Manchester United tie up Valencia deal
June 30, 2009
Manchester United have completed the signing of Ecuadorian winger Luis Antonio Valencia from fellow Barclays Premier League side Wigan Athletic for an undisclosed fee. Valencia becomes United’s first signing of the transfer window and has signed a four year contract at Old Trafford. The fee is rumoured to be around £16million. Sir Alex Ferguson sees the athletic and versatile winger as a direct replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo. Valencia has similar attributes to the Portugese star and can play on either wing. Valencia has scored 4 times in 38 appearances for Ecuador and also has considerable experience of playing in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson heaped praise over his new recruit -
Antonio is a player we have admired for some time now, having spent the last two years in the Premier League with Wigan. I am sure his pace and ability will make a significant contribution to the team.
As expected, Valencia is also very thrilled at the prospect of playing for United -
I have enjoyed my time at Wigan, but I am thrilled to have the chance to challenge for the biggest honours in club football here. Playing in front of 76,000 fans alongside players like Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs will be an amazing experience. I can’t wait to get started.
Reports also suggest that United are moving very quickly to complete the signing of French forward Karim Benzema. Sir Alex has offered a whopping £38million to Lyon in a bid to sign French League’s leading marksman. Benzema is also very keen to join United. Lyon are already looking at Lisandro Lopez and Andre-Pierre Gignac as replacements.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailBurnley agree Fletcher fee
June 30, 2009
Premier League newcomers Burnley have agreed a fee of £3million with Scottish club Hibs for striker Steven Fletcher. The player is a Scottish international and has already been linked with Scottish giants Celtic. Fletcher will be head to Turf Moor to discuss personal terms and speak to Burnley boss Owen Coyle.
The Hibs star is rated as one of the best prospects in Scotland and was expected to join one of the big sides from Glasgow, but it looks like the 22 year old will be plying his trade in the Premier League next season. Fletchers scoring record for Hibs is good, the player scoring 50 goals in 150 games for the side from the capital.
Fletcher will become Burnley’s second signing of the season after Owen Coyle secured the signature of Tyrone Mears from Derby for £500,000 last week. The Burnley chief has also made a £750,000 bid for Hamilton’s young starlet James McCarthy.
His club have rejected the offer, as they know that interest in the 18 year old midfielder is high. Celtic and Portsmouth have both had offers rejected for the highly-rated youngster and other Premier League clubs have also been linked with a swoop for the Republic of Ireland under-21 international.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailWolves set to unveil Kevin Doyle
June 29, 2009
Newly promoted Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers are close to completing the signing of Reading forward Kevin Doyle for £6.5 million. Doyle’s signing is a club record for Wolves in terms of the highest transfer fee paid for a player - more than twice the previous record of £3 million which was paid to sign Kenny Miller and Ade Akinbiyi. For Reading also, it is a club record for the maximum transfer fee received for a player beating £5.5 million Stoke paid for Dave Kitson last season.
A host of Premier League clubs were interested in Doyle, who had an impressive couple of seasons in the top-flight with Reading scoring 19 goals over two seasons. Everton, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Bolton and Fulham were all interested in the Republic of Ireland international, but Mick McCarthy moved quickly and triggered the transfer clause in Doyle’s contract. Wolves have already bolstered their squad with new signings Nenad Milijas and Marcus Hahnemann as they prepare to ward off relegation in the 2009-10 Barclays Premier League season. Dave Edwards, Sylvain Ebanks-Blake and Joey Craddock have all been handed contract extensions too.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailAlonso Not Ruling Out Madrid Move
June 29, 2009
Liverpool midfielder Xavi Alonso has refused to rule a move to Real Madrid this summer. The Spanish international has been linked with a £25 million move to the Bernabeu, but has stated he would have ‘no regrets’ if he doesn’t move from Anfield this summer.
Alonso almost left Anfield last summer to free up funds for the proposed arrival of Gareth Barry, but the deal collapsed at the last minute and the player is still believed to be unhappy that manager Rafa Benitez was prepared to sell him.
Alonso told Don Balon “In respect to all this I have not closed any door and we will just have to wait and see what happens.
“It is always positive when various teams are said to want you because that is better than nobody being interested, but I cannot say much more.
“I know that I have to keep playing well and will be able to decide what happens next whenever it arises.
“I do not think a move to Real Madrid is impossible, but I would also have no regrets at all staying at Liverpool.”
He went on to say “My relationship with Benitez is professional, just like he has with any other player. I believe that is how things will stay too,”
“I am happy in England and have adapted, but I do miss certain things from Spain. I cannot rule out a move or even staying in the Premier League.
“I am happy there (England) and although I was a bit home sick at the start, I am still there.
“This situation is normal for me because I know what is actually happening, away from what is being reported. For that reason I am perfectly calm.”
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailRace hots up for Marcus Berg
June 28, 2009
Marcus Berg, the latest Swedish sensation to take the football world by storm, has been attracting a lot of interest from English clubs. Everton are believed to be very interested in signing the U-21 Swedish star who scored a phenomenal 7 goals in 4 games in the European U-21 championship. The penalty miss against England in the semi-final, perhaps his only blemish. At six feet, Berg is equally adept in the air as on the ground, comfortable with either foot, good at link up play and has an eye for goal. All these qualities have invited comparison to Swedish football’s great star Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Berg is contracted with Dutch club Groningen after moving from Goteborg in 2007 and has scored 33 goals in 56 appearances for the Dutch club. As expected, Ajax are the front-runners for his signature having already tabled a £10m offer to sign the striker. Several Premier League clubs have recorded their interest with Berg’s agent. Although his contract runs upto 2011, several clubs including AZ Alkmaar, Lazio, Roma are interested in his signature.
Meanwhile, Fiorentina have ruled out a move for Berg -
Subscribe to Football Transfers by Email“We had a number of scouts following the European Under21 Championships, but Berg was not one of the players under examination,” Fiorentina’s sporting director Pantaleo Corvino declared.“In attack we are well covered and right now we are in search of reinforcements for the midfield.”
City Pursue Eto’o
June 28, 2009
Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has received a ’stratospheric’ offer from Manchester City according to Barcelona president Joan Laporta. Eto’o is expected to leave the Nou Camp this summer and City manager Mark Hughes seems keen to add the 28 year old to his squad for next season.
Laporta is claiming that if the Cameroon international does join City he will be the highest paid player in the world, even receiving higher wages than Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.
“Eto’o has a stratospheric offer from City, which would convert him into the best paid player in the world,” Laporta told local radio station iCat FM.
“It’s starting to become clear that he has this monster offer. He wants to stay but an offer like this is very difficult to refuse.
“If Eto’o accepts this stratospheric offer we will have to bring in someone.”
City have been linked with just about every available player this summer as they try to strengthen their squad for an assault on the top six next season. Barcelona know that Eto’o will have the last say on his future, but manager Pep Guardiola will not want to lose the striker who helped the club to an unprecedented treble of La Liga, Champions League and Copa Del Rey crowns last season.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailBorussia Monchengladbach sign Juan Arango
June 27, 2009
German Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach have announced the signing of Venezuelan playmaker Juan Arango from Mallorca for a fee of €3.6 million. Celtic and TSG Hoffenheim were also interested in securing the services of the “Carribean Hurricane”, but Gladbach have won the race for his signature. A host of Premier League clubs, including Spurs, Stoke and West Ham were also interested in Arango when the news of him wanting a fresh challenge broke.
Arango, widely acknowledged as the best Venezuelan player ever, moved to Mallorca from Puebla in 2004. He scored eight goals in the Primera Division last season, including goals against Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Arango has been capped over 80 times for the Venezuelan national team, and is also their captain.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailJohnson Completes Move To Liverpool
June 27, 2009
England international right back Glen Johnson has completed his £17.5million move from Portsmouth to Liverpool. The 24 year old has signed a four year contract at Anfield. The former Chelsea ace had his most consistent season of his career last season and had made the England right back berth his own.
He believes Champions League football next season will take his development to a new level. Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez sees Johnson as a vital signing in his teams bid for Premier League and Champions League glory next season.
The Liverpool boss told the clubs official website “We were thinking about bringing in players with quality - that’s the first thing.
“He is also English and that is important for the Champions League list. We were thinking about improving the team and Johnson is a very good player who will do that.
“He was important at Chelsea and in the last year at Portsmouth he has improved and is much better.
“One of the main things is his mentality - it’s really good. He is a winner. I was impressed with the conversations I had with him. He wants to improve.
“We knew the market was going to be difficult this summer and some of it has been crazy. Manchester City and Chelsea were there - they were making offers.
“We had to be quick and the club acted quickly. It was down to the player whether he chose us or City or Chelsea and he chose us. It was very clear from talking to him that he wanted to play for Liverpool.”
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailCisse Moves To Pana
June 26, 2009
Greek club Panathinaikos have completed the signing of Djibril Cisse from Marseille for a fee in the region of £6.8million. The 27 year old was on loan at Sunderland last season and expected to complete a permanent move when the season drew to a close. Sunderland though decided not to pursue his permanent signing and the striker has moved to Greece.
Pana president Nikos Pateras said “Panathinaikos announces that it has reached an agreement with Djibril Cisse over a contract for four years,” on the clubs official website.
Cisse will become the highest paid player ever to appear for the Greek side having signed a four year contract worth a reported £2million per year. There had been speculation about the Frenchmen’s future ever since Sunderland decided not to sign him permanently and now the striker can look forward to European football next season with the Greens.
Meanwhile his old club Sunderland have been linked with a move to sign former Newcastle forward Peter Lovenkrands. The Danish internationals contract ran out at the end of last season, so he would be available on a free transfer.
The player himself has stated that he would think about a move to Sunderland, as his family are happy in the North East. However there is a host of other teams from home and abroad interested in acquiring his services this summer.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailBirmingham City sign Roger Johnson
June 25, 2009
After adding Hart and Espinoza to their squad, Birmingham City have signed Roger Johnson from Cardiff City to make it three new signings in as many days. He has put pen to paper on a three-year deal which will keep him at St.Andrews till 2012. A fee in the region of £5 million is said to have been paid by Birmingham City. £5 million spent by Birmingham is a new club record for the highest fee paid for a defender. Birmingham had two initial bids rejected by Cardiff before being forced to accept £5 million for Johnson.
Johnson, 26 , had been one of of the best players of the Championship. His consistent performances earned him a spot in Professional Footballers Association’s Championship team of the year. He was constantly regarded by many as the best defensive prospect outside the Premier League. He also had a very good game against Portsmouth in the 2008 FA Cup final. His performance in that tie led to Pompey trying to sign him from Cardiff in the following season.
“I am really pleased to be here, Birmingham are a massive club and I am looking forward to putting the shirt on to be honest,Premier League football is the dream at the start of any footballer’s career so I am pleased I have been given that chance with Birmingham and I can’t wait to get started.
The aim is to stay in the Premier League with Birmingham and hopefully I will have a big part to play in that. I want to do well for the club. At both clubs I have been at I have got on well with the fans and hopefully that will continue here.”
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