Barcelona interested in two Sevilla left wingers

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona is interested in Sevilla players Diego Capel (21 - picture) and Adriano Correia (24).

To strenghten the left wing, Barcelona failed to sign Ribéry, Arshavin and Riera earlier this summer and would now still be looking to add another player to the squad.

Both Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain reportedly like the Spaniard and the Brazilian a lot, although it's not clear if there's enough time left for Barcelona to make a bid for Capel or Adriano. The buyout clause of Capel would be 15 million euros°.

Read more:
Capel buyout clause on the rise
Kanoute couldn't wait any longer for Barcelona
Capel talks about his time at Barcelona


Watch a video of Capel here:



Watch a goal of Adriano:

Guardiola rejected Poulsen transfer

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona was close to signing Juventus midfielder and Danish international Christian Poulsen (29) earlier this transfer window when it began to become clear that the transfers of Mascherano and Cesc would be difficult (read more here).

The Danish midfielder would even have travelled to Barcelona while his Italian club was taking part in the Peace Cup a few weeks ago, but Guardiola reportedly stopped the whole operation because he wasn't interested in Poulsen.

Read more:
Juventus hopes Barcelona will sign Poulsen
Looking forward to the last transfer window month
No concrete talks with Poulsen

Loan of Bojan definitely excluded

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) will not leave on loan in the summer (read more here).

Bojan would always have wanted to stay but not at any price and would have asked for more playing time, especially in the league.

Barcelona reportedly accepted to look at offers. Around twenty clubs would have asked for the Catalan player while Barcelona considered to incude him in bids for Valencia forward Villa or Atlético forward Forlán (read more here).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would now nevertheless have convinced the player that he will get more chances next season if he keeps on making progress, which he can do best at Barcelona learning from more experienced top strikers. A source close to the talks would have confirmed that Bojan is now definitely not for loan this summer.

Read more:
Bojan repeats that he will stay next season
Laporta comments on the transfer market
Bojan will not leave on loan this summer

Valdes will renew until 2014 or 2015

All media yesterday claimed that Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (27) will renew his contract, that expires in the summer of 2010.

Barcelona would have raised their last offer and a deal would have been found on a year salary of around 7 million euro gross. Spanish news agency EFE claims that this is more than the double of his current wage.

The duration of the new contract is not yet clear. This morning, most media claimed that the new contract was until 2014. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo and Spanish news site El Confidencial claimed that it was until 2015. Catalan sport paper Sport first claimed that Barcelona had offered the goalkeeper to sign until 2016 but that the goalkeeper in the end decided to sgn until 2014. Later today, they changed that to 2015.

Sport claimed that the negotiations were picked up yesterday morning with a meeting between Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona director of foorball Raúl Sanllehí and the player's father José Manuel Valdés. Later, the player's agent Ginés Carvajal joined in and a final agreement would have been reached late last night.

El Mundo Deportivo on the other hand claims that the deal was agreed on during telephone talks between Txiki and Carvajal. The paper claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta could have talked with Valdés and that this would have made a new opening in the talks. Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Carvajal informed Begiristain with a short phone call that they dropped their previous demands.

Sport claimed that the deal would be made public this morning, Madrid sports tabloid Marca that it would happen today, but so far no official announcement has been published. Barcelona president Joan Laporta nevertheless told journalists today that things look good: "I can only say that I have been assured by the people who are dealing with this that we're on the good way. So I think we'll find a solution that is satisfactory for all."

Read more:
Valdes renewal negotiations broken off
Barcelona starts negotiations with Asenjo
Agent Frey dismisses Barcelona interest

Bojan has received almost twenty loan offers

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) has received close to 20 offers from Spanish and foreign clubs to go on loan next season.

Although the Catalan striker prefers to continue at Barcelona, he wouldn't yet have totally excluded to leave on loan in the summer because of the few minutes he has played this season.

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would like the player to stay with the club next season. A decision on the future of Bojan will be made in the next two to three weeks. Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the player wants to stay but that some people within the club would think that a loan is a better option.

Asked about his future, Bojan said in an interview with Catalan radio station Rac 1 that he has accepted his role this season: "Every player wants to play. You always want to play more but I'm happy with the time I've been playing this season. I'm kind of living the other side of football, but I understand my situation and I'm also learning from this."

In an interview with Uefa's offical website, Bojan said that Guardiola believes in him: "Although I haven't started many games, the club have shown confidence in me. When I've had chances, I've scored goals, so I keep growing in confidence. The coach tells me he believes in me, that I'm an important player and that I have to keep working to improve."

Read more:
Chelsea considering Bojan transfer
Poll result: Bojan's future
Bojan linked with loan move to Deportivo and Betis

Forlan first option to replace Eto'o

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona wants to sign Atlético Madrid forward and Uruguayan international Diego Forlán (29) to replace Barcelona forward Samuel Eto'o (28), for whom Barcelona has received several good offers from England and Italy (read more here).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would have told Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain that he prefers Forlán as substitute because he thinks the Uruagayan would link up perfectly with Barcelona player Lionel Messi. Arsenal forward and Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor (25) would be the second name on Guardiola's list (read more here).

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants to sell Eto'o because this summer could be the last chance to get some money for the Cameroonian, whose contract expires in 2010. Forlán would be the preferred substitute of Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain, who already wanted to sign the striker in 2004 and 2006. Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would have given his permission for the deal.

Asked about the rumours that Barcelona would have offered Eto'o to Manchester City last week (read more here), Laporta denied the story to journalists: "I don't think this is the right moment to talk about these things, although I want to make clear that I have been in London to solve some business issues relating to my job as a lawyer. I did not meet with anyone from Manchester City to talk about a possible transfer of Eto'o. It's not a matter of money. Barça isn't a selling club. We buy players, we don't sell them."

Read more:
Verbal agreements on Aguero transfer
New bid for Adebayor being planned
Forlan candidate to replace Eto'o

Valdes wants to retire at Barcelona

Asked about his the renewal of his contract that expires in 2010 (read more here), Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (27) has said at a press conference that he doesn't want to talk about his contract situation:

"I don't want to discuss the issue. There has been so much talk about it these days that I don't wish to say anything else. I don't want to get involved, there has already been talked too much. Would I like to retire at Barcelona? Yes, I would."

Valdés' agent Ginés Carvajal said last week in an interview with Spanish news site El Confidencial that he expects a reneweal deal will be found later this year: "There hasn't yet been any contact with the club because Barça has made clear that they want to deal with the renewals in the summer. Until then, we'll be very calm because we're sure we will reach an agreement.

We're not in a hurry to renew because both Víctor and FC Barcelona want to close a new deal in the summer. Víctor doesn't want to leave the club and Barça doesn't want him to leave. If his contract would have expired in June, that would have been another situation but that's not the case and we're very calm."

Read more:
Barcelona calm about Valdes renewal
Valdes trying to stop renewal
Agent Valdes putting pressure on renewal talks

Higher buyout clause for Messi

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona wants to raise the buyout clause of Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (21).

With Madrid presidential elecions coming up and Manchester City willing to spend big in the summer, the Barcelona board wants to reach a deal on a new clause of 250 million euro°.

The new buyout clause, which is 100 million euro more than the current one, will be agreed upon in the coming days but wouldn't lead to other changes in the contract situation of the Argentinian. Both the duration of the contract until the summer of 2014 and the salary of the player would for now stay the same (read more here).

Read more:
Messi third best paid football player in the world
Barcelona uses drastic measures to protect Messi
Messi has no plans to leave Barcelona

Xavi and Barcelona still not agreeing on salary

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona attacking midfielder and Spanish international Xavi (28) has rejected a new and better renewal proposal last week.

Barcelona offers Xavi, whose contract expires in 2010 and who currently earns 4 million euro a year, a new four-year deal and the club would have raised their initial salary offer of 5 million euro year a year to 7 million euro plus incentives for trophies won, games played and Champions League qualification.

After five meetings, a deal nevertheless wouldn't be near yet, with Xavi wanting to become the second best paid player of the squad, together with Eto'o, and therefore asking 9 million euro a year (read more here). A new meeting between the two parties would be scheduled for this week.

Asked about the renewal negotiations, Barcelona president Joan Laporta said last week to journalists that things are looking good: "The talks are going in the right direction and we will do everything that is needed to keep him. He's a key player for us because besides being a great player, he's also an example for the youth players. But I don't want to say more about it because it's Txiki Begiristan who is dealing with the contract renewals. He's responsible for these issues and he's holding the talks trying to renew the contracts."

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Italian clubs Juventus and Inter Milan would want to sign Xavi next summer, while English Premier League teams Manchester United and Chelsea would also be ready to enter the race for the Catalan midfielder if he would be put for sale.

Read more:

Xavi thinks renewal agreement will be reached

Arsenal, Liverpool and Juventus monitor Xavi talks

Xavi wants to climb up in Barcelona salary rank

Chelsea or Milan for Rijkaard

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that former Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard (46) has reached a verbal agreement with English Premier League club Chelsea.

Rijkaard would have agreed to take over next summer if current Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari cannot win a trophy with his team this year.

Catalan sports paper Sport meanwhile claims that Rijkaard could join Italian club AC Milan next season, together with former Barcelona player Johan Neeskens (57), who has been Rijkaard's first assistant at Barcelona from 2006 to 2008.

Neeskens recently signed a contract with the Dutch football association (read more here) but would have said he could only sign until the end of June because he already has a deal with a club for next season.

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Rijkaard candidate to replace Ancelotti at Milan
What's next for Rijkaard?
Rijkaard rejects Newcastle approach

Could Eto'o join Real Madrid?

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster is seriously interested in Barcelona forward and Cameroonian international Samuel Eto'o (27).

Schuster would have the support of the most important Real Madrid players, especially from Iker Casillas and Guti, Madrid sports director Pedrag Mijatovic and some Madrid board members.

Madrid president Ramón Calderón would be opposed to the deal thinking the player could cause unrest in the dressing room and amongst the fans.

Besides that, Calderón wouldn't want to break the gentleman's agreement he has with Barcelona president Joan Laporta not to touch each other's players. Calderón and Laporta would nevertheless have talked about a possible swap deal including Eto'o and Robinho during a meeting in Vienna last month.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the rumour comes from the Madrid entourage trying to take the attention away from the failed attempts to transfer Cristiano Ronaldo and from the problems surrounding Robinho.

Barcelona sources would have confirmed to the paper that Barcelona president Joan Laporta will not start any negotiations with Madrid, that only could sign Eto'o by paying the 150 million euro° buyout clause (plus value added tax).

The paper nevertheless claims that Madrid president Calderón would have sounded out Eto'o about a possible transfer at the end of last season during an informal meeting. The Cameroonian striker would have kindly rejected the interest.

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that it was Eto'o who kind of offered himself to Calderón when the two coincidentally met in Austria on the day of the final of the European championships. Eto'o would nevertheless not be on the transfer list of Madrid.

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Eto'o ìs on the list of Madrid but would only be an option next summer so that he wouldn't move directly from Barcelona. Calderón would have said to Eto'o in Austria that he would do the necessary if the player wants to come to Madrid.

Asked about the rumours, Madrid president Calderón meanwhile denied to journalists that his club was considering the transfer of Eto'o: "I don't know where this is coming from but there's no truth in this story. Besides that, Barcelona -like is logical - won't sell a player like him to Real Madrid."

Read more:

Eto'o personally informed about exit plans
Eto'o agent doesn't exclude continuation

New Valencia CEO influences Silva transfer

New Valencia CEO influences Silva transfer

Juan Villalonga, former chairman and CEO of Spanish telecommunication company Telefonica, will sign today a contract as CEO of Valencia.

Villalonga has ambitious plans for the Spanish club but the media don't seem to agree on what this could mean for the future of Valencia left winger and Spanish international David Silva (22).

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that selling Silva is seen by Villalonga as a solution to deal with the club's debt of almost 400 million euro and especially with the short-term payments. After his notable performance at the European championship last month, Valencia hopes to receive a high transfer fee.

Because of the difficult negotiations with Zenit Saint Petersburg on Zenit attacker Arshavin, Barcelona's interest in Silva has been reactivated. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is expected to make a move soon.

Spanish news site El Confidencial and Valencia regional newspaper Las Provincias claim that Villalonga has decided not to sell Silva. Together with forward David Villa and right winger Joaquín, Silva should become a key figure in the new project.

Valencia regional sports paper Super Deporte claims that the new CEO hasn't yet taken a decision but that he will ground the decision only on football arguments. The main question is not whether Silva will be sold, but what a transfer would mean for the team. If the transfer fee of around 35 million euro° would help to build a better squad, a transfer is possible.

Villalonga now first wants to talk with the player when he returns from holiday. A final decision on the exit or continuation of the Spanish left winger is expected shortly after the meeting.

Read more:
Meeting with Silva this week
Where was Arshavin all those years?
Deal with Silva

Case closed: Guiza

Mallorca forward and Spanish international Dani Güiza (27) will not play for Barcelona as of next season, like had been rumoured over the last months (read more here).

Fenerbahçe has announced on its official website that the player will move to Turkey this summer: "Fenerbahce signs Spanish striker Daniel Gonzalez Güiza, just days after Luis Aragonés took over as coach of the Fenerbahce side. Güiza is going to come to Istanbul on Monday to sign the official four-year contract."

The transfer has been officially confirmed by Mallorca. Fenerbahçe is believed to have paid the buyout clause of 15 million euro° (plus vat).

Güiza's agent and girlfriend Nuria Bermúdez showed some disappointment about the past months of negotiations in an interview with Spanish news site El Confidencial: "Several Spanish clubs have circled around us, they told us not to sign yet, to wait some more... But we couldn't keep on waiting, we wanted something on paper. It's a shame that in his own country they don't want the European Silver Shoe. They use to pay millions for foreign players but nothing for compatriots."

Read more:
Barcelona taking part in reopened Guiza race
Case closed: Lahm
Case closed: Pjanic

Possible next Barcelona president wants Aguero

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Atlético Madrid forward and Argentinian international Sergio "Kun" Agüero (20) would join Barcelona if former Barcelona sports vice president Sandro Rosell would become the next Barcelona president.

If a vote of no confidence against the current Barcelona board succeeds in the beginning of July, there will be presidential elections later this summer. If Rosell is a candidate in those elections, he is the clear favourite to win it (read more here).

Rosell, who was the key figure in bringing Ronaldinho to Barcelona in the summer of 2003, thinks that Agüero will become one of the key players in the world in the coming years and would like to link him with his compatriot Lionel Messi.

Atlético Madrid is not willing to let their star player go but Rosell would be ready to pay the 55 million euro° buyout clause that is stipulated in the player's contract.

Read more:

Record renewal offer for Messi

Marquez offered to Atlético Madrid

The Cristiano Ronaldo theory

Barcelona rejects Tottenham offer for Valdes

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona has rejected an offer from English Premier League club Tottenham for first choice goal keeper Víctor Valdés (26).

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos is looking for a goal keeper in Spain and Valdés was on top of his list. It is said that Barcelona could have been willing to listen to offers coming in one month ago, future Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has now vetoed a transfer of the Catalan player, although a rival for Valdés could be brought in this summer (read more here).

Read more:

Villareal's Diego Lopez to rival Valdés

Looking for a goal keeper

How things stand: Goal keeper

Guiza agent learning Barcelona hymn

Asked about the future of her husband, Nuria Bermúdez (picture), the wife and agent of Mallorca forward and Spanish international Dani Güiza (27), suggested in an interview with Spanish news site El Confidencial that Güiza could end up in Barcelona: "I might have to learn the hymn of Barça in Catalan."

With a buyout fee of 15 million euro° (read more here), the Liga top goal scorer will most probably leave Mallorca in the summer. And although she's a true madridista, Bermúdez, who is a Spanish celebrity, doesn't mind that Güiza could sign for Barcelona: "Blaugrana or not, he stays my partner. The future of my children depends upon what he will do."

In an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, Bermúdez said that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain has met with Félix Moneo, the other agent of Güiza: "Barcelona is one of the two Spanish clubs who are most interested. Félix Moneo has met a couple of times with Txiki Begiristain and we're now waiting for them to put their proposal on paper. If we have received all offers, we will decide."

Madrid sports tabloid Marca meanwhile claims that Félix Moneo has received a phone call of Barcelona sports director Txiki Beguiristain to ask for more time. Barcelona is still interested in the player but will not take any transfer decisions before current manager Frank Rijkaard has left.

Read more:

First talks with Guiza

Guiza agent confirms Barcelona interest

Guiza opens Barcelona door

Alves can leave this summer

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Sevilla right back defender Daniel Alves (24) will be able to leave in the summer.

The Brazilian international would have closed a verbal agreement with Sevilla president José María del Nido, who refused to let go Alves last summer despite the fact that Chelsea and real madrid both offered 35 million euro°: Alves can leave, Del Nido will be more flexible in the negotiations with other clubs but the player should let the president do the talking and not interfere in the negotiations by declarations in the press.

Given the fact that Barcelona right back defender and Italian international Gianluca Zambrotta (31) is likely to leave in the coming transfer window, Barcelona seems to be the number one candidate for the transfer of Alves. Chelsea, Real Madrid and AC Milan would be the other candidates. Any agreement is not likely to be reached before August.

Read more:
Deal with Sevilla on Alves
Alves repeats exit wish
Deal with Alves

The Poulsen problem

Catalan sports paper Sport reports that the negotiations with Sevilla on the transfer fee that Barcelona will have to pay for Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen (28) could get complicated because of the tense relationship between Sevilla president José María del Nido and Turkish player's agent Bayram Tutumlu. Barcelona would like to lower the buyout clause of 10 million euro.

Tutumlu, who resides in Barcelona, acted as go-between during the negotiations between Barcelona and Poulsen. Together with the Danish lawyer Jorn Bonnesen, he closed the deal with Barcelona (read more here). Another player who is advised by Tutumlu, Fiorentina defender Tomas Ujfalusi would now have signed for Atlético Madrid, while he already had an agreement with Sevilla. Before the Champions League game in the beginning of March, Del Nido and Tutumlu were caught by television camera's holding an agitated conversation. Tutumlu is no longer welcome in Sevilla.

Earlier this season, Tutumlu, who is also the agent of Getafe manager Michael Laudrup and who acted as go-between in the transfer of manager Ronald Koeman from PSV Eindhoven to Valencia last October, had a unpleasant dispute with Real Madrid sports director Pedrag Mijatovic before the league game Sevilla-Real Madrid. This incident was also captured by television camera's (see the incident here). Madrid would also be interested in signing Christian Poulsen.

Meanwhile, Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that the relations between Bayram Tutumlu and Christian Poulsen, who was brought to Sevilla with the help of the Turk, would have deteriorated cause Tutumlu would talk too much without the consent of the player. The player would have refused to meet with the Turkish agent earlier this month.

(read more on the Poulsen transfer story here)

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.

Rijkaard feels used

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Frank Rijkaard (45) is blaming his former Barcelona assistant Henk Ten Cate for the rumours that appeared in the English media last week that Rijkaard decided not to continue in Barcelona and could be interested to join Chelsea (read more here and here). The Dutchman's brother and advisor, Herman Rijkaard, had to come out and deny the rumours (read more here).

Rijkaard thinks he is being used by Ten Cate who doesn't have a good relationship with current Chelsea manager Avram Grant and who would like to return to work together with Rijkaard.