Summer talks with Juventus striker Amauri

Asked about the transfer of Brazilian striker Amauri (28) from Palermo to Juventus last summer, the player's agent Vittorio Grimaldi has said in an interview with Roma football site La Roma Siamo Noi that he also talked with Barcelona about a transfer this summer:

"First, we were talking with AS Roma, which was our first choice. The player was very happy about the possibility, both Roma manager Spalletti and Roma sports director Pradè really wanted him and I live close to Rome.

The problem was that they wanted him as back-up for Totti, so we put the option on hold and started negotiations with other clubs. I have talked with Chelsea, Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona. I wanted to know how much they wanted to pay him. The plan was to then ask Roma the average. But then Pradè called me to say that Palermo was asking 25 million euro° and that this was too much for his club. Inter was also interested but later Juventus joined in and he signed for them."

Read more:
Amauri on the list
Guardiola called Trezeguet this summer
Barcelona can talk with Amauri

How things stand: Centre forward

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 8 we look at the centre forward)

2007-2008

Due to the injury of Samuel Eto'o (27), who kept him away from playing until December, Thierry Henry (30) initially took the place in the centre. Since Henry had to move regularly to the left cause of the troubles Ronaldinho was facing, Bojan (17) got his chance up front.

Out

Bojan will certainly stay and will probably sign a renewal this summer (read more here). At this moment it looks like Henry will also stay, although he has been linked with a return to the Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle, West Ham, Aston Villa), with a move to the Major League Soccer (Seattle, New York) and with clubs like Inter Milan and Fenerbahçe.

Since he declared one month ago that he would leave Barcelona if the team does not win a trophy next season (read more here), Samuel Eto'o is in the middle of a transfer storm. Tottenham would have been pushing hard for the striker but it seems for now difficult he'll end up with the club, both for economic and sports reasons. Clubs like AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus, Fenerbahçe, Chelsea and Arsenal could also be following the Cameroonian.

In

Karim Benzema (Lyon - 20) is the dream candidate but will not leave Lyon in the summer. Since Guardiola was named as manager, there are rumours about him wanting to bring in a strong, tall striker, with Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal - 24) apparently being the back-up for Benzema.

Other names that were mentioned include Adriano (São Paulo/Inter - 26), Jozy Altidore (New York - 18), Amauri (Palermo - 27), Dimitar Berbatov (Tottenham - 27), Diego Milito (Zaragoza - 28), Didier Drogba (Chelsea - 30), Dani Güiza (Mallorca -27), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax - 24), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter - 26), Kevin Kuranyi (Schalke - 26), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla - 27), Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors - 26) and David Trezeguet (Juventus - 30).

Read all How things stand contributions here or read the contribution about:

Goal keeper - Right back defender - Central defenders - Left back defender - Defensive midfielder - Attacking midfielders - Wing attackers - Centre forward

Barcelona can talk with Amauri

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini spoke in an interview with Napoli local radio station Primaradio about the possible transfer of Palermo forward Amauri (27) and seemed to invite Barcelona to start talks with the Brazilian striker and with his club: "With Juventus we are holding serious negotiations but Amauri himself will decide on his future. Other interested club, like Barcelona, should talk to him first and after that they can come and discuss with us."

Read more here:
Amauri on the list

Amauri on the list

In an interview with Italian television channel Rai Sicilia, Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini declared that Barcelona is one of the clubs having shown interest in Brazilian forward Amauri (27). Zamparini claims Palermo has received a 22 million euro offer from abroad for the player that the club refused, but an agreement could nevertheless be close. Amauri can leave Palermo in the summer but the asking price is clear: “For less than 25 million euro, nothing will happen.”