The Fans Football Blog3

Asked about the new rumours linking Manchester United central defender and Serbian international Nemanja Vidic (27) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's adviser Paolo Fabbri is quoted by British tabloid The Daily Express as denying that he has said Vidic would like to join Barcelona stating that he has been misquoted:

"This is not true. I never said these things. Nemanja is happy in Manchester. If Barcelona do make an offer for him then it is up to United to make a decision. I am planning to come to England shortly, along with Vidic's agent Silvano Martina, but this is only for a routine chat with United officials."

British newspaper The Times meanwhile claims that Manchester United is preparing to offer Vidic a new contract. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has recommended that the club offer him a pay rise and an extension to his contract, which expires in 2012.

Read more:
Vidic welcomes Barcelona interest
Barcelona considering bids for Evans and Kompany
Barcelona will try again for Vidic

British tabloid The Daily Express claims that Barcelona will make a new move for Arsenal midfielder and Spanish international Cesc Fàbregas (22) (read more here).

Sources in Spain are reported to claim that Barcelona will offer Arsenal a transfer fee of 29 million euro° plus some Barcelona players, and play on the fact the Catalan midfielder has always idolised Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola, knowing their only chance of landing the midfielder is if he asks to return to Barcelona.

Read more:
Intensified talks with Cesc could lead to bid
Txiki on Cesc, Mascherano and Chygrynskiy

British tabloid The Daily Express claims that Barcelona is interested in Chelsea left back defender and English international Ashley Cole (28).

Barcelona is said to be looking for a player who can replace Barcelona left back defenders Abidal and Sylvinho and would already have sounded out Chelsea on the English full back.

Although Chelsea isn't considering to let Cole leave this summer, Barcelona would be preparing to make a 22,5 million euro° bid when the season ends. Inter Milan and Manchester City, that would already have made the player a personal offer, are also mentioned as interested clubs.

Chelsea would meanwhile have started renewal talks with Cole, whose current contract expires in the summer of 2011, offering the player a new five-year deal and a salary at the same level as players like John Terry and Michael Ballack. Although Cole doesn't want to leave Chelsea right now and isn't keen on a move to Manchester City, a transfer to Barcelona and a reunion with his close friend Thierry Henry could tempt the player.

Read more:
Chelsea considering Bojan transfer
Lahm offers himself to Barcelona
Chelsea will try to sign Alves this summer

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona left back defender Sylvino (35), whose contract expires at the end of this season, with a move to Celtic Glasgow (read more here), the player's agent Hans Lamberz has said in an interview with British tabloids The Daily Express and News of the World that the Scottish club is certainly an option:

"We have two firm options to play in Spanish football, but he wants to look outside of Spain. When you've played for Barcelona, it's very difficult to go elsewhere in the league, so he'd prefer a new culture, a new style of football.

Right now I've not had any direct contact with Celtic, but that could all change overnight and if it did it could change Sylvinho's opinion.They are the sort of club which would make him book a flight right away to travel to Scotland. They are a huge club who play in the Champions League and one that would satisfy his ambitions. Sylvinho may be older on paper but he's a fit man who can play for many more years."

Read more:
Sylvinho wants to play for two more years
Barcelona looking for left back in Dutch league
Sylvinho can negotiate with Celtic

British tabloid The Daily Mail claims that Barcelona is interested in signing Manchester United forward and Argentine international Carlos Tévez (25) this summer (read more here).

Representatives of the player would already have held informal talks with Barcelona officials, with Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola wanting to strenghten his team while they are still at the top.

Tévez’ loan deal with Manchester United expires at the end of this season. The English Premier League club can buy the Argentine for a transfer fee of 36 million euro° but didn’t yet start contract talks. Barcelona would be closely monitoring the situation, while Chelsea could also be interested.

British tabloid The Daily Express meanwhile claims that Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian, who is linked to investment fund Media Sports Investments (MSI) that owns the rights of Tévez, has been offering the player to several European top clubs, asking a transfer fee of 34 million euro°. Real Madrid and Juventus are said to be among the interested clubs. Manchester United would have a first option to buy Tévez for 23 million euro°.

Read more:
Tevez offers himself for five years
Manchester United wants to sign Valdes
Barcelona interested in Man United striker Tevez


Watch this video of Tévez:

British tabloid The Daily Express claims that Chelsea will try to sign Barcelona right back defender and Brazilian international Daniel Alves (25) in the summer (read more here).

Chelsea owner Abramovich would be set to spend this year in order to revolutionise the squad and, even though the Dutchman may not be there to coach them, he has therefore ordered Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink to draw him up a list of summer transfer targets.

Besides Alves, the target list would also include CSKA Moscow left winger Yuri Zhirkov, CSKA Moscow forward Wagner Love, Lyon forward Karim Benzema and Manchester City winger Robinho. That list would cost Chelsea more than 100 million euro if they manage to land them all but the club plans to fund the transfer by also having a mass summer clear-out.

Read more:
Alves dismisses Chelsea and Madrid rumours
An evaluation of last year's transfer summer
Chelsea and Manchester City sound out Alves

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to the English Premier League (read more here), Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) has said in an interview with Catalan television channel TV3 that he's not thinking about an exit:

"I'm very happy here. I've already said it several times. I like the city, the food and the weather. I have a contract for two more years and I'm feeling good at the club. For me everyting is clear. I don't see myself returning to the English Premier League.

I could achieve great things in England, but I didn't won anything with Barcelona yet and I want to win everything. Every time I put on the Barcelona shirt I feel honoured. I still didn't win the Champions League, but I also want to win the Liga and the Spanish cup.

During the summer, Guardiola came to see me and he explained his project. Everything was clear for me then. It was the best way to show me that he wanted me to stay. Guardiola believed in me and by staying I could pay him back."

British tabloid The Daily Express meanwhile claims that Henry could quit Barcelona to join a Major League Soccer team in the United Stated (read more here).

Read more:
Henry wants transfer rumours to stop
Manchester City plans January bid for Henry
Chelsea manager wants Henry in January

British tabloids The Daily Mail and The Daily Express claim that Manchester City manager Mark Hughes wants to sign Barcelona forward and French international Thierry Henry (31) during the next transfer period (read more here).

British tabloid The Daily Express claims that Barcelona is still interested in signing Tottenham forward and Bulgarian international Dimitar Berbatov (27).

Barcelona thinks that the good relationship they built up with Tottenham during the negotiations that saw Giovani dos Santos move to the English Premier League earlier this summer will work to their advantage.

Asked about the rumours linking Arsenal forward and Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor (24) with a summer move to Barcelona (read more here), Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain has confirmed in an interview with British television channel Sky Sports that the player is a candidate in case Eto'o would leave this summer:

"He is one of the biggest strikers in football. There are four or five strikers that could be at our club, and Adebayor is one of those. For us, first we have to sell a player, then we can get another one. Then we will try to get the best player that we can. We are waiting for Eto'o. If we receive a big offer for him then we can study that option."

Begiristain said that Barcelona didn't yet receive formal offers for Eto'o but that several clubs are interested in signing him: "Of course big clubs are interested. But this is not important. First he needs to have an agreement with a club. Samuel has to have an agreement, after this we will start negotiations. But first he has to be happy. If he moves, it'll be to a big club, of course. There are four or five clubs interested."

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is meanwhile quoted by British tabloid The Daily Express as saying that he has no doubts on the continuation of Adebayor: "Emmanuel is 100 per cent commited. He is looking sharp in training. Of course he will stay. I am not worried, not at all. In other positions, we are maybe one player short, but up front we don't need anybody else."

And later today Adebayor himself said to his club's official media that he intends to sign a new deal: "I can tell everyone that I will sign a contract. I have three years left on my contract and we're adding two or three years more, so I'm very happy being part of this family.

When I was holidaying there was a lot of speculation, a lot of people were talking on my behalf which is not me. I have never said I will leave the club. Now I can tell everyone that I will sign a contract. I’m feeling very good here and at the moment my heart is with Arsenal."

Read more:
Ronaldinho's transfer fee reinvested in Adebayor
Drogba, Adebayor or Berbatov
Ronaldinho's transfer fee reinvested in Adebayor