Doors open for Shevchenko AC Milan return, says Berlusconi

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko in action during the Premiership match between Chelsea and Bolton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge in London, April 2007. AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi says he would gladly welcome back Shevchenko if the Ukrainian ever decides he wants to leave Chelsea.

AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi says he would gladly welcome back Andriy Shevchenko if the Ukrainian striker ever decides he wants to leave Chelsea.

Shevchenko left AC Milan to join Chelsea last summer in a 45-million-euro move, but has so far struggled to cope with life in the English Premiership, scoring just four league goals.

"Certainly for him the doors are not just ajar, they're wide open," Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister, was quoted as saying by the Gazzetta dello Sport on Friday.

Shevchenko, 30, missed Tuesday's Champions League semi-final, second leg against Liverpool due to a groin injury. Liverpool won 1-0 to make it 1-1 on aggregate, with the Merseysiders winning the penalty shoot-out.

AC Milan will be Liverpool's opponents in the May 23 final, a repeat of the 2005 final, after they beat Manchester United on Wednesday.

European Footballer of the Year in 2004, Shevchenko is expected to have surgery on his troublesome groin at the end of the season.