Hamburg are understood to be finalising a deal for Chelsea defender Slobodan Rajkovic after he failed to obtain a work permit.

Serbia starlet fails to get work permit

Hamburg are understood to be finalising a deal for Chelsea defender Slobodan Rajkovic after he failed to obtain a work permit. Rajkovic has not been able to play for Chelsea, despite the fact they actually signed him back in 2005 as a 16-year-old. He stayed with OFK Beograd for two seasons before spending the last few seasons on loan in Holland, with PSV Eindhoven, FC Twente and Vitesse Arnhem. He had spent pre-season with Chelsea and boss Andre Villas-Boas was pleased with him and wanted him as part of his first-team squad. During the last few years Rajkovic has emerged as a full international with Serbia, but he still did not meet work-permit criteria. Chelsea hoped a new appeal this month would succeed, but that looks to have failed and they are now accepting that he has no future at Stamford Bridge. Former Chelsea director Frank Arnesen, now at Hamburg, is ready to take advantage and sign the young defender. It is believed a deal of around £3million has been agreed with the 22-year-old landing a four-year deal with the Bundesliga club. Arnesen confirmed that he would be signing a new defender before the end of the transfer window, but he refused to comment on Rajkovic. "We will sign a defender in the next ten days," said Arnesen. Rajkovic will become just the latest former Chelsea man to make the move to Hamburg - Michael Mancienne, Gokhan Tore, Jacopo Sala and Jeffrey Bruma have all completed the same move this summer. Meanwhile, another departure from Chelsea has seen their international scout Hans Gilhaus leave for Zulte Waregem in Belgium, where he will be their technical director. "I worked for 12 years with Frank Arnesen, but as he left Chelsea I had ambition to work elsewhere," he said.