Puyol agent casting doubts on renewal

Asked about the contract renewal of Barcelona central defender and Spanish international Carles Puyol (31) (read more here), the player's agent Ramon Sostres has said in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato that the player is in doubt about his future:

"At this stage, Puyol's renewal talks have stopped. He has received a very good offer but the player now first wants to see how things go with the squad. Barcelona has now signed Chygrynskiy for the positions of centre-back, where they already had Piqué and Márquez.

We saw what happened last season when Puyol played on the right, on the left and in the centre. In the semi-final of the Champions League against Chelsea he played very little. I think he must be the only captain that is not used in such an important game. The player's doubts are exclusively related to the sporting side, the financial aspect is not an issue here.

Now the player has to think long and hard about his future and decide whether that future will be with Barcelona or with another team. We will see about that later. Milan? The club seems to have some trouble at this moment. I was surprised by the transfer of Kaká. But they stay one of the most important clubs and one of those that Puyol likes. Only time will tell, it's still too early to comment on these transfer rumours.

The renewal offer is on the table but at this moment there are no further talks. We will see what will happen during the season although we are not expecting him to leave at this point because he is very attached to Barcelona. Is there a new meeting planned? I'll meet Txiki soon to talk about Iniesta and it's possible we also talk about Puyol.

But I repeat that it's not a financial problem but exclusively a football issue. The relationship with Guardiola is fine. Pep likes the player a lot, which is normal because I think it's one of the few footballers in the world who can play at all defensive positions.

But in the centre the coach wants players who are good with the ball and so it is possible that he prefers Márquez, Chygrynskiy or Piqué. The coach nevertheless knows he can count on a player who is always available for whatever needs. He is 31 years old and at that age, no team can give him any assurances. We will see what happens, time can change many things."

Read more:
Puyol considering Barcelona exit

Poulsen could join Barcelona in January

Italian football site Calcio Mercato claims that Juventus midfielder and Danish international Christian Poulsen (29) could join Barcelona in January.

Although Poulsen will most probably stay with Juventus this summer (read more here), the Danish player is one of the options Barcelona is considering to strengthen the midfield during the winter transfer window, trying to deal with the absences of Barcelona players Yaya Touré and Seydou Keita who will take part in the African Cup of Nations at the beginning of next year.

Read more:
Juventus hopes Barcelona will sign Poulsen
Guardiola rejected Poulsen transfer

This week decision on Caceres loan to Juventus

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona central defender and Uruguayan international Martín Cáceres (22) with a move to Juventus (read more here), the player's agent Daniel Fonseca has said in an interview with Italian fan site Calcio Mercato that a decision will be made in the coming days:

"We are working on a deal. I'm not yet in Italy though. I can confirm that the player only wants to join Juventus on loan. If he cannot go to Juventus, he'll stay with Barcelona. I think there will be news in the next two or three days. Loan or permanent move? We prefer a loan, that's the easiest option. I am optimistic, we could have interesting news soon."

Read more:
Meeting Caceres-Poulsen swap coming up
The Scapegoat in Failure, The Forgotten Man
Caceres looking forward to Juventus move

Still no final deal with Hleb on Inter loan

Asked about the loan move of Barcelona attacker and Belarusian international Alexander Hleb (28) to Inter Milan as part of the transfer of Inter Milan forward Ibrahimovic to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Maurizio Gaudino has said in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato that there's still no final deal with Barcelona:

"Today we won't go to Barcelona. I have just returned to Germany and around 4-4:30 pm, we'll talk by phone with Barcelona officials to reach an agreement with them. With Inter, everything is ok. Do we want an exit bonus of Barça? There are still one or two details left to be resolved, I cannot say more. There's optimism from our side, even though there are no certainties in the world of football. In the evening, there could be important news. "

Read more:
Hleb will join Inter on loan
Official players' pictures (part 2)
Hleb wants to stay at Barcelona

Zlatan won't sign today

Asked about the transfer of Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) to Barcelona, the player's agent Mino Raiola has said in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato that the operation won't be completed today:

"I am working on the deal but this certainly won't be signed today."


Read more:
Ibrahimovic agent in Barcelona
Secret bonus for Zlatan?

Hleb didn't yet talk with Inter

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona attacker and Belarusian international Alexander Hleb (28) with a loan move to Inter Milan (read more here), the player's agent Maurizio Gaudino has said in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato that Inter didn't yet talk with the player:

"Hleb will travel with the team to London today. No one of Inter has already spoken with us. The two clubs are still talking, so for now he's only focused on Barcelona. It clear that he's not happy. Although the team won everything they could, he expected to play more last year. He was unlucky to get injured at the beginning of the season and this has influenced the rest of his season.

I don't like to talk about a hypothesis, but Inter is without any doubt an attractive destination. It's a great club where he can win more trophies. It's always an honour to be linked with teams like that but I repeat that they didn't yet talk with us so far. If and when the two clubs communicate something to us, we will evaluate the situation. "

Read more:
Deal with Inter on Hleb loan
Hleb regrets Barcelona move

Agent Poulsen confirms Barcelona contact

Asked about the rumours linking Juventus midfielder and Danish international Christian Poulsen (29) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Jorn Bonnesen has confirmed in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato that there have been unofficial contacts:

"For now there have been no official talks with Barcelona. We only have been sounded out by a Spanish agent linked with Barcelona and that's all for now.

To this date, the only offer I'm aware of is the one of Fenerbahçe, but we didn't even talk to them abiut the economic aspects since Christian immediately rejected the idea because he wants to stay at Juventus.

I don't like to talk about hypothetical cases so I don't know what would happen if Barcelona would make a concrete offer. Christian is for now only focused on his job and on Juventus. If the Barça option would become concrete, we'll sit down and discuss what is best for Poulsen. Since Juve is very big club, it's clear that for him leave, Christian really should be attracted by the offer. We'll look at it if there's something concrete on the table. For now, he'll fight to get a place in the team of Juventus."

Read more:
Juventus wants Caceres-Poulsen swap

Deal with Inter on Maxwell

Italian televsion channel Sky Sport 24 claims that Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell (27) is close to joining Barcelona.

Barcelona and Inter would have found a deal on the transfer. The Italian champions will reportedly receive a transfer fee of 3,75 million euro°.

Maxwell would sign a five-year contract in the coming hours. Asked about the rumours, the player's agent Mino Raiola said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that the deal has been closed for 4 million euro°.



Read more:
Maxwell alternative for Filipe as left back
Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players

Juventus and Roma interested in Caceres

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona central defender and Uruguay international Martín Cáceres (22) with a loan move to Juventus (read more here), the player's agent Daniel Fonseca has confirmed in an interview with Italian football site Tuttomercatoweb that the Italian club is interested:

"At the moment, there is nothing concrete. Juventus is interested in him, like several other Italian and Spanish clubs are like interested in him, but until now we haven't start any negotiations.

Would Barcelona be willing to let him go on loan? At this moment, no. The will of the player? His priority is to play regularly, it doesn't really matter if that's in Italy or in Spain."

Italian football site Calcio Mercato meanwhile claims that AS Roma is also interested in Cáceres. Roma sports director Daniel Pradè would have met today with Fonseca and transfer intermediary Ernesto Bronzetti to discuss the situation of the Uruguayan centre-back. Italian football site Calcio News claims that Cáceres should cost 12 million euro° plus incentives, which would be too much for Roma.

Read more:
Caceres is an option for Juventus
Liverpool and Juventus interested in Abidal
Caceres could sign Zaragoza loan deal this week

Barcelona interested in Lyon attacker Ederson

Asked about the rumours linking Olympique Lyon attacker Ederson (23) with several European top clubs, the player's agent Antonio Caliendo has said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky that Barcelona has been following the Brazilian:

"It's not a new thing that Inter Milan is interested in Ederson, they were already watching him three years ago. Now he's 23 and he had agood first year with Lyon. He has also been followed by Milan and Barcelona."

Caliendo repeated today that Barcelona has shown interest in the player in an interview with Italian football site Calciomercato: "At this moment there's nothing new but he remains a target for several clubs. Inter knows him inside out but Barcelona is also monitoring him. The asking price? Lyon has paid a lot for the player, so I think they will request at least 20 million euro°."

Read more:
Lyon interested in Hleb
Barcelona planning six transfers
Talks with Lyon on Gudjohnsen transfer


Watch a video of Ederson here:

Barcelona interested in Inter left back Maxwell

Italian football site Calcio Mercato claims that Barcelona is interested in Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell (27).

Maxwell, whose contract with Inter expires in 2010 and who doesn't seem willing to renew now that he seems to be losing his spot to the Italian youngster Davide Santon, could leave in the summer and Barcelona would have asked for the player. Valencia and Bayern Munich would also be interested in the Brazilian left back.

Read more:
Zhirkov and Lahm on top of left back list
Barcelona considers offer for free agent Cruz
Barcelona will sign left back next summer


Watch a video of Maxwell here:

Hleb agent denies exit rumours

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona attacker and Belarus international Alexander Hleb (27) with a summer exit (read more here), the player's agent Uli Ferber and his partner Maurizio Gaudino have said in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato that he's not aware of such an operation:

"We didn't receive any sign from the club, we don't know anything about this. The player also didn't talk to me about leaving. He is feeling very good in Barcelona. He likes everything, from the team to the city.

Barcelona has no intention of losing a player like that. He's only there for six months. Barcelona is convinced of his quality and will give him time to show it. So, for the moment there's not a chance he'll leave. We will see what will happen in the next two months, in football, as in life, never say never.

Of course the player is not very happy because he is not playing a lot, but he wants to give everything and fight for a spot in the team. We shouldn't forget we're talking about the best team in the world, with many quality players. Alexander has great respect for his team-mates and the whole squad. He doesn't have any problem with the coach. Guardiola has a good relationship with him, as with the other players.

It's just about adapting to Spanish football. Barcelona practices a different style of football than the one of Arsenal. And above that, the Spanish football as a whole is very different from the English league. I think that the process of adaptation is well underway and that we already could see the real Alex in the next matches."

Read more:
Guardiola denies Van Persie-Hleb swap offer
Hleb: "I'm speaking Russian with Toure"
Barcelona considers selling Hleb

Barcelona scouting at South-American U20

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona scouts are present at the South-American under-20 Championship that is played in Venezula these days.

In the first scouting reports the club's sports department has received, two players would stick out: Internacional forward Walter Henrique da Silva (19 - Brazil) and Nacional attacking midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro (19 - Uruguay - picture).

The paper claims that Barcelona is also still interested in Grêmio attacking midfielder Douglas Costa (18 - Brazil) (read more here). Asked about the rumours linking the player to several European top clubs, Douglas' agent César Bottega has said in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato that there's nothing concrete yet: "We didn't yet speak with a club, we only know that several scouts are following him but at this moment there's nothing official."

British tabloid The Daily Mail meanwhile claims that Barcelona is one of the European top clubs that have sent scouts to the tournament to watch Deportivo Anzoátegui left midfielder Carlos Fernández (18 - Venezuela), who is represented by British -based agent Barry Yeubrey.


Watch this video of Walter:




Watch this video of Lodeiro:

News of the day - Friday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)


Txiki wants to bring in another player for the left wing, there's a three-men short list: Palacio, Arshavin and Van Persie, the board has already contacted the entourage of all three and the reactions were positive, Zenit could lower the asking price for Arshavin to 20 million euro, Van Persie is the last option since he already made his debut with Arsenal in the Champions League last week, Guardiola will have the final say (Sport)
read more

Léo Rabelo, the agent of Thiago Neves, doesn't exclude that the player could leave this transfer period, Fluminense vice president Tote Menezes says that the club doesn't own the player so his future doesn't depend on them (Lance)
read more

Delcir Sonda, the president of Grupo Sonda who holds 66 per cent of the transfer rights of Neves, says that the attacker could leave for Manchester City although there are also other interested clubs, his agent Rabelo is in Europe since yesterday trying to close a deal (Lance)
read more

Manchester City are investigating the possibility of making Thierry Henry a "box office" signing in January (The Guardian)
read more

Benzema says he wants to play one day with a team that can win the Champions League although he doesn't yet know the date of his exit nor his destination (French sports weekly Sport)
read more

If São Paulo lowers the 25 million euro asking price for Hernanes, Barcelona plans to make a new attempt to sign the midfielder next summer (Sport)
read more

Barcelona is interested in Brazilian attacker João Bueno de Camargo "Joãozinho" (17), who plays for Brazilian third division club Noroeste and is currently on trial with Inter Milan, Barcelona also invited the player for a test period (Calcio Mercato)
read more

Barcelona still in the running for Pjanic

French newspaper Le Parisien claimed yesterday that Metz attacking midfielder Miralem Pjanic (18), who is being followed by Barcelona (read more here), would sign in the coming days a five-year deal with French champions Olympique Lyon, who would pay Metz a transfer fee of around 7 million euro°.

The agent of the Bosnian player, former West-Germany international Karlheinz Förster, nevertheless denied the report in an interview with Italian football site Calcio Mercato: "Today the boy has received a formal offer from Lyon and from three Spanish clubs. No club has a clear advantage, although Miralem has said to me that for him it would probably be easier to stay in France (read more here)."

Read more:
Barcelona offer for Bosnian youngster Pjanic
Barcelona will move for Pjanic
Barcelona closely monitoring Pjanic