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The Weekend’s Transfer Talk
Published by Ian John on July 19, 2010
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With the first couple of pre-season friendlies being played, mainly by reserve players for the top EPL sides who had plenty of players at the World Cup Finals, its something of a quiet time for relevant soccer news in the EPL at the moment, so most of the back pages tend to be taken up by transfer talk and speculation and outlined below are some of the top stories of the weekend. Make of them what you will.
First up Liverpool want Joe Cole, they have offered him a reported £90,000 a week, three year contract to move to Anfield. No word yet from Cole on the move, but I doubt whether he’d get a better offer from anywhere else. Liverpool fans will be enjoying the fact that they have, if Cole accepts, effectively got a swap deal of Joe Cole and £6m for Yossi Benayoun. Also at Liverpool Emiliano Insua looks set to join Fiorentina in a £5 million deal this week and it does really only seem a matter of time before Javier Mascherano follows Rafa Benitez to Inter Milan.
That may not be Rafa’s last piece of business on Merseyside if you believe widespread rumours as the Spaniard also wants the ever-willing Dirk Kuyt and Everton’s Steven Pienaar to join him in Italy. It should be an interesting week or so on Merseyside.
In Spain, Jose Mourinho’s attempts to land Ashley Cole seem to have floundered, so he is reportedly turning his attention to Manchester United left back Patrice Evra. He may be joined at the Bernebeu by Nemanja Vidic, who is reportedly unhappy at Old Trafford and ready to make the trip South, chiefly so his wife can get a better tan. United meanwhile have been looking at Bayern Munich full back Phillip Lahm with Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly ready to offer Dimitar Berbatov in exchange for the German national team skipper…And that laughing you can hear is coming chiefly from Bavaria.
Manchester City are believed to have made Inter Milan a £20m offer for winger Mario Balotelli. Rafa Benitez, who has plenty of experience in dealing with a very talented young winger who doesn’t play in the team as often as they should, thus resulting in them sulking a lot and generally being a little petulant, may yet decide to sell.
Tottenham are believed to be close to a deal for Croatian goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa, who would provide competition for Gomes at White Hart Lane. Spurs are also being strongly linked with a £10m (up from £7m last week) move for Ipswich youngster Conor Wickham, though Arsenal are said to be willing to match Spurs offer for the England U17 starlet.
Birmingham City are thought to be ready to spend some of Carson Yeung’s cash on £2m rated AZ67 Alkmaar striker Moussa Dembele, they were also linked, along with several other sides, with a move for Cluj striker Lacina Traore not so long ago.
West Ham are thought to want Miroslav Klose. This based on his World Cup performances presumably and not his 3 goal season in the Bundesliga last year. Lukasz Podolski is also being touted for a possible move to England with several clubs, Everton amongst them, being linked with a possible loan move for the 1FC Koln striker.
Whisper it quietly, but Owen Coyle at Bolton could be about to make one of the deals of the summer, with a reported £2m move for Real Madrid youngster Marcos Alonzo. Alonzo is very highly rated in Spain and his capture would be a major coup for Bolton.
Anyway, there will no doubt be plenty more of these rumours until the season kicks off in a few weeks time!
Image Courtesy of ***Joe Gazman*** on Flickr.com
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