Lucio denies Barcelona

Football site Goal reports that Bayern Munich central defender Lúcio (29) told a German press source that it's time to leave Germany and to look for a new challenge. Asked about the rumours linking him to Barcelona (read more here), the Brazilian international denied that there's an agreement and is quoted as saying: "I have heard the talks about Spain, but there's nothing official at this moment."

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)

Ronaldinho is becoming a major problem (2)

Last week's incidents (read more in the first part of this contribution) seem a public expression of the deteriorated relations between Ronaldinho and Barcelona.

Catalan sports paper Sport claimed last week that the tecnical staff would have lost patience with Ronaldinho's unprofessional behaviour. Manager Frank Rijkaard's statements during a Saturday press conference, in which he didn't defend the player anymore - like he used to do before - against critical questions, seemed to confirm this. Although Rijkaard changed his tone again after last night's win over Valladolid: "Ronaldinho didn't let me down, I'm with him. I cannot be disappointed with him, since he has gven a lot to the club and the team."

Different sources have been reporting that the Barcelona board has taken the decison to listen to offers coming in for the player. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo even says that some board members think the Brazilian shouldn't play ever again for the club. Madrid tabloid As claims that especially Barcelona president Joan Laporta is fed up with the player and is constantly trying to leak stories to the press, aiming to discredit the player and make it that way possible to sell Ronaldinho, without too much critical comments from the fans, as soon as an interested club comes knocking.

But the latter seems a problem. Catalan sports site Info Esports claims that of course no club is willing to pay the 125 million euro (°) buyout clause, but that no club is at this moment even considering to negotiate with Barcelona about a transfer. And the three main candidates to transfer Ronaldinho - Chelsea, AC Milan and Inter Milan - indeed seem to have stopped their efforts to bring in the player, like all three have explicitly admitted in the last weeks (read more here, here and here).

(this is the second part of this contribution, the first part was published earlier today, the third and last part will be published tomorrow)

Sylvinho waiting for renewal offer

Asked about his future at a press conference, Barcelona left back defender Sylvinho Mendes (33) said that he still didn't receive a renewal offer from Barcelona: "It's my fourth season here. I'm happy and satisfied with my role, so I hope to renew. Let's see what the club will do." The contract of the former Brazilian international, who is performing well the last weeks, expires at the end of the current season.

(read more on the Sylvinho renewal here)

Coloccini is excited but cautious

Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), Deportivo La Coruña central defender Fabricio Coloccini (26) told in an interview with Spanish news agency EFE that he now is focusing on a good season finish with Deportivo but he admitted: "Barcelona is a great team and when one is linked with such a team one feels excited."

The Argentinian international nevertheless tries to keep a cool head about the possible interest: "Every time the end of the season is coming near, these kind of things are appearing, so we'll see."

(read everything on the Coloccini transfer story here)