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PSV chasing Mexican defender Rodriguez
Dutch champions, PSV, are looking to reinforce their defense for next season. Their first defensive target appears to be Mexican international Francisco Rodriguez, who currently plays for the Mexican side Chivas Guadalajara.
Scouts from PSV along with their managing director Jan Reker, travelled to Mexico to see their target in action. Club chiefs are now in negotiations to seal a deal for the defender.
Rodríguez is the tallest player for Chivas, standing 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in).
Juventus closing in on Amauri
The Brazilian-born striker, who currently plays for Palermo, is on the verge to sign for Juventus.
In recent weeks, Amauri has been linked with Roma and Milan, and a host of Premier League clubs. But now it looks like the Turin giants have sealed the deal for one of their top transfer targets this summer.
Amauri joined Palermo in 2006 from Chievo Verona, and since then his career has really taken off. The 27-year-old has scored an impressive 15 goals in just 33 Serie A games this campaign.
Diarra wanted by Tottenham for £10million
Lassana Diarra, who just recently moved to Portsmouth from Arsenal, is one of Tottenham’s top targets for this season.
Tottenham manager, Juande Ramos, wants to add the talented 23-year old French international to their ranks. Although, Porstmouth would be reluctant to see him leave, it would be hard to refuse an offer of €10million for a player that they themselves paid €5million for.
If Diarra moves to Tottenham, it will be his fourth Premiership club in just four years that he spent there.
2003-2005 Le Havre
2005-2007 Chelsea
2007-2008 Arsenal
2008- Portsmouth
Clubs chase Sun Jihai with Man City future in doubt
Sun Jihai’s future at Manchester City is in doubt with reports saying he will not be offered a new contract, but the Chinese star remains upbeat with other English clubs showing an interest.
Sun, 30, has played 150 games for City since joining in February 2002 from domestic league champions Dalian, and he is the only player remaining from that era along with captain Richard Dunne.
But Britain’s Daily Mirror reported this week that China’s most successful overseas export would be shown the door at the end of the season by Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra.
Sun, the first Chinese player to score a goal in England’s top flight, told local media here he was in the dark, but admitted other Premier League and Championships clubs had approached him.
“No one from the club told me or my agent that the club would not extend the contract. So, before the final decision is announced, nothing is guaranteed,” he was quoted as saying by China Daily.
“Six years and 150 matches. How could you have such a record if you have no ability? I am only 30 and I feel I’m still at my best.”
Sun said he would prefer to remain at City.
“It’s for sure that I have become emotionally linked to the city. And I’ve got used to everything here. My first choice is to stay at Manchester City,” he said, but revealed there was keen interest from elsewhere.
“Clubs in the Premier League and Championship are very interested. A Premier League club even faxed me the draft contract.
“But I cannot tell you which club. The league has not finished yet and I think it will take some time to know the final result.
“Fans do not have to be worried about me. I can 100 percent stay in England if I want to.”
City play their final game of the season this weekend against Middlesbrough before embarking on a promotional tour to Asia, with matches in Bangkok and Hong Kong.
Arsenal despair as first Flamini and now maybe Hleb leave the Emirates. Who will be next?
Arsenal fans will be reading their newspapers this morning with a mixture of confusion and despair.
Following the sale of Mathieu Flamini to AC Milan earlier this week, there are very strong rumours that Alexander Hleb is likely to leave The Emirates and head to Italy as well, signing for Inter.
In the Daily Mail this morning, Emmanuel Adebayor is quoted as saying, “Pay up, or I’m off.” He is said to be demanding eighty thousand pounds a week in order to stay.
Real Madrid have made it clear that they will do all they can to lure Cesc Fabrigas to the Bernabau this summer. Fabrigas has said he is happy at Arsenal but will he remain so if Flamini and Hleb and maybe Adebayor all jump ship?
Over the past couple of weeks, when asked if he would be investing in the transfer market, Arsene Wenger has said that his biggest challenge would be to keep his current squad together. It is now clear what he meant, and it seems that he might not be able to meet that challenge.
Arsenal’s season blew up in Wenger’s face when a run of only two wins in eleven games saw their challenge for both the Premier League and the Champions League fall apart, when they had been in a great position to win both just a few weeks earlier. The question has to be asked now what came first? Did the run of poor form cause unrest, or did the unrest cause the poor form?
We shall probably not know the answer to that question until somebody writes an autobiography and tells us what went on behind the scenes. One person who did write about their time at Arsenal was England left back Ashley Cole, or Cashley Cole as he is now known. In his book he explained that the main reason he left Arsenal was because he felt he was worth sixty-thousand pounds a week and Arsenal offered him only the ‘insulting amount’ of fifty-five thousand. I’m not surprised he left! Fifty-five thousand a week is hardly worth getting out of bed for! That extra five thousand a week would have kept him out of the poverty trap!
Famously Arsenal do not ‘spend big’ in the transfer market and they do not pay the same levels of ridiculous wages that some of the other clubs do. It could be that this policy will backfire on them as their best players look to go elsewhere.
So, why do these players want to leave? We are often told by players and pundits that ‘it isn’t about the money’. We are told that players want to be challenged and to play at the highest level. They want to go as far as they can in the game and the money is secondary.
I’ve always questioned this view and the current goings-on at The Emirates would suggest that I am absolutely right to do so.
Which league in Europe is the top league to play in at the moment? Yes, that’s right, the English Premier League. Which country is most likely to produce the teams that compete in the latter stages of the premier European competition? Yes, England again. Which teams are almost certain to be battling for the honours, domestically and Internationally in England? The big four of course, which very much includes the Gunners.
So if Flamini, Hleb and maybe Adebayor and Fabrigas want to challenge themselves at the highest possible level in Europe, why would they want to move elsewhere? It can only be for one of two reasons. Either the atmosphere at the Emirates is so terrible that they need to get away, or, more likely, they are going purely for the money.
Flamini has moved to Milan who are by no means certain of a place in next season’s Champions League. How can that possibly be a career enhancing move? Hleb is talking about Inter who were easily disposed of by a Liverpool team who have finished some way behind Arsenal in the League. Career enhancing? I don’t think so.
The players are maybe just going where the money is, which is probably why so many overseas stars are playing in England already. The big clubs in Europe have seen the success being achieved by the English game and the English clubs and are now offering even sillier money to attract the best players. Whilst we talk about greed and lack of loyalty, we should maybe put ourselves in the shoes of the players.
I write for Soccer News and I am a very loyal person. If another organisation offered me a ridiculous amount of money to write for them and leave Soccer News, would I take the moral high ground and turn it down through loyalty? Think about who you work for. If a similar company offered you twice the salary to do the same job, would you not jump at the chance?
Maybe we are all a bit naïve to think that footballers should show a higher level of loyalty than the rest of us would be likely to do.
The only thing against the argument I have put forward is the fact that these guys are already earning sixty-thousand pounds a week! Just how much money can you spend? Surely, if you are already financially secure for the rest of your life, you would be looking to test yourself at the highest possible level.
For some reason, these players do not seem to feel that they are getting what they need at Arsenal. Is it purely financial greed or is there something more sinister behind what is going on?
Juventus and Inter battling for Roma’s Mancini
Roma’s Brazilian star winger, Mancini, looks to continue his stay in Serie A with both Juvenus and Inter chasing his signature.
Inter looked like they were winning the chase for the Brazilian international, but then Juventus offered striker Vincenzo Iaquinta in exchange for Mancini, which seems to have appealed to Roma better.
According to Corriere dello Sport, Juventus are ready to sign off on a straight swap deal, which will see the 27-year old Brazilian arrive in Turin in exchange for striker Vincenzo Iaquinta.
Gattuso off to Bayern Munich
It appears that Gennaro Gattuso has already reached an agreement with German champions Bayern Munich.
The combative 30-year old midfielder, who had an earlier spell with Rangers, wants to play Champions League football next season, which AC Milan can’t offer. With AC Milan having signed Mathieu Flamini from Arsenal earlier in the week, will be the ideal replacement for Gattuso.
The price tag is believed to be around €20million euros, and AC Milan might also ask for Willy Sagnol, a French international full-back, as a makeweight for a deal.
Inter switch to Roma’s Aquilani
Inter Milan tried to lure Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb away from the Emirates, but now it seems like they have set their sights on Roma’s young talented midfielder Alberto Aquilani.
According to reports, Alberto Aquilani is now the primary target for Inter Milan, but will face a tough task trying to bring him to Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. Roma is holding out for at least €25 million, which Inter is not willing to pay. Now they are considering including players to drive the price down.
Julio Cruz and Hernan Crespo have been mentioned in a cash-and-swap deal.
Liverpool want 15 million pounds for Crouch
Liverpool have slapped a 15-million-pound (30-million-dollar) price tag on unsettled England striker Peter Crouch while Tottenham have indicated that they are resigned to losing Dimitar Berbatov at the end of this season.
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez accepts that Crouch has grown frustrated with playing second fiddle to Fernando Torres at Anfield, but made it clear it would take a significant offer for him to release a player he regards as a valuable squad member.
“Crouch wants to play every week but knows he must fight it out with Fernando Torres,” Benitez said. “We keep seeing Portsmouth linked with the player but we have had no offer as yet. A 15 million pound price tag would not be unreasonable.”
Benitez, who confirmed that out-of-contract winger Harry Kewell will leave the club at the end of the season, is hoping to bring England midfielder Gareth Barry to Anfield.
“I have spoken to (Villa boss) Martin O'Neill, he knows my ideas,” the Spaniard said. “But we agreed to wait until the end of the season for any more discussions.”
Tottenham boss Juande Ramos said Berbatov had made his mind up on his future, which will not be at White Hart Lane if a Champions League club comes in with a sufficiently large offer.
“I've spoken to him many times and know exactly what he wants,” Ramos said. “I understand perfectly well that big clubs want to sign him.”
Spurs have been looking at possible replacements for Berbatov, including Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o.
Ramos said: “Obviously we have to cover our backs in case the player decides to leave and we have to have options to replace him.
“I would obviously like him to stay here but we don't know how future negotiations will go so it is something I cannot guarantee.
“If there are offers coming in for the player we will see if they convince the club and the player as well.
“What we want is for the player to be happy and enjoy his football. The player has the key to this and it is up to him at the end of the day.
“If that happened I'm sure the club would prefer to have the money because with the money they would be able to sign the players necessary.”
Ramos added: “Of course there are great players in Europe that can do just as well as Berbatov.”
Spanish ace Joaquin coming to the Premiership?
With Spanish giant Valencia in crisis, a lot of players are rumored to leave the club this summer. Now, it has been reported that Everton are planning to place a £15million bid for Spanish international winger Joaquin. But a late bid from Liverpool, could hijack Everton’s swoop.
26-year old Joaquin moved from Real Betis to Valencia in 2006, but has struggled to live up to the hype surrounding his move there. With fellow star team-mates Villa and Silva looking more and more destined to leave the club, Joaquin could as well be another player departuring from the Mestalla stadium this summer.
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