The Fans Football Blog3

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona will make next week the final decision on the future of Barcelona Atlètic wing attacker Jeffren Suárez (21).

On Tuesday, the club will decide if Jeffren will stay with the first team or if the player will be sold or loaned to Spanish first division club Racing Santander (read more here).

The player's performance in the super cup game against Athletic Bilbao tonight could have a decisive influence.

Speaking at a press conference, Racing Santander president Francisco Pernía meanwhile said that his club is staying in contact with Barcelona: "Our squad is basically complete although we're staying attentive. The talks with Barça are ongoing. I think we are acting in a good way. Time is running of course, but we can wait until the end of the transfer window."

Read more:
Deal with Racing on transfer Jeffren
Jeffren wants to stay
Barcelona's wage structure

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that the transfer midfielder Víctor Sánchez (21) to Xerez is actually a loan.

Barcelona announced yesterday that Víctor Sánchez will leave for newly promoted Spanish first division club Xerez but that Barcelona has the right to sign the Catalan back without having to pay a transfer fee before 30 June 2010 (read more here).

The paper claims that Xerez has serious financial problems and a squad of until now only fifteen first team players. Since a club cannot have more than five players in their squad that are on loan from another club, this operation would allow Xerez, that will pay the full salary of Víctor Sánchez, to sign some more players on loan.

Read more:
OFFICIAL: Victor Sanchez to Xerez

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola will decide on the transfer of Arsenal right back defender and Ivory Coast international Emmanuel Eboué (26) (read more here).

If Guardiola accepts that Barcelona won't buy a central defender but a right back defender this summer, Eboué will probably be the number one target of a list of 20 players managed by Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain.

Eboué was reportedly already the back-up option last summer in case the transfer of Barcelona right back defender Dani Alves wouldn't have gone through.

The agent of Eboué, whose contract expires in 2012, would already have had indirect contacts with Barcelona and has let the club know that the player wishes to join Barcelona, because of the way of playing and his friendship with Barcelona players Yaya Touré and Seydou Keita.

If Guardiola gives the green light, Begiristain would start moving this week for Eboué, who is waiting for a call and who knows that Arsenal is willing to let him go. Barcelona could sign the player for a transfer fee between 8 and 10 million euros°. Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that the fee could be 5 million euros°.

Read more:
Transfer of Arsenal right back Eboue close
Cicinho and Grygera also options for right back
Brazilian right back Mattioni has been offered

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Zaragoza has sounded out Barcelona about a loan of Barcelona central defender Henrique Adriano Buss (22) (read more here).

Zaragoza manager Marcelino would nevertheless not be impressed by the Brazilian player because of his lack of experience, which leads to Henrique only being the last option of a long target list.

Barcelona would therefore be looking at alternative options. Bayer Leverkusen, the club Henrique played for last season, had asked at the end of last season about a renewal of the loan, but after Barcelona initially rejected the request, the German club has now already strengthened their centre-back and is not interested anymore.

Aragon regional newspaper El Periódico de Aragón confirms that Henrique most probably will not join Zaragoza because Marcelino isn't convinced by the qualities of the central defender. The paper claims that Henrique could return to Brazil this summer.

Read more:
Ajax interested in Henrique loan
Henrique still hopes to convince Guardiola
Zaragoza interested in Henrique loan

Asked about the rumours linking him with a loan move to Xerez (read more here), Barcelona midfielder Víctor Sánchez (21) has said in an interview with Jerez local newspaper La Voz de Jerez that he's holding talks with newly promoted Spanish first division club:

"I know there are contacts. The club has talked to Xerez and has advised me to leave. But we're still negotiating, there's nothing signed yet.

My intention is to play in the Spanish first division next sason. A decision will be made this week, we don't want to postpone things any longer. Xerez is an option we're seriously looking at, although I repeat that there's no deal yet."

Catalan sports papers El 9 Esportiu and Sport meanwhile claim that Víctor Sánchez and Xerez have reached an agreement. El 9 Esportiu reports that Xerez will pay the full salary of the player, whose contract with Barcelona expires in 2012, and that no buyout option will be included. Sport says that the clubs are now finalizing the last details. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that the deal will be closed later today.

Read more:
Deal with Xerez on Victor Sanchez loan
Victor Sanchez will leave on loan

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona central defender Gabriel Milito (28) could return to Barcelona in a few weeks.

The Argentinian is now in his home-country recovering from a knee injury. He hasn't felt pain anymore over the last few days and it is expected he could join group training in October.

This would be one of the reasons why the Barcelona board wouldn't be willing to spend a lot of money on another central defender this summer.

Milito suffered a right knee injury on 29 April 2008 during the second game of the Champions League semi-finals against Manchester United last season. The predicted recovery time was then being estimated between six and nine months.

Read more:
Medical: Milito is finally pain free
Milito writes letter to the fans

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona is again considering to sign a right back defender who could act as back-up for Barcelona right back dani Alves.

With the club having excluded the transfer of Shakhtar central defender Chygynskiy (read more here), signing a full-back would release Barcelona central defender Carles Puyol from covering for Alves next season.

A transfer of a right back defender would be cheaper than signing a centre-back, which would mean the club has more money left to spend on a midfielder. With Muniesa having impressed during pre-season, the Barcelona board thinks another centreal defender isn't really needed. Spanish news agency EFE confirms that Barcelona will now try to sign a right back defender.

Read more:
Barcelona won't sign back-up for Alves
Shakhtar Donetsk right back Srna is an option
Right back Bruno Saltor could be first transfer

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona midfielder Víctor Sánchez (21) is close to leaving for newly promoted first division club Xerez.

Xerez would have asked Barcelona about loaning the player next season and after Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola has given his authorization, Barcelona yesterday informed Xerez about the club's positive answer.

Everything will now depend on the decision of Víctor Sánchez although the Catalan player would seem to be willing to join Xerez in order to get more playing minutes. The loan deal could be made official later today. Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo confirms the news saying that a deal between the clubs has been found yesterday.

Read more:
Zaragoza offer for Victor Sanchez rejected
Victor Sanchez still unaware of future
Victor Sanchez will leave on loan

Asked about the new rumours linking Deportivo La Coruña left back defender Filipe Luis (23) with a move to Barcelona after a FIFA ruling gave the player his freedom (read more here), Barcelona sports direcor Txiki Begiristain is quoted by Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu as excluding the option:

"We're not willing to start the negotiations all over again. We already tried to sign the player and it didn't work. And now we're very happy with the alternative we were able to bring in."

Read more:
Barcelona not reopening Filipe option
Barcelona could sign Filipe for free

Asked about the rumours linking him with a loan exit (read more here), Barcelona midfielder Víctor Sánchez (21) has said in an interview with Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu that a decision on his future hasn't yet been made:

"There has indeed been talk about a loan but I don't really know what the best option is. Everybody wants to play and it's possible that if you stay here, you won't have a lot of chances. But it's also possible you leave for another team and it's even worse...

Guardiola told me that I would start the pre-season here and that I should be relaxed. He already knows me from Barcelona B and I know he believes in me.

So it's true that there's some uncertainty but when you go out on the pitch, you forget about all that and you only think about playing alongside the best players in the world. I feel better than last season, when I had some injury problems. I'm more confident now, I feel more secure. I found the rhythm quickly during the first games and I feel well-integrated in the team."

Read more:
Zaragoza offer for Victor Sanchez rejected
Barcelona's wage structure
Future of Victor Sanchez still uncertain

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Celtic Glasgow has joined the race for Barcelona attacker and Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen (30).

Gudjohnsen has reportedly been informed that he can look for another club because Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola isn't counting on him for next season.

Because he doesn't want to spend another year on the bench, Gudjohnsen would be willing to leave. Several English Premier League clubs are believed to have shown interest in the Icelandic player but the salary offers are a lot less than his current earnings, which would block a transfer.

Gudjohnsen is nevertheless said to be willing to listen to offers and after the team has returned from the United States, the player would start negotiations with West Ham and Celtic Glasgow, although he plans to wait as long as possible to make a decision. Barcelona would want to get a transfer fee of 5 million euro.

Read more:
West Ham sets Gudjohnsen deadline
Gudjohnsen still didn't make decision on future
Sylvinho again linked with Celtic Glasgow

Catalan sports paper El 9 Esportiu claims that Barcelona goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (30) is close to joining Spanish second division club Cádiz.

Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola would have talked with Jorquera at the end of last season to inform him that he wanted to work with only two goalkeepers and that the Catalan had to leave (read more here).

The player's agent Arturo Canales would since that day have listened to offers and would now be working on a deal with Spanish second divison club Cádiz. Jorquera, who reportedly didn't receive any offers from first division clubs, would have decided to accept the offer of Cádiz.

The Catalan goalkeeper would nevertheless only wanting to sign for one year, hoping that he can go to a better club next year, and under the condition that Barcelona rescinds his contract, so he can leave for free. It is believed that Barcelona will put an end to the deal with Jorquera when the team returns from the United States.

Read more:
Barça B - Official: Abraham to Cadiz
Barcelona's wage structure
Salary demands block exit Jorquera