Stamford Bridge with the Cagliari team." Zola will be presented to the media later Wednesday. Chelsea chief executive Trevor Birch said: "When the new investors came in it was the very first issue on the agenda. "As a result of additional resources being made available we were able to offer terms which satisfied him, but being the man he is he felt that having given his word to his home island club he would have to leave us and join them."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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