Fluminense and Corinthians want Sylvinho

The sports directors of Brazilian clubs Fluminense and Corinthians have in the past days confirmed at press conferences that their clubs are interested in former Barcelona left back defender Sylvinho (35), whose contract with Barcelona expired this summer and was not renewed (read more here):

Branco (Fluminense)
"Every great player interests us. Sylvinho is a European champion, he took part in the last Champions league final. He has qualities and a good head. Our people are working on it."

Mário Gobbi (Corinthians)
"Until Thursday, Sylvinho had a first option to join a Spanish club. From now on, this obstruction isn't there anymore. It's a player whom we're interested in and we hope things can be settled in the next days. We want him."

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Sylvinho has deal with Corinthians

Youth: Wellington Silva (Fluminense)

British tabloid News of the World claims that Barcelona is among the European top clubs interested in Fluminense attacking midfielder and Brazilian youth international Wellington Silva (17).

Arsenal would nevertheless be leading the race for the youth player after he would have impressed Arsenal manager Wenger during a week-long trial in December. The Brazilian has yet to sign a contract with Fluminense and would be willing to move to move to England. Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea would also be interested.

Read more:
Fluminense interested in Sylvinho
Barcelona following Brazilian striker Dentinho


Watch a video of Wellington here:

Fluminense interested in Sylvinho

Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte claims that Brazilian club Fluminense is interested in Barcelona left back defender Sylvinho (35), whose contract expires at the end of this month and won't be renewed (read more here).

The Brazilian club had earlier announced in an official statement that they are negotiating the last details of the signing of a player who is currently playing in Europe and Sylvinho would be one of the three candidates.

British tabloid News of the World meanwhile claims that the search for a new manager has stopped the contacts between Celtic Glasgow and Sylvinho. Asked about the matter, the player's agent Hans Lamberz said that he'll look at other options: "Celtic are a huge club who play in the Champions League and one that would normally appeal. But I doubt it will happen now."

Read more:
Espanyol interested in Sylvinho
OFFICIAL: Sylvinho will leave
Celtic Glasgow is an option for Sylvinho

Case closed: Neves

Fluminense left winger and Brazilian international Thiago Neves (23) will not play for Barcelona as of next season, like had been rumoured over the last months (read more here).

German Bundesliga club Hamburg SV has yesterday officially announced the transfer of Neves.

In Brazil it is believed that Hamburg pays a transfer fee of 9,2 million euro° for Neves, who will sign a five-year deal.

Read everything on the Thiago Neves linked with Barcelona story

Read more:
Case closed: Ben Arfa
Case closed: Silva
Case closed: Mancini

Neves calm about transfer rumours

Asked about the rumours linking him to a move to Barcelona (read more here), Fluminense left winger and Brazilian international Thiago Neves (23) said to journalists in Brazil that he plans to return to Fluminense after the Olympic Games:

"I don't have received concrete offers, there are just some contacts with interested clubs. I'm happy with the recognition of my play, but I have representatives who are dealing with these kinds of things. If they think that something is good for me and for the club, that's fine by me. But at this moment I don't know anything, I just saw some things on the internet but I didn't hear anything myself.

I'm very happy at Fluminense and at this point I don't see any reason to leave. I want to keep on playing here until my contract ewpires in 2010. In principle, I'll come back after the Olympics and I'll only leave Fluminense this summer if they would throw me out."

Read more:

Offer for Thiago Neves

Silva agent admits Barcelona contact

Thiago Neves (Fluminense) to replace Ronaldinho

Offer for Thiago Neves

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims, based on statements from Fluminense officials and people from the entourage of the player, that a transfer of Fluminense left winger and Brazilian international Thiago Neves (23) is close.

Barcelona has offered Fluminense a transfer fee of 10 million euro°, which is seen as a correct price (read more here). Fluminense would nevertheless be postponing a final deal hoping that a good performance of Thiago Neves at the Olympic Games in Beijing next month will drive up the price.

Fluminense manager Renato Gaúcho said at a press conference last week that Thiago Neves has several offers from European clubs and that he thinks that the player won't return to Fluminense after the Beijing Games.

Read more:
Thiago Neves (Fluminense) to replace Ronaldinho
New Valencia CEO influences Silva transfer
Arshavin negotiations on a dead point

Thiago Neves (Fluminense) to replace Ronaldinho

Spanish football blog Futbolitis claims that, with the Arshavin and Silva options losing power, Fluminense left winger and Brazilian international Thiago Neves (23) is Barcelona's top target to replace Ronaldinho.

Thiago Neves, who has been selected to take part in the Olympic Games next month, would cost around 10 million euro°. The contract of the Brazilian attacker, who is represented by the Doppelpass agency, expires in December 2010.

Read more:
New Valencia CEO influences Silva transfer
Negotiations on Hernanes in last stage
Ex-Barça: Romario

PSG offers Thuram two-year contract

French sports paper L'Equipe claims that French club Paris Saint-Germain will offer Barcelona central defender and French international Lilian Thuram (36) a contract for two years with a net year salary of 1,5 million euro° (read more here).

The player is considering the proposal of joining the Parisian club and has frequent contacts with PSG officials. Despite interest from Monaco, Galatasaray, Los Angeles Galaxy, Fluminense and some Qatari clubs, PSG seems like the logical destination for Thuram who wants to be closer to his family.

The contract of Thuram at Barcelona expires at the end of this month and with Barcelona not planning to offer the Frenchman a renewal (read more here), the player is free to negotiate with other clubs.

Read more:

Thuram close to joining Paris Saint-Germain

Ben Arfa could be left wing back-up

Arsenal considering Thuram offer

Ex-Barça: Romario retires

He has don it before, but this time it could be for real. At the presentation earlier this week of a dvd compilation with almost all the goals he scored during his career, former Barcelona forward Romário de Souza Faria (42) announced the end of his career as a professional football player:

"It's officially over. My time is up. I don't have the physical condition anymore. Now it's up to the others. I've done everthing that I wanted in football. I'm happy with all the things I've done, with the shirts I have worn and the trophies I have won."

Romário played his last game last year with Brazilian club Vasco da Gama. During his career, the striker played for clubs in Brazil (Vasco da Gama, Flamengo and Fluminense), the Netherlands (PSV Eindhoven), Spain (Barcelona and Valencia), Qatar (Al-Sadd), the United States (Miami) and Australia (Adelaide).

In 1994, Romário won the World Cup in the United States with the Brazilian national team and was awarded the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball. At the end of that year, he was chosen FIFA World Player of the Year.

Arriving from Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 1993, Romário played one and a half season for Barcelona. Due to disciplinary problems, "O Baixinho" (the little one) left for Flamengo in January of the year 1995. Romário won the Spanish league title with Barcelona in 1994, becoming that same season the top goalscorer in the Liga with 30 goals. In the same year, he won the Spanish Super Cup with the team.

Read more:
Ex-Barça: Ronald de Boer
Ex-Barça: Llorenç Serra Ferrer
Ex-Barça: Phillip Cocu

Read all ex-Barça stories here.