Melo is still an option to strengthen midfield

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is still monitoring the situation of Fiorentina defensive midfielder and Brazilian international Felipe Melo (25).

Barcelona wants to sign a midfielder this summer and Melo is, besides Liverpool player Javier Mascherano and AS Roma player Daniele De Rossi, the third name on the list (read more here).

Inter, Juventus, Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid would also be interested in melo, whose contract with Fiorentina expires in 2012 and whose transfer fee would at least be 20 million euro°.

Read more:
Montolivo dismisses Barcelona rumours
Guardiola talks with Mascherano
Agent Frey dismisses Barcelona interest

Fiorentina unaware of Barcelona interest in Frey

Asked about the rumours linking Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey (29) to Barcelona (read more here), Fiorentina sports director Pantaleo Corvino said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky that the club didn't hear anything:

"Barcelona didn't ask for Frey and our intention is anyhow to keep him."

Read more:
Agent Frey dismisses Barcelona interest
Fiorentina interested in Marquez
Montolivo dismisses Barcelona rumours

Agent Frey dismisses Barcelona interest

Italian television channel Sky claims that Barcelona is interested in Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey (29).

Barcelona reportedly could try to include Barcelona central defender and Mexican international Rafael Márquez (30) in a bid for the French goalkeeper, which would make Fiorentina willing to accept an offer. Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Barcelona might offer 12 million euro° plus Márquez.

Asked about the rumours linking Frey to Barcelona, the player's agent Carlo Pallavicino has nevertheless said in an interview with Tuscany regional newspaper Il Giornale della Toscana that the goalkeeper will continue at Fiorentina: "You always have that kind of rumours this time of the year, linking players to the big clubs. But I'm willing to bet that Frey, Mutu and Felipe Melo will not leave Firenze. Barcelona? I repeat: Seba won't move."

Read more:
Fiorentina goalkeeper Frey has been offered
Fiorentina interested in Marquez
Montolivo dismisses Barcelona rumours

Fiorentina interested in Marquez

Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Fiorentina is interested in Barcelona central defender and Mexican international Rafael Márquez (30).

The Italian first division club wants to sign an experienced defender and the Mexican defender would be the first name on the list.

Because they aren't able to match the current salary of the player, Fiorentina plans to compensate that by offering Márquez, whose deal with Barcelona expires next summer, a long-term contract.

Read more:
Marquez hopes to renew this year
Medical: Marquez out for eight to ten weeks
Marquez: "We have to reach higher, never stop"

Guardiola talks with Mascherano

Argentinian newspaper Clarín claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has talked with Liverpool defensive midfielder and Argentine international Javier Mascherano (24).

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Mascherano and Fiorentina defensive midfielder and Brazilian international Felipe Melo (25) are two candidates to replace Barcelona defensive midfielder and Ivorian international Yaya Touré (26) if the latter would leave this summer.

Melo has been followed by Barcelona for several years now and the excellent relationships between the player's agent Rodri - who also represents Barcelona player Dani Alves - and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would make a transfer more likely (read more here).

The paper nevertheless indicates that a possible transfer of Mascherano wouldn't necesarily mean the exit of Touré and that the Argentinian midfielder could be signed to strenghten the midfield. The news could also be a way to put pressure on the renewal negotiations with Touré.

British tabloid The Sun meanwhile claims that Barcelona is preparing a 22,5 million euro° bid for Mascherano, trying to take advantage of the financial problems the English Premier League club would be facing.

Read more:
Mascherano ideal candidate to strengthen midfield
Toure rejects first renewal offer
Offer for Fiorentina midfielder Felipe Melo

Montolivo dismisses Barcelona rumours

Italian sports paper Tuttosport claims that Barcelona is strongly interested in Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo (24).

Barcelona would already have contacted Fiorentina to ask for the Italian player.

Asked about the rumours, Montolivo said at a press conference that a transfer seems very unlikely to him: "I want to stay at Fiorentina. I want to keep on playing with this shirt. I've heard the talk about Barcelona but I saw them play in the final of the Champions league and it didn't look as if they need another midfielder... They have the strongest midfield in Europe."

Read more:
Fiorentina goalkeeper Frey has been offered
Offer for Fiorentina midfielder Felipe Melo


Watch a video of Montolivo here:

Marseille goalkeeper Mandanda on shortlist

French football weekly paper Foot Transferts claims that Barcelona is interested in Marseille goalkeeper and French international Steve Mandanda (24) (read more here).

A Barcelona scout would have recently watched Mandanda in action. The report was positive and Barcelona would already have informed the player's entourage about their interest. Barcelona executives are expected to contact the French club shortly to hear more about the contract situation of the goalkeeper.

Mandanda would be part of a five-name shortlist of possible substitutes of Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés that also includes Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (31), Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez (27), Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey (29) and Valladolid goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo (19).

Read more:
Marseille wants to sign Keita next summer
Manchester United wants to sign Valdes
Marseille goalkeeper Mandanda followed

Watch a video of Mandanda here:

Fiorentina goalkeeper Frey has been offered

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey (29) has been offered to Barcelona.

Frey’s contract at the Italian club expires at the end of this season and Giovanni Branchini, the player’s agent, has informed Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain about the situation of the Frenchman. Branchini and Begiristain would have a good relationship since the transfer of Albertini to Barcelona in January of the year 2005.

Read more:
Barcelona speaking with Cech and Buffon
Picture of the day: Frey
Looking for a goal keeper

Melo happy about not joining Barcelona

Asked about his choice to sign for Fiorentina last summer, Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo (25) has said in an interview with Firenze local newspaper Il Nuovo Corriere that he's happy with his decision not to join one of the other interested clubs, among which Barcelona:

"I have no regrets at all about having chosen Fiorentina because I always want to play and for example at a team like Barcelona, I wouldn't have had the certainty of playing every game."

Read more:
Barcelona sounded out Melo
OFFICIAL: Henrique Adriano Buss
Barcelona prepares offer for left back Vargas

Barça B: Jeffren has several offers

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that several clubs are interested in Barcelona Atlètic wing attacker and Spanish youth international Jeffren Suárez (20).

Scottish Premier League club Celtic Glasgow wants to sign Jeffren on loan during the January transfer window (read more here), but the Venezuelan-Spanish player could have more tempting offers.

Football site Tribalfootball claims that Italian clubs Fiorentina and Siena are also interested in Jeffren.

Read more:

Barça B: Celtic target Jeffren can leave

Barça B: Valencia, Sevilla and Villareal want Jeffren

Celtic Glasgow interested in Sylvinho and Jeffren

Barcelona prepares offer for left back Vargas

Italian regional newspaper La Nazione claims that Barcelona is preparing a 13 million euro° bid for Fiorentina left back defender and Peruvian international Juan Vargas (24) (read more here).

The paper thinks that Fiorentina will be forced to sell a player in the January transfer window. Vargas, who joined the Italian club from Catania this summer, would nevertheles not be for sale and Fiorentina plans to reject every offer for him.

Read more:

Vargas (Fiorentina) and Farfan (Schalke) monitored

Milan interested in Abidal

Mutu renewal talks monitored

Vargas (Fiorentina) and Farfan (Schalke) monitored

Asked if Fiorentina left back defender Juan Vargas (24 - picture) and Schalke forward Jefferson Farfán (23) could join Barcelona in the future, Barcelona board member Josep Antón Colomer has suggested in an interview with Peruvian newspaper El Comercio that both Peruvian internationals are amongst the players that Barcelona is monitoring:

"Of course they could play for Barcelona one day. Barcelona has a well-organized scouting system and we are following a lot of players all around the world. The best Peruvian players will always be monitored by the club. There have always been Peruvian players who had the qualities to play for Barcelona."

Read more:

Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04)

Youth: Daniel Sanchez (Sporting Cristal)

Mutu renewal talks monitored

News of the day - Thursday

(This post will be updated throughout the day.)


Txiki Begiristain has said he doesn't exclude another signing now that Silva has renewed with Valencia

Barcelona is still wanting to bring in a left winger but will only sign a player if there's an interesting player available on the market (Sport)
read more

Arsenal manager Wenger doesn't believe Henry could join Manchester United and says if the player would return to England, something Wenger doubts, he would only join Arsenal (Arsenal official website)
read more

Fiorentina midfielder Felipe Melo (24), who played for Almería last season, says that Barcelona showed interest in him earlier this year but that he had already signed for Fiorentina in January (Lance)
read more

Mutu renewal talks monitored

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Fiorentina forward and Romanian international Adrian Mutu (29) could become an option for Barcelona.

The renewal negotiations between Fiorentina and Mutu, whose contract with Fiorentina expires in 2009, didn't yet lead to a new contract which could make the italian club decide to sell the player. Barcelona is following the events.

Read more:

Barcelona insisting for Trezeguet

Looking for a goal keeper

Guiza hopes for Barcelona move to come true

Looking for a goal keeper

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is looking to bring in a goal keeper who should put pressure on current first choice goal keeper Víctor Valdés (26) (read more here).

With substitute goal keeper Albert Jorquera (29) not expected to return before July, with the loan deal of Celta Vigo loan out José Manuel Pinto (32) not being made permanent and with a qualification round for the Champions League coming up, Barcelona doesn't want to take any risk.

Barcelona would have good scouting reports on a number of goal keepers amongst which Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04 - 22), Hugo Lloris (Nice - 21), Dudu Aouate (Deportivo La Coruña - 30) and Diego Alves (Almería - 22). Heurelho Gomes (PSV Eindhoven - 27) and Sébastien Frey (Fiorentina - 28) would have been offered.

Nicolás Lozano, journalist of Mexican sports site Medio Tiempo, claims that Club América goal keeper Guillermo Ochoa (22 - picture) could come to Barcelona because Rafael Márquez and Giovani dos Santos will leave: "And Barcelona needs a Mexican player in the squad because of marketing purposes."

Catalan sports paper Sport nevertheless claims that nothing will change: Valdés stays the number one with Jorquera as his back-up, Pinto will return to Celta and no new goal keeper will be brought in.

Read more:

Villareal's Diego Lopez to rival Valdes

How things stand: Goal keeper

Pinto wants to stay