Archive » 2009 » June

Andrey Arshavin has stunned Arsenal by revealing he wants to play for Barcelona. The Russian striker, 28, who joined the Gunners in a £16.9m deal five months ago, said: “If I have the chance to play for Barcelona, I’d be really happy.”

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is ready to make a surprise £5million move Middlesbrough’s talented Turk Tuncay Sanli – and pick up his £65,000-a-week wages. Villa have taken a big interest in Tuncay since Boro secretly tipped off rivals that he was available for sale as part of an attempt to bring in around £17m from unwanted men. Tuncay can play in several roles and would be a major asset for Villa, who are reeling from the loss of skipper Gareth Barry and have yet to land the targets that they want to boost their small squad. O’Neill is keen on the unpredictable skills of Tuncay who would bring some missing magic into his attacking options and Boro hope that the deal can be wrapped up quickly to let them make signings of their own.

Source: The Mirror

Kevin Doyle has completed a club record £6.5million move to Wolves. The Irish striker, 26, who scored 55 goals in 154 league games for Reading, will be unveiled at Molineux today. Doyle said: “I’m delighted to get the move sorted and can’t wait to get going. I spoke to the manager and chief executive over a week ago and came to the training ground to see everything. I’ve been making my mind up over the last couple of weeks and am just really pleased the decision has been made. The facilities here are top class and it’s great to be going back into the Premier League again.

Source: The Sun

Harry Redknapp has joined the chase for Sweden strike sensation Marcus Berg – but will have to bid up to £10million. The youngster collected the golden boot at the European U21 championship yesterday after netting seven in four games. David Moyes hopes of getting Berg for a bargain £5m have been thwarted with Dutch club Groningen hiking the price after big interest from around Europe.

Source: The Mirror

Xabi Alonso will hold crunch talks with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez this week. Real Madrid are keen to bring the Spanish midfielder, 27, home along with Kop team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa. And Alonso is keen to move because he feels Benitez, who almost sold him to Juventus last summer, is pushing him towards the exit door. Real are willing to pay around £23million for the duo but will not be held to ransom. Alonso said: “I don’t know where I will play next season. In respect to all this, I have not closed any door. I don’t see why a marriage with Madrid is impossible, but I would also have no regrets at all staying at Liverpool. My relationship with Benitez is professional, just like he has with any other player. I believe that is how things will stay.”

Source: The Sun

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce would love to bring Ruud van Nistelrooy to Ewood Park – but appears to have ruled out a move for Michael Owen. The Rovers boss is in desperate need of striking reinforcements after Roque Santa Cruz and Matt Derbyshire both left the Lancashire club. He has immediately set his sights on an ambitious move for van Nistelrooy, who is set to be one of several Dutch victims of Real Madrid’s unprecedented spending spree.”Who’d have thought Bolton would get Nicolas Anelka? Nobody did. But I went out and did it,” Allardyce said. “It would be nice to do it with a Van Nistelrooy. The sort of salary he would be on at Real Madrid may be beyond us. But maybe he wants to come and play in England again and take less of a salary – then we’d be interested. It would be a major coup if I could pull it off.”

Source: Sporting Life

Barcelona misfit Eidur Gudjohnsen says a return to England is “probably inevitable” with West Ham believed to be leading the chase for the forward. The Iceland striker hinted that he would love to link up again with his former Chelsea team-mate Gianfranco Zola at Upton Park after Barcelona decided to allow the former Bolton man to leave. The 30-year-old is keen to return to England and the Icelandic-owned Hammers would be an ideal option. Gudjohnsen told the Daily Star Sunday: “Returning to England is probably inevitable. There is a lot of interest from the Premier League. I had a great time with Chelsea and Gianfranco and I know the game inside out. I know I would adapt easily to the football there.”

Source: Daily Star

Alex McLeish has launched his move to end Barry Ferguson’s Rangers hell and hand him a second crack at the Premier League. The Birmingham boss has enquired about the 31-year-old midfielder – and it’s understood he’s set to table a £1million bid this week. McLeish confirmed: “The one thing I do know about him is that he will take the ball all day long and I need somebody like that, whether it’s Barry or somebody else. But Barry is definitely someone that we have given consideration to, amongst others.”

Source: The Sun

Luis Antonio Valencia flew in last night to complete his dream £16million move to Manchester United – and end Sir Alex Ferguson’s wait for a first signing of the summer. Ecuadorian ace Valencia cut short a break back in his homeland to make the trip and will have a medical at Old Trafford today while his contract details are sorted out. Valencia has been holding out for a move to United for five months since Fergie first showed his hand and tried to buy him from Latics in the last window. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were given the brush-off by Valencia and his camp because he wants to make the trip along the M62 and join the champions as Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement.

Source: The Mirror

Manchester City have offered to make Samuel Eto’o the world’s highest-paid player – on £250,000 a week! The Barcelona striker will earn £13million a year if the £25m switch goes through. Barca president Joan Laporta said: “Eto’o has a stratospheric offer from City that would convert him into the best-paid player in the world. It is starting to dawn on him that he has a brutal offer. He wants to stay but an offer like this is difficult to turn down.”

Source: The Sun