Guardiola rejects to sign Rafinha and Mongongu

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has rejected the transfers of AS Monaco central defender and Congo international Cédric Mongongu (20 - picture) and Schalke 04 right back defender Rafinha (23).

Both players reportedly had been put forward by the club earlier this week as alternatives for the transfer of Shakhtar centre-back Chygrynskiy. After the rejection by Guardiola, Barcelona would have decided to make a new attempt for the Ukrainian defender.

Catalan sports paper Sport and El Mundo Deportivo both confirm that Chygrynskiy is the only defender Guardiola wants to sign before the end of the summer transfer window. If that transfer would not be possible, the Catalan coach would prefer to give the youth players a chance.

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Rafinha was offered to Barcelona by Brazilian sports marketing agency Traffic through players' agents Marcos and Naor Malaquías. Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have been in favour of the option to sign the Brazilian right back.

Read more:
Bid for Schalke right back Rafinha
New contacts with Shakhtar on Chygrynskiy
Three central defenders offered to Barcelona

Mata could buy his freedom

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Valencia left wing attacker and Spanish international Juan Mata (21) is considering to buy his freedom.

The player's agent and father Juan Manuel Mata would meet on Friday with Valencia officials to discuss the Mata's contract renewal (read more here). If Valencia's offer isn't enough compared with several other proposals the player has received from other clubs, Mata would want to leave the club.

Valencia would have made Mata senior a few weeks ago the promise that, although the player's buyout clause is 60 million euro, he could leave for a transfer fee of between 18 and 20 million euro°.

Also because of the extremely difficult relations between Valencia and Barcelona after the events surrounding Valencia striker David Villa earlier this summer, the player's father would now think about paying that sum himself or through Brazilian player's agency Traffic, of which he is the representative in Spain. Barcelona would then later sign the player without having to negotiate directly with Valencia.

Read more:
Barcelona moving again for Mata
Mata agent honoured by Barcelona link

Barcelona could include Keirrison in Villa deal

Catalan radio station RAC 1 claims that Barcelona could try to include Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20) in the transfer of Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (28).

Barcelona would have a first option on the Brazilian striker and would be considering to sign the player to include him afterwards in the deal on Villa. Valencia would nevertheless not be interested in the player.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain met yesterday with André Cury, the head of sports marketing agency Traffic that owns the transfer rights of Keirrison. A transfer fee of between 10 and 15 million euro° would have been put forward.

Asked about the rumours, Palmeiras sports director Toninho Cecílio said in an interview with Brazilian sports paper Lance that a transfer is not an option at the moment: "We shouldn't be answering this type of questions the whole time. We know how to deal with this, we know that is normal because he's a very good player, but the club wants to win trophies and the sale of Keirrison isn't an issue for now. He has signed for four years and we plan to keep him. We will only sell when the club and his agency think it's a good deal. Our president Belluzzo has to sign too and that's not close to happen at this moment."

Read more:
Barcelona met with Keirrison last week
Barcelona makes new bid for Villa
Principal agreement with Keirrison

Barcelona wants youth academy in Brazil

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona wants to open a youth academy in Brazil (read more here). This would have been the main reason for the visit of a Barcelona delegation to the South-American country last week.

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would have had contacts with three possible local partners and the club will now decide if they can start the project, which should be a copy of the model that has been put in place in Argentina (read more here).

During his trip, Begiristain met (1) in Rio de Janero with former Brazilian international Bebeto, who has now a sports marketing agency, (2) in São Paulo with executives of sports marketing agency Traffic, that opened earlier this month an academy in Porto Feliz, and (3) in Curitiba with player's agent Mario Zagallo, the son of former Brazilian international and national team coach Mario Zagallo, and several local investors. The second option seems at this moment the most unlikely one since Traffic wouldn't want their academy to be linked with one club.

Read more:
Barcelona will open youth academy in Brazil
Youth: Cooperation agreement with River Plate

Barcelona met with Keirrison last week

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20) met personally with Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona board member Albert Perrín last week (read more here).

Over the last months, the Brazilian striker would already have had several personal contacts with Barcelona scout Pepe Costa.

The Brazilian striker wants to join Barcelona and would have told people from his entourage that the presence of Eto'o and Henry is a good thing because they would make it possible for him to grow tactically and physically without too much pressure.

Keirrison has a contract with Traffic until 30 June 2013, including a buyout clause of 50 million euro°. Traffic owns eighty per cent of his transfer rights, while Palmeiras owns the other twenty per cent. If Barcelona signs him in the summer, Keirrison would not leave on loan.

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Traffic wants to keep the player at Palmeiras until the World Cup in 2010 because that way Keirrison would have more possibilities to be part of the Brazilian squad. A source at the sports marketing agency is quoted as saying: "He won't leave Brazil until he has exhausted all his chances to go to the World cup."

Asked about his teammate, former Barcelona player José Edmílson meanwhile described Keirrison as follows in an interview with Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo: "He's a goalscorer. It's not a fantasy player but if he has three or four chances, he'll surely score one. It's a box player.

For me, he's similar to Batistuta. He's very good with the head and he's fast. In Brazil, you won't find a second player like him, so it would be a good transfer for Barcelona. I think he's prepared to deal with the pressure at Barça, although I'd recommend that he stays with us for another year to keep on growing."

Read more:
Principal agreement with Keirrison
Barcelona plans at least four summer transfers
All parties involved deny deal on Keirrison


Watch this video of Keirrison:

All parties involved deny deal on Keirrison

Asked about the rumours about a principal agreement on the transfer of Palmeiras forward Keirrison to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias denied the rumour in an interview with Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte:

"I talked informally with Barcelona sports director Begiristain on Tuesday. We have an excellent relationship because Barcelona recently contracted Henrique, who's also one of my players.

But he didn't made any proposal for Keirrison. We know that it'ss a player who's being watched by a lot of clubs, but until now there's nothing official.

We have a project for Keirrison, we want him to stay until the middle of next year. But it is clear that we cannot say that things won't change. Because some of those clubs, when they want a player, they just come and take him with them. But at this moment, there's not much to tell."

Malaquias also commented on the issue in an interview with Brazilian sports site UOL Esporte: "Barcelona really showed interest but didn't yet start any negotiations with the player. It's obvious that all eyes are on him. Who would not want to have Keirrison in his team?

But it was only an informal meeting and there was no proposal. In principle, we want Keirrison to stay at Palmeiras at least until the end of the year. But if a European top club would make a very good proposal, that could change. We know that anything can happen in football, but the player will have the final word."

Jose Hawilla, chairman of sports marketing agency Traffic that owns the player's transfer rights for the next four years, said in an interview with Brazilian radio station Rádio Record that a transfer is not an option at this moment:

"Keirrison hasn't been offered and the plan is that he stays. He's not for sale. Directors can come from Spain or Italy, but no one will be able to prevent this. Those directors are here the whole time. Last week, we had four of them from Germany who came and watched some games. But Keirrison is simply not for sale."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta also denied to journalists that a deal has already been closed: "We're of course talking with several players who could join us in the future but there's no transfer for next season finalized. Relating to Keirrison, there's nothing agreed yet. If this would be the case, we would know it. Txiki is doing his job, he's holding talks, but there's nothing more to say at this moment."

Keirrison meanwhile told journalists that he's focusing on his club: "I don't think about this, I leave that for my agents. My head is only focused on Palmeiras. But I know that in July, when the transfer window will open, the speculations will start again."

Read more:
Principal agreement with Keirrison
Keirrison dreams of Barcelona move
Possible deal on Brazilian striker Keirrison


Watch this video of Keirrison:

Barcelona reactivates Hernanes interest

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has reactivated their interest in São Paulo midfielder Hernanes (23) (read more here).

After holding talks with sports marketing agency Traffic, Barcelona scout Pepe Costa would have changed his plans and stayed longer in Brazil to watch Hernanes during the Brazilian league game between São Paulo and Palmeiras that was played yesterday.

Last summer, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain offered 11 million euro for Hernanes, but his club held on to the buyout clause of 25 million euro°. São Paulo owns 75 per cent of the transfer rights of Hernanes, while the rest is divided between Traffic and the player.

Barcelona in the end didn't push further for Hernanes and turned to other names on the target list, which resulted in the transfer of Arsenal attacker Alexander Hleb last summer. Barcelona would now be again interested in Hernanes because of his excellent performances over the last months in a more advanced position.


Watch this video of Hernanes:

Principal agreement with Keirrison

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has reached a principal agreement on the transfer of Palmeiras forward Keirrison (20) (read more here).

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain, who was in Brazil this week, would have closed the deal during his trip. Begiristain and Barcelona scout Pepe Costa watched Keirrison last Tuesday during a Brazilian league game (read more here).

The transfer fee for Keirrison, who is also followed by Liverpool, Real Madrid and Valencia, would be 15 million euro°, although Barcelona wants to lower the fee and include some incentives. It has been agreed that the negotiations will be reopened at the end of the season.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the player's agency Traffic owns eighty per cent of Keirrison's transfer rights, while the other twenty per cent belong to Palmeiras.

Read more:
Keirrison dreams of Barcelona move
Barcelona plans at least four summer transfers (2)
Possible deal on Brazilian striker Keirrison

Watch this video of Keirrison:

Transfer of Aguero is well underway

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona wants to sign Atlético Madrid forward and Argentinian international Sergio 'Kun' Agüero (20) next summer.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who will leave the club in 2010, would want to leave a heritage and thinks the best way to do this is buying someone who will be a key player for years to come.

The whole transfer operation would already be well underway and Barcelona could already have reached a personal agreement with the Argentinian striker (read more here)

Barcelona would pay the transfer of Agüero partly with cash and partly with a two-year loan of Coritiba forward and Brazilian youth international Keirrison de Souza Carneiro (20), whom Barcelona will sign in a few months time thanks to the good relations with his agency Traffic (read more here), to Atlético Madrid.

The arrival of Agüero could also lead to the exit of Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o in the summer of 2009 and to Barcelona switching to a 4-4-2 system as of next season.

Read more:
Verbal agreements on Aguero transfer
Possible deal on Brazilian striker Keirrison
Guardiola wants Aguero

Hernanes waiting for Barcelona

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that São Paulo midfielder Hernanes (23) will continue until next summer with Brazilian first division club São Paulo, that wants to compete for the Copa Libertadores in the first half of the coming year.

With the Brazilian player already having rejected several offers because he only wants to leave for a European top club, Brazilian player's agency Traffic, that represents Hernanes, hopes to restart the negotiations with Barcelona in the summer of 2009 after a transfer of Hernanes to Barcelona failed during the past summer transfer window (read more here).

Read more:
Hernanes could come next summer
Barcelona following Brazilian striker Dentinho
Negotiations on Hernanes in last stage


Watch a video of Hernanes:

Barcelona in pole position for Keirrison

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is interested in Coritiba forward and Brazilian youth international Keirrison de Souza Carneiro (19) (read more here).

Barcelona's good relations with Brazilian sport marketing agency Traffic could bring the striker to Barcelona in the future.

The paper also claims that Keirrison is on a ten men short-list of former Barcelona sports vice president Sandro Rosell who will take part in the presidential elections of 2010. Keirrison would be one of the players Rosell will promise to bring to Barcelona if he's chosen as the new president.

Based on reports in Brazilian news paper Lance and Brazilian sports site Globo Esporte, the situation today is that sports marketing agency Mais Sports of the brothers Naor and Marcos Malaquias has yesterday sold 80 per cent of the transfer rights of Keirrison to sports marketing agency Traffic. Mais Sports keeps on representing Keirrison and will have a part of the future transfer fee.

The other 20 per cent are owned by Brazilian first division club Coritiba. Because Keirrison's contract with the club expires next April, Coritiba prefers to sell their share now. Traffic wants to buy the 20 per cent and then transfer the player to local fourth division club Desportivo Brasil, that is owned by Traffic.

Desportivo Brasil would then loan the player out to Brazilian first division club Palmeiras. Keirrison would join Palmeiras in January in order to gain more experience before he makes the move to Europe in the coming years.

Read more:
Possible deal on Brazilian striker Keirrison
Hernanes could come next summer
Barcelona following Brazilian striker Dentinho


Watch a video of Keirrison:

Negotiations on Henrique ongoing but unclear

Asked about how things stand regarding the interest of Barcelona in Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21) (read more here), the player's agent Marcos Malaquias has said in an interview with Brazilian news agency Gazeta Press that they are waiting for a concrete offer in the coming weeks:

"We met with Barcelona officials and they showed a clear interest. We keep on talking and we'll see how things go. We have made progress and now we're waiting for the official offer to come, like they have promised. When the offer comes, we will talk with the owner Traffic and his club Palmeiras."

Traffic representative André Cury meanwhile said to the news agency that sport marketing agency Traffic, who ownes the transfer rights of Henrique, has received an 8 million euro° bid from Dutch club Ajax Amsterdam. The bid will be discussed with Palmeiras soon. Henrique has a contract with Palmeiras until the end of this year.

It is believed that all Brazilian parties involved would prefer to postpone a deal until the Brazilian olympic selection has been announced. If Henrique is selected and plays a good olympic tournament, it can be expected that his price will rise.

Naor Malaquias, the player's other agent, seemed nevertheless to suggest to Brazilian journalists that an agreement on the transfer of Henrique could be reached in the coming days: "We had a meeting with Barcelona representatives a few days ago and the talks are very well-advanced. Now we only need to talk to Palmeiras to look at the situation and then we could make a decision later this week."

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Deal on Henrique

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has closed a deal on the transfer of Palmeiras central defender and Brazilian international Henrique Adriano Buss (21).

The final agreement would have been found during a meeting on Thursday in the 'Fasano' restaurant in São Paulo, where Barcelona sports director Txiki Begirisain met with Henrique's agents and representatives of sports marketing agency Traffic, who both own part of the transfer rights of the Brazilian defender (read more here).

Henrique would sign a four-year deal, the salary has been fixed and Barcelona will pay a transfer fee between 7 and 9 million euro°. The deal should be formalized in the coming days. When arriving in Barcelona, Begiristain was quoted by the paper saying the negotiations were "very well advanced". The idea would be to let the player continue in Brazil next season (read more here).

Read more:

Agent confirms Henrique talks

Oleguer is on Panathinaikos list

Possible deal on Brazilian defender Henrique

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.

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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).

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain could have closed a deal in Brazil with the player's agent and a sports marketing agency, who both own 50 per cent of the rights on the player. Barcelona will pay 6 million euro° for Henrique, who would sign a four-year contract.

Barcelona prefers to bring in Henrique this summer but would also consider to buy the central defender and then loaning him back to Palmeiras with an option to get the player to Barcelona in January if Milito wouldn't recover like expected.

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Cortes feels ready for Barcelona

Tomorrow new talks on Hernanes

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain will travel to Brazil tomorrow to watch the Brazil versus Argentina game and to talk to São Paulo attacking midfielder and Brazilian international Hernanes (23).

Although Arsenal midfielder Hleb would still be the favourite option, a transfer seems difficult which makes Barcelona turn to Hernanes, a player who has been strongly recommended by Pep Costa, Barcelona's head scout for the Brazilian market.

Begiristain will also hold talks with São Paulo officials. The Brazilian club would at this moment be asking 15 million euro° for Hernanes, while Barcelona wants to lower that to 10 million euro°.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Begiristain will meet with São Paulo president Juvenal Juvêncio later this week in São Paulo to discuss the transfer of Hernanes. With Barcelona offering 10 million euro°, São Paulo would be holding on to the buyout clause of 25 million euro° (read more here).

Barcelona would already have closed a deal with sports marketing agency Traffic, who ownes 25 per cent of the player's rights and is also acting as Hernanes' agent.

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Transfer of Hernanes could be close

Hernanes confirms Barcelona offer

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Deal with Brazilian international Hernanes

Brazilian sports site Lancenet claims that Barcelona has reached a deal with São Paulo attacking midfielder and Brazilian international Hernanes (23). The duration of the contract and the salary would have been agreed upon.

Barcelona would already have made a first bid of 11 million euro° for the player (read more here) but the offer was rejected by São Paulo, who is asking 20 million euro°. It is expected that the Brazilian club will drop that asking price. The player's rights are owned by São Paulo, sports marketing agency Traffic and Hernanes' agent Joseph Lee.

Brazilian football site Blog do Boleiro claims that São Paulo sports director Marco Aurélio Cunha met last week with Traffic representative Frederico Penna, who informed the club that he had the authorization to start the negotiations which could lead to Hernanes joining Barcelona.

Traffic offered São Paulo 8 million euro° for 75 per cent of the transfer rights on the player but the club didn't even want to discuss the possibility of selling the player. Hernanes would have a São Paulo buyout fee of 16 million euro°.

Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to Europe, Hernanes said to journalists that he can only wait and see what will happen: "I wait for a statement by São Paulo. Without that, there's no transfer."

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain will travel to Brazil next week together with Barcelona head scout for South Amercia Pep Costa to watch the game between Brazil and Argentina and to talk directly with São Paulo officials.

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Offer for Brazilian international Hernanes

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Failed bids for Bayern duo Toni and Ribery