Portsmouth complete double signing
July 31, 2009
Portsmouth have completed their first signings of the summer. South African defender Aaron Mokoena has arrived on a free, after his contract at Blackburn Rovers expired. The Bafana Bafana captain moves to Fratton Park in the search for regular first team football and has signed a three-year contract on the South Coast.
The second player to arrive is former Liverpool full-back Steve Finnan. The Irish international has also signed on a free and has signed a 12 month contract with the option of a further 12 months. The 33 year-old had a short and unsuccessful spell in Spain with Espanyol.
Pompey manager Paul Hart told their official website “It whetted my appetite to think that we could get a player of Steve’s calibre here. He’s really looking forward to coming here and we’re looking forward to seeing him play.
“Aaron’s a strong player who bites in the tackle and he’s the sort of character we’re going to need in the coming months.
“I watched him play for South Africa in the Confederations Cup over the summer and he did great.
“He can play in defence or in midfield but I mostly see him as a midfielder. We’ve done extremely well to get him here. I’m really pleased that he’s joined.
“Both Steve and Aaron have got plenty of experience and they’re both very good players.”
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailFootball Rumours – 31 July 2009
July 31, 2009
Here’s a quick round-up of transfer rumours doing the rounds in Europe. Xabi Alonso has put in a transfer request which will see him seal his move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. A fee of £30 million has been quoted in the press. Another of Liverpool’s stars Javier Mascherano is also biding time in order to secure a move to Catalan superpower Barcelona. In a very underwhelming scenario, Liverpool are looking at Lee Cattermole and Michael Turner to replace the departing pair. Arsene Wenger is poised to make a shock bid for former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira. Also, Wenger wants Saint-Ettiene midfielder Blaise Matuidi to be Vieira’s understudy at the Emirates Stadium. Tottenham are ready to offer Andreas Dossena an escape route after his move to Napoil snapped due to wage problems. He might be joined at the White Hart Lane by Klass Jan Huntelaar as Redknapp refused to rule out a move for him even after signing Peter Crouch.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa are launching an ambitious £12 million bid for West Ham centre back Matthew Upson. Villa need defensive reinforcements after the sale of Knight and retirement of Laursen – hence Upson constitutes as a good signing. Fulham have made a cheeky £2 million bid for Robert Huth offering him a return to Premier League football. Portsmouth’s expected signing of Hadjuk Split striker Nikola Kalinic has hit a snag due to the two clubs disagreeing on how the £5.5m fee would be paid out.
Official: Elano joines Galatasaray, Bojinov loaned to Parma
July 30, 2009
Brazilian playmaker Elano Blumer completed his move to Turkish club Galatasaray on Thursday. He transferred from Manchester City for an undisclosed sum (rumoured to be around 8 million pounds). He joined the Manchester City from Shakhtar Donetsk having been signed by Sven-Goran Eriksson just before the start of the 2007/08 season. He had an immediate impact with both goals and a string of influential performances. But with Mark Hughes taking over at City for the 2008/09 season, he got limited playing time and his performances dropped significantly. He scored 18 goals in 80 appearances for City – the free kick against Newcastle United being the most memorable one.
Another of Manchester City’s stars Valeri Bojinov has agreed to join Italian club Parma on a season long loan. Bojinov’s time at Manchester City was wrecked by two horrible injuries. He managed to open his City account last season against Tottenham Hotspur. But with the influx of strikers, he found himself lower in the pecking order and hence it was a good decision to move back to Italy.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by Email“Parma were the only team that wanted me and they did everything to have me here.I know we will have a good time together. We have to work hard and show our worth. We have to work towards our objective and that is to do well in Serie A.”Parma are an important team and I am looking ahead. Following my past injuries, I am hoping to do well.”I understand Parma will give me great satisfaction this season and I hope to be fully ready for the start of the season.”
Official – Lyon sign Bafetimbi Gomis
July 29, 2009
Lyon have reached an agreement with St.Ettiene over the signing of French international forward Bafetimbi Gomis. Gomis will transfer from bitter rivals St. Ettiene for a fee of €15million. He has been rewarded with a five year contract at Stade Gerland.
Gomis scored 32 times in 131 games for St.Ettiene and managed to score 10 goals last season which nearly saw his club get relegated from the top flight. Gomis has four made four international appearances scoring two goals. He was also a subject of interest of Premier League club Arsenal, but they decided not to make a move for him.
A statement on Lyon’s official website said: “The completion of this transfer is subject to the outcome of the medical examination the player will undergo in the coming days before signing a contract for five years with OL.”
“Everything has been finalised, it is a great thing,” club official Bernard Lacombe told AFP.
“He will be a focal point for the attack which is important – ‘Bafe’ is a really exciting player.”
Although Lyon were able to capture Gomis, they have pulled out of the pursuit of Loic Remy from Nice, citing major difference in their valuation of the player. Gomis joins Argentinian striker Lisandro Lopez and defender Aly Cissokho (both from FC Porto) and Michel Bastos from Lille in a €72million recruitment campaign to win back the Ligue 1 crown.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailOfficial – Real Madrid sign Arbeloa
July 29, 2009
Real Madrid continued their spending spree with the capture of Spanish full-back Alvaro Arbeloa from Liverpool. Europe’s greatest spenders have agreed a fee of about £3.5million for the 26 yeear old. Arbeloa travelled to Madrid on Wednesday where he signed a 5-year contract. Arbeloa who was part of last summer’s successful Euro 2008-winning Spanish squad, was on Madrid’s books as a youngster before moving to Deportivo La Coruna in 2006, and then onto Liverpool six months later. He played 66 times for Liverpool scoring twice in the bargain. The 26-year-old is the third player from the Madrid youth academy to be brought back to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer after Alvaro Negredo and Esteban Granero.
Madrid’s medical chief Carlos Diez told his club’s website: “He (Arbeloa) has undergone a standard examination and the results of all the tests are very satisfactory.
“He is delighted to be able to play for Real Madrid, which has been his lifelong dream. He’s looking forward to joining his team-mates.”
Rumors suggest that Liverpool are also on the verge of losing Xabi Alonso to the Spanish giants. If Xabi transfers to Spain, Bentiez would turn his attention towards Lee Cattermole for the midfield role. Liverpool are also tracking Hull defender Michael Turner.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailReds target Aquilani to replace Alonso
July 28, 2009
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has turned his attention towards Roman midfielder Alberto Aquilani to fill the void left by Xabi Alonso’s possible transfer to Real Madrid. Alonso has been a Real Madrid target throughout the window. Benitez, who was initially reluctant to let his commanding midfielder leave for Madrid has now agreed to sell if Real match his £30 million valuation.
Contact between the clubs has been limited over the summer, and Madrid supremo Florentino Perez has intimated at times that he is ready to abandon the deal. But, Benitez has given Alonso one week to sort out his future and make a decision as he would find it difficult to get a replacement just two weeks before the start of the new Premier League season.
Also, the British newspaper The Guardian claims that Liverpool are closing in on Roma midfielder Aquilani, further adding to the speculation that Xabi Alonso might leave for Spain. A price tag of £16 million has been slapped on the Italian international and Roma have indicated that they would sell him if the right offer comes by.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailRoma manager Luciano Spaletti said – “We have been quite expert in recent years following the departures of a number of our top players, and we have always managed to reorganise ourselves well. We would love to bring Alberto [Aquilani] back to the levels that he has shown he can reach, but there are a number of clubs interested in his services. If he should find a solution that is good for him and less so for the club, then a move is unlikely to go ahead. Either way the challenge remains the same as we look to regroup and compete on the same level as the top sides in Europe.”
Spurs complete Crouch signing
July 28, 2009
Peter Crouch has returned to the club where he began his football career. The lanky English striker has moved from South Coast club Pompey to London based Spurs for a reported £9m fee. Crouch has put pen to paper a five year deal at White Hart Lane, and according to reports, will earn £70,000 a week.
Crouch started his career at Spurs, and rose through the ranks before being sold to Queens Park Rangers in 2000 by Gerry Francis for £60K.
From QPR, he went to Portsmouth and then to Aston Villa. After a short spell on loan at Norwich, he was sold to Pompey’s bitter rivals Southampton. From Southampton, he earned a big money move to Liverpool, and stayed there for three seasons before returning to Fratton Park.
Sunderland were also interested in Crouch, and were prepared to meet Pompey’s asking price of £12m, but once Crouch understood that Spurs were also in the race, he made it clear that he wanted to join the Lilywhites.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailLiverpool set to sell full backs
July 28, 2009
Liverpool full backs Alvaro Arbeloa and Andrea Dossena are both set to leave Anfield this week. Liverpool are in discussions with Real Madrid over Arbeloa, the deal is reported to be worth 4.5million and could be completed in the next week.
The Spanish international has claimed that a deal is close with Real and hes admitted his desire to move to the Bernabeu. The Spaniard knew first team football would not be guaranteed next season with Liverpool signing England international Glen Johnson from Portsmouth earlier in the summer and has decided to move on.
Liverpool have also accepted a bid in the region of £4.3million for fellow full back Dossena from Italian club Napoli. The player failed to impress last season and has admitted that a return to his homeland would be best for everybody.
The players agent believes it could be just a matter of days before the Italian international heads for Naples. The deal represents a slight loss for Liverpool, as they paid £8.5million just last summer to sign the defender from Udinese. The sale of the pair could give Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez a problem at full back and the former Valencia chief may delve back into the transfer market for defensive cover.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailToure set for Manchester City
July 27, 2009
Arsenal defender Kolo Toure could be set for a move to Manchester City. City are on the look out for a top class defender, but have been frustrated in their pursuit of Chelsea captain John Terry, who has committed his future to the Blues. City manager Mark Hughes has also hit a brick wall in the signing of Everton’s Joleon Lescott, as the Toffee’s are adamant that the England international is not for sale.
The Ivory Coast international is rated between £10-15million and could be prepared to move on for a fresh start. The 28 year-old didn’t enjoy the best of times at the Emirates last season and the lure of a lucrative contract could be enough to persuade him to move to Eastlands. Former teammate Emmanuel Adebayor, who recently joined City, has urged the defender to join him at Eastlands.
With the deals for Lescott and Terry seemingly dead, Hughes has now turned his attentions to Toure and its being reported that they could also make a move for former Gunner Matthew Upson. The West Ham defender had arguably his best season of his career last season and would be available for £10million. Tottenham have also been linked to the 28 year-old England international, but manager Harry Redknapp has denied these links and newspaper reports as ‘rubbish’.
Subscribe to Football Transfers by EmailDarren Bent eyes Sunderland move
July 27, 2009
After closing in on the capture of Peter Crouch, Harry Redknapp is ready to offload England international Darren Bent to Sunderland. Bent has not travelled with the rest of the Tottenham squad to their pre-season tour to China, instead he has chosen to go to the North East to discuss terms with Steve Bruce’s Sunderland.
The England striker believes that first team football is quintessential in the season leading to the World Cup in South Africa and that Sunderland would provide him with an opportunity to start regularly. Bent is keen to move away from White Hart Lane but the 15 million pound price tag slapped on him by Harry Redknapp is way above Sunderland’s evaluation and is proving to be a stumbling block.
When asked about the possibility of signing Bent, Bruce told The Sunderland Echo, “It’s one we are visiting but we can’t wait around forever.”We are still a bit short – way off in terms of valuation at the moment. We will look at it, but if we can’t agree we can’t agree.”We will move on to the next one because we can’t go on forever. We are not making much headway.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham themselves have inched closer to completing the Crouch deal for 10 million pounds. Tottenham was Crouch’s first professional club and this will be his second spell at the London club.
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