Agent Cech confirms Barcelona interest

Asked about the rumours linking Chelsea goalkeeper and Czech international Petr Cech (26) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Pavel Zika has unconfirmedly said in an interview with Czech newspaper Právo that Barcelona has been interested in the player for a long time:

"We have been registering the interest of Barcelona in Petr for some time. Petr is back in great shape after an unsuccessful spell, but it is not convenient to vent any further information when the clubs are about to clash in the Champions League. However, Petr has a lucrative contract at Chelsea and he is happy here."

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Who could replace Valdes?

Who could replace Valdes?

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona will try to sign Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (27) if the club cannot reach a renewal agreement with Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés (27) this summer (read more here).

Barcelona would in that case sell the Catalan goalkeeper in the summer and use the money to buy Diego López who would have a buyout fee of 30 million euro° but who could leave for 20 million euro°.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that there's a list of four candidates in case Valdés would leave the club at the end of the season: Villarreal goalkeeper Diego López (27 - contract until 2014 - buyout clause of 35 million euro°), Liverpool goalkeeper José Manuel Reina (26 contract until 2012), Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz (27 - contract until 2011 - buyout clause of 30 million euro°) and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech (26 - contract until 2011).

This led some media to again quote an interview Cech gave to Czech news site Idnes at the end of 2007: "In London I miss only my friends from the Czech Republic, otherwise I have got used to the way of life and my wife and I like it. So far I have been very happy at Chelsea and I have started to love the Premier League. But in the case of Barcelona showing interest, yes, certainly it would be worth considering. "

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Guardiola wants goalkeeper, left winger and striker

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona officials have been holding meeting to discuss how to strenghten the squad in the summer.

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would want to bring in a goalkeeper, a left winger and a striker, although it's uncertain the club will be able to sign players for these three positions.

Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is currently working with an extensive target list that mainly includes settled players like Chelsea goalkeeper and Czech international Petr Cech (25) and Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25).

If Barcelona will be able to sign three players, at least two players of the current squad will leave in the summer. Barcelona attacker and Belarus international Alexander Hleb (27) would be on top of the exit list after having disappointed both on and off the pitch this season. Bayern Munich and some English Premier League clubs could be interested to sign him.

If the club signs a new goalkeeper, Barcelona goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (30) will again consider an exit, like he already did in January. And the arrival of another striker, could make Barcelona forward and Spanish youth international Bojan Krkic (18) ask to join another club on loan, something that some people from his entourage would already have advised him months ago.

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Barcelona speaking with Cech and Buffon

Czech newspaper Právo claims that Barcelona is interested in Chelsea goalkeeper and Czech international Petr Cech (25) and Juventus goalkeeper and Italian international Gianluigi Buffon (31).

An anonymous Barcelona executive told the paper that the management of the club is seriously considering to buy a quality goalkeeper in the summer and that they are already talking with both goalkeepers.

Barcelona could make a first bid for Cech by the end of this month. The club would want to spend big with the offer probably going to be more than 50 million euro.

Barcelona marketing vice-president Jaume Ferrer is quoted as saying that the club is looking at the market: "Now we have other worries with the champions league return against Lyon. But of course, we have been discussing new signings, and it is no secret that the goalkeeper is not our strongest link at the moment."

Pavel Zika, the agent of Cech, confirmed to the paper that Barcelona is interested in the Czech goalkeeper but said that it's not likely a deal will be closed: "We know of the interest. But Petr is very happy at Chelsea and has one of the best contracts there. The fact that he's learning Spanish has nothing to do with Barcelona. Petr loves languages and he is good at them. He and his wife Martina are anticipating their second child, they are happy in London and Chelsea will hardly release him."

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Cech to counter Casillas

Cech to counter Casillas

Spanish news site El Confidencial claimed this week that one of the main Barcelona targets for next summer could be Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech (25). The Czech international would be one of the players wanting to leave Chelsea after the club dismissed manager José Mourinho. Barcelona for its part would like to bring in Cech to fully rival with Real Madrid's Iker Casillas.