Txiki: "It's difficult for Barça to sell players"

Speaking at a press conference, Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain looked back at the summer transfer window.




The squad
"Having a shorter squad is not a risk. You can have a larger squad but then you have the problem of managing all that and that carries some risks too. I don't see a problem compared with next season.

The exit of Jorquera won't have an effect because we just return to the situation of having two goalkeepers at the first team. Chygrynskiy will have more minutes than Cáceres. The minutes of Hleb will be for Pedro. And both Jonathan and Tiago could take advantage of the sale of Gudjohnsen. Maxwell will probably play more than Sylvinho and Ibrahimovic replaces Eto'o. And the club also hopes that Milito will have recovered soon.

It's true that Pep has said that the squad is rather short but he has also said that he has a lot of confidence in the youth players, who adapt easily to the way of playing. We have played with a lot of home-grown players in last season's Champions League final, we ended the Super Cup in Monaco with eight home-grown players on the pitch and during the pre-season we have seen that there are talented youth players coming through. We are starting the season with a good and secure feeling, and we are very satified with the current squad."

The winter tranfer window
"Although we don't really like the winter market, we will be monitoring things over the coming months since we haven't been able to do everything we wanted this summer because of the very high and actually shocking prices."

Robinho
"We have a great relationship with Manchester City and during the talks the name of Robinho came up. We didn't make a concrete bid because every time we talked about it, they made clear that he was not for sale."

Selling players
"It's difficult for Barça to get money for the players we sell. We basically sell because we don't want the player anymore. We don't need them anymore and the other teams of course know that too. The salary is one of the other problems when selling players. In any case, we don't want to be the best sellers. Our first objective is to buy players and to improve what we already have."

Read more:
Transfer summer 2009: The Final Overview

Guardiola wanted to replace Henry this summer

Madrid sports tabloid As claims that Barcelona wanted to replace Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) during the past summer transfer window.

Because Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would have had enough of the clash of the egos of Henry and Eto'o, he reportedly asked the club to look for a new left winger.

Although it was Eto'o who took all the hits from the press and Henry came out of it fairly undamaged because of his good relationship with the media and the entourage of the club, Guardiola would have wanted to get rid of both players.

Barcelona would therefore have been discretely sounding out the market over the last months and contacted among others left wingers like Riera, Robben, Robinho, Mata and Silva. But although those players would have agreed to join Barcelona, it was not possible to close a deal with their clubs. If Barcelona would find a new left winger next year, Henry will probably leave the club at the end of this season.

Read more:
Robben confirms Barcelona interest
Henry wants to play in the US one day
Barcelona keeping an eye on Robinho

Barcelona keeping an eye on Robinho

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is still interested in Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25).

After the failed last-minute attempts of last month - officals of both clubs would have met to discuss a transfer both in Barcelona in the margin of the Joan Gamper game as in Monaco last week - Barcelona plans to monitor the situation of the Brazilian winger, who could still take part in the Champions League if he would join Barcelona in the January transfer window.

While Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would be fond of the player, Manchester City coach Mark Hughes wouldn't have a good relationship with Robinho and could count less on him this season. This might lead Barcelona, that failed to strengthen the left wing this summer, to make a new move in the next months if the English Premier League would be willing to sell at an acceptable price.

Read more:
Manchester City rejects 40 million bid for Robinho
Robinho agent confirms player is not for sale
Laporta on Robinho, Gudjohnsen and Henrique


Watch this video of Robinho:

Robinho agent confirms player is not for sale

Asked about the renewed rumours linking Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's representative for Spain Herminio Menéndez has said in an interview with Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu that a transfer is not possible now:

"The options to sign Robinho before the current summer transfer window closes are zero because he is simply not for sale as far as Manchester City is concerned."

Read more:
Guardiola dismisses Robinho and closes squad
Manchester City rejects 40 million bid for Robinho
Laporta on Robinho, Gudjohnsen and Henrique

No last-minute transfers planned

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo reclaims that, without surprises, Barcelona won't sign another player during the summer transfer window that closes today.

Since Barcelona hasn't been able to sign Guardiola's first choices Robinho and Mascherano for the left wing and the defensive midfield positions, the B plan would be to count on the youth players and the club won't try to improvise some last-minute transfer.

Read more:
Chygrynskiy will probably be the last transfer
Guardiola dismisses Robinho and closes squad
Mascherano disappointed about failed transfer

Laporta on Robinho, Gudjohnsen and Henrique

Speaking to Spanish television channel TVE, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has commented on the latest transfer rumours and events.


Robinho
"It was a good option to complete the squad. We have a good relationships with the owners of Manchester City but there's nothing concrete regarding signing Robinho for the 2009-2010 season."

Gudjohnsen and Henrique
"I can confirm that there are very little details left to close the exits of both players, Gudjohnsen to Monaco and Henrique to Racing Santander."

Read more:
Guardiola dismisses Robinho and closes squad
Gudjohnsen to join Monaco on Monday
Racing president confirms deal on Henrique loan

Guardiola dismisses Robinho and closes squad

Asked about the renewed rumours linking Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has ruled out the transfer at a press conference and has said that it's almost certain the club won't sign any more players:

"Robinho won't come. He was the star transfer of Manchester City last year and it wouldn't make sense for them to let him go now.

In general, there should happen something extraordinary for us to sign another player before the end of the tranfer window. It's true that the group is a little short, maybe we lack another midfielder but the prices were exaggerated. I then prefer to use the youth players because I believe that they can help us to keep the balance in the team."

Read more:
Barcelona monitoring market for left winger
Chygrynskiy will probably be the last transfer
Manchester City rejects 40 million bid for Robinho

Manchester City rejects 40 million bid for Robinho

Spanish football site Britcorner claims that Manchester City has rejected a Barcelona bid for left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25).

Barcelona would have discretely offered the English Premier League club a transfer fee of 40 million euros°. Manchester City nevertheless informed Barcelona yesterday evening that they weren't willing to accept the offer

Although Manchester City manager Mark Hughes would have agreed with a transfer if the club would sign a substitute for the Brazilian winger, the owners of Mancehster City would in the end have decided to reject the bid.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has insisted that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain would make an ultimate attempt to sign Robinho before the summer transfer window ends. Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that the only option would be a loan deal.

read more:
Barcelona still trying to sign Robinho
Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players
Barcelona close to signing Robinho on loan

Barcelona still trying to sign Robinho

British tabloid The Daily Mirror claims that Barcelona is still interested in Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) (read more here).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would have earlier this week been trying to contact Manchester City manager Mark Hughes by phone in a bid to convince Manchester City to sell Robinho.

Although both coaches had reportedly chatted at the Camp Nou before last week's Joan Gamper Trophy game and Guardiola was then told there was no chance of Robinho leaving, a well known intermediary would have suggested that the English club could sign Arjen Robben and told Barcelona that Robinho would be willing to move. Sources at Manchester City would nevertheless have said to the tabloid that their transfer activity for this summer is over.

Read more:
Barcelona close to signing Robinho on loan
Txiki has been in contact with 22 players
Barcelona will try again for Robinho

Looking forward to the last transfer window month

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo looks ahead to the last month of the summer transfer window.


Central defender
With the transfer of Shakhtar Donetsk defender and Ukrainian international Dmytro Chygrynskiy (22) having become unlikely because of the player's participation in a Champions league qualifying game, Barcelona could decide not to sign another centre-back and to count on Henrique and youth players Muniesa or Fontàs.

Midfielder
Signing another midfielder seems at this moment the priority of the club, with Liverpool defensive midfielder and Argentine international Javier Mascherano (25) and Arsenal midfielder and Spanish international Cesc Fàbregas (22) on top of the list. A player with a back-up profile like Poulsen is not an option.

Left winger
With a transfer of main target Franck Ribéry not being possible, a transfer of a left winger is not a priority because the alternatives don't convince. Valencia left wing attacker and Spanish international Juan Mata (21) could be an option if he cannot reach a renewal agreement with Valencia this summer. Other rumoured options like Di María, Robinho or Arshavin seem far off at this moment. Homegrown players Pedro, Jeffren or Gai are expected to get their chances.

Read more:
Transfer of Chygrynskiy becomes unlikely
Mascherano or Cesc
Mata will use Barcelona offer to get pay rise

Robinho off the list

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) definitely will not join Barcelona this summer.

Barcelona would have been informed that the attempts by the player to convince his club to let him go didn't lead to any result. The club would now have given up on Robinho and will now look for other options.

Read more:
Barcelona will try again for Robinho
Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players
Barcelona close to signing Robinho on loan

Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players

Madrid sports tabloid As that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain has already sounded out or been offered twenty-two players this year.

The main reason why Barcelona still didn't sign any players would mainly be the lack of financial means.

The list of 22 players would consist of the following names:


Sergio Asenjo (Real Valladolid)
Karim Benzema (Olympique Lyon)
Bruno Alves (Porto)
Dmytro Chygrynskiy (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Luis Filipe (Deportivo La Coruña)

Diego Forlán (Atlético Madrid)
Eden Hazard (Lille)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Inter Milan)
Keirrison (Palmeiras)
Florent Malouda (Chelsea)
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool)

Juan Mata (Valencia)
Maxwell (Inter Milan)
Felipe Melo (Fiorentina)
Franck Ribéry (Bayern Munich)
Robinho (Manchester City)

David Silva (Valencia)
Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
David Villa (Valencia)
Ashley Young (Aston Villa)
Yuri Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow)

Next season's team (3)

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona wants to sign five players this summer: a left back defender, a central defender, a defensive midfielder, a left winger and a centre forward.

They give an overview of how the "ideal" squad could look like next season.


Right wing: Messi
Back-up: Bojan, Pedro, Hleb

Nothing will change ont he right wing, although it's possible that Messi will move more to the centre during the coming season after the good results of this tactics last month.

Centre forward: Ibrahimovic
Back-up: Bojan, Eto'o

Guardiola prefers to sign Ibrahimovic (Inter) to replace Eto'o. In case a transfer of the Swede wouldn't be possible, Villa (Valencia) and Forlán (Atlético) are the alternative options. If the club doesn't find a buyer for Eto'o, the striker will stay next season.

Left winger: Ribéry
Back-up: Henry, Hleb

Barcelona still hopes to be able to sign Ribéry. Robinho (Manchester City) and Mata (Valencia) are the other names on the list. Because of his age, Henry will have less minutes next season.

Read the other parts of this report:
Next season's team (2)
Next season's team (1)

Top players want to know about their future

Ribéry:
Could somebody please reveal our future?

Eto'o:
It's just that every day we're more numerous in here and we're all getting a little claustrophobic.

(click the cartoon to enlarge)

source:
cayecaturas.com
sport.es

see more cartoons here

Barcelona will try again for Robinho

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona still hasn't given up on Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) after a loan deal was rejected by his club last week (read more here).

This week new contacts could be made. It is expected that Pepe Costa, a member of Barcelona's coaching staff who has been scouting in Brazil, might play a role in the upcoming events.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta reportedly asked player's agent Pini Zahavi about the chances to sign Robinho when the president attended the wedding of a daughter of the representative last week.

British newspaper The Times meanwhile claims that Robinho has asked advisers to secure him a move to Barcelona after he developed an ongoing uneasiness with Manchester City manager Mark Hughes.

Sport reports that Robinho would be delighted about the chance to return to the Spanish league. His father Gilvan da Souza and his agent travelled to South Africa, where the Brazilian is playing the Confederations Cup, and the three are expected to fly to Manchester after the tournament.

Robinho reportedly plans to meet with Manchester City officials in an attempt to put pressure on his club and convince them to find a deal with Barcelona. Manchester City is said to be willing to talk about a permanent move but would ask the same 38 million euro° fee the English club paid last summer for the Brazilian.

Read more:
Barcelona close to signing Robinho on loan
The report of Txiki (3) : 60 million for Eto'o
Robinho now main option for left wing

The report of Txiki (3) : 60 million for Eto'o

Catalan sports paper Sport reports that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain presented the board on Thursday a report about the current transfer market. The club would want to sign three or four players this summer (read more here).

Barcelona thinks the forward line is the line with the most quality in the current squad but that things can always be improved.

Wings
Barcelona would like to sign a player for the left wing. The asking price for Bayern Munich attacker Franck Ribéry (26) would have gone overnight from 40 to 70 million euro° (read more here). Because the club thinks that this fee is above the market price, the negotiations have been put on hold.

Manchester City left winger Robinho (25), who is not feeling comfortable at his club, could only come on loan because he's too expensive (read more here). Valencia left wing attacker Juan Manuel Mata (21) and Aston Villa winger Ashley Young (23) would be the alternative options (read more here and here).

Centre forward
Barcelona would have valued Eto'o at 60 million euro° and hopes that Manchester United or Chelsea will bid for him. A swap with Inter Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) is still not being excluded (read more here).

Atlético Madrid forward Diego Forlán (30) would fit the profile put forward by Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola but his age reportedly makes Barcelona doubt about paying his 36 million euro° buyout clause (read more here). Barcelona would believe that Valencia forward and Spanish international David Villa (27) will force his exit after the Confederations Cup and that in that case he will join Barcelona or Real Madrid (read more here).

Read more:
The report of Txiki (2) : Mascherano priority
Barcelona close to signing Robinho on loan
Manchester United confident of signing Eto'o

Manchester City denies Robinho exit

English Premier League club Manchester City has put out a statement on its official website denying an upcoming loan of Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) to Barcelona.

Under the title 'Robinho going nowhere' the official statement reads as follows: "Manchester City has scotched press reports emanating from Spain regarding Robinho. One Spanish TV station has claimed that the Brazilian striker is set to join Barcelona on loan.

City's Chief Executive Garry Cook has told: "The story is completely without foundation. Robinho has always been a highly valued member of our team and that continues to be the case. Reports suggesting he will leave the football club, either on loan or on a permanent deal, are absolutely untrue." "

Read more:
Barcelona close to signing Robinho on loan

Barcelona close to signing Robinho on loan

Catalan television channel TV3 claims that Barcelona could close in the coming hours the loan of Manchester City left winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25).

Robinho would sign for one season with an option to buy the Brazilian next summer.

British tabloid The Daily Mirror claimed this morning that Barcelona was planning to make a 41 million euro° bid for Robinho and that Manchester City is willing to let the player go because of his bad relationship with Manchester City manager Mark Hughes.

Catalan sports paper Sport claimed that Robinho, who doesn't feel comfortable in England, had become Barcelona's main candidate for the left wing position after Bayern Munich repeated that Ribéry is not for sale. Because of the high transfer fee Manchester City would ask for Robinho, Barcelona would be looking at other options, among which a loan deal leaving Barcelona to only pay the player's salary.

Read more:
Robinho now main option for left wing
Rummenigge: "We want Ribery to stay"
Robinho is alternative for Ribery

Robinho now main option for left wing

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that, because the transfer fee asked for Bayern Munich player Ribéry is too high, Manchester City winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) is at this moment the most likely option for the left wing (read more here).

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola thinks the player would perfectly fit in his system, the player's salary of between 5 and 6 million euro wouldn't be a problem for the club and Robinho, who reportedly has a clause in his contract that he can leave if his club doesn't qualify for the Champions League, would want to join Barcelona.

Asked about the rumours, Robinho didn't really enter the issue in an interview with the paper: "Barça is a great team and it's always good that they want you, but at this moment I'm only focusing on the Brazilian national team, which is the important thing now."

Read more:
Robinho is alternative for Ribery
Eto'o scares off clubs with wage demands
Robinho opens door for Barcelona move

Robinho is alternative for Ribery

Catalan spoorts paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Manchester City winger and Brazilian international Robinho (25) is a possible alternative in case the transfer of Bayern Munich player Ribéry wouldn't go through.

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola likes the Brazilian a lot and would already have asked the club to sign Robinho last summer (read more here). AC Milan is also believed to be interested.



Read more:
Robinho opens door for Barcelona move
Manchester City confident of signing Eto'o soon
Madrid vetoes Robinho move to Barcelona