Rossi agent opens Barcelona door

Asked about the situation of Villarreal forward and Italian international Giuseppe Rossi (22), the player's agent Andrea Pastorello has said in an interview with Italian football website Tutto Mercato Web that Barcelona is an option for the player:

"I think it is very unlikely that Rossi will leave Villarreal this year. With Milan there have been no negotiations. Juventus has sounded out Villarreal during a trip of sports director Secco to Spain, but it ended without any result.

The player might be willing to return to Italy, although he feels good in Spain. The asking price is nevertheless rather high and only clubs like Inter, Juventus and Milan in Italy and Real Madrid and Barcelona in Spain could have the means to sign him. And we are also only prepared to join a top club like these ones."

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Watch this video of Rossi:

Four centre-backs no longer priority list

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona wants to sign a young left centre-back who has at least five good years left and could play alongside Barcelona central defender Gerard Piqué.

Several players who had the necessary qualities and with whom Barcelona has already been negotiating in the past, would for a reason of age have been excluded from the list of priority targets, among which AS Roma central defender and Brazilian international Juan (30) and Inter Milan central defender and Romanian international Cristian Chivu (28 - picture).

Villarreal central defender Gonzalo Rodríguez (25) would on the other hand be considered to be too injury-prone, while Liverpool central defender and Danish international Daniel Agger (24), who has also been followed, isn't an option anymore after he recently signed a renewal with the English Premier League club.

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Chivu unlikely but not impossible
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Barça B - Official: Miguel Angel Luque (Villarreal C)

Barcelona has today officially announced the transfer of Villarreal C midfielder and Spanish youth international Miguel Angel Luque Santiago (18), who will play with Barcelona Atlètic in the Spanish third division next season.

Luque, who passed the medical tests earlier today, signed a two-year deal. The Catalan player is, after Edu Oriol, the second signing of Barcelona Atlètic this summer.

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Barça B: Miguel Angel Luque (Villarreal C)
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Barça B: Miguel Angel Luque (Villarreal C)

Catalans sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is close to signing Villarreal C midfielder and Spanish youth international Miguel Angel Luque Santiago (18), who would join Barcelona Atlètic.

Barcelona Atlètic coach Luis Enrique would have given the green light for the transfer of Luque and Villarreal reportedly have confirmed to the paper that the clubs are holding talks. Barcelona would pay a small transfer fee and Villarreal doesn't think there will be major problems.

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Barcelona looking at possible substitutes for Valdes

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that, although the renewal of Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés is the priority for the club, Barcelona is also looking at other options.

Liverpool goalkeeper and Spanish international José Manuel Reina (26 - picture), Villarreal goalkeeper and Spanish international Diego López (27) and Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz (28) would be the three names on the list of possible substitutes if Valdés wouldn't renew his contract this summer.

Diego López and Gorka have a buyout clause of respectively 35 and 30 million euro but Barcelona would try to lower those fees. The value of former Barcelona youth player Reina is being estimated at 20 million euro.

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Ex-Barça: Valverde to Villarreal

Spanish club Villarreal has yesterday officially announced the appointment of former Barcelona forward Ernesto Valverde (45) as their new manager.

Valverde's one year-contract with Greek club Olympiacos had previously not be renewed despite the club having won the league title and the cup.

Arriving in 1988 from city rivals Espanyol, Ernesto Valverde played two seasons for Barcelona. Due to injury problems, Valverde could not play himself into the first team. In 1990 he left Barcelona for Athletic Bilbao. With Barcelona, Ernest Valverde won one European Cup Winners' cup in 1989 and one Spanish cup in 1990.

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Marseille goalkeeper Mandanda on shortlist

French football weekly paper Foot Transferts claims that Barcelona is interested in Marseille goalkeeper and French international Steve Mandanda (24) (read more here).

A Barcelona scout would have recently watched Mandanda in action. The report was positive and Barcelona would already have informed the player's entourage about their interest. Barcelona executives are expected to contact the French club shortly to hear more about the contract situation of the goalkeeper.

Mandanda would be part of a five-name shortlist of possible substitutes of Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés that also includes Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (31), Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez (27), Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey (29) and Valladolid goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo (19).

Read more:
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Watch a video of Mandanda here:

Barcelona managing list of four goalkeepers

Spanish tabloid 20 minutos claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristian is preparing for in case Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (28) would leave the club at the end of the season and is managing a four-name list of possible substitutes.

The number one candidate would be Valladolid goalkeeper and Spanish youth international Sergio Asenjo (19 - picture), with Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (29), who would cost 20 million euro°, being the alternative option.

Juventus goalkeeper and Italian international Gianluigi Buffon (31) and Atlético Madrid B goalkeeper and Spanish youth international David de Gea (18) are also on the list, although the possible transfer fee of the first would be considered to be too high for a player of his age and the second seems more an option for the future.

Read more:
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Barcelona speaking with Cech and Buffon
Atletico B goalkeeper De Gea sounded out

Scouting report recommends transfer Asenjo

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that the transfer of Valladolid goalkeeper and Spanish youth international Sergio Asenjo (19) is recommended in a scouting report drawn up by Barcelona goalkeeping coach Juan Carlos Unzué (read more here).

Asenjo would be preferred over Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (27) because the first one is better outside the goal area and because he would cost less. While Asenjo has a buyout clause of 5,5 million euro°, Manchester United would already have made a bid of 26 million euro for Diego López.

Asenjo was again closely watched during the Valladolid versus Barcelona game last Saturday where the Spanish goalkeeper, who returned from an injury that kept him sidelined for a few months, again performed well with some crucial saves in the first half. People of his entourage would nevertheless believe that Asenjo is on his way to Atlético Madrid.

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Who could replace Valdes?

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona will try to sign Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (27) if the club cannot reach a renewal agreement with Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (27) this summer (read more here).

Barcelona would in that case sell the Catalan goalkeeper in the summer and use the money to buy Diego López who would have a buyout fee of 30 million euro° but who could leave for 20 million euro°.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that there's a list of four candidates in case Valdés would leave the club at the end of the season: Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (27 - contract until 2014 - buyout clause of 35 million euro°), Liverpool goalkeeper José Manuel Reina (26 contract until 2012), Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz (27 - contract until 2011 - buyout clause of 30 million euro°) and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech (26 - contract until 2011).

This led some media to again quote an interview Cech gave to Czech news site Idnes at the end of 2007: "In London I miss only my friends from the Czech Republic, otherwise I have got used to the way of life and my wife and I like it. So far I have been very happy at Chelsea and I have started to love the Premier League. But in the case of Barcelona showing interest, yes, certainly it would be worth considering. "

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Valdes calm about renewal talks
Barcelona speaking with Cech and Buffon

Barcelona confirms offers for Bojan

British sports site Sky Sports claims that Barcelona has confirmed that other teams have made contact with the club about Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18).

Despite supposed reports in Spain that Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola would be happy to let Bojan leave on loan next season, a Barcelona official insisted that nothing has yet been decided over striker's future.

Asked about Bojan being linked with several clubs, among which Tottenham, Villarreal, Paris Saint-Germain and Ajax, a club source told the site: "Bojan Krkic is a player who has a deal with Barcelona and is very much part of the squad. Nobody has decided anything about his future. Some clubs have asked about Bojan, but until the end of the season we will not even visit this subject."

The player's father meanwhile also insisted that his son wanted to continue to try and make his mark in Catalunya and is quoted by the Sky Sports as saying that he's onfident about Bojan's future at Barcelona: "We are calm because I am convinced my son will get his chance and will triumph."

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Villarreal wants Bojan for next season

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Spanish club Villarreal is interested in Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18).

Bojan would be on Villarreal's short list and the Spanish club is now looking at the options to sign the Catalan striker. He could join on loan, on loan with an option to buy or on a permant deal that would give Barcelona the chance to buy Bojan back after one or two seasons.

If Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would decide that Bojan should temporarily leave Barcelona, the club would consider Villarreal to be a very interesting option. Although Bojan, who has a contract with Barcelona until the summer of 2013 (read more here), has made it clear that he wants to triumph at Barcelona, he could accept a non-permanent deal.

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