Transfer Rumour Mill 2010/11

[mickey]

Liverpool are ready to sell Albert Riera to Olympiakos.

The Mirror says Liverpool are ready to sell Riera to Greek club Olympiakos in a £4million deal - to raise cash for Loic Remy.

The Spanish left winger is expected to speak to Olympiakos, who are offering big salaries to their new players, although he would prefer to stay in England or return to Spain's La Liga.

[mickey]

Reports suggest Liverpool have offered Joe Cole a £90,000 per week deal.

On Saturday Roy Hodgson admitted the club had made contact with the player who is a free agent after his contract with Chelsea expired without renewal.

[mickey]

Mark Schwarzer's mooted move to Arsenal is looking unlikely after manager Arsene Wenger indicated the club was no longer interested in the Socceroos shot stopper.

Arsenal have been linked with $A7 million move to sign the 37-year-old from Fulham after reportedly having an initial $A3.5 million bid rejected.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,27426427-29437,00.html

[mickey]

Marseille president Jean Claude Dassier insists defender Taye Taiwo will not be allowed to move to the Premier League this summer.

Taiwo, 25, has been linked with Tottenham and Liverpool, and former Marseille president Pape Diouf apparently told the player he would be allowed to move on.

However, Dassier, who replaced Diouf last summer, insists he has no intention of letting the Nigeria international go.

"It's done," he said. "He's staying with Marseille. He's a top player and he should be staying here. I don't know if the old president promised that he could leave, but that's not me."

[johntheclaret]

Spurs close on Pletikosa

Redknapp hoping Croatian keeper will arrive at White Hart Lane
Harry Redknapp believes Tottenham Hotspur have 'every chance' of signing Croatian goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa.
The Spartak Moscow shot-stopper has been a long-term target for Spurs and was linked with a move to White Hart Lane during the January transfer window.
Spurs boss Redknapp is aiming to improve his squad for the UEFA Champions League and has confirmed his interest in securing Pletikosa.
The 31-year-old would provide competition for current No.1 Heurelho Gomes and would join compatriots Luka Modric, Niko Kranjcar and Vedran Corluka at the Premier League club.

[mickey]

Swiss international defender Reto Ziegler has emerged as new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson's top transfer target to fill the vacant role at left-back.

Sampdoria star Ziegler, who starred in the group stages of this summer's World Cup, could be available for a cut-price fee of around £6million as reports suggest he is keen to leave the club.

Following Luigi del Neri's departure for Juventus earlier this summer, a number of players are thought to be on the verge of leaving - with former Spurs player Ziegler among them.

[johntheclaret]

Liverpool agree Wilson deal

Young Rangers defender poised to join Anfield club
Rangers have agreed to sell defender Danny Wilson to Liverpool in a deal worth up to £5million.
The 18-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at Ibrox before penning his first professional contract there three years ago, has been a target of the Anfield club for several months.
Sky Sports News revealed earlier on Tuesday that Liverpool were in advanced stages of discussions with Rangers, with only the transfer fee left to agree on.
And the Ibrox club has now confirmed that Reds are set to complete the transfer after the youngster was pulled out of the Rangers squad that flew out to Australia for their pre-season tour on Tuesday.
"We have agreed a deal in principle with Liverpool for the transfer of Danny Wilson," said Rangers chief executive Martin Bain on the club's official website.
"Liverpool's offer will see the club receive £2million up front with add-ons linked to games played, taking the total value of the deal to £5million."

[johntheclaret]

You have to feel for Eduardo, he has never been the same since his shocking injury. Fair play to the guy that he got back into the game but so often you find players lose 1/2 a yard and the are never the same.

I have the same concerns over Clarets McCann. Two years ago he was being hailed as a future EPL star and was attracting interest from all over the place. Then he has a shocking cruciate knee ligament injury and missed most of last season. Will he be the same, who knows....

Eduardo set for Shakhtar

Striker poised to leave Arsenal
Shakhtar Donetsk are closing in on the signing of Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva.
Arsenal are believed to have agreed a fee with the Ukrainians for the Croatian international.
Eduardo was missing from the squad that flew out to Austria on Monday for the club's pre-season training camp to allow him to hold talks with Shakhtar.
The 27-year-old has struggled to recapture his best form at Arsenal since the traumatic leg injury he sustained against Birmingham in February 2008.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is willing to let Eduardo move on having signed Marouane Chamakh this summer and Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu believes the Croatian still has a lot to offer.

[johntheclaret]

Deco must have been a great disappointment to Chelsea. He has never lived up to expectations, but whether this is because he came for the money of whether he failed to adapt to the EPL syle, who knows.

Deco seeks Chelsea exit

Blues playmaker keen on Fluminense interest
Chelsea star Deco says he want to leave the club to return to his native Brazil.
Deco started his professional career with Brazilian giants Corinthians and the 32-year-old says he wants to win silverware in his homeland.
The midfielder left South American shores in 1997 to ply his trade at Portuguese side Benfica, before enjoying success at Porto under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho.
The playmaker went on to Barcelona before joining Chelsea in 2008, however he has failed to make a strong impact in the English game.
Deco was born in Sao Paulo but opted to play for the Portugal national team after qualifying for citizenship in 2002.
And the former Iberian star said he would like to link up with Fluminense this summer.

[johntheclaret]

What can you say about soccer agents, other than they are the lowest form of parasitical life form in human shape. they will do anything to make a lucrative buck out of thier client. And in Man City they have an eager and willing market.

Drogba in City link

Agent has had direct contact with City over striker
Didier Drogba's agent claims he is in talks with Manchester City over a £20million move for the Chelsea star.
The move comes somewhat out of the blue as City's primary target was thought to be Inter Milan starlet Mario Balotelli, who has been heavily linked with a move to Eastlands.
Drogba is a Premier League seasoned veteran having scored 84 league goals in 133 starts and 33 substitute appearances for the Londoners since 2004.
The Ivory Coast striker's agent Thierno Seydi now claims that with the talented marksman nearing the back end of his career that the prospect of one final lucrative contract could be too tempting to resist.
"Today, he is at Chelsea but there might be some surprises before August 31," Seydi told French radio station Radio Monte Carlo.

[johntheclaret]

Don't you just love they way they speak in South America "the economic rights"

Chelsea's Neymar bid rejected

Santos turn down offer for teenage sensation
Brazilian side Santos claim they have rejected a bid from Premier League champions Chelsea for teenage sensation Neymar.
The 18-year-old has emerged as one of the hottest properties in world football having bagged 27 goals in all competitions since the turn of the year.
There was huge pressure on Brazil coach Dunga to include Neymar in his 23-man squad for the World Cup finals in South Africa, but the youngster did not make the cut.
Reports suggested that the Blues had lodged a 20million euros bid for the gifted forward as Carlo Ancelotti looks to bolster his striking options.
A statement from Santos read: "Santos FC declare they have received an official proposal from Chelsea FC of England for the economic rights of forward Neymar."
But the statement "reiterates that Santos FC have no interest in opening negotiations".

[johntheclaret]

WOLVES SETS SIGHTS ON N'DAW

Wolves are hoping to sign St Etienne midfielder Guirane N'Daw on a season-long loan - but need to offload some out-of-favour players first.
Boss Mick McCarthy has been a long-term admirer of the left-footed defensive midfielder and the two clubs have been in negotiations for a couple of months.
Ideally the manager would like to buy the 6ft 3in Senegal international and St Etienne are anxious to do business, after being forced to sign the £1.75million-rated 26-year-old from Nantes on a permanent basis when they stayed up to satisfy a clause in the loan deal.

[devilsadvocate]

Swiss international defender Reto Ziegler has emerged as new Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson's top transfer target to fill the vacant role at left-back.

Sampdoria star Ziegler, who starred in the group stages of this summer's World Cup, could be available for a cut-price fee of around £6million as reports suggest he is keen to leave the club.

Following Luigi del Neri's departure for Juventus earlier this summer, a number of players are thought to be on the verge of leaving - with former Spurs player Ziegler among them.

Noooooooooo!!!! I always liker Zeigler. He's improved big time in recent years.

Would be a bloody good signing for Liverpool though.

[mickey]

Roy Hodgson today confirmed that full-back Philipp Degen can look for a new club.

The Swiss international has struggled to make an impact since arriving at Anfield from Borussia Dortmund in July 2008.

"We have had an amicable conversation with Philipp and he wants to play football," Hodgson told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"We won't stand in his way and he is free to look for another club."


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Sport.co.uk understands that Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is leading the race to sign Belgian international Steven Defour, however Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City have been confirmed as monitoring the situation.

[smithy]

Roy Hodgson today confirmed that full-back Philipp Degen can look for a new club.

The Swiss international has struggled to make an impact since arriving at Anfield from Borussia Dortmund in July 2008.

"We have had an amicable conversation with Philipp and he wants to play football," Hodgson told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"We won't stand in his way and he is free to look for another club."

Degen, Aurelio, Insua...EGGNOG..................sort of shows that Roy is a better judge of a player than Rafa, or that he is a better judge of players best prepared for EPL football.
Now if only he can get rid of Bjorn Borgs son who pretends to be from Brazil i'll be real happy.

[mickey]

Interesting to see that Cole has been given the number 10 shirt....

[johntheclaret]

Mario Balotelli set for Manchester City as Inter Milan teen sensation says yes to £24m deal

Mario Balotelli is on the brink of joining Manchester City from Inter Milan for an initial £24million.
The 19-year-old has told friends he is joining City and has agreed terms on a £65,000 a week five-year contract, according to reports in Italy. The transfer fee could eventually rise to £29m with add-ons.
The capture would take City's incredibly summer spending spree to about £100m following the acquisitions of Jerome Boateng (Hamburg, £10m), David Silva (Valencia, £24m), Yaya Toure (Barcelona, £24m) and Aleksandar Kolarov (Lazio, £17m).

Balotelli had also interested Manchester United and Chelsea, but the lure of City and their spending power appears to have been impossible to resist.
The move will reunite the erratic teenager with Roberto Mancini, the former Inter manager who handed Balotelli his debut at the San Siro in 2007.
Despite their vast wealth, City are keen to show they aren't a soft touch and reports in Italy suggest United were actually prepared to offer Balotelli a better financial package.
Mancini told Italian newspaper La Stampa: 'There is money to sign everyone, but not to pay them a lot, as some people are saying.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... z0upUySbxa

[johntheclaret]

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger wanted by Juventus - and Italian giants may offer Christian Poulsen in return

Juventus have set their sights on Liverpool defender Daniel Agger and hope to tempt Roy Hodgson by offering Christian Poulsen in exchange.
The Italians hope 30-year-old Denmark international Poulsen will fit the bill on Merseyside as the Reds look to replace Javier Mascherano.
Juve are mulling an offer worth £4million plus the holding midfielder for Agger as they step up attempts to land a centre half.

Plans to sign Nicolas Burdisso from Inter Milan look dead in the water as the Argentina international would prefer to join Roma, where he spent last season on loan, if a departure from the San Siro is inevitable.
Mascherano is keen to join former Reds boss Rafa Benitez at Inter Milan and would command a fee in excess of £20m.
At the wheel: Daniel Agger leaving Liverpool's training ground on Monday
Although Poulsen may be tempting as a replacement, Hodgson is unlikely to want to lose a defender without adequate replacement.
The Anfield boss presently has no senior left back at the club and Agger has be known to fill in at that position.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... z0upW0v04H

[johntheclaret]

Everton and Newcastle on alert as agent confirms Hatem Ben Arfa is ready to leave Marseille
By Sportsmail Reporter

Hatem Ben Arfa wants to quit Marseille which could open a possible move to the Barclays Premier League.
The French winger's agent claims he will quit the club this summer but will only move to a team that will benefit his career.
Everton and Newcastle have both been linked with Arfa, 23, as have AC Milan, Galatasaray and Werder Bremen. He is thought to be valued at around £5m.

Arfa' agent Ouazine told L'Equipe: 'Hatem has reached a turning point in his career. His choice will only be a sporting one. Hatem could also remain at l'OM. He can't leave at random.'

[johntheclaret]

Luis Fabiano still on Harry Redknapp's radar but Spurs boss rules out Raul move
By Sportsmail Reporter

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has not given up hope of signing Brazil World Cup star Luis Fabiano but Spain legend Raul will not be arriving at White Hart Lane.
Sevilla striker Fabiano has been linked with Spurs for most of the summer while Raul is set to leave Real Madrid.
Redknapp said: 'I like Fabiano. I've got other targets, but I'd be a liar if I said I didn't like him, he's a top player.

'Raul is a great player at Real Madrid, but I wouldn't think he would be a player we would bring to Tottenham. Financially, I don't think it would be possible to do a deal like that.'
Redknapp, along with West Ham, Arsenal and Liverpool, has been tracking France striker Loic Remy and the Spurs chief is confident of holding his own in any transfer tussle.

He added on Sky Sports News: 'We're certainly not the poor relations to anybody. We're well off, the club's well run and we're in good shape.
'We need three players and I know the three players we want. If we can get them I think we'll be good next year.
'We've still got work to do. There are a couple of positions where we could just make ourselves that extra little bit better.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... z0upX1U3i5