Expensive Sevilla right-back Daniel Alves may have seen his transfer dreams go up in smoke, after Chelsea signed fellow Brazilian Juliano Belletti for the far more reasonable price of $7.5 million from Barcelona. Meanwhile, Chelsea finally sold off Dutch winger Arjen Robben to Real Madrid for an estimated $49 million. Club chairman Bruce Buck described the move as a good piece of business, and one that may close the door on Alves' transfer to Stamford Bridge.

Indeed, the funds from Robben's transfer were supposed to be redirected to Sevilla to bring Alves to Chelsea, but the arrival of Belletti, who plays the same position, may have effectively killed that deal, Goal.com.com reports. Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is understood to have balked at Sevilla's exorbitant asking price for the Brazilian defender.

His only hope may be the continued spending of Real Madrid, although the Spanish champion may be reluctant to spend more after adding both Robben and Manchester United's Gabriel Heinze for an estimated $65 million. Madrid had already shelled out $56 million for Dutch pair Royston Drenthe and Wesley Sneijder, and $41 million for Brazilian defender Pepe; the Merengues' board surely won't be willing to spend another $54 million on one defender.

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