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By Tony Jimenez
LONDON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Chelsea have made a formal bid to sign Brazil striker Robinho from Real Madrid.
"Further to media reports Chelsea Football Club can confirm we have made an offer to Real Madrid today for the transfer of Robinho," the Premier League club said in a brief statement on its website (www.chelseafc.co.uk).
No mention was made of the size of the bid but British media reports said Luiz Felipe Scolari's team had offered to pay 19.7 million pounds ($38.45 million) for Robinho.
Scolari, who took over as coach last month, is in desperate need of a striker as he prepares for the opening Premier League game of the season at home to Portsmouth on Aug. 17.
Didier Drogba will miss the opening two games of the campaign because of a knee injury while fellow Ivory Coast striker Salomon Kalou is on Olympic duty in Beijing.
That leaves Chelsea with only Nicolas Anelka, Andriy Shevchenko and out-of-favour Claudio Pizarro to call upon in attack.
Robinho has been a target for the London club throughout the close season.
