Barcelona interested in two Sevilla left wingers

Spanish news site El Confidencial claims that Barcelona is interested in Sevilla players Diego Capel (21 - picture) and Adriano Correia (24).

To strenghten the left wing, Barcelona failed to sign Ribéry, Arshavin and Riera earlier this summer and would now still be looking to add another player to the squad.

Both Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain reportedly like the Spaniard and the Brazilian a lot, although it's not clear if there's enough time left for Barcelona to make a bid for Capel or Adriano. The buyout clause of Capel would be 15 million euros°.

Read more:
Capel buyout clause on the rise
Kanoute couldn't wait any longer for Barcelona
Capel talks about his time at Barcelona


Watch a video of Capel here:



Watch a goal of Adriano:

Capel talks about his time at Barcelona

In an interview with Spanish football weekly paper Don Balón, Sevilla left winger and Spanish international Diego Capel (20), who also denied that he was close to leaving Sevilla this summer, talked about his one-season stay in Barcelona eight years ago.

When you were very young, you already tried your luck joining the Barcelona youth academy.

Yes, I went there when I was twelve years old. Although things didn't turn out fine, I don't regret what happened. I did what I felt I had to do back then, which was leaving Barcelona, because I just wasn't comfortable being away from home.

Which memories do you have from your time in Barcelona?

I know who the coach was and I know that Messi was already there, although in a higher category. They treated me extremely well but I had a bad time basically because I was coming from a very small town and was very attached to my family.

Being so far away from home with only twelve years old...

I cried a lot... Like everytime I spoke by phone with my mother or my father. I missed them , like I missed spending time with my friends, but I'm still very grateful to Barcelona.

I guess your second club now is Barcelona?

No, my second club also is Sevilla.

Was it frustrating for you that you had to leave a club like Barcelona?

At first I didn't even want to keep on playing football, but soon football was back in my life and I asked myself "What have you done now?!". But happily for me shortly after I started playing again with a local club, another big club like Sevilla became interested and gave me another chance to join their youth academy.

Read more:

Agents deny Capel exit

Looking for a left winger

Capel buyout clause on the rise

Ribery was on top of Guardiola's wish list

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25) was on top of the wish list of Barcelona managr josep guardiola to replace Ronaldinho as left wing attacker.

Barcelona sounded out Bayern officials who were nevertheless not willing to start talking (read more here).

The second name that was proposed by Guardiola was that of Real Madrid left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (24). After talking with agent Wagner Ribeiro, it soon became clear that Madrid didn't want to sell the player to Barcelona (read more here).

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain then proposed trying the transfer of Valencia left winger and Spanish international David Silva (22), who in the end chose to renew his contract with Valencia.

Barcelona finally looked at the option to sign Zenit Saint-Petersburg forward and Russian international Andrei Arshavin (27) or Sevilla left winger and Spanish international Diego Capel (20). Although Guardiola wasn't totally convinced of their qualities, both players could have partially solved the left wing problems but a deal was not found.

Read more:

Failed bids for Bayern duo Toni and Ribery

Nani was on top of the transfer list

Robinho agent admits contact with Barcelona

Agents deny Capel exit

Asked about the rumours linking Sevilla left winger and Spanish international Diego Capel (20) with Barcelona (read more here), the player's agents René Ramos and Pedro Bravo denied the rumours to Sevilla local sports site Mucho Deporte: "We're not looking at offers for Capel, he'll stay with Sevilla."

Sevilla president José María del Nido, who confirmed that there are renewal negotiations ongoing, said at a press conference that he has some gentlemen's agreement with Barcelona and Real Madrid on the buyout clauses:

"There's a lot of speculation but no club will pay the buyout fee for Capel. The highest officials of the two big Spanish clubs have agreed with the president of Sevilla that they won't use the clauses of Capel or any other player without our consent. So if the clauses aren't valid in international football and I have this agreement with the two main Spanish clubs it's clear that no player will leave unless someone breaks his word."

Read more:
Sevilla president thinks Capel transfer unlikely
Barcelona ready to pay Capel buyout clause
Capel only thinking about Sevilla

Five players on left wing short list

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is handling a five-name short list in their search for a left wing attacker.

The list includes the following players: Andrei Arshavin (27 - Zenit Saint-Petersburg), Angel Di María (20 - Benfica), Rodrigo Palacio (26 - Boca Juniors - picture), Ricardo Noir (21 - Boca Juniors) and Diego Capel (20 - Sevilla).

While Barcelona officials could meet with Zenit officials in Monaco later this week, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain likes the Palacio option a lot. Capel wouldn't be the player Guardiola is looking for.

Like Begiristain (read more here), Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola said at a press conference yesterday that, although he's not worried about the current squad, the club is still searching the market ready to act.

El Mundo Deportivo claims that the board is divided on whether or not buying a left winger in the coming days. A part of the board thinks that a new transfer isn't necessary and prefers that the staff uses the Barcelona Atlètic players if needed.

Read more:

Arshavin confirms Barcelona offer

Barcelona interested in Di Maria

Pre-agreement on Palacio transfer put on hold

Talks on Boca Junior striker Noir

Sevilla president thinks Capel transfer unlikely

Sevilla president thinks Capel transfer unlikely

Asked about the rumours linking Sevilla left winger and Spanish international Diego Capel (20) with Barcelona (read more here), Sevilla president José María del Nido avoided to talk about his plans to renew the player and has said at a press conference this weekend that he didn't yet receive a buyout offer for the player:

"I don't think he will leave since nobody has asked for him. And because of a basic respect between the clubs, there's always a previous contact with the club, like has happened in other cases when they were willing to pay the buyout fee of one of our players. We are not planning to enter negotiations for him and until this day I don't see any club capable of paying the buyout clause (btz: of 15,6 million euro°)."

Read more:
Barcelona ready to pay Capel buyout clause
Capel only thinking about Sevilla
Capel has a madridista background

News of the day - Saturday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)


Barcelona will decide after the General Assembly on Sunday if they will get another player, Guardiola prefers to keep the squad as it is now (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Even if the transfer of Arshavin and Palacio cannot be closed this summer, Barcelona plans to give it another try during the January transfer window, when the leagues in Russia and Argentina will have come to an end (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Dennis Lachter, the agent of Arshavin, says that he expects that Zenit will offer the player a renewal soon (Sovietski Sport)

Zenit manager Advocaat says that, although his club doesn't need to sell, Arshavin will probably move to Tottenham (Bloomberg)
read more

Txiki and Rijkaard liked him, but Capel has never been on the list of Guardiola (Sport)
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Manchester City is working on the transfer of Thierry Henry (L'Equipe)
read more

News of the day - Thursday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)


Capel is now the main left wing option for Barcelona (As)

The presumed interest in Capel would be organized by Capel's agent to get a salary rise, Capel doesn't fit the profile Guardiola is looking for (Sport)
read more

Arshavin is again an option, the player has asked his club to lower their asking price (As)

Thiago Neves has been offered by his agent but Barcelona rejected to sign the player a few days ago, the offer included a four-year deal worth 1,5 million euro a year and a transfer fee of 12 million euro (Sport)
read more

Barcelona has again contacted São Paulo on the transfer of Hernanes because Guardiola thinks there's still missing a Deco type of player, last month the deal was cancelled at the last moment when the player's agent wanted to change some amounts after a pre-agreement had already been reached, Hernanes' agent is in Spain and plans to talk with Barcelona in the coming days, Barcelona would be ready to pay 14 (10+4) million euro (Sport)
read more

News of the day - Wednesday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)


Arshavin has contacted Barcelona this week to know if they're still interested in him, Barcelona has replied that the club is still considering if they will sign another player and that he's just one of the options, Barcelona would not be willing to pay more than 20 million euro while Zenit is asking 25 million euro (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Zenit states that they have negotiated with Tottenham on the transfer of Arshavin but considers the talks closed after Tottenham didn't make a new proposal (official website)
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A Zenit spokesperson confirms that the negotiations with Tottenham on the transfer of Arshavin are cancelled but says that other clubs can stil launch a bid before the end of the month (Efe)
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Barcelona didn't push any longer for Arshavin after Zenit president Dyukov replied to Barcelona's first offer by sending a fax that said: "If you want Arshavin for 15 million euro, we'll buy Messi for 20 million euro" (Sport)
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Barcelona doesn't want to pay Capel's buyout fee of 15,6 million euro and has asked the player to put some pressure on Sevilla by making clear that he wants to leave (As)

Sevilla is aware that Capel could leave before the end of the transfer period and is already working on how to replace him (As)

Barcelona denies that they're interested in Capel, the entourage of the player says that Txiki hasn't contacted them (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Hernanes is again an option, his transfer would allow Iniesta to play on the left wing, the value of the player has risen because of his participation in the Olympic Games and São Paulo could be holding on to the 25 million euro asking price (Sport)
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Jeffren is now an absolute priority for Zaragoza, who is expected to push for the player in the coming days, Jeffren has several offers but prefers to join Zaragoza on loan (Equipo)
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News of the day - Tuesday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)


While Guardiola doesn't want to sign any new players, Txiki thinks the squad is short to be on top in all three competitions (Sport)
read more

Due to the good performances during the pre-season, there's less need to sign another player, Guardiola will in the end decide if there will be a new transfer or not (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Arshavin is still the main candidate for the left wing position certainly now Tottenham seems to have pulled out of the race (Sport)
read more

Arshavin and Capel are the two names on the list, Arshavin is the first option but if Zenit doesn't move the transfer of the Russian won't go through (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Barcelona is considering to pay the 16 million euro buyout clause for Capel and could put the money on the table in the coming days (Marca)
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Sevilla is aware that Capel could leave the club in the coming days given the low buyout fee of 15 million euro and the low salary, a renewal hasn't been possible earlier this summer because Capel doesn't accept a new and much higher buyout clause (As)

The Neves option would be on the rise although there are questions about the player's character and private life, the Brazilian would cost around 12 million euro (Sport)
read more

Eto'o has asked Barcelona to lower his 150 million euro buyout fee because he wants to be able to leave easier if there would be a new conflict situation, Barcelona has accepted although it's not known what the new buyout fee is (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

The Barcelona board wants to offer Xavi a contract renewal and extension and plans to start the negotiations next month (Catalunya Ràdio)
read more

Barcelona has told Jeffren he won't be able to stay with the first team and that he can choose between returning to Barcelona Atlètic or leaving on loan for one season, although several English and Spanish first division clubs, like Villareal and Getafe, are interested in the player, Barcelona has advised the player to leave for a Segunda División club like Zaragoza, Herculés or Tenerife (Equipo)
read more

News of the day - Monday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)


Guardiola now wants Capel for the left wing, Barcelona and Sevilla have already been talking but haven't agreed on the fee, the buyout clause of Capel is 15,6 million euro (As)

Capel says that you never know what can happen but that he's for now totally focusing on Sevilla (Rock & Gol)
read more
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Barcelona has also reactivated contacts for Arshavin and Palacio although those transfers seem difficult because the fee asked for Arshavin is too high and because there's no consensus in the club about Palacio (As)

Arshavin's agent Dennis Lachter says that 25 million euro is Zenit's take-it-or-leave-it asking price but doesn't exclude that a deal will be closed before the end of this transfer period (Sky Sports)
read more

Palacio didn't travel with Boca to Barcelona last weekend because he wanted to avoid the media attention this could cause after he was again linked with a move to Barcelona (Sport)
read more
read more about this issue here

Barcelona won't consider a Milan offer for Márquez since the defender has become a key player under Guardiola (Sport)
read more

News of the day - Friday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)



Txiki and Guardiola will meet today to decide if Barcelona will go after a left wing attacker with Arshavin, Palacio and Capel being the options that could be activated (Sport)
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Txiki and Guardiola keep looking at the market trying to bring in a left wing attacker with Arshavin now being the priority (El Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Capel is the number two on the list and Neves -who has been scouted in China this week- and Palacio are the other options (El Mundo Deportivo)
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Arshavin and Palacio are the two options, although Barcelona isn't desperate to sign another player and won't pay excessive fees (Marca)
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Guardiola says that, although he has faith in the guys, the squad could be a little short at this moment and that they're following a lot of interesting players, one of them being Arshavin (press conference)

A Zenit Saint-Petersburg official confirms that the club has lowered its asking price for Arshavin in the transfer negotiations with Tottenham (Sovietski Sport)
read more

Through a Brazilian agent Barcelona has shown interest in Cruzeiro left winger Wagner Ferreira dos Santos (23), who should cost 10 million euro (Sport - unconfirmed)
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Silva says Valencia has always been his first option but he thanks Barcelona for the interest they've shown in him (Canal 9)

Barcelona has told Tottenham that they are ready to make a move for Berbatov and Tottenham would rather sell the striker to Barcelona for a reduced fee than letting him join Manchester United (The Sun)
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Guardiola says that the players from the B team will in principle return to Barcelona Atlètic although the staff will look at it case-by-case, loan deals are almost excluded (press conference)

Effren Suárez, father and agent of Jeffren, says that Barcelona still hasn't decided if the player will stay with the first team but that the decision will be taken in the coming days, if he doesn't continue a loan deal is an option, although Barcelona prefers not to loan him out to a Primera Division or a foreign team (Equipo)
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Pedro says he considers himself a Barcelona Atlètic player until he's been told the opposite, if he had to leave the first team he would join the B team with the will to work hard to get another chance (El Mundo Deportivo - Sport)
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News of the day - Monday

This post will be updated throughout the day.


Guardiola could announce the continuation of Eto'o tomorrow during the press conference ahead of the Champions League qualifying game on Wednesday (As - Mundo Deportivo)
read more

Guardiola and Eto'o will have a final meeting today, after which it will be announced that the player will stay (Sport)
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Manchester United manager Ferguson doesn't rule out a bid for Thierry Henry and says a striker could be signed this week (The Sun)
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A renewal deal between Silva and Valencia is close (As)

Silva's agents and Valencia will meet on Wednesday and decide whether to renew the contract or to look for an exit (Mundo Deportivo)
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Valencia vice president Gómez has assured Silva and his father Fernando, who works at the club, that the issue will be solved in a satisfying way for the player (Super Deporte)
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Barcelona could make a first bid of 20-22 million euro which could rise up to 25 million euro, Txiki and Guardiola already talked to Silva, Silva is the last possible transfer, if he doesn't come the squad is finalized (Sport)
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Barcelona could have left the Diego Capel option because he's not the kind of player Guardiola likes or because Barcelona didn't want to transfer three Sevilla players in one summer (Mundo Deportivo)
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A Barcelona spokesman as well as Guardiola say that Yaya Touré is a key player and will not leave (Sky Sports)
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Second division team Levante is interested in getting Jeffren on loan although the good pre-season of the player will make a deal difficult since there are many interested clubs (Super Deporte)
read more

How things stand: Wing attackers

(at the end of the season, Barça Transfer Zone looks forward to the coming transfer summer making an analysis for each position, in part 7 we look at the wing attackers)

2007-2008
On the right wing, Giovani dos Santos (19) got a lot more playing time than expected due to the two serious injuries of Lionel Messi (20). Bojan (17) and Eto'o also moved away from the centre to the right side a few times this season.

First choice on the left wing Ronaldinho (28) had a season full of injuries and was rarely fit and on top of his game. Andrés Iniesta (24) and Thierry Henry (30) were the players who used to replace him. Santiago Ezquerro (31) did not get many opportunities.

Out
Despite interest from Chelsea and Inter, Messi will certainly stay. The situation of Giovani is not clear. He could leave on a loan or a permanent deal. Manchester City, Inter and Chelsea are rumoured to be interested. Both players could also be used more on the left wing next season.

Ronaldinho will most probably leave in the summer. AC Milan is the main candidate for the transfer, with Manchester City and Inter Milan as the most important challengers. The contract of Ezquerro expires in June and the player didn't receive a renewal offer.

In
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich - 24), who can play on both wings, is probably the main candidate but is very unlikely to leave the German champions after one year. The other name that has been sticking out is left winger David Silva (Valencia - 22).

Further there were rumours about Hatem ben Arfa (Lyon - 22), Diego Capel (Sevilla - 20), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United - 23), Andrés Guardado (Deportivo La Coruña - 21) and Mancini (AS Roma - 27). Gai Assulin (17) could be promoted from the Barcelona B team.


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

Capel only thinking about Sevilla

Asked about the rumours linking him with a summer move to European top clus, amongst which Barcelona (read more here), Sevilla left winger and Spanish youth international Diego Capel (20) has said in an interview with Spanish football weekly paper Don Balón that he does not have any plans to leave this summer:

"It's an honour that such big clubs are thinking about you. But my thoughts are only in Sevilla. This club gave me a chance and I want to give something back to the fans by my play and by winning trophies. And if one day I will have to leave, I want to do that in a good relationship with the club."

Read more:

Capel buyout clause on the rise

Looking for a left winger

Capel is on the list

Expensier Capel stays on the list

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Sevilla left winger and Spanish youth international Diego Capel (20) is still on the Barcelona transfer list for the summer.

Because Capel, who spent one year in the Barcelona youth academy (read more here), played last weekend his fourtieth official game with Sevilla, his buyout clause automatically rised from 12 to 15 million euro° (read more here).

Read more:
Looking for a left winger
Capel buyout clause on the rise
Capel has madridista background

Looking for a left winger

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona will bring in a left wing attacker to fill up the gap left by the exit of Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho. Barcelona is looking for a young, fast and technical player, who can score, is adapted to the Liga and is hungry for trophies.

The first name on the list would be that of Valencia left winger David Silva (22). He is seen as the most complete candidate for the spot. With a contract until 2014 and a buyout clause of 90 million euro°, a transfer of Silva will nevertheless be a difficult operation. Barcelona hopes the crisis in Valencia could make the player put pressure on his club to allow him to leave.

Another option is Deportivo La Coruña left winger Andrés Guardado (21). The Mexican international has a buyout clause of 25 million euro° and Deportivo president Augusto César lendoiro would be willing to lower that price in exchange for some players from the Barcelona youth academy.

A third player on the list would be Sevilla left winger and Spanish youth international Diego Capel (20) (read more here) . Capel is considered to be technically the least of the three but he compensates that with his pace. His buyout clause of 12 million euro° is attainable for Barcelona (read more here).

pep's opinion:
With Ronaldinho (and Ezquerro) on their way out and Henry not being able to adapt to the position on the left, we definitely need to bring in one (if not two) players for the left wing. Since on the right we have already two players (Messi and Giovani) who tend to leave the wing and cut inside and since Abidal isn't really an attacking left back able to connect with and double his left wing partner, I guess the right option is to go is for a real left-footed winger, who can go all the way and who keeps the field open.

The search of Txiki (5) : Attack

On Thursday Catalan sports paper Sport gave a global analysis of the Barcelona transfer activity for next summer. In five episodes we bring this story to you.

Up front Barcelona is looking for a winger and a scorer. Last november Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona sports vice president Marc Ingla met in Lisbon with the agent of Manchester United right winger Cristiano Ronaldo (23). No chance. Bayern Munich right winger Franck Ribéry (24) has been sounded. Sevilla left winger Diego Capel (20) and AS Roma left winger Mancini (27) are also on the Barcelona list. With Mancini there would be a pre-agreement.

For the center forward position, the transfer price of the first choice, Olympique Lyon striker Karim Benzema (20), is unattainable, so the club has to look at other options. Sevilla forward Luis Fabiano (27) is an alternative who would cost far less, although the problem is that the rights of the player are divided between Sevilla and investment group GSI. Chelsea striker Didier Drogba (30) will only come if his former manager José Mourinho will become the next Barcelona manager.

(this is the fifth and last part of this story, the first part and the second part were published on Thursday, the third part and the fourth part were published yesterday. The five episodes are: 1. Defence, 2. How it works, 3. Midfield, 4. Marital status, 5. Attack)

Capel has a madridista background

Madrid tabloid As confirms that Barcelona is closely following Sevilla left winger Diego Capel (20). The scouting reports are excellent and the player fits the Barcelona way of playing perfectly. The buyout clause of 12 (or 15) million euro (read more here) is not considered to be an obstacle to a transfer.

While Tottenham and Arsenal are also interested in the player, the Capel family would like to see Diego in the shirt of Real Madrid. An uncle of the player is even the president of the Madrid peña of Capel's birth place. Adding to the fact that the player is represented by the brother of Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos (read more here).

Capel buyout clause on the rise

Spanish news site El Confidencial says that the buyout clause of Sevilla left winger Diego Capel (20) will automatically rise from 12 to 15 million euro when the player has played 40 official games for his club, which would be a fact soon.

Besides that, Sevilla president José María del Nido is trying to double the clause to 30 million euro. As a compensation Capel would get a salary increase that would make him earn as much as Sevilla right winger Jesús Navas. Capel, who is rumoured to be on Barcelona's transfer list for the summer (read more here and here), would want to stay at least one more year with his current club.

Spicy detail: the agent of Diego Capel is René Ramos, brother of Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos.