A goalkeeper, a left back and a striker

Catalan newspaper Avui claims that Barcelona plans few changes during the summer transfer window (read more here).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would already have met several times to discuss possible transfers and Barcelona would focus on buying three players: a goalkeeper, a left back defender and a centre forward.

Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés will stay the number one next season although Barcelona would like to sign a new goalkeeper who could put some more pressure on Valdés. Valladolid goalkeeper and Spanish youth international Sergio Asenjo (19) could be the main target. Barcelona goalkeepers José Manuel Pinto (33) and Albert Jorquera (30) could both leave if a good offer comes in.

With the contract of Barcelona left back defender Sylvinho (35) expiring at the end of this season (read more here), Barcelona wants to sign a solid back up for Abidal. For the centre forward position, everything will depend on what will happen with Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto’o (28).

If Eto’o leaves the first name on the list is Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (27). Chelsea forward and Ivory Coasqt international Didier Drogba (31) and Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovich (27) could be other options.

A left wing attacker wouldn’t be a priority for the club anymore, although it’s not excluded that depending on the situation of the players, Barcelona could go after Valencia left wing attacker and Spanish international David Silva (23) or Atlético Madrid attacker and Argentinian international Sergio Agüero (20).

Read more:
Barcelona plans few changes in the summer
Villa first option to replace Eto'o
Txiki talks about the summer transfer market

Drogba wants Barcelona and stops renewal talks

Catalan television station TV3 claims that Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) has frozen the renewal negotiations with his club because he wants to join Barcelona.

The main obstacle is that Drogba cannot come to Barcelona while Samuel Eto'o is still at the club. Barcelona hasn't received offers for the Cameroonian striker and Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari wouldn't be interested in Eto'o which means a swap deal isn't an option.

Asked about his situation, Drogba nevertheless suggested yesterday to journalists in Ivory Coast that he could well stay with Chelsea this season: "I can only repeat that I'm still a Chelsea player. It's a great team with great players and a great coach. And with an ambitious president.

I don't want to talk a lot about it. I'm comfortable at Chelsea, everything's fine there. I have two years left on my contract. If my employer does not want me to leave, I will continue to be a Chelsea player. Today they've made me understand that they want me to keep on playing for the team."

Read more:

Deal with Drogba close

Drogba, Adebayor or Berbatov

Drogba could bring more strength up front

Drogba close to Chelsea renewal

British tabloid The People claims that Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) is set to be offered a new four-year deal worth over 32 million euro to stay at Chelsea.

New Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has told Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon to make the striker an offer he can't refuse when he meets Drogba this week. Chelsea owner and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has given the green light for the mega deal and now it's up to Drogba.

The tabloid claims that Drogba, who is holding back the last chapter of his first autobiography until he knows where his future lies, has reacted positively and Chelsea is confident they can seal a deal with their star striker before the start of the season.

Drogba, who has two years left on his current deal, is quoted as saying he's willing to negotiate: "Chelsea want to speak and I am open to talk. Things have not changed but I am a Blues player. Money is not the main factor and if Chelsea show they want me it is possible to accept a proposition."

British tabloid The Sunday Mirror claims that Drogba is ready to sign the new four-year contract. The striker is quoted by the tabloid as saying he thinks the renewal negotiations will lead to an agreement: "I am confident talks with Chelsea will lead to a positive resolve about my future."

Read more:
Drogba wants to move to Barcelona
Chelsea repeats that Drogba will stay
Drogba wants his future sorted out soon

Txiki on Eto'o, Benzema, Henry and other strikers

In an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain explained the situation of centre forward Eto'o.

Will Samuel Eto'o leave?
That exclusively depends on him. We agreed that he has to present us a concrete offer and till this moment that has not happened.

Some club has made an offer directly to Barcelona?
No. There were some agents and intermediaries who claimed to speak on behalf of certain clubs but no club has asked to negotiate directly with Barcelona.

Why?
I suppose because they have understood that the demands of the player are very high. I don't know, you should ask that to Eto'o.

And now what?
The situation remains the same like stated before by Guardiola. The player trains with the group and is one of the guys. And we have to admit he's working very well, like he always does. He takes it very seriously and he is playing at a high level. He is showing a model behaviour. And we plan to continue like that.

Will you put him on the list for the Champions League qualifying round?
The idea is to do that, but we'll wait until the last moment to see if he will play or not. If he doesn't play and he leaves, the UEFA rules state that we will be able to replace him by another player. We have to think carefully cause for him it would also be better not to play since if he does, he won't be able to play in the Champions League for another club this season. If it's not absolutely necessary, I think he will not play. I hope his situation will be sorted out as soon as possible, whatever the outcome is. It won't be a drama if Samu stays with us, on the contrary, but it seems that he wishes to leave. We'll see what happens.

Will there be a transfer if he leaves?
Yes, most definitely yes. And if Samuel stays, there won't be one. Guardiola doesn't want to have four centre forwards. With Henry and Bojan plus Eto'o or someone else, that's enough.

Will it be a star striker or a player like Cruz or Crespo?
The market is very limited, there are no interesting centre forwards available. We like several players but their clubs don't want to sell them whatever the price. We're all waiting for some domino-effect regarding the transfers but nobody is making the first move and every day that goes by there's less time to transfer.

Benzema is still the impossible dream?
Yes. It's not a secret that we have made several attempts but this season it's just not an option.

Why?
Because the player himself has decided to continue in Lyon. It's a personal decision and it's not true that Lyon president Aulas or the team have forbidden him to go. They have made a decision together and we can only hope it will be different in the future.

You expect him one day to be part of Barcelona?
Yes, because the player will decide in the end and we have a very good relationship with him and with his club. We will monitor his situation very closely and make sure that nothing changes his wish to play for Barcelona one day.

How about Henry?
I have personally talked with him. It's just like we have transferred him again. He seems very motivated with the new project, the new manager, the new transfers.

Are you serious here?
Of course I am. Physically he's very good and that's very important for him after a season he wasn't lucky with injuries. He gave me a good impression in Scotland and I hope he continues like that in the United States. Henry will be a very important figure this year and he knows that. I think he likes that responsibility and that it gives him an extra motivation.

Will you have enough players who can score?
We've already seen that in the scheme of Guardiola the midfielders are more important in attack. Xavi plays somewhat higher up the pitch. I'm sure this season the midfielders and even the defenders will score more goals. In the set pieces, on which the team trains a lot, the central defenders will be much more present. The role of Márquez and Puyol is crucial in the whole defensive structure, in the pressure, in the building up and in the attacking.

But won't the team miss a real goalscorer if Eto'o leaves?
Yes and no. I already said we will replace Samuel if he leaves for another club, but I believe in Henry and in Bojan, who will have a bigger role and a lot of minutes with Guardiola. Bojan will be an important player and I repeat that Henry will meet the expectations.

Read more:
Barcelona proposes Eto'o-Benzema swap

Renewal offer for Bojan

Manchester United considering Henry bid

Chelsea repeats that Drogba will stay

Asked about the rumours linking Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) with a summer exit (read more here), Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has insisted in an interview with the club's offical website that the Ivorian striker will not be leaving the club this summer:

"There is no question that any deal will be done with regards to Didier. The player is currently in England recovering from a knee problem. Didier is in rehab and will continue to be a Chelsea player. I think we can squash that one."

Read more:

Chelsea holding on to Drogba

Looking for a left winger and a centre forward
Drogba wants his future sorted out soon

Drogba wants his future sorted out soon

Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer exit to Barcelona (read more here), Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) has said in an interview with British tabloid The Sunday Mirror that he wants his future sorted out in the coming week:

"This next week will be key in terms of my future. And I am currently injured. People who say I am not don't know me at all because I always want to play. I have even missed the chance to play at the Olympics. As for my future at Chelsea, well I have a contract with the club that is clear. But my agents will have a meeting in London and then it will be known once and for all.

It is true that the big clubs in Europe want me but this does not depend on me but on the Chelsea directors. I want to know the definitive decision this week. Things changed in the summer with the arrival of Luiz Felipe Scolari. He spoke with me and told me he was depending on me this year. I have worked well up until the injury and now he is in China I have not spoken to him since."

Pierre Frelot, the agent of Drogba, who apparently has delayed writing the last chapter of his autobiography until his future is resolved, added to the uncertainty saying that the chances of the player staying or leaving are the same: "Didier is a Chelsea player but there is a 50 per cent chance that he will stay and 50 per cent that he will leave."

Read more:

Deal with Drogba close

Drogba, Adebayor or Berbatov

Trezeguet offers himself

Drogba, Adebayor or Berbatov

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona isn't hurrying while looking for a new centre forward. The main reason is that Barcelona isn't willing to pay the amounts of money that could be involved.

While the club is still doubting on whether or not to start pushing hard for a 30 year old player like Drogba who has been injured during last season and whose club isn't willing to let the player go, Barcelona isn't even thinking about paying the transfer fee Arsenal is asking for Adebayor.

And even with Tottenham dropping the price to prevent the player from leaving for Manchester United (read more here), the transfer fee for Berbatov still seems too much.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that this weekend could be decisive for the transfer of Drogba since the ten-days period in which he would make a decision about his future are coming to an end (read more here). The player would prefer to join Barcelona this summer.

British tabloid The Sun meanwhile claimed this week that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola is not happy with the massive wage demands of Adebayor and with the attitude of his advisors. That would be the reason why Barcelona will not pay the 47 million euro° asking price for the Togolese striker.

Asked by journalists about the rumours linking Drogba and Adebayor with a summer move to Barcelona, Guardiola today refused to rule out making offers for both players: "Barcelona are always interested in good players. Those players are interesting but so are many others in Europe."

Read more:

Looking for a left winger and a centre forward

Drogba wants to move to Barcelona

Tottenham willing to sell Berbatov to Barcelona

Chelsea holding on to Drogba

Asked about the rumours linking Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), new Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari said at a press conference yesterday that he sees no reason why the player wouldn't stay with the English Premier League club:

"Didier's future with Chelsea is normal because he has a contract with us. I think he's very happy with Chelsea. Didier is now injured. The doctor and our medical staff made a plan to have him training and playing in maybe three or four weeks. At this moment it's impossible for Didier to come with us, but I hope when we come back he'll be in good condition."

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Chelsea would be ready to let Drogba go for a transfer price around 25 million euro°. The Ivorian striker, who agreed a three-year contract with Barcelona, hopes that the clubs can reach an agreement as soon as possible.

Read more:
Deal with Drogba close

Looking for a left winger and a centre forward
Drogba wants to move to Barcelona

Deal with Drogba close

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that there has been some major progress in the negotiations between Barcelona and Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) (read more here).

Although Drogba initially would have asked for a four-year contract, there would now be a basic agreement on the duration of the contract and the salary the player will receive. If Chelsea would accept to sit around the table, it seems the striker will move to Barcelona.

Chelsea left yesterday for their pre-season tour of Asia without Drogba. Although the English Premier League club claims that his absence from the trip is due to the need to recover from a knee injury, Drogba's absence raised further questions about his future and an immediate exit.

Read more:

Negotiations with Drogba

Looking for a left winger and a centre forward

Drogba wants to move to Barcelona

Looking for a left winger and a centre forward

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is planning for two more transfers this summer: a left wing attacker and a centre forward. These are the transfer short lists for both positions (in order of preference):

Left winger
1. Robinho (Real Madrid - 24)
2. Arshavin (Zenit - 27)
3. Silva (Valencia - 22)

Centre forward
1. Adebayor (Arsenal - 24)
2. Drogba (Chelsea - 30)
3. Berbatov (Tottenham - 27)

Catalan sports paper Sport has today exactly the same centre forward short list.

Read more:
Looking for a centre forward
Looking for a left winger
The short list

Drogba wants to move to Barcelona

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) would really like to join Barcelona this summer.

Drogba wants to start a new and last football adventure and thinks that the new project at Barcelona, where he would team up with his compatriot and close friend Yaya Touré, would be the ideal opportunity to do that.

Certainly with Inter manager and former Chelsea coach José Mourinho apparently holding on to Ibrahimovich and not going after Drogba, Barcelona is without any doubt the preferred destination of the Ivorian striker.

New Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari nevertheless made clear that he's counting on Drogba, which has caused the English club to offer the striker a renewal. Drogba is looking at the proposal but hopes at the same time that Barcelona will start to push hard for him in the coming days.

The offer of a swap deal including Drogba and Eto'o, that was made by then Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla but was rejected by Chelsea a few weeks ago (read more here), could again be put on the table and would be the fastest way to a transfer.

Thierry Seydi, Drogba's agent said on Tuesday in an interview with French football weekly paper France Football that Drogba will take a decision before next weekend: "Didier has given himself ten days to make a decision. If nothing has happened by that time, he'll stay with Chelsea and renew his contract with two more years."

British tabloid The Daily Star claims that Chelsea would be willing to let Drogba go for 25 million euro° but that it looks as if negotiations will drag on, both between Drogba and Barcelona and between Chelsea and Barcelona.

Read more:
Drogba could bring more strength up front
How things stand: Centre forward
Negotiations with Drogba

Negotiations with Drogba

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona has again picked up the option to transfer Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30).

Barcelona would already be negotiating with Drogba and has offered the striker a two-year contract with an option for a third year. The player wants a contract for three fixed years.

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola likes the play Drogba offers: good physical presence, the ability to play with his back to the goal, a team player who can also score himself. The Barcelona board would see Drogba as a more high profiled player than Adebayor. Because Drogba reached the top quite late, the club thinks that the player has some more good years left.

Barcelona would be preparing to make Chelsea an offer that includes Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (27), whose transfer to Chelsea was already discussed between the clubs a few weeks ago.

British tabloid The Sun claims that the idea of a swap deal was immediately rejected by Chelsea. Drogba, who has three more years left on his Chelsea contract, now wants to hold talks with the English Premier League club to sort out his future.

Read more:

Drogba to Barça? Ronaldinho to Milan

How things stand: Centre forward

Drogba could bring more strength up front

Looking for a star

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona wants to sign a star player with the money the club has received for Ronaldinho and probably will receive for Eto'o, who also could be included in a deal.

With the Adebayor option dropping back because of the asking price, the paper gives this list of six possible transfer targets:

Didier Drogba (30)

Fernando Torres (24)

David Villa (26)

Carlos Tévez (24)

Robinho (24)

Frédéric Kanouté (30)

How things stand: Centre forward

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 8 we look at the centre forward)

2007-2008

Due to the injury of Samuel Eto'o (27), who kept him away from playing until December, Thierry Henry (30) initially took the place in the centre. Since Henry had to move regularly to the left cause of the troubles Ronaldinho was facing, Bojan (17) got his chance up front.

Out

Bojan will certainly stay and will probably sign a renewal this summer (read more here). At this moment it looks like Henry will also stay, although he has been linked with a return to the Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle, West Ham, Aston Villa), with a move to the Major League Soccer (Seattle, New York) and with clubs like Inter Milan and Fenerbahçe.

Since he declared one month ago that he would leave Barcelona if the team does not win a trophy next season (read more here), Samuel Eto'o is in the middle of a transfer storm. Tottenham would have been pushing hard for the striker but it seems for now difficult he'll end up with the club, both for economic and sports reasons. Clubs like AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Fenerbahçe, Chelsea and Arsenal could also be following the Cameroonian.

In

Karim Benzema (Lyon - 20) is the dream candidate but will not leave Lyon in the summer. Since Guardiola was named as manager, there are rumours about him wanting to bring in a strong, tall striker, with Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal - 24) apparently being the back-up for Benzema.

Other names that were mentioned include Adriano (São Paulo/Inter - 26), Jozy Altidore (New York - 18), Amauri (Palermo - 27), Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham - 27), Diego Milito (Zaragoza - 28), Didier Drogba (Chelsea - 30), Dani Güiza (Mallorca -27), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax - 24), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter - 26), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke - 26), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla - 27), Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors - 26) and David Trezeguet (Juventus - 30).

Read all How things stand contributions here or read the contribution about:

Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

Drogba could bring more strength up front

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) is high on the wish list of Barcelona. Drogba could be the alternative for Olympique Lyon forward Karim Benzema, who is the first choice but who will probably not yet leave his club in the summer (read more here).

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begirsitain would like to bring in a tall and strong striker who can play with his back to the opposite goal and who is good with the head. Despite his age, Drogba seems in an excellent form and Barcelona is looking to bring in players who can immediately add something to the team. The transfer could be paid with the sum that will be received by selling Ronaldinho, Henry and/or Eto'o.

The player has in the past declared that he would like to leave England in the coming transfer window. British newspaper The Observer claims that Drogba has told friends that he believes he will be permitted to join another club and has allowed some of his feelings for current manager Avram Grant to become clear. AC Milan would at this moment be leading the race for the Ivorian striker.

Read more:
Drogba determined to leave Chelsea
Chelsea holding on to Drogba
Drogba's dressing room secret

Drogba determined to leave Chelsea

British newspaper The Times claims that Chelsea striker Didier Drogba (30) is still determined to leave England at the end of this season. After his return from the African Cup of Nations, the Ivorian international and Chelsea agreed that the player wouldn't comment anymore on his future, like he had done regularly the months before, until the end of the season. Nevertheless nothing has changed for Drogba and he will formally express his wish to leave in a meeting with the Chelsea board when the season has ended.

The player wants to take on a new challenge and this summer may be his last chance to end up playing for another major European club. The paper says AC Milan and Real Madrid, who were interested in Drogba last summer, are likely to come after him again. The club where former Chelsea manager José Mourinho will end up, is another possible destination for the Ivorian, since both coach and player would love to be reunited. Last month, Drogba was linked with a summer move to Barcelona.

(read more on the Drogba transfer story here)

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)

A look at the coming transfer summer (2)

Last weekend Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo gave a global analysis of the possible transfer activity in the summer.

With relation to the incoming transfers, the paper states that the technical staff has three priorities: a right back defender, a central defender and a scoring midfielder.

For the right back position Inter defender Maicon (26) is being followed for a while now. At the moment he would be, together with Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm (24), the preferred option. Sevilla defender Daniel Alves (24) is a case apart: there are mixed opinions about the question if his capacities justify the huge transfer price.

The central defender the club is looking for should be a young player who can grow, who is strong and who has a good pass. Racing Santander defender Ezequiel Garay (21) fits this perfectly.

In midfield Barcelona wants to bring in a strong player, who can score ten goals in a season, who has a good distance shot and works hard. Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard (29) looks like the ideal candidate and there aren't many other options. Arsenal midfielder Aleksandr Hleb (26) could be an alternative, although he's a different type of player. Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric (22) is looked at but will be hard to get since Chelsea will probably make a very high offer.

Up front Olympique Lyon forward Karim Benzema (20) is the main target. Barcelona could try in the coming months to get an option to buy the player in the summer of 2009. If Eto'o stays, Chelsea forward Didier Drogba (29) probably won't come.


(read here the first part of the analysis, concerning the outward transfers)

Mourinho waiting for Barcelona

French football magazine France Football claims that former Chelsea manager José Mourinho (45) has recently rejected an impressive long term offer from French champion Olympique Lyon because he would prefer to join Barcelona. Bernard Lacombe, the adviser of Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, confirms the talks but says they did not go very far.

Besides reporting on the January meeting in which Mourinho and Barcelona would have principally agreed on a future collaboration (read more here and here), the French magazine claims a number of possible summer signings were then discussed, including Bayern Munich full back Philipp Lahm (24), Sevilla right back Daniel Alves (24), Inter right back Maicon (26), Sevilla midfielder Seydou Keita (26), Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard (29), Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric (22), Lyon forward Karim Benzema (21) and Chelsea forward Didier Drogba (29). If Eto’o stays, Drogba will not come. And Ronaldinho could well leave.

Chelsea holding on to Lampard and Drogba

In an interview this weekend with the British radio station BBC Radio, Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon reacted to the rumours linking midfielder Frank Lampard (29) and forward Didier Drogba (29) to a summer exit, with Barcelona appearing in both cases as a possible destination (read more here and here).

Kenyon insisted the club intends to keep the players and that this is the wish of the players too. Renewal negociations with Lampard are nevertheless postponed until the end of the season: “He's still got a year left on his contract. He is a great player by anybody's standards and of course we would like him to see his career out with us.”