Case closed: Zhirkov

CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) will not play for Barcelona as of this season, like had been rumoured over the last months (read more here).

English Premier League club Chelsea has today officially announced the transfer of Zhirkov: "Chelsea Football Club can confirm that we have reached agreement with CSKA Moscow for the transfer of Yuri Zhirkov. The player is in London today and will join Chelsea subject to a medical and agreement of personal terms."

Chelsea is believe to have paid a transfer fee of around 21 million euro°.

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Zhirkov first on left back list, Filipe back-up

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 (2)

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.


Left back defender: Abidal
Back-up: *new guy*

Because the contract of Sylvinho expires, the transfer of a left back is a priority for the club. Filipe (Deportivo) and Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow) are the two options. Filipe has more chances to join Barcelona because the asking price for Zhirkov is higher and the Russian seems to be on his way to Chelsea.

Defensive midfielder: Touré
Back-up: Busquets, *new guy*

Because Touré will be away for one month because of the Africa Cup, Guardiola wants to sign another defensive midfielder. Mascherano (Liverpool) is the first name on the list and although the player wants to come, Barcelona will have to seriously raise their bid. De Rossi (Roma) is the alternative and could be convinced to leave his club.

Attacking midfielders: Xavi and Iniesta
Back-up: Hleb, Víctor Sánchez, Gudjohnsen, Keita

Barcelona is trying to sell Hleb and Gudjohnsen but if this won't be possible, they'll have their chances next season. Víctor Sánchez could leave on loan. If Ribéry isn't signed, Barcelona could try again for Silva (Valencia), who could then play both on the left wing as in midfield.

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Deportivo asking too much for left back Filipe
The report of Txiki (2) : Mascherano priority
Silva is second choice for left wing

Zhirkov first on left back list, Filipe back-up

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain yesterday informed the board of the club about the transfer events.

Regarding the left back position, CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) would be the first option, while Deportivo left back defender Filipe Luis (23) is the alternative.

Read more:
Zhirkov: "Barça is my first option"
Liverpool and Juventus interested in Abidal
Negotiations on left back Filipe put on hold

Zhirkov: "Barça is my first option"

CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) gave an interview to Catalan sports paper Sport.





The Spanish press is again talking about your possible transfer to a Barça team that made history. You've seen the team of Pep Guardiola play last season?
Of course. In Russia the Spanish league is closely followed and I watch a lot of games, especially those of Barça, my favourite team since many years. This season I've seen many games and the truth is they've played excellent.

Since when do you sympathize with Barça?
I don't remember... Since I was little. I always liked their way of playing and the idea about football they have.

Barça is full of star players. Messi, Xavi, Iniesta... Who is your favourite?
The whole team. They're all great. I cannot give you a name because the team has done perfect and all players have been important for the success of the team.

Besides Barça, there are other European clubs that are interested in you, like Juventus, and especially Chelsea. How do you feel about all that?
Well, all those rumours are constantly appearing on the web and in the media, but I prefer not to believe them. Until now, CSKA didn't receive any offer and they didn't start official negotiations with any club.

You know that Barcelona has let go Sylvinho and needs a new player on the left...
Yes, I know. And I would love to be that player. Despite that, at Barça the team is more important than the names and they always manage to overcome the absences. In the final of the Champions League for example, the two full backs were missing but the team still played a great game.

The British press assured that you have signed a contract with Chelsea... Is that true?
Of course not. The proof is that several weeks have already passed since those rumours and I'm still here, at CSKA. My club has never started talks about me with any club.

Chelsea's Russian owner Abramovich could make you choose for them?
Well, I don't know... But I repeat that my team is Barça and that I want to play there. Barça is my first option and I dream about being part of that club one day.

You see yourself playing for Barça next season?
In football, anything is possible, but first there should be an offer from Barça and then CSKA should accept it.

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Asenjo, Zhirkov and Silva main transfer targets
Zhirkov prefers to join Barcelona

Zhirkov prefers to join Barcelona

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to several European top clubs (read more here), CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) has unconfirmedly said in an interview with Russian sports paper Sport-Express that a transfer to Barcelona is his first option:

"I would prefer to join Barcelona, but that does not automatically mean I would turn down Chelsea. I should stress again that there is a difference between playing for a club and sitting on the bench. If I had to sit on the bench, I wouldn't even want to join Barcelona. Said that, I am still yet to receive any specific offers.

Milan or Barcelona? Being a fan of both of those teams, it would depend on the contract! (laughs) With all else being equal, I would perhaps go to Barcelona because it is a city I like very much and I have friends there. However, we are talking about something that is a long way from reality right now."

Read more:
Barcelona rejoins the race for Zhirkov
Liverpool and Juventus interested in Abidal
Zhirkov and Lahm on top of left back list

Barcelona rejoins the race for Zhirkov

British tabloid The Daily Mail claims that Barcelona has picked up their interest in CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) after the player's transfer to Chelsea couldn't be finalized this week like had been expected.

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would have identified five areas to strenghten the team and would see the versatile Rusian as a two-in-one solution who could cover for Eric Abidal at left-back as well as providing an alternative for Thierry Henry on the left wing (read more here).

Chelsea would however still be favourites to complete a transfer. Barcelona would realise they are not in the lead to sign Zhirkov because of the close relationship between CSKA and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. The transfer fee asked by CSKA Moscow is believed to be around 21 million euro°.

Read more:
Zhirkov and Lahm on top of left back list
First contact with Deportivo on left back Filipe
Asenjo, Zhirkov and Silva main transfer targets

Zhirkov would consider offer by top club

Asked about the rumours linking him with several European top clubs among which Barcelona (read more here), CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) has unconfirmedly said in an interview with Russian sports paper Sport-Express that his club has so far not received concrete offers:

"There is a lot of talk about this subject but CSKA have not yet received any formal proposals. The president of our club always keeps me informed. I think no self-respecting footballer would refuse to play for a European top club.

Talking about this topic, about which club I could join, is at this moment nevertheless a guess. But when an offer arrives it can be discussed and it will be up to CSKA to make a decision. We will see what will happen. In the autumn, the club starts in the UEFA Champions League and I think all the preconditions exist for the team to break the barrier of the group stages."

Read more:
CSKA Moscow left winger Zhirkov offered
Zhirkov and Lahm on top of left back list
Asenjo, Zhirkov and Silva main transfer targets

Zhirkov and Lahm on top of left back list

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Bayern Munich full back defender and German international Philipp Lahm (25) and CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) are on top of Barcelona's left back transfer targets list.

The club thinks the left wing offers too little this season and therefore wants to sign a left back and a left winger in the summer. With a transfer of Lahm considered to be very complicated, Zhirkov would be the main candidate at this stage, also because Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola prefers the Russian for the left-back position.

CSKA Moscow nevertheless doesn't seem willing to let a key player like Zhirkov leave (read more here) and the left winger is also followed by several other European top clubs, which makes that a transfer seems to be still a long way off at this point. Chelsea, Juventus and Real Madrid would also be interested in the Russian player.

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Asenjo, Zhirkov and Silva main transfer targets
Ribery and Lahm approached by Begiristain
First contact with CSKA on left winger Zhirkov

Asenjo, Zhirkov and Silva main transfer targets

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain and Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola have agreed on the three priorities for the next transfer summer.

Independent of the results of this season, the club would want to buy a goalkeeper, a left back defender and a left winger (read more here).

The club want to sign a goalkeeper who can put some more pressure on Víctor Valdés. The number one on the target list would be Real Valladolid goalkeeper and Spanish youth international Sergio Asenjo (19) (read more here). To bring in some more competition for Abidal, CSKA left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) is the first option (read more here).

For the left wing, Valencia left winger and Spanish international David Silva (23) would be the preferred candidate, although also the most expensive one (read more here). If it's not possible to find a renewal deal with Eto'o, Barcelona will also look to sign a centre forward, with Torres, Benzema and Villa being the three names on the list.

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Agent Asenjo confirms Barcelona contact
CSKA Moscow left winger Zhirkov offered
Barcelona is still preferred destination for Silva

Zhirkov among targets for left back position

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona is interested in CSKA left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) (read more here).

The Russian player would be on the target list for the left back position, for which Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain wants to sign a player to replace Barcelona left back defender Sylvinho whose contract expires at the end of this season.

Madrid sports tabloid As meanwhile claims that, with Barcelona manager Guardiola being satisfied with the performances of Barcelona first-choice left back Abidal, Barcelona is rather looking for a left back with discipline who focuses first on the defence and who can compensate for the attacking attitude of Barcelona right back Alves.

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First contact with CSKA on left winger Zhirkov
Barcelona will sign left back next summer
Agent Sylvinho leaves door open for Celtic move

First contact with CSKA on left winger Zhirkov

Russian news agency RIA Novosti unconfirmedly claims that Barcelona has contacted CSKA Moscow on a possible transfer CSKA left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25).

Barcelona wanted to hear about the chances of signing the Russian player, whom Barcelona could see as an option for the left back position, during the summer transfer window (read more here).

CSKA Moscow nevertheless doesn't seem willing to let Zhirkov go next year. The Russian club wants the left winger to be a key player in the club's Champions League campaign next season.

Read more:
CSKA Moscow left winger Zhirkov offered
Milan interested in Abidal
Barcelona still wants Portsmouth left back Belhadj

CSKA Moscow left winger Zhirkov offered

Madrid sports tabloid Marca claims that CSKA Moscow left winger and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov (25) has recently been offered to Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain.

While Begiristain doesn't want to exclude the option and has asked time to decide, Barcelona president Joan Laporta and some staff members have welcomed the idea.

The left back position is one of the positions for which Begiristain is searching the market in order to strenghten it next season. Zhirkov is in that perspective one of best options. The Russian left back could replace Abidal and Sylvinho from next summer on.

Besides the interest of several other European top clubs, the main obstacle for a transfer seems to be the position of CSKA Moscow, that doesn't have the need to sell players. It would therefore be Zhirkov who has to put pressure on his club. After five seasons at CSKA, the left back would be willing to move abroad.

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Barcelona prepares offer for left back Vargas
Milan interested in Abidal
Barcelona still wants Portsmouth left back Belhadj