Guardiola rejects to sign Rafinha and Mongongu

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has rejected the transfers of AS Monaco central defender and Congo international Cédric Mongongu (20 - picture) and Schalke 04 right back defender Rafinha (23).

Both players reportedly had been put forward by the club earlier this week as alternatives for the transfer of Shakhtar centre-back Chygrynskiy. After the rejection by Guardiola, Barcelona would have decided to make a new attempt for the Ukrainian defender.

Catalan sports paper Sport and El Mundo Deportivo both confirm that Chygrynskiy is the only defender Guardiola wants to sign before the end of the summer transfer window. If that transfer would not be possible, the Catalan coach would prefer to give the youth players a chance.

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Rafinha was offered to Barcelona by Brazilian sports marketing agency Traffic through players' agents Marcos and Naor Malaquías. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have been in favour of the option to sign the Brazilian right back.

Read more:
Bid for Schalke right back Rafinha
New contacts with Shakhtar on Chygrynskiy
Three central defenders offered to Barcelona

Bid for Schalke right back Rafinha

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has made a first bid for Schalke 04 right back defender Rafinha (23).

Marcos Malaquías, the agent of both Rafinha and Barcelona player Henrique, met with Barcelona oficials yesterday before travelling to Germany to discuss a transfer of Rafinha with Schalka 04 board members.

While Barcelona reportedly made an offer of 4 million euros°, the German Bundesliga club would be asking a transfer fee of 10 million euros° for Rafinha, who isn't comfortable at Schalke anymore after an incident regarding the player's participation in last year's Olympic games, and would be delighted to join Barcelona. The contract of Rafinha expires in the summer of 2011.

Read more:
Eight names on right-back short list
Rafinha dreaming of Barcelona

Possible decision on future Henrique today

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that today a decision could be made on the future of Barcelona central defender Henrique Adriano Buss (22).

Marcos Malaquias, the agent of the Brazilian defender, would be in Barcelona to discuss a loan deal of Henrique.

Read more:
Henrique offered to Racing Santander

Henrique still hopes to convince Guardiola

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona central defender Henrique Adriano Buss (22) isn't thinking about leaving Barcelona.

The Brazilian player would be aware that he will have to improve but still has the hope to convince Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola of his qualities.

Henrique wouldn't have problems if he would have to start the season as last centre-back option, even behind youth players Muniesa and Fontàs.

Barcelona nevertheless would plan to let Henrique leave on loan for a second year, although the player hasn't yet been officially informed. No one from the technical staff would have informed Henrique about the decision and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain didn't yet contact the player's agents Marcos and Naor Malaquías on the issue. It is believed Barcelona could be waiting to see what happens during the last weeks of the transfer market.

Read more:
Future of Henrique at Barcelona uncertain
Zaragoza interested in Henrique loan

Porto, Ajax and Germany also options for Keirrison

Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte claims that the agents of Barcelona forward Keirrison (20) are analyzing the last offers for the player.

The Malaquias brothers would travel today to Portugal to start negotiating with Portuguese champions Porto. They could also meet with officials of Benfica, that would also be interested.

Asked about the upcoming loan, agent Marcos Malaquias said in an interview with the site that a decision can be expected at the beginning of next week: "Porto and Ajax have the best chances at this moment but nothing has been decided yet. There's a lot of talk here in Spain that Benfica would already have signed him, but there's no truth in that. After Barça made public that he will leave on loan, a lot of clubs have shown interest. We'll make a decision on Monday or Tuesday."

Portuguese sports paper O Jogo meanwhile claims that Benfica is no longer interested in Keirrison. Asked about the rumours, agent Naor Malaquias nevertheless told the paper that the Portuguese club is still among the candidates: "Benfica is one of the potential candidates to sign the player, like are Roma, Ajax and a German club."

Read more:
Roma also interested in Keirrison loan
OFFICIAL: Keirrison
Benfica to loan Keirrison

Roma also interested in Keirrison loan

Italian sports site Sportal claims that AS Roma is also interested in a loan of Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20), who is expected to sign with Barcelona later today.

Barcelona has announced they want the Brazilian striker to leave on loan next season and Roma, that could offer the striker playing time in a top league, would hope that they can sign Keirrison due to the good relationships between the clubs.

Portuguese sports paper A Bola claims, based upon statements of the player's agent Naor Malaquias in the Brazilian press, that Roma is, besides Benfica, a possible destination for Keirrison.


Read more:
Benfica to loan Keirrison
OFFICIAL: Keirrison
Keirrison says goodbye to his Brazilian fans

Deal on Keirrison should be finalized next week

Asked about the situation of Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias has said in an interview with Brazilian news site Terra that the deal should be finalized by next week:

"He is training in a gym in Curitiba with a personal coach. He's doing his normal exercises. By next week everything should be clear.

Although a deal with Barcelona is still not certain, we're not talking with other clubs. We are very close to finalizing a deal with Barcelona but now we can we only wait. There are some bureaucratic details left but a final agreement is close. Barcelona is still not sure if he will stay or will leave on loan, and in the last case, to which club."

Read more:
Keirrison could be included in Bruno Alves deal
Deal on transfer of Keirrison
Keirrison to give press conference next week

Henrique will start pre-season in Barcelona

Asked about the future of Barcelona central defender Henrique (22) who played on loan with German club Bayer Leverkusen last year (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias has said in an interview with Brazilian news site Terra that he'll start the pre-season at Barcelona:

"What is certain is that he'll be in Barcelona on 20 July and in one week we should then decide if he'll leave again on loan or if he stays at Barcelona."

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the future of Henrique could depend on the fact if there will still be money left to sign a central defender after Barcelona has closed the priority signings.

Read more:
Henrique could be included in Bruno Alves deal
No final decision on Henrique
Henrique: "I think I can become a starter"

Medical tests and signature Keirrison next week

Asked about the situation of Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20) (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias has confirmed in an interview with Brazilian sports paper Lance that the transfer has almost been completed:

"The contract is ready, but it will only be singed next Friday, after the medical exams that will take place next week. I am very happy for Keirrison that he will be able to join Barcelona and continue his career in Europe."

Read more:
Transfer of Keirrison to be closed in next hours
Official announcement Keirrison deal postponed
Barcelona could include Keirrison in Villa deal


Watch this video of Keirrison:

Keirrison will sign contract tomorrow

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20) will sign tomorrow a five-year contract with Barcelona.



(sources: rac 1, sport, tv3, as, el periódico, globo esporte, lance)

Last Thursday, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of football Raúl Sanllehí met with André Cury, a representative of Brazilian player's agency Traffic that owns 80 per cent of the transfer rights of the player, the other 20 per cent being in the possession of Palmeiras. Traffic chairman Júlio Mariz also took part in the meeting.

The negotiations are then said to be well-advanced, a pre-agreement would have been reached. Cury says: "We're optimistic regarding a deal. As we are concerned, we now have a pre-agreement that we hope to finalize on Tuesday." Barcelona would already have had before agreed on an option on the player that expired on 30 June.

On Friday, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain had a lunch with Marcos Malaquias, one of the player's agents Marcos Malaquias in a Barcelona restaurant to negotiate on the player's contract. In the afternoon, Malaquias and Mariz met with Barcelona officials at the club's offices.

Naor Malaquias, the other agent of Keirrison confirmed the talks: "My brother and a Traffic director are in Barcelona to take part in the negotiations. I don't know anything about possible fees yet." Marcos Malaquias said after the meeting that a deal was very close: "There are only a few details missing before it's official."

It was then decided that Keirrison wouldn't train or play anymore with Palmeiras. The Brazilian striker travelled the same day to his home-town Keirrison, where he was getting ready to fly to Barcelona. Palmeiras put out a statement confirming a formal offer by Barcelona, Keirrison did the same (read more here). Barcelona president Joan Laporta says the next day that they're on the verge of finalizing the deal.

Despite having more than four years left on his contract, Keirrison can leave Palmeiras without an extra fee. When he signed his contract earlier this year, a clause was inserted that allowed him to move at any moment to Barcelona, his favourite club since childhood (read more here). Sport claims that Keirrison also insisted that in his contract with Traffic a buyout clause would be included saying that he could leave to Barcelona for 15 million euro°. For other clubs, the buyout clause would be 50 million euro.

Other sources mention other figures regarding the agreed transfer fee: "13 million plus 3 million in incentives" (tv3), "around 14 million euro" (el periódico), "around 15 million euro" (globo esporte), "16 million euro" (lance). Keirrison, who also rejected an offer by Real Madrid in January, will most likely be included, on loan or permanently, in a transfer deal on Villa or (more unlikely) on Forlán or Bruno Alves.

Read more:
Deal on transfer of Keirrison
Keirrison dreams of Barcelona move
Barcelona prepares final offer for Villa

Meeting with agent Henrique planned next week

Catalan sports paper Sport claims Marcos Malaquias, the agent of Bayer Leverkusen central defender and Barcelona loan out Henrique (22), will meet with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain on Wednesday to hear first hand about the plans of the club for next season.

It is generally believed that the Brazilian defender will start the pre-season with Barcelona and that then later in the summer a decision on his future will be made.

Read more:
Will Henrique return from loan?
Barcelona plans few changes in the summer
Henrique will start next pre-season in Barcelona

All parties involved deny deal on Keirrison

Asked about the rumours about a principal agreement on the transfer of Palmeiras forward Keirrison to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias denied the rumour in an interview with Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte:

"I talked informally with Barcelona sports director Begiristain on Tuesday. We have an excellent relationship because Barcelona recently contracted Henrique, who's also one of my players.

But he didn't made any proposal for Keirrison. We know that it'ss a player who's being watched by a lot of clubs, but until now there's nothing official.

We have a project for Keirrison, we want him to stay until the middle of next year. But it is clear that we cannot say that things won't change. Because some of those clubs, when they want a player, they just come and take him with them. But at this moment, there's not much to tell."

Malaquias also commented on the issue in an interview with Brazilian sports site UOL Esporte: "Barcelona really showed interest but didn't yet start any negotiations with the player. It's obvious that all eyes are on him. Who would not want to have Keirrison in his team?

But it was only an informal meeting and there was no proposal. In principle, we want Keirrison to stay at Palmeiras at least until the end of the year. But if a European top club would make a very good proposal, that could change. We know that anything can happen in football, but the player will have the final word."

Jose Hawilla, chairman of sports marketing agency Traffic that owns the player's transfer rights for the next four years, said in an interview with Brazilian radio station Rádio Record that a transfer is not an option at this moment:

"Keirrison hasn't been offered and the plan is that he stays. He's not for sale. Directors can come from Spain or Italy, but no one will be able to prevent this. Those directors are here the whole time. Last week, we had four of them from Germany who came and watched some games. But Keirrison is simply not for sale."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta also denied to journalists that a deal has already been closed: "We're of course talking with several players who could join us in the future but there's no transfer for next season finalized. Relating to Keirrison, there's nothing agreed yet. If this would be the case, we would know it. Txiki is doing his job, he's holding talks, but there's nothing more to say at this moment."

Keirrison meanwhile told journalists that he's focusing on his club: "I don't think about this, I leave that for my agents. My head is only focused on Palmeiras. But I know that in July, when the transfer window will open, the speculations will start again."

Read more:
Principal agreement with Keirrison
Keirrison dreams of Barcelona move
Possible deal on Brazilian striker Keirrison


Watch this video of Keirrison:

Henrique will start next pre-season in Barcelona

Catalan radio station Ona FM claims that Marcos Malaquías, the agent of Bayer Leverkusen central defender and Barcelona loan out Henrique (22), has met yesterday afternoon with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola.

The club wanted to talk about about the future of Henrique and communicated that they have received positive reports and that they are satisfied with how the player has been adapting to European football so far this season.

Asked about the meeting, Malaquías said that the Brazilian defender will start preparing for next season at Barcelona: "Henrique needs to present himself in Barcelona in the month of July. The idea is that he starts the pre-season with Barcelona and that the staff will then decide later if he will stay with the team or if he will leave on loan again."

Asked about a possible return of Henrique, Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has said at a press conference that he's monitoring the player but that nothing has been decided yet: "I have seen one complete game and several summaries and he's doing very well, but I don't know yet if he will join us next season or not. Maybe you should ask his agent, who apparently knows more about the issue."

Read more:
Henrique: "I want to join Barcelona next season"
Leverkusen wants to keep Henrique one more year
Decision on Henrique's future next month

Barcelona in pole position for Keirrison

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is interested in Coritiba forward and Brazilian youth international Keirrison de Souza Carneiro (19) (read more here).

Barcelona's good relations with Brazilian sport marketing agency Traffic could bring the striker to Barcelona in the future.

The paper also claims that Keirrison is on a ten men short-list of former Barcelona sports vice president Sandro Rosell who will take part in the presidential elections of 2010. Keirrison would be one of the players Rosell will promise to bring to Barcelona if he's chosen as the new president.

Based on reports in Brazilian news paper Lance and Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte, the situation today is that sports marketing agency Mais Sports of the brothers Naor and Marcos Malaquias has yesterday sold 80 per cent of the transfer rights of Keirrison to sports marketing agency Traffic. Mais Sports keeps on representing Keirrison and will have a part of the future transfer fee.

The other 20 per cent are owned by Brazilian first division club Coritiba. Because Keirrison's contract with the club expires next April, Coritiba prefers to sell their share now. Traffic wants to buy the 20 per cent and then transfer the player to local fourth division club Desportivo Brasil, that is owned by Traffic.

Desportivo Brasil would then loan the player out to Brazilian first division club Palmeiras. Keirrison would join Palmeiras in January in order to gain more experience before he makes the move to Europe in the coming years.

Read more:
Possible deal on Brazilian striker Keirrison
Hernanes could come next summer
Barcelona following Brazilian striker Dentinho


Watch a video of Keirrison:

Possible deal on Brazilian striker Keirrison

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona could have reached an agreement on the transfer of Coritiba forward and Brazilian youth international Keirrison de Souza Carneiro (19).

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have met in Buenos Aires, Argentinia with the agents of the Brazilian striker, who has sixth months left on his Coritiba contract.

A transfer price of 13 million euro° would have been agreed upon. The fee will be split between Brazilian first division club Coritiba and the agents and owners of the player.

The paper also mentions another rumour that says that it is in fact an intermediary, appointed by Barcelona, who would have reached an agreement signed by all parties concerned, including Keirrison.

Keirrison is represented by the same agents as Barcelona central defender Henrique (21) and like in the case of Henrique, who plays on loan with Bayer Leverkusen this season after he joined Barcelona last summer (read more here), Keirrison could immediately leave on loan.

Asked about the rumours, Marcos Malaquias, one of the agents of Keirrison, denied the deal and indicated that he plans to travel to Spain next week to negotiate with Valencia.

Read more:
Henrique will be loaned out to Leverkusen

Hernanes could come next summer
Transfer history: Denilson (Palmeiras)


Watch this video of Keirrison:

Henrique will arrive today

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21) will arrive in Barcelona today.

Henrique should already have arrived one week ago, but Barcelona asked the player to postpone his arrival until the transfer of Ronaldinho to AC Milan was finalized. After the medical tests he will sign a five-year contract. The transfer fee is 8 million euro° plus a possible 2 million euro variables.

In an interview with the paper, Henrique says he's delighted about the transfer: "I'm aware that this is a unique opportunity in my life and I'm ready to grab this chance. I'm incredibly motivated and ready to start training and playing in Europe. I don't yet fully realize what it means to represent Barcelona, I think I will only feel the importance of the club when I arrive."

There's still a chance that the player will do a part of the pre-season with Barcelona, although the most likely thing is that he will immediately join German club Bayer Leverkusen, where he will play on loan next season like has been agreed upon between Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and the brothers Marcos and Naor Malaquias, the agents of the player.

The paper claims that it were the agents of Henrique who themselves proposed the Leverkusen option to Barcelona once the club had made clear its intention to loan the Brazilian defender out for one season (read more here).

Henrique thinks that accepting the loan deal has been the right decision: "The most important thing is that I will be a Barcelona player and that the club decided to transfer me. I think that Bayer is a good option now, because it's a top club in Germany that will allow me to adapt to the football in Europe and will give me the chance to keep on growing as a player in view of my definitive arrival in Barcelona. Over the last weeks, I have been training on my own which will probably help me to pick up the rhythm quickly."

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that the only remaining problem with Bayer Leverkusen is that Barcelona wants the German club to fully pay Henrique's salary during next season.

Read more:
Henrique will be loaned out to Leverkusen
Brazilian defender Alex Silva high on list
Henrique won't be presented

Henrique will be loaned out to Leverkusen

Asked about his situation and his upcoming transfer to Barcelona (read more here), Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21), who said goodbye to his team-mates yesterday, has confirmed in an interview with the official website of his club that he will leave Palmeiras:

"I came to Palmeiras at the beginning of this year with the idea to stay here for a long time but the professional career of a football player can be full of incredible surprises. My stay here had a direct influence on my life since the greatness and the tradition of Palmeiras has been very important for my transfer."

The Palmeiras website claims that Henrique will sign a five-year contract with Barcelona and that the defender will immediately be loaned out to German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen (read more here).

Henrique's agent, Marcos Malaquias, confirmed the whole operation in an interview with Brazilian sports paper Gazeta Esportiva: "At this moment we're closing the last details. Henrique will be presented by Barcelona, where he will sign for five years, and after that he'll leave for Bayer Leverkusen. The player was delighted to sign for Barcelona and he knows that if the club paid for him, they intend to use him one day. He won't play there this season, but he certainly will the next one.

Henrique is very happy with the whole deal, because Leverkusen is also a big club and has always given chances to Brazilian players. Rafinha, who plays at Schalke and only lives at 40 kilometres from Leverkusen, is a former team-mate and a very good friend of Henrique and will surely help him to adapt."

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that, although the negotiations aren't yet finalized, Henrique will most probably arrive in Barcelona on Sunday.

Read more:
Henrique should be next transfer
Last details of Henrique transfer being resolved
Henrique will arrive next week

Negotiations on Henrique ongoing but unclear

Asked about how things stand regarding the interest of Barcelona in Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21) (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias has said in an interview with Brazilian news agency Gazeta Press that they are waiting for a concrete offer in the coming weeks:

"We met with Barcelona officials and they showed a clear interest. We keep on talking and we'll see how things go. We have made progress and now we're waiting for the official offer to come, like they have promised. When the offer comes, we will talk with the owner Traffic and his club Palmeiras."

Traffic representative André Cury meanwhile said to the news agency that sport marketing agency Traffic, who ownes the transfer rights of Henrique, has received an 8 million euro° bid from Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam. The bid will be discussed with Palmeiras soon. Henrique has a contract with Palmeiras until the end of this year.

It is believed that all Brazilian parties involved would prefer to postpone a deal until the Brazilian olympic selection has been announced. If Henrique is selected and plays a good olympic tournament, it can be expected that his price will rise.

Naor Malaquias, the player's other agent, seemed nevertheless to suggest to Brazilian journalists that an agreement on the transfer of Henrique could be reached in the coming days: "We had a meeting with Barcelona representatives a few days ago and the talks are very well-advanced. Now we only need to talk to Palmeiras to look at the situation and then we could make a decision later this week."

Read more:
Agent confirms Henrique talks
Brazilian defender Alex Silva high on list
Record MLS offer for Ronaldinho

Agent confirms Henrique talks

Asked about the rumours linking Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21) with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias said in an interview with Brazilian sports site Gazeta Esportiva that he held talks with Barcelona officials yesterday:

"Barcelona came to São Paulo wanting to close the deal. I met with them in the morning and after that we talked with the people of sports marketing agency Traffic, who ownes the player's transfer rights. The price hasn't yet been agreed upon, there is still a difference, but the transfer fee should be between 8 and 10 million euro°."

Traffic, who paid around 2,5 million euro° for the player back in January, would prefer to postpone a deal until after the Olympic Games in August with Henrique expected to be a member of the Brazilian olympic team squad. Henrique could already have closed a personal deal with Barcelona (read more here).

São Paulo football director Genaro Marino says that his club hasn't yet been officially informed of the Barcelona interest: "We're not wanting to let go Henrique but he belongs to Traffic so we're waiting to hear from them. If Henrique is sold we will receive 20 per cent of the difference between the transfer fee and the fee paid by Traffic in January."

Brazilian news site Paraná claims that the transfer fee would be around 10 million euro°. Only some details should still be agreed upon. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo says that everyting indicates that, if Henique is transfered, he will play on loan next season with Palmeiras or another club.

Read more:

Possible deal on Brazilian defender Henrique

Brazilian defender Alex Silva high on list

Mourinho's eleven