Barcelona scouting French third division club

French sports paper L'Equipe reports that three Barcelona scouts have asked French local club US Luzenac for tickets to assist the club's league game later today.

Newly promoted amateur club Luzenac is the surprising leader of the French third divison and will face Troyes tonight at 8 pm.

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Gudjohnsen to join Monaco on Monday

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that everything indicates that Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30) will join French first division club AS Monaco on Monday (read more here).

Monaco would have offered the player a two-year contract worth 3 million euros a year, which would have been accepted by Gudjohnsen who doesn't want to spend another season on the bench.

Catalan sports paper Sport confirms that a deal is on the verge of being closed after both clubs met on Friday in Monaco.

Barcelona and Monaco would have reached a total agreement. Gudjohnsen would join the Monegasque club for free but Barcelona could get two million euros° in incentives depending on the performances of the player and the team in the future.

Gudjohnsen, whose contract expires next summer and who would have understood that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola doesn't count on him for next season, would now be negotiating his salary with Monaco, that reportedly offered him 3 million euros gross a year, one million euro less than his current wages.

[Update:] Sport claims that Gudjohnsen did not train today but that he negotiated his exit in the Camp Nou offices. The club and the player would in the end have found a deal. The Icelandic would undergo tomorrow medical tests in Monaco before signing a two-year deal. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that Gudjohnsen will join Monaco for two seasons with an option for a third year. Barcelona's official website has meanwhile confirmed that Gudjohnsen didn't train today because of a possible transfer.

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Free transfer of Gudjohnsen to Monaco close

Free transfer of Gudjohnsen to Monaco close

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that a transfer of Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30) to French first division club AS Monaco is close (read more here).

Officials of both clubs would have met on Friday when Barcelona was in Monaco for the European Super Cup and the negotiations would at this moment be well-advanced.

The transfer could be closed this weekend, with Barcelona reportedly willing to let Gudjohnsen, whose contract expires at the end of this season, leave for free.

Monaco would have offered Gudjohnsen, who would now be earning a year salary of 4 million euros gross, a two-year contract worth 3 million euros gross a year. The player is believed to be willing to move to the Monegasque club. Spanish news agency EFE confirms that talks between the clubs have started but that Barcelona has made clear not to be interested in a loan deal.

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Monaco interested in Gudjohnsen loan

Monaco interested in Gudjohnsen loan

French radio station Radio Monte Carlo claims that French first division club AS Monaco is interested in Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30).

Monaco officials would have sounded out Barcelona about the chances of signing Gudjohnsen on loan and although the talks between the two clubs are reportedly still ongoing, the operation wouldn't be easy because of financial reasons.

French sports paper L'Equipe confirms, based upon a Catalan source, that Monaco is interested in Gudjohnsen and that the Monegasque club would plan to make progress in the margin of the European Super Cup that will be played this evening. Gudjohnsen would be willing to move to Monaco.

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Henry: "Our work rate is extraordinary"

Barcelona forward Thierry Henry has unconfirmedly said in an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe that he has been playing with pain over the last couple of weeks:

"I'm still in pain. I have now been struggling for three weeks with my tendinitis and above all my knee. I had to rest when France played against the Faroe Islands match and in the Gamper game, because I just could not go on that way.

I wanted to restart too quickly to be back to my best for the first leg of the Spanish super cup. But I had a lot of pain. On Sunday, things were much better. My tendons left me in peace. It often happens to me at the start of the season but it should be gone now.

A new treble? I think we should go game by game, like we did last year. You have to be aware that Barcelona has been the first Spanish club to have won the treble. I guess that shows it's not an easy thing to do. People always say that Barcelona is playing well, but you shouldn't forget that the work done by the guys on the pitch is extraordinary. We defend all together. That is what allows us to recover the ball higher on the pitch. And that can change a game."

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Manchester United strongly interested in Eto'o

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that Manchester United is strongly interested in Barcelona forward and Cameroonian international Samuel Eto'o (28) (read more here).

The entourage of Eto'o, who is said to be willing to leave Barcelona, wouldn't have denied the information when asked by the paper.



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Deal with Inter on Ibrahimovic

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona and Inter Milan have reached an agreement on the transfer of Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27).

After continued negotiations over the past days, the transfer fee would be 10 million euro° plus Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28).

Barcelona would also be close to find a personal agreement with Ibrahimovic, who wants to join Barcelona because this would give him more chances to win the Champions League. It's not yet clear if Eto'o will accept to be included in the deal.

French sports paper L'Equipe unconfirmedly claims that Eto'o and his agent Josep Maria Mesalles travelled to Milan on Monday to meet with Inter officials. Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed earlier this week that Eto'o has asked Inter a fee of 10 million euro for five years plus a bonus of 15 million euro to sign for the Italian champions.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Eto'o flew to Paris to negotiate with Inter Milan but that Eto'o could at this moment be closer to city rivals AC Milan. Barcelona would ask a transfer fee of 40 million euro for Eto'o. El Mundo Deportivo nevertheless claims that Barcelona won't ask a high fee and is ready to accept any decent bid.

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Liverpool and Juventus interested in Abidal

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Liverpool and Arsenal have sounded out Barcelona on a transfer of Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (29).

Especially Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez would be keen on signing the Frenchman. Abidal is said to be valued at 15 million euro° but after the exit of Sylvinho, Barcelona nevertheless doesn't seem willing at this point to let him go.

Asked about the rumours linking several left back defenders to Barcelona (read more here), Abidal has said in an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe that this doesn't worry him: "They can all come. I like competition. I still have two years left on my contract and I plan to stay at Barcelona."

Asked the same by French radio station Europe 1, Abidal said: "Personally, I'm happy here. I have been feeling good this season. I don't know if the club still counts on me, but I'm very comfortable here and I don't want to leave."

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Caceres rejects Marseille interest

French sports paper L'Equipe unconfirmedly claims that Barcelona central defender and Uruguay international Martín Cáceres (22) has rejected an offer by French club Olympique Marseille.

New Olympique Marseille manager Didier Deschamps would have contacted Cáceres to sound him out on a possible transfer but Cáceres would immediately have refused all negotiations by making clear that he wants to stay at Barcelona next season.

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Benzema is still an option for Barcelona

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that Barcelona is still interested in Lyon forward and French international Karim Benzema (21).

If Samuel Eto'o would leave this summer, Benzema would be one of the three options to replace the Cameroonian striker, behind Inter Milan forward Ibrahimovic (27) and before Atlético Madrid forward Diego Forlán (30). Barcelona would consider to offer Eto'o and a fee in exchange for Benzema, whose contract expires in 2013.

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Medical: Henry and Iniesta available for Rome final

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona players Andrés Iniesta (25) and Thierry Henry (31) will be available for the Champions League final against Manchester United in Rome next Wednesday.

Both players are in the final stage of their recovery and Barcelona's medical staff and physical coaches would have informed Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola that he will be able to count on them. Henry will have to pass a last serious test later today, but nothing indicates that this could be a problem.

Henry strained the posterior cruciate ligament of his right knee during the league game against Real Madrid on 2 May and was expected to be out for at least three weeks, while Iniesta torn a quadriceps muscle on the front of his right thigh during the league game against Villarreal on Sunday 10 May.

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that Henry could join the group training at the end of this week. A medical source at Barcelona is quoted as saying: "His knee is stable again. There is still a risk that it breaks. But this risk won't be the same in 10 days time."

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Juventus wants to include Trezeguet in Abidal deal

Italian sports paper Il Corriere dello Sport claims that Juventus is interested in Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (29).

Signing a quality left back would be an absolute priority for the Italian club during the summer transfer window and Abidal would be on top of the target list.

Barcelona could be willing to listen to offers if the bid is high enough. The asking price for Abidal, whose contract expires in 2010 and who has a year salary of 2,5 million euro net, would be 10 million euro°. Juventus is considering to include Juventus forward David Trezeguet (31) in the deal, while Liverpool would also be strongly interested in Abidal (read more here).

Asked about the future of Trezeguet, the player's father and agent Jorge Trezeguet said in an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe that Barcelona is one of the clubs monitoring the striker (read more here): "Everybody wants David. He has a contract with Juventus until 2011 but several clubs are interested in him. A lot of clubs in England, but also teams like Lyon and Barcelona. We'll see what will happen at the end of the season."

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Total deal on Ribery transfer

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona has finalized the transfer of Bayern Munich attacker and French intenational Franck Ribéry (26) (read more here).

Barcelona would have established the principles of the deal during a secret meeting with Ribéry's agent Alain Migliaccio at Ibiza, the Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea where the agent has his official residence.

The transfer fee would be 25 million euro°, the same price Bayern paid two seasons ago to French club Marseille, plus one Barcelona player. Bayern would be interested in two players of the current Barcelona squad: Belarussian attacker Alexander Hleb (28), who is valued at 8 million euro°, and Icelandic attacker Eidur Gudjohnsen (30).

Bayern Munich, who had unsuccesfully tried to renew the contract of Ribéry that expires in 2011, would in the end have seen no other option than start talking about a transfer, despite earlier statements that the club had decided to hold on to the player this summer. The excellent relations between the two clubs would have helped to reach an agreement.

In an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe, Ribéry said yesterday that he will certainly leave Bayern Munich if his team doesn't qualify for next season's Champions League: "In those circumstances, it would indeed be very difficult to stay, that's obvious... That's why the club has to finish at least second."

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Bayern preparing a bid for Hleb

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that Bayern Munich is still interested in Barcelona attacker and Belarus international Alexander Hleb (27) (read more here).

The paper unconfirmedly claims that Bayern Munich was encouraged by informal talks between officials of both clubs during the Champions League tie on Tuesday. The German club is now expected to make a formal bid in the next few weeks. Barcelona could be willing to accept an offer of around 8 million euro°.

Asked about the rumours linking Hleb with a loan move to Bayern, Barcelona president Joan Laporta is meanwhile quoted as saying in an interview with German sport weekly paper Sport Bild that the clubs will discuss transfer issues when the time is there: "I cannot say what will happen in the summer. If anything happened than Kalle (Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge) would be the first one I would call. We have to deal with this kind of issues at a club level, we cannot become instruments of agents and advisors."

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Agent Trezeguet hints at Barcelona move

Asked about the rumours linking Juventus forward David Trezeguet (31) with a summer exit, the player's agent Antonio Caliendo has said in an interview with Italian radio station Radio Kiss Kiss that he's convinced that Barcelona will again try to sign the French striker this summer:

"There is a lot of interest for him from England and Spain. It's the same as the last four or five years, we have lived the same situation during every transfer period. But in the end, Juventus has always managed to convince the player to stay.

Barcelona had in fact already kind of bought him three years ago but then Capello intervened and vetoed the move, which lead Juve to put pressure on the player, also through his family. Barcelona is certainly still interested in Trezeguet and has the intention to sign him. I think that they will try again this summer and that they could move soon. In one month, we can expect some news in that perspective."

In an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe, Caliendo repeated that Barcelona could be interested but that Trezeguet is now only concentrating on his club: "Over the last weeks I have received phone calls from English and Spanish clubs for David. But I've replied to them that David is at this moment focused on Juve and the Italian league."

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Watch a video of Trezeguet here:

Ribéry has enough of transfer rumours

Asked about the rumours linking him with several European top clubs among which Barcelona (read more here), Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25) has said in an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe that he's getting tired of all the speculation:

"Everyone keeps asking me non-stop about my future. They only talk about my exit. But it is useless, I don't want to talk about it anymore. I am fed up. Staying or leaving? I don't reply to that question anymore. I am enjoying life at Bayern and I feel fine here."

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Barcelona denies deal with Ribery

Asked about the new rumours linking Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain made clear to journalists that there's no contract deal at this moment:

"It's true that Ribéry is an absolute quality player but there's no deal. The first thing we would always do is talk with the club."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is meanwhile quoted by French sports paper L'Equipe as also denying the transfer: "We didn't talk with his agent or with the entourage of the player. If we would decide one day to make an attempt, we will directly talk with his club."

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Barcelona in pole position for Benzema

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that Barcelona president Joan Laporta has talked with Olympique Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas about Olympique Lyon forward and French international Karim Benzema (21) during last week's official dinner previous to the Champions League game between the two clubs.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Laporta just wanted to hear more about how things currently stand. Aulas told him that nothing has changed and that Barcelona is still in pole position in case Benzema would leave in the summer.

Aulas nevertheless suggested that, more than Real Madrid, Manchester United is working on the transfer of Benzema and could become Barcelona's main rival to sign the player. Laporta asked his French counterpart to be kept informed about every bid coming in for Benzema.

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would meanwhile be in constant contact with Benzema's agent. Both the player and his agent would have denied that Benzema is a Real Madrid fan saying that the he had been misquoted by Madrid media. The player would like to move to the Spanish league but has no real preference as the team is concerned.

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Cash plus Abidal bid for Benzema on the table

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that Barcelona is considering to make an offer for Olympique Lyon forward and French international Karim Benzema (21).

Barcelona would be studying a bid that could include at least 40 million euro° as well as Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (29) .

While possible Real Madrid presidential candidate Florentino Pérez would like to use Zidane to convince Benzema and Ribéry to join Madrid, Benzema would prefer moving to Barcelona.

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Lyon wants to resign Abidal next summer

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Olympique Lyon is interested in a return of Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (29) at the end of this season (read more here).

Lyon manager Claude Puel, who worked before with Abidal at Monaco and Lille between 2001 and 2004, would have urged his club to resign the Frenchman. The French champions have planned to ask for Abidal a first time during the Champions League tie with Barcelona.

Asked about the continuous rumours about a return to his former club, Abidal, whose current contract expires in 2011, has said in an interview with Catalan sports paper Sport that he could well play again for Lyon one day, although this is not the time:

"I cannot rule out returning to Lyon sooner or later. Lyon will always be Lyon... It' s a natural thing, human, there's loyalty involved. I know the club well, the president, the coach, Claude Puel, who believed in me when I was a young player. Lyon was the only club I wanted to avoid in the Champions League draw.

I know the door is open there, but at this moment it's not possible. I'm feeling very good at Barcelona and I don't think about leaving the club. I actually never thought one second about leaving Barcelona. I know where I am and what I want to achieve with this club."

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has meanwhile said in an interview with French sports paper L'Equipe earlier this week that his club is planning to make serious investments during the coming years:

"There has been decided that our priority is to come closer to the European top. So for the next three years we will not worry too much about the financial results. The sporting results will be the priority and we will try to get better whatever it costs. It's a change of strategy given the current circumstances. We have the means to make the difference in this period of global crisis. We will invest. It's the coach who will decide, he has the responsibility to make the best choices."

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