Spanish football weekly paper Don Balón claims that American sportswear supplier Nike will do anything to keep Manchester United winger and Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo (23) in England or to make him move to Barcelona (read more here).
Nike wants to break Adidas' dominance in the football market during the next years. After losing Messi two years ago to their German rivals, Nike therefore wants to keep Cristiano Ronaldo at a "Nike team" so they can fully exploit his image.
If Ronaldo would move to an "Adidas team" like Real Madrid, the promotional possibilities would be strongly reduced. Nike already experienced the negative effects of such a move when David Beckham joined Madrid.
With the Portuguese winger wanting to move to Spain to be closer to his family and home land, Nike would help Barcelona, who has a contract with the American firm until 2018, to finance the 90 million euro° transfer fee: Barcelona would pay 50 million euro° and Nike would immediately put down 40 million euro°, reducing then afterwards their annual payment by 4 million euro a year over the next ten seasons.
Since the sports supplier also sponsors the Portuguese national team, Nike could then fully exploit the image of the football icon that Ronaldo has become over the last season. The possible election of former Barcelona sports vice president and former Nike executive Sandro Rosell as Barcelona president later this summer could be the key element in the operation (read more here).
With the relations between Real Madrid and Manchester United being on a historic low, Manchester United, and especially manager Alex Ferguson, would - in case they cannot hold on to the player - prefer to see Ronaldo leave for Barcelona to pay Madrid back for the troubles they have caused the English Premier League club.
Read more:
The Cristiano Ronaldo theory
Ezquerro close to joining Olympiacos
Barcelona monitors Ronaldo events
Saturday 21 June 2008
Nike wants Ronaldo in Barcelona
Club-agent dispute could cancel Hernanes move
Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo claims that Barcelona could stop every negotiation on the transfer of São Paulo attacking midfielder and Brazilian international Hernanes (23) because of a dispute between São Paulo and sports marketing agency Traffic.
Read more:
Ronaldinho postpones decision
Asked about his situation at Barcelona, Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho (28) said earlier this week in an interview with Brazilian television channel SporTV that he doesn't plan to take a decision on his future anywhere soon:
"My only worry now is to recover well and to come back as soon as possible. I have a contract with Barcelona until 2010. At this moment I'm very relaxed. In the next months a lot of things will happen. I'm not involved in any negotiations, my agent is handling all that. If he says that we have closed a deal, I will go there and play."
Read more:
Barcelona vice president confirms triplet exit
Sergio Garcia is not a priority
Real Madrid considering Ronaldinho transfer
Gomis alternative on the centre forward list
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Saint-Etienne forward and French international Bafétimbi Gomis (22) would be an alternative option in case the transfer of more high-profiled players wouldn't be possible.
Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would like the French striker a lot and Barcelona has excellent scouting reports on Gomis, who could be available for a more reasonable price than other options.
Read more:
Looking for a new Larsson
Palacio wants to leave Boca Juniors
Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Boca Juniors forward and Argentinian international Rodrigo Palacio (26) said in an interview with Latin American television network Fox Sports that now is the right time for a transfer abroad:
Tottenham was looking for Valdes agent
Barcelona site Pelikano claims that Tottenham, like some other clubs, had a hard time finding out who they had to contact when they wanted to learn more about the interest of Barcelona goal keeper Víctor Valdés (26) to join the English club (read more here).
Trezeguet off the list
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Juventus forward David Trezeguet (30) is not anymore ont he list of possible Barcelona centre forwards for next season (read more here).
Friday 20 June 2008
Vice president in London for Arsenal talks
Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio claims that Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla (picture) travelled today to London where he is negotiating with Arsenal on the transfers of Arsenal forward and Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor (24) and Arsenal midfielder and Belarussian international Alexander Hleb (27).
Deco will make a decision soon
Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Chelsea (read more here), Barcelona midfielder and Portuguese international Deco (30) said after the Euro quarter finals to British sports news agency PA Sport that he didn't yet make a decision but that this could happen soon:
"I know about the interest of Chelsea as well as other teams. But I still have to make a decision. I have to speak to Barcelona and soon there will be developments."
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that a deal with Chelsea seems very close. Once the player and the English club have reached an agreement on the personal terms, Barcelona and Chelsea will start the final negotiations on the transfer fee.
Read more:
Chelsea and Inter want to reduce Deco fee
Possible deal with Moutinho
Caceres' first interview
Difficult fee negotiations on Hernanes
Asked about the rumours linking São Paulo attacking midfielder and Brazilian international Hernanes (23) with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), São Paulo sports director Marco Aurélio Cunha pointed, like his president had done before, at the buyout clause in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio:
"The player is not for sale. If a club would like to sign him, they will have to pay the clause of 25 million euro°. At this moment we don't have had any direct contact with Barcelona. And I'm a personal friend of the player so I'm pretty sure that Barcelona has no deal with him either."
With Barcelona offering 11 million euro° and São Paulo asking 25 million euro° (read more here), Catalan sports paper Sport claims that a deal could be found for a fee around 15 million euro°. Barcelona would nevertheless not be willing to willing to pay an exaggerate price and will not enter a bid race for Hernanes.
Asked about the transfer rumours, Hernanes said in an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that he's calm about the whole transfer story: "I saw all this in the papers but nobody has talked to me.They say that some Barcelona people were in the stadium on Wednesday but I didn't met anyone. I don't know anything yet. I'm already used to this, you know. Every year it's the same. They say I will leave, that I won't leave. Until nothing is official, I only think about São Paulo and I just go own with my life."
The paper claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain has fixed a spending limit of 12 million euro°. São Paulo would own 70 per cent of the player's transfer rights. The other 30 per cent are owned by sports marketing agency Traffic and the player.
Read more:
Meeting on Hernanes this afternoon
Brazilian defender Alex Silva high on list
Youth: Erick Flores (Flamengo)
Moutinho still on the list
Portuguese sports paper O Jogo claims that Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21) is still in the race to replace Barcelona midfielder Deco next season. Moutinho and Hernanes (read more here) would appear on top of the list of possible successors.
Barça B - Official: Dimas to Numancia
Primera Divisón newcomer Numancia has announced the transfer of Barcelona B attacking midfielder Dimas Delgado (25). The Catalan player, whose contract with Barcelona expired this summer, has signed a three-year contract. Barcelona has confirmed the news.
Agent confirms Henrique talks
Asked about the rumours linking Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21) with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias said in an interview with Brazilian sports site Gazeta Esportiva that he held talks with Barcelona officials yesterday:
Deal with Arsenal on Adebayor
Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona and Arsenal have closed a deal on the transfer of Arsenal forward and Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor (24).
With Barcelona initially offering 25 million euro and Arsenal asking 30 million, the transfer fee would in the end be 27 million euro°. Arsenal has asked Barcelona not to make the deal public until the club has found a substitute for Adebayor.
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the negotiations with Arsenal are still ongoing with the highest discretion. Adebayor wants to join Barcelona and the pressure of the player on the English Premier League club could be decisive.
Adebayor would be the absolute favourite of new Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola. Tottenham forward Dimitar Berbatov and Stuttgart forward Mario Gómez would be the alternatives in case the transfer of Adebayor wouldn't go through.
Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Barcelona, Adebayor didn't want to enter the issue in a telephone reaction to Catalan sports paper Sport, who claims Barcelona has made a final offer of 29 million euro: "I don't want to pronounce on anything regarding FC Barcelona. Maybe this could be needed later on, but for now it's not. It's better to wait."
Read more:
Adebayor main centre forward option
Hleb option falls back
Meeting with Inter president on Ibrahimovich
Ex-Barça: Fernando Navarro to Sevilla
Sevilla announced on Wednesday the transfer ofMallorca left back defender and Spanish international Fernando Navarro (25). The Catalan defender will sign a five-year contract, including a buyout clause of 30 million euro.
Deal with Shakhtar Donetsk winger Willian
Franco Nikola, the agent of Shakhtar Donetsk winger and Brazilian youth international Willian Borges da Silva (19), claims in an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo that Willian has reached a personal agreement with Barcelona.
The agent closed the deal last month during a meeting in Barcelona with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain: "We reached an agreement on all the contractual conditions for the next five years."
Nikola, who talked a last time with Begiristain one week ago, says everyting now depends on the negotiations between the clubs. Ukrainian champions Shakthar Donetsk, who bought Willian last summer from Brazilian club Corinthians, are for now holding on to the buyout clause of 30 million euro°.
After the news spread, Barcelona player Ronaldinho would have called Willian, who he knows since both have a contract with Nike International.
Read more:
Possible deal on Brazilian defender Henrique
Youth: Felipe Coutinho (Vasco da Gama)
Brazilian defender Alex Silva high on list
Thursday 19 June 2008
Euro 2008: Portugal-Germany (quarter final)
2-3. That third goal was a fault by Ballack (and of the goal keeper), but in the end you should say the Germans go through deservedly. The diofference wasthat they had a plan. Portugal just came out to play without any plan, no plan to attack and no plan to attack. At least not a team plan. Disappointing performance by this talented team.
Read everything about Barcelona at the Euro 2008 here
The group stages are over, now we're talking. And how. Two of the main candidates to win the title (well, that's what people said before the tournament) start off the elimination phase of the Euro 2008. First big test for Portugal, let's hope Deco's market value will rise during the game.
The winner will play against the winner of Croatia versus Turkey. You can comment here on the match and the performance of Deco.
Possible deal on Brazilian defender Henrique
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona would have reached an agreement on the transfer of Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21).
Chelsea and Inter want to reduce Deco fee
British newspaper The Independent claims that Barcelona midfielder and Portuguese international Deco (30) is close to agreeing personal terms with English Premier League Chelsea (read more here).
With Barcelona asking 20 million euro° for the player, a deal between the two clubs nevertheless doesn't seem as close. Jorge Mendes, Deco's agent, is negotiating with Barcelona trying to convince them to reduce the fee. Chelsea would be willing to pay 13 million euro°.
Inter Milan would als be reluctant to pay the fee demanded by Barelona and has therefore set their sights on trying to land Chelsea's Frank Lampard. Inter manager José Mourinho meanwhile suggested in Brazil to journalists that he hasn't yet given up on the Portuguese midfielder:
"I cannot forget Deco, Lampard and Drogba. I am not nostalgic but I really like those three players, they helped me win some great titles. These are players who I could never say no to. I would love to work with them again in the future, but I am not too obsessed with this idea. I don't know which of these three will leave their clubs but we will see."
Read more:
Scolari will take Deco with him to Chelsea
Deco top target for Bayern
Chelsea or Inter for Deco
Hleb option falls back
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that, because of the resistence of their club, Barcelona feels that it will be very difficult to transfer both Arsenal midfielder and Belarussian international Alexander Hleb (27) and Arsenal forward and Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor (24).
Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona made last weekend a 21 million euro° offer for the midfielder that was rejected by Arsenal.
Vice president on Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Deco
Barcelona economic vice president Ferran Soriano (picture) repeated at a press conference that the club intends to sell Barcelona players Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Deco but left a door open for a stay:
Mourinho and Barcelona: who invited who?
Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla confirmed earlier this week in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that Barcelona had met with new Inter Milan manager José Mourinho at the request of the Portuguese: "We've always worked with the Guardiola option, but we know that the Barcelona bench is one of the most desirables ones. Mourinho was interested in explaining us his project for the club and we listened."
In a statement to Portuguese news agency Lusa, Mourinho now denies that he was the one who had been asking for the meeting: "I don't want to lose my time with things I'm not interested in, and now I'm only interested in Inter, but mister Ingla lies because it was he and mister Begiristain who asked for a meeting in Lisbon, about which I don't want to give any comment. Barcelona should try to reach its own fortune, like I'm doing for Inter and myself, but I will not allow that a certain Ingla will injure my honour."
Barcelona reacted with an announcement on the official website reading: "FC Barcelona regrets the comments made by José Mourinho contained in today’s Portuguese press in which he discredits the club’s vice president for sport, Marc Ingla, and insists that a meeting in Lisbon to discuss his sporting deals was called by initiative of the club.
Mourinho has claimed that Marc Ingla lied in a radio interview last Tuesday, when he said it was the Portuguese manager who had offered himself as a candidate to coach the club’s football first team.
FC Barcelona wish to make it clear that at no time did Marc Ingla make such a statement, as can be proved by a literal transcript of the interview. The Barça vice president of sport confirmed the meeting, but made it clear that the first option for the position was Josep Guardiola. As for the meeting with José Mourinho, Ingla textually replied that “when two parties speak, it is very hard to say what percentage of interest each one has.”
Therefore, FC Barcelona wish to make it clear that the meeting between the vice president for sport and director of football, Txiki Beguiristain, with José Mourinho, was called at a time when two issues coincided: the need to make provisions for the club’s sporting solutions and the indirect signals received by some club officials that Mourinho would be interested to return to Barcelona.
FC Barcelona is profoundly sorry to hear these statements, which disprove themselves, and considers the matter closed."
Read more on the meeting here:
Meeting with Mourinho
Meeting with Mourinho (report)
Mourinho checkmate
Meeting on Hernanes this afternoon
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona sports director will travel to São Paulo today to hold a meeting with all parties concerned on the transfer of São Paulo attacking midfielder and Brazilian international Hernanes (23).
The player will be represented by his agent and Brazilian club São Paulo, with whom Hernanes has a contract until 2012, will be represented by president Juvenal Juvêncio, football vice president Carlos Augusto de Barros e Silva and football director João Paulo de Jesus Lopez.
With Barcelona offering 11 million euro° and São Paulo asking 25 million euro° (read more here), today's negotiations should bring those positions on the price closer. An agreement might be reached for a transfer fee of around 15 million euro°.
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona doesn't yet see Hernanes as a fixed regular and would not be willing to pay more than 12 million euro° for the Brazilian midfielder.
Read more:
Barcelona admits following Hernanes for months
Brazilian defender Alex Silva high on list
Hernanes confirms Barcelona offer
Deco and Marquez represented by superagent
British newspaper The Independent had last week an interesting profile of Portuguese player's agent Jorge Mendes, who is currently representing Barcelona players Deco and Márquez.
How Mendes has made himself key player behind the biggest deals in Europe
Scolari's move to Chelsea is just the latest multi-million pound move to be brokered by the Portuguese superagent.
When Jorge Mendes was asked to write a column for the Portuguese sports daily, O Jogo, during the European Championship, the title that was originally suggested, somewhat jokingly, was "My Millions". Mendes said no to that, instead agreeing to the column being called "The Value of Euros" which could, even so, be interpreted two ways. It's not just the football competition; it's the currency.
Mendes' name doesn't mean much to the average football fan. But it should. Still just 42, he is one of the most powerful men – maybe in terms of deals the most powerful man – in the game. Mendes is also an agent, a shrewd businessman and a clever media operator with his own management company, website, which employs full-time journalists, and contacts that spread from his Portuguese base throughout the world, particularly in the valuable markets of South America.
Pini Zahavi has long been regarded as the number one super-agent but, this summer, as with last year, Mendes' name is being mentioned by the biggest clubs in Europe as the man with the greater influence. He has just taken Jose Mourinho to Internazionale and Luiz Felipe Scolari to Chelsea to make the pair the highest-paid club managers in world football.
That Mendes has found time to write a column is astonishing. He has been, and is set to continue to be, the busiest agent in the business and makes many millions indeed. Having been allowed by Scolari to have access to the Portugal team hotel during the European Championship, Mendes has been a visible presence at the opulent lakeside complex as he looks after his clients and plots their futures.
Referred to as a "tranquil oasis" in the hotel blurb, the Beau Rivage in Neuchâtel has been anything but that for Mendes. Not only has he schemed to get Scolari to Stamford Bridge but he is also at the heart of deciding what will happen to his star client, Cristiano Ronaldo, who wants to move to Real Madrid. Then there is Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Ricardo Quaresma. The list goes on.
Not a single player, it seems, leaves Portugal, or moves clubs, without Mendes being involved and it has already been calculated, probably correctly, that Scolari's squad is the most valuable in the tournament on the transfer market. And Mendes represents the eight biggest names.
Read the full story here
Read more:
Deco chooses Chelsea over Inter
Marquez offered to Atlético Madrid
Deco could swap places with Lampard or Gattuso
Crosas future still uncertain
Asked about his future, Olympique Lyon midfielder and Barcelona loan out Marc Crosas (20), who participated last Sunday in the celebration of the promotion of Barcelona B (which he has been playing for in the first half of the season), said to Catalan sports paper Sport that he doesn't yet know where he will play next season: "My future is still very unclear, which makes me a bit restless."
Alex Silva unaware of Barcelona interest
Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona (read more here), São Paulo central defender and Brazilian international Alex Silva (23) said in a reaction to Brazilian news agency Agência Estado that he is unaware of the interest:
Mutu renewal talks monitored
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Fiorentina forward and Romanian international Adrian Mutu (29) could become an option for Barcelona.
Wednesday 18 June 2008
Barcelona interested in Madrid youngster
Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that Barcelona is interested in Real Madrid B central midfielder and Spanish youth international Dani Parejo (19).
New Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola considers the player to be one of the most promising young talents of Spanish football. Parejo, who is representented by sports agency Bahía International, has a buyout clause of 15 million euro°.
Real Madrid, who first had planned to keep the player with the b team in the Spanish third division for another season, has told Parejo that he will be able to play in the Primera División next year. The player could be loaned out to one of the interested Spanish clubs, amongst which Getafe. If Barcelona would buy Parejo, a loan deal with Getafe would also be possible.
Group D: Greece-Spain (group D)
1-2. Like expected, Spain played with almost an entire B team, who dominated the game. Xavi and Puyol stayed on the bench. Iniesta started the game and was replaced after one hour by Cazorla. Güiza played a bad game but did score the winner.
I watched the Russia versus Sweden game and the Russians are really growing in this tournament. Deserved 2-0 win with attractive "fast break" football. Two goals from the book: recovery, good passing, good running, good finishing. Arshavin is clearly their star player but Pavlyuchenko is really a key player in the system because he moves very smartly in the box, has an easy shot too. I don't think it's really the type Guardiola is looking for though.
Read everything about Barcelona at the Euro 2008 here
Already being group winners and with the quarter final clash against Italy coming up, it is almost certain that Spain will play this match with their second team.
The other match in this group between Russia and Sweden will decide who will play against the Netherlands on Saturday. I think I'm gonna scout Pavlyuchenko.
Villa is not an option
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (26) is not on Barcelona's centre forward list.
Real Madrid considering Ronaldinho transfer
The rumour has been out there for a while and now Catalan sports paper Sport has picked it up: Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho (28) could move to Real Madrid.
Luis Enrique presented as Barcelona B coach
Former Barcelona player Luis Enrique (38) has today been officially presented as the new coach of Barcelona B, that will be renamed Barcelona Atlètic next season. At a press conference Luis Enrique, who will be assisted by Joan Barberá, said that he feels ready for the job:
"I'm coming home. Here I retired as a player, here I will start as a coach. I'm very motivated. Since I'm starting, of course I don't have any experience but I spent a lot of time in dressing-rooms together with great players. I can guarantee hard work and total dedication. I choose for a culture of attacking football based upon possession of the ball. Depending on the circumstances we will play 4-3-3 or 3-4-3.
I thank the president and the other people who have put their trust in me. I congratulate the players and my predecessor for the promotion, I'll try to do the same next year. I also had an offer from the Spanish football association but here I will be able to enjoy football every day as a coach."
Read more:
Luis Enrique to coach Barcelona B
Guardiola's staff
Mourinho's eleven
Brazilian defender Alex Silva high on list
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is interested in São Paulo central defender and Brazilian international Alex Silva (23). A deal would be very close.
Barcelona admits following Hernanes for months
Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona with the player (read more here), Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla has confirmed in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio that Barcelona is interested in São Paulo attacking midfielder and Brazilian international Hernanes (23): "We are interested. We think the player has enough quality to move to Europe. We're on the case, we know the player and we're following him for several months now."
Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is today in Brazil and will have contacts on a transfer (read more here). While Barcelona would already have closed a deal with sports marketing agency Traffic, who represents Hernanes, an agreement with São Paulo doesn't seem close.
Asked about the transfer of Hernanes, São Paulo president Juvenal Juvêncio said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that his club is at this moment not willing to negotiate: "The papers are talking about an offer of 11 million euro° but São Paulo won't negotiate for less than the buyout fee of 25 million euro°."
A representative of Traffic says in a reaction to Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo that the bid is nevertheless fair: "No Brazilian midfielder or no player of over 23 years old has ever been sold for more than 9 million euro. So how can it be that Barcelona is now offering 11 million euro° and São Paulo thinks that's not enough?"
Brazilian sports site Lancenet claims that Traffic, who also ownes 17 per cent of the transfer rights on the player, has set up the operation without getting São Paulo involved from the beginning. This would have upset the Brazilian club.
Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona will pay 25 million euro° for Hernanes and São Paulo central defender Alex Silva (read more here).
Read more:
Tomorrow new talks on Hernanes
Hernanes confirms Barcelona offer
Youth: Felipe Coutinho (Vasco da Gama)
Moutinho is not a Barcelona target
Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Sporting midfielder and Portuguese international João Moutinho (21) is not a Barcelona target despite the fact that the player has been offered to Barcelona by his representatives who knew that Moutinho was on a long-list after some excellent scouting reports.
New Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola thinks that Moutinho's position is already occupied by Iniesta and Xavi. After Moutinho's buyout clause of 25 million euro° expired last weekend (read more here), Sporting could now ask more for the player.
The presumed interest of Barcelona would have been used to put the player on the market and to raise his status. While Moutinho was before represented by his father Nélson, his agent is now Pini Zahavi, who would be looking for an interested club in England.
Moutinho, who didn't know if renewal talks with Sporting were ongoing but who said he was aware of several offers for him, confirmed the change of agent to the paper after the Portugal versus Switzerland game on Sunday. Catalan sports paper Sport says that Nélson Moutinho and Pini Zahavi are representing the player together.
Read more:
Lyon president confirms Abidal interest
Asked about the rumours linking the player with a return to his former club (read more here), Olympique Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas admitted at a press conference that Lyon would like to re-sign Barcelona left back defender and French international Eric Abidal (28):
Barcelona vice president confirms triplet exit
Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla (picture) has confirmed the planned exits of Barcelona players Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Deco (read more here) in an interview with Catalan radio station Catalunya Ràdio and says they will probably leave before August: