Guardiola talks with Mascherano

Argentinian newspaper Clarín claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has talked with Liverpool defensive midfielder and Argentine international Javier Mascherano (24).

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Mascherano and Fiorentina defensive midfielder and Brazilian international Felipe Melo (25) are two candidates to replace Barcelona defensive midfielder and Ivorian international Yaya Touré (26) if the latter would leave this summer.

Melo has been followed by Barcelona for several years now and the excellent relationships between the player's agent Rodri - who also represents Barcelona player Dani Alves - and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would make a transfer more likely (read more here).

The paper nevertheless indicates that a possible transfer of Mascherano wouldn't necesarily mean the exit of Touré and that the Argentinian midfielder could be signed to strenghten the midfield. The news could also be a way to put pressure on the renewal negotiations with Touré.

British tabloid The Sun meanwhile claims that Barcelona is preparing a 22,5 million euro° bid for Mascherano, trying to take advantage of the financial problems the English Premier League club would be facing.

Read more:
Mascherano ideal candidate to strengthen midfield
Toure rejects first renewal offer
Offer for Fiorentina midfielder Felipe Melo

Deal on Alves

It's not yet official but everything indicates that Barcelona and Sevilla have closed a deal Sevilla right back defender and Brazilian international Daniel 'Dani' Alves (25).

After Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain travelled to Sevilla on Thursday, they returned with a principal agreement on the transfer (read more here). Yesterday the negotiations went further by phone, Barcelona economic vice president Ferran Soriano joined the talks and a deal was found. The only point to resolve is the way the transfer fee should be paid.

Most papers claim the transfer fee is 29,5 million euro°, plus 6 million euro° variables in the next four years: 750 000 euro each time Barcelona can qualify for the Champions League and 1 million euro when Barcelona wins the Champions League, the Spanish league or the Spanish cup.

Both main Barcelona sports papers claim that the transfer of Mallorca player Fernando Navarro will not be included in the deal. Both main Madrid sports tabloids claim that Barcelona has added their 30 per cent of the Navarro transfer fee to the rest (read more here).

José Rodríguez 'Rodri' Baster, the agent of Alves, said in an interview with Spanish news agency Europa Press that the transfer is now only a matter of time. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Alves resigned to part of his salary to make the deal possible.

It is expected that the transfer could be officially announced on Monday. Alves will then probably presented in two weeks.

Read more:
Principal agreement on Alves

Final offer for Alves
How things stand: Right back defender

Final offer for Alves

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has put their final offer for Sevilla right back defender and Brazilian international Daniel 'Dani' Alves (25) on the table.

After a bid of 30 million euro° was rejected, Barcelona has made a last offer of 32 million euro°, plus some variables depending on the performances of the player and the team over the coming years.

Mallorca left back defender and former Barcelona player Fernando Navarro (25), on who Barcelona still has some transfer rights, could also be included in the deal (read more here).

Asked about the rumours linking the player with Barcelona and the declarations of the player saying he wants to leave (read more here), Sevilla president José María del Nido (picture) meanwhile told the official club radio station that Alves could leave this summer:

"He has a contract but Daniel has again put himself on the market and Barcelona is actively interested in him. Of course it's every time more difficult to keep him with us and the fact that we won't play Champions League next season means we have changed our transfer policy. We will do what's best for Sevila. I still won't say how much Daniel is worth, you just should look at what has been paid for other right back defenders in the past. But all clubs should have in mind that with article 17 of the Fifa transfer regulations which enables players to leave for a reduced fee, we all have a sword of Damocles hanging above our head."

José Rodríguez 'Rodri' Baster, the agent of Alves, urged Del Nido in an interview with Madrid sport tabloid As to be more flexible: "I understand that he wants to receive as much money as possible, but when the club will make such a huge profit, I would not understand that a deal would fail because of 2 million euro. If this goes on, the interested clubs could get tired and cancel everything, like happened last year with Chelsea. Dani doesn't deserve this. The most important player in the history of Sevilla should be able to leave through the front door."

Read more:
New offensive for Alves
How things stand: Right back defender
Official talks on Alves to start tomorrow

Official talks on Alves to start tomorrow

With the season officially coming to an end this weekend, it is expected that Barcelona will try to present the first new players for next season in the coming week. Sevilla right back defender and Brazilian international Daniel Alves (25) could be one of the first names that will be announced. The official negotiations with Sevilla will start this week.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo states that Sevilla president José María del Nido starts from the 36 million euro° which Chelsea offered last summer. Barcelona expects to close the deal for less than 30 million euro°. Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona has made a first bid for Alves: Sevilla would receive 25 million euro° for the player, although part of the amount is in incentives and Barcelona could include some players (instead of cash) in the deal.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona and Sevilla officials have been negotiating on Tuesday and Wednesday. Barcelona would have made a second offer which wasn't accepted but which is coming closer to what is acceptable for Sevilla. One single deal on Alves and Sevilla midfielder Keita is also an option (read more here).

Sport also suggests that Mallorca left back defender and former Barcelona player Fernando Navarro (25) could play a role in the transfer. Sevilla has contacted Josep Maria Orobitg, the agent of the player, to sound out the Spanish international on a possible transfer. Barcelona will receive 30 per cent of the transfer fee Sevilla would have to pay but considers to drop their share if that would make the transfer of Alves more likely.

All media nevertheless agree that Sevilla is willing to sell Alves, whose contract expires in 2011 and who has a buyout clause of 60 million euro°, this summer. Sevilla sports director Monchi and Sevilla manager Manolo Jiménez seemed to accept at press conferences this week that the Brazilian defender will leave.

The player himself has repeated several times this week that his time in Sevilla is over (read more here). To Spanish television station TVE he was most clear: "I will leave Sevilla at the end of the season."

Spanish radio station Cadena Ser claims that Barcelona economic vice president Ferran Soriano and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain met this week with Rodri, the agent of Alves, to discuss the transfer. Catalan sports papers Sport says that the negotiations between Barcelona and the legal advisers of Alves can be finalized few hours after an agreement has been found between the two clubs (read more here).

Read more:

Alves chooses Barcelona

Personal agreement with Alves

How things stand: Right back defender