Manchester City wants first option on Messi

British tabloid The People claims that Manchester City is negotiating to have a first option to sign Barcelona right wing attacker and Argentinian international Lionel Messi (22).

The English club would have been willing to pay a transfer fee of 118 million euro° this summer but Messi doesn't want to leave.

Manchester City would now has asked the player's agent and father Jorge, as well as Barcelona, for an agreement which would see the club have a right of first refusal if the Argentinian ever wants to leave Barcelona.

Due to the interest of Manchester City, Barcelona would have been forced to propose Messi a new contract this month. Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia claims that the English Premier League club would have offered Messi a contract that included a year salary of 12 million euro net.

Read more:
Messi rejects record offer by Manchester City
Lionel Messi - "Five years of golazos" (part 2)
Possible agreement on contract renewal Messi

Eto'o scares off clubs with wage demands

British tabloid News of the World claims that Barcelona attacker and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28) wants to cash in on the last major contract of his career.

Eto'o reportedly asked Manchester City a month salary of one million euro net for five years. Eto'o would be negotiating himself and simply employs lawyer Josep Maria Mesalles to handle the paperwork on his contracts.

Manchester United, Liverpool and Inter Milan would be among the other clubs that have inquired about his services and all have been quoted the same wages. Inter and Liverpool would already have pulled back, while United are highly unlikely to break their carefully regimented wage structure for Eto'o.

British tabloid The People claims that Eto'o rejected a 10 million euro offer by Manchester City because he didn't want to give up Champions League football. Chelsea, Liverpool and Inter Milan would be the clubs who are still interested in the striker. Barcelona would ask a transfer fee of 25 million euro° for the Cameroonian.

Read more:
Manchester United confident of signing Eto'o
Messi-Eto'o-Henry: Barcelona's Prolific Trident
Agent Eto'o repeats wish to continue

Eto'o and Henry top targets for Manchester City

British tabloid The Daily Mirror claims that Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28) and Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry are, two of the three main transfer targets of Manchester City (read more here).

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will have over 300 million euro to spend this summer and the club plans to make huge salary offers to tempt top players who otherwise might be put off signing for the club because they are not in Europe next season.

British tabloid The People claims that Manchester City is ready to make a 35 million euro° bid for Eto'o. The player's agent Josep Maria Mesalles would have met representatives of the English club last week. Manchester City would have offered the striker a four-year deal worth more than 8 million euro a year.

Read more:
Eto'o close to joining Manchester City
Messi rejects record offer by Manchester City
Manchester City monitoring Eto'o and Henry

Manchester City preparing record bid for Messi

British tabloid The People claims that Manchester City wants to sign Barcelona attacker and Argentine international Lionel Messi (21) at the end of this season (read more here).

Together with Inter Milan manager José Mourinho, Messi would be the English club's top target during the summer transfer window.

Manchester City is prepared to offer Barcelona a transfer fee of 170 million euro°, while Messi would be proposed a contract worth 11 million euro a season. Sources close to the player are nevertheless quoted as saying that money is not his main driving force.

Read more:
Manchester City planning record bid for Messi
Messi best dribbler in world football
Madrid having difficulties to understand Messi

Manchester United wants to sign Valdes

British tabloid The People claims that Manchester United is preparing a 25 million euro° bid for Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes (27).

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson would be wanting to sign a long-term replacement for Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar and sees Valdes, whose current contract with Barcelona finishes in June 2010, as a top quality replacement.

Van der Sar agreed a one-year extension earlier this season and Valdes would challenge the Dutch goalkeeper next year before taking over the following season.

Read more:
AC Milan interested in Valdes
Agent Valdes putting pressure on renewal talks
Tottenham was looking for Valdes agent

Barcelona preparing bid for Van Persie

Two British tabloids claimed yesterday that Barcelona is preparing a bid for Arsenal winger and Dutch international Robin van Persie (25), who is postponing signing a contract renewal and wants his club to be more competitive (read more here).

While The Daily Mirror claims that Barcelona plans to make a bid of 33 million euro° for the Dutch wing attacker whose contract expires in the summer of 2010, The People claims the bid will be exactly half of that: 16,5 million euro°.

Asked about his contract situation, Van Persie said last week in an interview with Uefa's Champions Magazine that he is happy with the terms on offer but that he's not yet sure if Arsenal is the right club for him in the long term: "Financially Arsenal's last offer is fine, but that isn't everything for me. It's about my ambitions and how they can be fulfilled. In the last four years I've only won one prize, the FA Cup, and that is too little. I want to push through to achieve more.

In Spanish papers there are so many names mentioned and I haven’t heard anything concrete from Barcelona. I can’t do anything about those rumours. I'm still in negotiations with Arsenal, and it's going well, in a very positive atmosphere. There are further meetings planned. The club and I want the same, and it's our intention to achieve that. We have all the other factors in place: fantastic stadium, dedicated support and money in the bank. Now it's about making that final push. I certainly feel I can play an important role in taking Arsenal to a higher level.

I believe the wild days are behind you when you reach 25. From this age on, you should be reaping the rewards of what you've learned. After seven years in professional football, I now have what I need to go further. I've heard and seen enough - it's as if I've crossed a barrier. I see players between 25 and 30 having their best years. In a certain sense, it feels like a voyage of discovery - and I feel I'm where I want to be as a footballer. This also applies to physical development. Now, I can play out matches a lot easier."

Read more:
Barcelona moving for Arsenal trio
Guardiola denies Van Persie-Hleb swap offer
Henry, Eto'o, Toure and Keita are for sale

Eto'o: "Racism is an ongoing struggle"

Barcelona player Samuel Eto'o gave an interview to British tabloid The People.





You are well known for your strong stance against racism in the game. Have you taken up this cause as a personal challenge?
Racism is an ongoing struggle, and we must keep fighting it every single day. Like I always say, they can attack us but they will never defeat us. This issue means a great deal to me and we must be prepared to use whatever means necessary. Racism is vile and we must strive to see it disappear from football.

At the age of just 27 you are already a role model throughout Africa. Is that something you are aware of?
Yes, there's no doubt about it, and I want to keep it up so that even more people will take notice of what Im doing in Europe. Having millions of people watch you play and be influenced by what you do is a responsibility. I consider it to be a great honour.

You must be very pleased that it is now Africa's turn to host the World Cup?
Of course. South Africa 2010 will give our continent an opportunity to prove that we can rise to the biggest challenges and achieve wonderful things. I can hardly wait.

Do you expect Cameroon to be involved?
Of course! After the difficult times that we went through on the qualifying trail for Germany, its time that we got back on the World Cup stage. Besides, I'd love the trophy to stay in Africa. Clearly it would be amazing if we could win it, but our continent has other great teams such as Ghana and Nigeria, who can feasibly set their sights on winning the World Cup.


Read more:
Eto'o wants to continue after 2010
Eto'o: "I already made a decision on my future"
Eto'o wants to negotiate renewal in the summer

Manchester City preparing summer bid for Henry

British tabloid The People claims that Manchester City is preparing an 11 million euro° summer bid for Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) (read more here).

Manchester City would see Henry as a realistic top signing after their failed attempt to sign Kaka from AC Milan in January and with their initial leading target Benzema supposedly on his way to join Barcelona.

Henry would be open to the idea of a move back to England and could be tempted to City, especially as they are one of the few clubs in the world who could improve his current salary. The French striker also has a young daughter in England so a move to the Premier League would help his personal life, while his long-term career plan involving a possible move to Major League Soccer in the United States could be negatively influenced by David Beckham's difficult time in Los Angeles Galaxy.

Manchester City believes that Barcelona can be persuaded to sell Henry at the end of this season. The English Premier League club therefore went public with their anger over false reports last week that they are targeting Lionel Messi (read more here) because they hope to do business over Henry, whose contract expires in the summer of 2011.

Read more:
Henry will be put for sale in the summer
Txiki talks about the summer transfer market
Manchester City preparing a move for Henry

Juventus and Arsenal monitor Busquets talks

Italian sports paper Il Corriere dello Sport claims that Juventus is very much interested in Barcelona midfielder and Spanish youth international Sergio Busquets (20) and is ready to contact the player's agent Josep Maria Orobitg soon if the Catalan player doesn't sign a renwal.

British tabloid The People claims that also Arsenal is set to make a move for Busquets if he fails to agree a new contract, with his current deal expiring at the end of this season.

Spanish news agency EFE claims that Barcelona has held on Thursday a third meeting with Orobitg. After Barcelona had rejected a first renewal proposal put forward by the player's agent, the positions would now have come a lot closer, especially regarding the salary.

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo confirms that progress was made during a meeting on Thursday morning between Orobitg and Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona general football director Raül Sanllehí. Busquets will sign a five-year deal, but there are still minor differences about the split of the salary in a fixed part and incentives.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that there's a principal agreement for a five-year renewal (read more here). Busquets would get a serious pay rise. The fixed part would already be agreed upon, but there's still no deal on the incentives. A new meeting next week should resolve the last issues.

Asked about Thursday's meeting, Busquet's agent said to the paper that it has been a key meeting: "There are still some little details left but it's true that we are a lot closer now and I think that we can close everything very soon. Now it's just about some minor issues but those shouldn't block the renewal.

Contracts can be very complex, with a lot of conditions and the incentives are becoming more and more important. Everything is ok but we just need to agree on some things. Both parties are totally willing to reach an agreement and I'm sure it's just a matter of time. When both want the same, and there's no doubt about this here, a deal can only be a matter of time."

Read more:
Milan offers Busquets twice as much as Barcelona
The Arabic tattoo of Busquets
Principal agreement on Busquets renewal

Chelsea manager wants Henry in January

British tabloid The People claims that Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari wants to bring Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) to Chelsea during the January transfer window.

Scolari wants to sign an experienced top-class striker and knows Henry could be persuaded to quit Barcelona and return to London. The Frenchman would be frustrated at being played in a wide role by Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, the same situation he frequently faced under previous manager Frank Rijkaard.

Scolari nevertheless knows that he will struggle to convince Chelsea president Roman Abramovich to fund the deal. The Chelsea owner would be unwilling to splash the cash during a time of global financial uncertainty, which has seen millions wiped off the value of his assets.

Scolari has been told that he must do with loan deals or free transfers if he wants to strengthen in January. Even a transfer fee of around 12 million euro° could be too much for Chelsea, certainly when added to Henry's salary demands.

Read more:

Will Henry leave in January?

Henry representatives met with Manchester City

Henry wants transfer rumours to stop

Barcelona making enquiries about Asenjo

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona keeps on gaining information on Real Valladolid goalkeeper and Spanish youth international Sergio Asenjo (19).

Barcelona goalkeeping coach Juan Carlos Unzué would this week again have talked with Valladolid goalkeeping coach Angel Félix to ask him new reports about Asenjo, who has a buyout clause of 5,5 million euro° and who is also followed by English Premier League clubs Manchester United and Liverpool.

British tabloid The People claims that Manchester Untied is leading the race for Asenjo, with Barcelona, Valencia and AC Milan as the main competitors of the English champions.

Read more:
Asenjo candidate to be back-up for Valdés
Almeria's Diego Alves to rival Valdes
Barcelona closely following Asenjo

Henry could consider MLS move in the future

British tabloids The People claims that Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) is considering a move to America and the Major League Soccer (read more here).

The Frenchman, whose contract with Barcelona expires in 2011, would still feel that he can compete at the highest level but is unhappy at being played out of position at Barcelona.

Asked about the rumours linking him with a future move to the MLS (read more here),
Henry didn't exclude the option earlier this week in an interview with Spanish sports magazine SportLife: "After this season, I think I will play for two or three more years. I don't know if I would go to the United States. It depends on how interesting the offer is.

At this moment I'm feeling comfortable and at home in Barcelona. It is an incredible place to live and to play football. It is a luxurious city with very pleasant people, there are interesting museums and the city has a great history.

The beginning was difficult because I arrived injured and the issue of my daughter was misused. I understand that people wanted to see the Henry they used to know but sometimes you have to go out there not being totally fit. Playing in the Camp Nou is impressive when one hundred thousand people applaud you... but it can be very hard when they boo you. It is not easy to play in Camp Nou when the fans are angry.

This summer I was able to complete a full pre-season. Now I can start, I can run, I have strength in my legs and I can take on defenders in a one-on-one. The departures of Ronaldinho and Deco give me a new opportunity, but also bring a new responsibility. We have to repeat the success they achieved and we should not forget that they won league titles and the Champions League here.

About Guardiola I would mainly say that he has an enormous desire to win and this has a positive effect. He has come in with very clear ideas. Some more discipline, some more toughness, but everything is very clear. If you really want to be in the team, ok. If not, you're out."

Read more:

Henry negotiating with new MLS team

Will Henry leave in January?

Barcelona would consider offer for Henry

West Ham again interested in Gudjohnsen

British tabloid The People claims that English club West Ham United is interested in Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (29).

New West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola wants his former Chelsea team-mate Eidur Gudjohnsen to join him and would already have made enquiries about the player. Zola hopes he can persuade Gudjohnsen to take a pay cut and switch to the English Premier League in January.

British tabloid The Daily Mirror claims that Gudjohnsen has a price tag of 6,5 million euro° and that West Ham is confident that Zola's friendship with the player could entice the Icelander back to England.

Read more:
Gudjohnsen wants to join West Ham
PSV interested in Gudjohnsen

Portsmouth favourites to sign Gudjohnsen

Barcelona is still preferred destination for Silva

Asked about the rumours linking him with several European top clubs last summer, Valencia left winger and Spanish international David Silva (22) has said in an interview with British tabloid The People that if he would leave Valencia his preferred destination would be Barcelona:

"Barcelona is the team I would choose in Spain for many reasons. But if I was to move abroad then it would be Manchester United because they have the most in common with Barcelona and have everything that I am after in football."

After an ankle operation last week, Silva, who signed a contract renewal with Valencia this summer (read more here), is out until December

Read more:

Ribery was on top of Guardiola's wish list

Case closed: Silva

Villa renewal could lead to Silva exit

Drogba close to Chelsea renewal

British tabloid The People claims that Chelsea forward and Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba (30) is set to be offered a new four-year deal worth over 32 million euro to stay at Chelsea.

New Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has told Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon to make the striker an offer he can't refuse when he meets Drogba this week. Chelsea owner and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has given the green light for the mega deal and now it's up to Drogba.

The tabloid claims that Drogba, who is holding back the last chapter of his first autobiography until he knows where his future lies, has reacted positively and Chelsea is confident they can seal a deal with their star striker before the start of the season.

Drogba, who has two years left on his current deal, is quoted as saying he's willing to negotiate: "Chelsea want to speak and I am open to talk. Things have not changed but I am a Blues player. Money is not the main factor and if Chelsea show they want me it is possible to accept a proposition."

British tabloid The Sunday Mirror claims that Drogba is ready to sign the new four-year contract. The striker is quoted by the tabloid as saying he thinks the renewal negotiations will lead to an agreement: "I am confident talks with Chelsea will lead to a positive resolve about my future."

Read more:
Drogba wants to move to Barcelona
Chelsea repeats that Drogba will stay
Drogba wants his future sorted out soon

Gudjohnsen wants to join West Ham

British tabloid The People claims that Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (29) has decided that he wants to move to West Ham and would have revealed that last weekend to Icelandic journalists (read more here).

With Newcastle also very interested in the player (read more here), Gudjohnsen would prefer West Ham because he is keen to return to London and because he has a good relationship with West Ham's Icelandic president Björgólfur Gudmundsson.

Gudjohnsen, who joined Barcelona arriving from Chelsea in the summer of 2006 and whose current contract expires in 2010, would be able to leave Barcelona for a transfer fee of 5 million euro°.

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that, besides Oleguer (read more here), former Barcelona assistant coach Henk ten Cate would be interested in bringing Gudjohnsen to Panathinaikos.

It is nevertheless little probable that the Greek club can compete with the financial power of the interested Premier League teams. Gudjohnsen also wouldn't be willing to move to Athens and wouldn't even exclude to stay another year in Barcelona.

Read more:

Newcastle and West Ham have Gudjohnsen on list

Portsmouth and Newcastle in race for Gudjohnsen

Gudjohnsen has many offers

Barcelona is on Berbatov list

British tabloid The People claims that Tottenham forward and Bulgarian international Dimitar Berbatov (27) has rejected a request to pose in the new Tottenham shirt, which is seen as a sign that the player intends to leave in the summer. A Tottenham source is quoted as saying: "It's the clearest indication yet that he'll be off at the end of the season."


When he was then asked what accessories he needed for training and matchdays next season, the Bulgarian striker did not bother making a list of possible teams he could play for next year, amongst which Barcelona. Berbatov is being linked with Barcelona since approximately one month (read more here).

Read more:
Berbatov in exchange for Eto'o
Barcelona keeping an eye on Berbatov
Eto'o for sale

Sevilla prefers Barcelona over Tottenham

British tabloid The People states that Tottenham Hotspur will also push for the transfer of Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen (28). Tottenham manager Juande Ramos, the former Sevilla coach, would have made the Danish international one of his top summer targets. Because the relations between Sevilla and Tottenham are at a very low point since the transfer of Juande Ramos earlier this season, Sevilla would prefer to sit around the table with Barcelona.

(read more on the Poulsen transfer story here)