Aquilani is touchable

During their stay in Nyon for the Champions League draw, Barcelona officials have met with AS Roma counterparts and would have asked them about the renewal negotiations with Roma midfielders Daniele De Rossi (24) and Alberto Aquilani (23). Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Roma sports director Daniele Pradè and Roma team manager Tonino Tempestili made very clear that Italian international De Rossi is untouchable, but they didn't closed the door to talks on Aquilani. The contract of Aquilani expires next year and the player preferes to leave for a bigger club and get better financial conditions.

The board vote goes to Mourinho

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo says the support for former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) in the Barcelona board is growing. There would now be a clear majority of board members who are in favour of Mourinho taking charge of the team as of next season. The general feeling is that the Rijkaard era has finished. Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who will have the last word, is still standing by his manager but starts to realize it will be very hard to terminate his mandate as president together with the Dutchman.

Mourinho seems willing to wait for Barcelona to take a decision. Earlier this week, Mourinho even sent out his adviser Eladio Parames to deny in the British newspaper The Independent the rumour that he aleady had spoken with Inter president Massimo Moratti. Because it seems Inter Milan is pushing very hard for the Portuguese, Barcelona would now have contacted Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes asking him to give some more time to Barcelona.

(read more on the manager debate here)

Xabi offer upcoming

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez has taken the decision to sell midfielder Xabi Alonso (26) in the summer after the two had a discussion earlier this week (read more here and here). Barcelona is preparing an offer to close a deal with Liverpool and bring the Spanish international back to Spain.

The search of Txiki (5) : Attack

On Thursday Catalan sports paper Sport gave a global analysis of the Barcelona transfer activity for next summer. In five episodes we bring this story to you.

Up front Barcelona is looking for a winger and a scorer. Last november Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla met in Lisbon with the agent of Manchester United right winger Cristiano Ronaldo (23). No chance. Bayern Munich right winger Franck Ribéry (24) has been sounded. Sevilla left winger Diego Capel (20) and AS Roma left winger Mancini (27) are also on the Barcelona list. With Mancini there would be a pre-agreement.

For the center forward position, the transfer price of the first choice, Olympique Lyon striker Karim Benzema (20), is unattainable, so the club has to look at other options. Sevilla forward Luis Fabiano (27) is an alternative who would cost far less, although the problem is that the rights of the player are divided between Sevilla and investment group GSI. Chelsea striker Didier Drogba (30) will only come if his former manager José Mourinho will become the next Barcelona manager.

(this is the fifth and last part of this story, the first part and the second part were published on Thursday, the third part and the fourth part were published yesterday. The five episodes are: 1. Defence, 2. How it works, 3. Midfield, 4. Marital status, 5. Attack)

Eboué to replace Zambrotta

Catalan television channel TV3 claims that Barcelona is interested in Arsenal right back Emmanuel Eboué (24). The Ivorian international would be a strong candidate to replace current Barcelona right back Gianluca Zambrotta (31), who will most probably return to Italy at the end of the season.

Barcelona would have elaborated several reports about the player, following him in the English Premier League and during the recent edition of the Africa Cup in Ghana last month. Since Barcelona is looking for a right back with attacking qualities, Eboué is seen as a serious option. Married to a Belgian, the Ivorian has also the Belgian nationality, which means he wouldn't occupy one of the four non-EU citizens spots.

Deco out? Lampard in

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard (29) has decided to leave his club in the summer. Chelsea would want to cooperate to avoid seeing the player leave on a free transfer in 2009. The transfer price of Lampard would be around 18 million euro, which could drop to 12 million euro if the player, who is also being followed by AC Milan and Juventus, would be willing to use the so-called Webster-ruling.

Barcelona has already let Lampard know they are interested in him. The departure of Barcelona midfielder Deco (30), who would have received a spectacular offer from Atlético Madrid, could open the way for a deal with the English international.

The paper says that Lampard's partner, Catalan ex-model Elen Rivas, has spent two weeks living in Barcelona with the Gudjohnsen family lately. During that period she has been looking for a house in the city, finding in the end what she was looking for in Sitges.

Betis interested in Edmilson

Madrid tabloid Marca claims that Betis Sevilla sports director Manuel Momparlet has contacted José Fuentes, the agent of Barcelona defensive midfielder José Edmílson (31) to talk about the possibility to sign the player, whose contract expires in June.

Betis manager Paco Chaparro would already have asked to bring in Edmílson in January, but the club didn't consider the option back then. Although the former Brazilian international, who has a salary of two million euro, not totally excludes Betis, he is likely to consider other options first.

Case closed: Benzema

Olympigue Lyon forward Karim Benzema (20) won't most probably play for Barcelona as of next season, like had been rumoured lately (read more here). Yesterday the French international signed a renewal with Lyon, the club he joined when he was nine years old, that ties him to the French champion until 2013.

The search of Txiki (4) : Marital status

Yesterday Catalan sports paper Sport gave a global analysis of the Barcelona transfer activity for next summer. In five episodes we bring this story to you.

The paper explains that, when looking for new players, Barcelona is not only taking into account the football talents. The club wants to bring in motivated people, who are hungry for trophies and who have a stable private life. In talks with Dinamo Zagreb, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain revealed he doesn't want divorced players cause the squad already have enough of them. And Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard asked four years ago to stop transfering single players cause they made it difficult to manage the dressing room.

(this is the fourth part of this story, the first part and the second part were published yesterday, the third part was published earlier today, the last part will be published on Saturday. The five episodes are: 1. Defence, 2. How it works, 3. Midfield, 4. Marital status, 5. Attack)

Capel has a madridista background

Madrid tabloid As confirms that Barcelona is closely following Sevilla left winger Diego Capel (20). The scouting reports are excellent and the player fits the Barcelona way of playing perfectly. The buyout clause of 12 (or 15) million euro (read more here) is not considered to be an obstacle to a transfer.

While Tottenham and Arsenal are also interested in the player, the Capel family would like to see Diego in the shirt of Real Madrid. An uncle of the player is even the president of the Madrid peña of Capel's birth place. Adding to the fact that the player is represented by the brother of Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos (read more here).

Crosas goes French / 10

Asked about his future, Barcelona loan out Marc Crosas (20) told in an interview with French radio station Hit & Sport that he's not aware of the intentions of Barcelona and Olympique Lyon, but that his personal intention is very clear: "I want to stay in Lyon. So I hope that Lyon wants to keep me and that Barcelona won't play it too hard." Crosas, who denied the rumour that the loan agreement stated that he has to play at least nine game for Lyon, said that Lyon doesn't have an option to buy him at the end of the season.

(read more on the adventures of Crosas in Lyon here)

The search of Txiki (3) : Midfield

Yesterday Catalan sports paper Sport gave a global analysis of the Barcelona transfer activity for next summer. In five episodes we bring this story to you.

In midfield Barcelona is looking for a defensive midfielder and a more dynamic player and has therefore contacted several candidates. Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso (26), who will be sold by his club in the summer, has also an offer from Atlético Madrid, but the player prefers Barcelona. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard (29) will only come if his former manager José Mourinho becomes the next Barcelona manager.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas (20) is not a real option, although the fact that he could change his current agent in May for the agent of Thierry Henry, who has a good relationship with Barcelona, could be seen as a first move to make a future return possible. Sevilla midfielders Christain Poulsen (28) and Seydou Keita (28) are also on the Barcelona list, with the second having a transfer price disadvantage. If Barcelona midfielder Deco (30) leaves, Werder Bremen attacking midfielder Diego (23) could be the first option. Barcelona has already contacted the father and agent of the Brazilian international, who wants to leave Germany in the summer.

Although there are excellent reports about Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric (22), the Croatian international played a bad game when Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain went to see him during Croatia-Holland in the beginning of February. Later this month he'll have a second chance in the game against Scotland. Begiristain already contacted with Dinamo Zagreb vice president Zdravko Mamic and with his brother Dinamo Zagreb sports director Zoran Mamic, the agent of the player. Zagreb would be asking 20 million euro.

(this is the third part of this story, the first part and the second part were published yesterday, the fourth part will be published later today, the last part on Saturday. The five episodes are: 1. Defence, 2. How it works, 3. Midfield, 4. Marital status, 5. Attack)

Rijkaard or Mourinho

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo says that Barcelona is at the moment only considering two options on who should be the Barcelona manager next season: current manager Frank Rijkaard (45) or former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45). With the continuation of Rijkaard being the preferred option of the Barcelona board, since this would mean that they made the right choices and that their project is going well. This can nevertheless only be an option if the team wins the Liga or the Champions League this season.

If Rijkaard has to leave, there's one possible successor actively being monitored: José Mourinho. There has been no contact with other rumoured candidates like Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) or Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc (42). Since he's already in the club, Barcelona B manager Josep Guardiola (37) is a candidate with real possibilities, but only if the Mourinho option fails.

Garay is not amused

Catalan sports paper Sport says that Racing Santander central defender Ezequiel Garay is angry with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain. The Argentinian cannot understand that Begiristain convinced him during a meeting last month to sign for Barcelona and that the sports director since then hasn't done anything to close the deal, without giving any explanantion.

(read more on the Garay transfer story here)

Fenerbahçe wants Henry

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo reports that Turkish top club Fenerbahçe is following the steps of Barcelona forward Thierry Henry (20), who has made clear recently that he feels unsettled in Barcelona (read more here). In the Turkish press, Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yildirim is quoted saying: "We want to sign a first class star and the chosen one is Henry." It is expected that the Champions League quarter finalist will make a concrete offer for the French international in the coming days.

The search of Txiki (2) : How it works

Today Catalan sports paper Sport gives a global analysis of the Barcelona transfer activity for next summer. In five episodes we will bring this story to you.

The paper explains how Barcelona is dealing with the whole transfer issue. After having identified the positions that should be strengthened, the technical staff choses three to five candidates for each of the positions. Since Barcelona wants to bring in 5 or 6 players in the summer, sports director Txiki Begiristain is now monitoring a group of 30 players. With some of these players, Barcelona came already to a verbal pre-agreement. Like last season, this will allow Barcelona to rapidly seal the deals in a few weeks time at the end of the season.

A rival sports director is quoted saying that no other club can offer that good conditions to a player as Barcelona: "A beautiful city, an attractive playing style, a good salary, a spectacular stadium, the chance to compete for every trophy and: sun and beach." This allows the club to block certain players, obliging other clubs to wait for Barcelona to move or not.

(you can read the first part of this story here, the third and fourth part will be published tomorrow, the last part on Saturday. The five episodes are: 1. Defence, 2. How it works, 3. Midfield, 4. Marital status, 5. Attack)

Alves hoping to catch a train

At a press conference, Sevilla right back Daniel Alves (24) repeated that nothing can change his mind about wanting to leave at the end of the season, although he is aware that no club will pay the transfer sum that Sevilla has been asking till now. Alves, who is one of the main candidates to become the new Barcelona right back as of next season, says he doesn't expect Chelsea or Real Madrid to come after him again: "I don't think the train who passed last year will pass again. But other trains keep passing and the club has to find an agreement with one of them."

(read more on the Alves transfer story here)

No second year without a trophy, Frank

Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla gave in an interview with Spanish news agency EFE his support to Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45): "Frank has consolidated our way of playing and has always found the right solutions. We fully trust him." Ingla nevertheless pointed out that it wouldn't be normal that Barcelona would not win anything his season. Although admitting that football isn't a science and that the game is getting more and more competititive, Barcelona has always won about one title every two seasons: "We cannot allow another year without a trophy."

In an interview with Catalan sports paper Sport, Barcelona marketing vice president Jaume Ferrer declared the same: "What happened last season was a big disappointment for all 'barcelonistas'. We cannot allow that we should experience the same thing for a second year in a row."

The search of Txiki (1) : Defence

Today Catalan sports paper Sport gives a global analysis of the Barcelona transfer activity for next summer. In five episodes we will bring this story to you.

At the back, Barcelona is looking to replace Italian full back Gianluca Zambrotta (31), who will leave for AC Milan, and French central defender Lilian Thuram (36), whose contract expires in June and won't be renewed.

For the right back positon, three names are on the Barcelona list: Sevilla right back Daniel Alves (24), Bayern Munich full back Philipp Lahm (24) and Bayern Munich right back Willy Sagnol (30). While Barcelona doesn't seem willing to pay up to 30-35 million euro for the Brazilian, they would already have found a pre-agreement with the two Bayern defenders.

For the centre defence position, Barcelona is mainly considering two options: Racing Santander defender Ezequiel Garay (21) and Recreativo Huelva defender Martín Cáceres (20). The Uruguayan central defender is only playing on loan with Recreativo and is owned by Villareal. Espanyol defender Daniel Jarque (25) has also been followed.

(you can read the second part of this story later today, the third and fourth part will be published tomorrow, the last part on Saturday. The five episodes are: 1. Defence, 2. How it works, 3. Midfield, 4. Marital status, 5. Attack)

Neuer focussing on Schalke

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (21) told German tabloid Bild that he didn’t hear anything about the possible interest of Barcelona: “But if it would be true, I would be honoured.” Neuer, who would also be followed by Tottenham Hotspur, added that his heart is with Schalke and that he doesn’t want to waste thoughts on any other clubs at this moment.

Mourinho, the patient one

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) has repeated, following a new offer from Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti, that he prefers to keep on waiting for Barcelona. With Barcelona clearly being his first option, the question is nevertheless for how long the Portuguese can refuse offers from other clubs and take the risk of being left without top club for next season.

Youth: Miralem Pjanic (Metz)

Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Barcelona will closely follow Metz attacking midfielder Miralem Pjanic (17) from now until the end of the season, starting by sending a scout to the Metz versus Nice game this weekend.

Pjanic is a Bosnia born player who has three nationalities: Bosnian, Luxembourger and French. He is currently playing for the Bosnian U-21. Although already a dozen of major European clubs had shown interest in the player, Pjanic signed last November a three year deal with Metz, that will take effect from July of this year. Pjanic made his debut for Metz' first team in August last year.

Laudrup or Blanc

Catalan television channel TV3 says that former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) moves away from Barcelona and could replace Roberto Mancini as the new Inter Milan manager. This would leave two main candidates for the possible succession of current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard at the end of the season: Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) and Bordeaux manager Laurent Blanc (42). Both former Barcelona players are performing well this season with modest teams.

A third option could be Barcelona B manager Josep Guardiola (37), although his lack of experience is seen as a major disadvantage.

(read everything on the manager debate here)

Barcelona or England for Modric

In an interview with Italian football site tuttomercatoweb.com, Croatian player's agent Marko Naletilic confirms that Barcelona has shown interest in Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric (22) (read more here). It is nevertheless more probable the player will go to the Premier League, with Chelsea and Manchester City mentioned as the two main candidates. The agent doesn't think the Croatian international will end up in Italy cause the transfer price of at least 25 million euro is not within the reach of any Italian league team.

Santander manager wants the best for Garay

Asked about the rumours linking Racing Santander central defender Ezequiel Garay with a summer move to Barcelona, Santander manager Marcelino García Toral told in an interview with Catalan sports paper Sport that the Argentinian is an excellent player: "And besides that he's a great professional who always wants to improve in every aspect of his game. So if Barça would come after him, I would not have the moral strength to try to keep him here."

(read more on the Garay transfer story here)

Mourinho or Laudrup

In a football talk show on the Catalan television channel 8TV, Getafe manager Michael Laudrup (43) was mentioned as a possible successor of Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard (read more here). Laudrup would also be on the lists of Inter Milan and Chelsea, who would be ready to pay the buyout fee of two million euro for the Dane.

In case current Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (45) would leave at the end of the season, the former Barcelona midfielder and Danish international is said to be the biggest rival of former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) to become the next Barcelona head coach. The Portuguese is most supported by Barcelona president Joan Laporta, against a critical part of the board.

Henry causing a wave

The comment of Villareal midfielder Robert Pires last weekend that Barcelona forward Thierry Henry (30) is not happy at the club, leaves British tabloid The Sun to think that this information will cause a wave of interest amongst European top clubs, including some major Premier League teams. A return to Arsenal would nevertheless not be an option since the club has moved on since the departure of the Frenchman and has rebuild the team around other key players.

Inter should forget about Ronaldinho

During the celebrations of the 100th birthday of Italian top club Inter Milan last weekend, Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who was invited as a guest of honour, made clear to his Inter colleague Massimo Moratti that he should forget about Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (27) since Barcelona doesn't plan to let the player go.

In Catalan sports paper Sport president Laporta is quoted saying: "I'm happy with how Ronaldinho is performing with us and he has a contract until June of 2010", advising Moratti not to make plans for the future that include the Brazilian international.

Transfer history: Trezeguet (Juventus) and Eto'o

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Juventus forward David Trezeguet (30) had already signed a pre-agreement with Barcelona in the summer of 2004, when he in the end decided to stay in Italy after a phone call by manager Fabio Capello (read more here). Capello would have contacted Trezeguet because he was asked to do so by a befriended intermediary. The new situation opened the way for Barcelona to start negotiating and later sign a deal with Mallorca forward Samuel Eto'o (27).

(read more Barcelona transfer history stories here)

Daddy Xabi is Barcelona target

British tabloid The Sun says that the future of Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso (26) is very much in doubt after the player refused to fly with his team to Italy for tonight's Champions League game against Inter Milan. This could lead the club to sell Alonso in the summer. Barcelona is one of the teams said to be interested in the player (read more here).

Xabi Alonso did not fly to Milan yesterday because his partner Nagore Aranburu was about to give birth to their first child. The Spanish international still hoped to join the squad in Milan today but Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez decided the team couldn't wait for the player.

Zambrotta on Lippi shopping list

Italian sports paper Il Corriere dello Sport claims that AC Milan and former Italian national team coach Marcello Lippi have started negotiations. The Italian would have put forward the names of five players he wants to see transferred if he would become the Milan manager as of next season.

Besides Ricardo Quaresma (Porto), Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus) and Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Lippi wants to bring in Barcelona full back Gianluca Zambrotta (31). With some of those players already hard to get anyway, Lippi would probably have to lower his wishes even more if Milan does not qualify for next season's Champions League.

(read more on Zambrotta and Milan here)
(read more on Lippi and Barcelona here)

Poulsen adviser denies Barcelona

Like the player did himself (read more here), Jorn Bonnesen, the Danish advisor of Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen (28), has also denied the rumours linking the player with Barcelona. In an interview with Danish football site bold.dk, Bonnesen told that everything is speculation: "All I can confirm is that there is no agreement between Barcelona and Christian."

(read more on the Poulsen transfer story here)

Ronaldinho renewal meeting

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo says that Barcelona officials could meet this week with Roberto de Assís, brother and agent of Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (27) to discuss some issues, among which the possible renewal of the Brazilian international whose contract expires in 2010.

The last meeting between the two parties took place last October, amidst rumours about a possible January exit of Ronaldinho to England or Italy, when both Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Roberto de Assís insisted they wanted to continue together.

Capel buyout clause on the rise

Spanish news site El Confidencial says that the buyout clause of Sevilla left winger Diego Capel (20) will automatically rise from 12 to 15 million euro when the player has played 40 official games for his club, which would be a fact soon.

Besides that, Sevilla president José María del Nido is trying to double the clause to 30 million euro. As a compensation Capel would get a salary increase that would make him earn as much as Sevilla right winger Jesús Navas. Capel, who is rumoured to be on Barcelona's transfer list for the summer (read more here and here), would want to stay at least one more year with his current club.

Spicy detail: the agent of Diego Capel is René Ramos, brother of Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos.

Cesc not pronouncing on return

In an interview with Catalan television channel TV3, Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fàbregas (20) did not want to speak out on a possible return to Barcelona, the club he left when he was 16 years old: "At the moment, I'm feeling really good where I am now. I'm learning a lot, surrounded by a great manager and good team mates. But I don't know what the future will bring."

Sevilla prefers Barcelona over Tottenham

British tabloid The People states that Tottenham Hotspur will also push for the transfer of Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen (28). Tottenham manager Juande Ramos, the former Sevilla coach, would have made the Danish international one of his top summer targets. Because the relations between Sevilla and Tottenham are at a very low point since the transfer of Juande Ramos earlier this season, Sevilla would prefer to sit around the table with Barcelona.

(read more on the Poulsen transfer story here)

Don't step on Ronaldinho's toes

British tabloid The Daily Mirror says that Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (27) is not planning to leave his current club for one of the clubs that are said to be interested. He want to keep on giving his best for Barcelona and would say no to offers coming from Inter and Milan.

And the Brazilian certainly wouldn't consider an offer from Chelsea. Ronaldinho is quoted as saying: "When I faced them in the Champions League they went to kick my feet before trying to get the ball. That kind of game is not for me and rather than ever play like that I would say, 'no thank you'."

(read more on the Ronaldinho transfer story here)

Crosas goes French / 9

Olympique Lyon won yesterday at home against second placed Bordeaux (4-2), increasing their lead up to six points. Barcelona loan out Marc Crosas (20) started on the bench and stayed there for 90 minutes.

(read more on the adventures of Crosas in Lyon here)

Rijkaard will stay

Catalan sports paper Sport says that Barcelona has decided to continue next season with current manager Frank Rijkaard (45). The Dutchman will only leave if Barcelona finishes the Liga with a lot of point behind Real Madrid, gets eliminated in the quarter finals of the Chamions League ànd doesn't win the Copa del Rey.

Rijkaard has made clear that, whatever happens, he won't leave out of free will and, together with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain, he has already started planning for next season.

(read everything on the manager debate here)

All eyes on Modric

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo says that Barcelona was not amongst the 32 clubs (a number put forward by Dinamo Zagreb vice president Zradko Mamic) that sent a scout to Zagreb to watch the performance of Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric (22) in the game against Hajduk Split last night. Since all members of the Barcelona scouting staff already had seen Modric in action (read more here), it was planned that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would travel to Zagreb, but he couldn't make it in the end.

Although closely followed by top clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayern and AC Milan, the Croatian international wants to wait for a Barcelona offer until the end of the season. Dinamo Zagreb on the other hand plans to postpone every decision until after Euro 2008, convinced that the tournament will enable them to ask more money for Modric.

Ronaldinho dream not coming true for Inter

After AC Milan president Silvio Berlusconi did the same earlier this week (read more here and here), his Inter colleague Massimo Moratti, has now also declared that he doesn't think Barcelona playmayker Ronaldinho (27) will play for his club next season. In an interview with Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Inter president referred to the Brazilian as "an unrealized dream", without wanting to give further details on the issue.

Madrid battle for Poulsen upcoming

Spanish television station Antena 3 claims that Real Madrid could also be interested in Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen (28). Madrid manager Bernd Schuster would have asked to bring in the Danish international.

Renewal offer for Sylvinho

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain will shortly meet with Barcelona left back Sylvinho Mendes (33) to offer he player a one year extension of his contract that expires at the end of the season.

Although Barcelona took a look at the market, they have decided keeping Sylvinho as a back-up to French international Eric Abidal is the best option: the Brazilian player is highly appreciated by his team mates, he is performing well on the pitch and a renewal would prevent Barcelona from spending a transfer fee.

Sylvinho plays for Barcelona since 2004 and has already indicated ha would consider an offer to renew (read more here).

Bigger club but lower salary for Poulsen

Catalan sports paper Sport says that, despite the denial of the player (read more here), the negotiations between Barcelona and Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen (28) are well-advanced and that only one obstacle remains: Poulsen will have to accept a pay cut.

With three million euro a year, the Danish international is the best paid player of Sevilla. Paying him the same salary would not only go against Barcelona's wage policy, but would also make Poulsen earn more than defensive midfielder Yaya Touré (24), while Poulsen in theory would become Touré's back-up.

Barcelona now hopes that the player will accept a wage reduction in exchange for a long term contract and the chance to play for a European top club.

(read more on the Poulsen transfer story here)

Zambrotta not excluding Milan

Asked about the rumours linking him with a sumer move to AC Milan (read more here), Barcelona full back Gianluca Zambrotta (31) didn't want to enter the question at a press conference: "I have a contract with Barcelona until 2010 and for now my personal situation is not important. The only important thing is winning trophies with Barcelona."