The Fans Football Blog3

Italian television channel Sky Sport 24 claims that the transfer of AS Roma right back defender Cicinho (29) to Barcelona could be closed in the coming days (read more here).

Barcelona would have shown concrete interest in the Brazilian player, with Roma reportedly asking a transfer fee between 8 and 10 million euros° for Cicinho.

Read more:
Eboue tops right back target list
Cicinho and Grygera also options for right back

Asked about the rumours linking São Paulo midfielder Hernanes (24) to several European top clubs, the player's agent Frederico Pena has confirmed in an interview with Italian television channel Sky that Barcelona tried to sign the Brazilian last summer:

"How much should he cost now? Only São Paulo can decide on his valuation, but I think his price would be around 13-14 million euro.

Barcelona tried to sign him last year, but São Paulo didn't want to sell him back then. Milan? No representative of Milan has officially talked with us, but Milan would of course be a dream for him. There have also been rumours about Juventus, before they bought Melo, and Inter."

Read more:
Negotiations on Hernanes in last stage
Hernanes waiting for Barcelona
Barcelona reactivates Hernanes interest



Watch this video of Hernanes:

Italian sports site Tuttomercatoweb claims that Mino Raiola, the agent of Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27), will be in Milan today to finalize the last details of the striker's transfer to Barcelona.

After Inter and Eto'o reached an agreement, Inter and Ibrahimovic now have to deal with the last contract formalities prior to the official annoucnement of the transfer operation.

Raiola meanwhile said in an interview with Italian televsion channel Sky yesterday that more talks with Barcelona are needed: "I now still have to speak to Barcelona as my main task is to satisfy my client. The whole operation began at the end of lest season. I think that the dinner between Moratti and Laporta has been decisive. Barcelona wanted to sign Ibra, even when Eto'o wouldn't have been part of the deal. I always thought they were two separate negotiations and Laporta has confirmed this."

Read more:
Barcelona officially confirms Zlatan-Eto'o deal close
Ibrahimovic on his way to Europe

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona central defender and Uruguayan international Martín Cáceres (22) with a move to Juventus (read more here), the player's agent Daniel Fonseca has said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky Sport 24 that a deal between the player and the Italian club is close:

"With Juventus, we have almost reached an agreement. There are a few details left but it's basically a done deal. Now we should convince Barcelona. At the beginning, they didn't want him to leave because they paid so much for him last year, but now things are looking good. We're working on a loan move and I think we'll find the best solution very soon. My role is to make the player happy and he didn't get a chance at Barcelona so he wanted to leave."

Read more:
Juventus President: Caceres depends on Poulsen
Guardiola about current Barca players
Juventus wants Caceres-Poulsen swap

Sky Italia reports that Barcelona striker and Cameroonian international Samuel Eto'o's (28) agent Josep Maria Mesalles met with A.C. Milan transfer consultant Ernesto Bronzetti. The two were photographed together on Monday evening.

Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet claims the two agents would have met after Mesalles had finished the first round of negotiations with Inter Milan regarding the transfer of his client.

The agents were purported to have had a late dinner together at the restaurant Trattoria Da Giannino on Via Vittor Pisani. An Aftonbladet source in Milan also claims that A.C Milan can do little stop the negotiations with Inter: "It's a matter of negotiation tactics, Mesalles wants to put pressure on Inter with other alternatives. But there is no way that Milan has the resources that which Eto'o claims under these circumstances."

Read more:
New Inter-Eto'o meeting tonight or tomorrow
Eto'o is in Milan

Asked about the rumours linking Barcelona central defender and Uruguayan international Martín Cáceres (22) with a move to Juventus (read more here), Juventus president Cobolli Gigli confirmed to Italian television channel Sky Sport 24 that the Italian club is interested:

"It's a player whom we're interested in, it's more than just rumours. But it is all linked to Poulsen and the fact that we have to bring some money in. Our priority is now to get cash in and then we can reinvest that money. Cáceres is only an option if we first sell Poulsen."

Read more:
Juventus wants Caceres-Poulsen swap
Juventus confirms Caceres interest
Guardiola about current Barca players

Catalan radio station RAC 1 claims that Josep Maria Mesalles, the agent of Barcelona forward and Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o (28) is in Milan to negotiate with Inter Milan officials.

Mesalles would have landed this afternoon at 5 pm in Milan. Inter reportedly offers the striker a year salary of 9 million euro plus incentives. Italian television channel Sky Sport 24 claims that a deal is close.

Inter president Massimo Moratti told journalists that he's confident that an agreement can be reached: "The negotiations are ongoing, we're making progress. The statements of Guardiola don't affect us, he can say what he wants and make the changes he wants. If Eto'o joins us because they don't want him anymore, we'll be happy because it's an excellent player. I'm confident. I'm sure that Eto'o will join us in the end..."

Asked about the reports linking Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) with a move to Barcelona (read more here), the player's agent Mino Raiola has repeated in an interview with Italian television channel Sky Sport Italia that he didn't yet talk with Barcelona:

"At this moment, there's no agreement between Barcelona and Ibrahimovic. We'll see how things will go and when we can start negotiating.

There's no meeting with Barcelona planned at this moment. That's not needed now. Inter and Barcelona are trying to turn an interesting hypothesis into reality. As long as the clubs don't have a final agreement, it's useless for me to start negotiating. I'm in regular contact with Ibrahimovic, who's on tour in the US with Inter now. He's not nervous, he's calm and he knows we're working.

I'm tired of getting asked about his salary of 12 millions. That's my problem and that of the player. When we sign a contract, that obviously means that we are happy. When a player puts his signature under a contract, with Barcelona or any other team, that means he's happy. I've never talked about the details of the contracts of the players I represent and I won't start doing that now."

Raiola is meanwhile quoted by Spanish sports tabloid Marca as also saying that the clubs now first have to finalize their agreement: "It's not a done deal yet. Before the clubs start negotiating with the players, they should turn their principal agreement into a final agreement. For this transfer to go through, things should be done in a calm way. I anyhow think that the player would fit perfectly in the team of Barcelona. He's better than Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo and Benzema together, because he has an excellent technique."

Read more:
Negotiations with Ibrahimovic didn't yet start
Ibrahimovic denies Twitter statements

A report in Madrid based paper AS claims that the Barcelona striker and Cameroonian international star Samuel Eto'o (28) would have made a mega wage demand from Inter Milan in order to leave the European Champions. Both clubs have reached an agreement which would see Inter striker and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27) swap places with Eto'o plus a transfer fee. (read more here)

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said at a press conference that Inter Milan and Barcelona have found a principal agreement on the transfer of Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27), which would include Barcelona players Samuel Eto'o and Aleksandr Hleb. A deal would now depend on the players involved.

Josep Maria Mesalles, the agent of Eto'o, is meanwhile quoted by Catalan radio station Ona FM that he talked by phone with Inter president Massimo Maratti on Thursday nigth after the two clubs found a deal. The agent said that he was delighted to be able to negotiate with a great club like Inter although he said that a final deal can only be closed face-to-face, not through the telephone.

Mino Raiola, the agent of Ibrahimovic, denied a deal in an interview with Italian radio station Radio Radio: "Regarding the talks between Barcelona and Inter for Ibrahimovic, I can only say that there's no deal yet because I don't see the signature of my player under a contract that I have read. I can guarantee you that I didn't even start to discuss a deal because I'm busy with the transfer of Maxwell. Maybe it will be a done deal next week or next month, there's still time until 31 August. There's time as long as the market open. We can negotiate until the end of August."

Ibrahimovic told to journalists after today's training session that he was calm about the whole situation: "I knew that Barcelona and Inter have been talking but I thought it was about Maxwell. If the offer of Barça would become concrete, that would be an interesting option. I wait calmly to see what happens. I spoke with my agant Mino Raiola and at this moment, I'm happy to be an Inter player."

Read more:
Report: Ibrahimovic deal reached

Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting that an entourage from Barcelona including president Joan Laporta and technical secretary Txiki Begiristain has traveled to Milan late Thursday, July 16th to hold transfer discussions with Inter Milan.

La Gazzetta supposes that the topic of discussion could be Barcelona midfielder and Belarusian international Aliaksandr Hleb (28) or more likely, Inter Milan striker and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (27). Barcelona would be trying to use Hleb and out of favor striker Samuel Eto'o (28) as bargaining chips in the deal for Ibrahimovic.

update - the meeting has been confirmed by Inter president Massimo Moratti through Italian television station Sky Sport Italia, "I have met with Laporta, we spoke about Hleb and also about Eto'o and Ibrahimovic"

update 2 - asked about the the possibility of Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o moving to Inter, Moratti told Sky Sport Italia, "If an operation of this kind was carried out, it would regard both players."

Read more:
Inter hoping to sign Hleb this summer
Inter asks Cristiano Ronaldo fee for Ibrahimovic
Inter Milan opens door for transfer Ibrahimovic

Italian televsion channel Sky Sport 24 claims that Barcelona attacker and Belarusian international Alexander Hleb (28) could join Inter Milan on loan.

Barcelona and Inter Milan would have reached a deal on a one-year loan plus an option to buy the player next summer.

If Hleb agrees to move to Inter, an official announcement is expected to follow later today.


Read more:
Inter hoping to sign Hleb this summer

Italian televsion channel Sky Sport 24 claims that Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell (27) is close to joining Barcelona.

Barcelona and Inter would have found a deal on the transfer. The Italian champions will reportedly receive a transfer fee of 3,75 million euro°.

Maxwell would sign a five-year contract in the coming hours. Asked about the rumours, the player's agent Mino Raiola said in an interview with Catalan radio station RAC 1 that the deal has been closed for 4 million euro°.



Read more:
Maxwell alternative for Filipe as left back
Barcelona has been in contact with 22 players

Asked about the rumours linking Olympique Lyon attacker Ederson (23) with several European top clubs, the player's agent Antonio Caliendo has said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky that Barcelona has been following the Brazilian:

"It's not a new thing that Inter Milan is interested in Ederson, they were already watching him three years ago. Now he's 23 and he had agood first year with Lyon. He has also been followed by Milan and Barcelona."

Caliendo repeated today that Barcelona has shown interest in the player in an interview with Italian football site Calciomercato: "At this moment there's nothing new but he remains a target for several clubs. Inter knows him inside out but Barcelona is also monitoring him. The asking price? Lyon has paid a lot for the player, so I think they will request at least 20 million euro°."

Read more:
Lyon interested in Hleb
Barcelona planning six transfers
Talks with Lyon on Gudjohnsen transfer


Watch a video of Ederson here:

Asked about the rumours linking Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey (29) to Barcelona (read more here), Fiorentina sports director Pantaleo Corvino said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky that the club didn't hear anything:

"Barcelona didn't ask for Frey and our intention is anyhow to keep him."

Read more:
Agent Frey dismisses Barcelona interest
Fiorentina interested in Marquez
Montolivo dismisses Barcelona rumours

Italian television channel Sky claims that Barcelona is interested in Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey (29).

Barcelona reportedly could try to include Barcelona central defender and Mexican international Rafael Márquez (30) in a bid for the French goalkeeper, which would make Fiorentina willing to accept an offer. Italian sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport claims that Barcelona might offer 12 million euro° plus Márquez.

Asked about the rumours linking Frey to Barcelona, the player's agent Carlo Pallavicino has nevertheless said in an interview with Tuscany regional newspaper Il Giornale della Toscana that the goalkeeper will continue at Fiorentina: "You always have that kind of rumours this time of the year, linking players to the big clubs. But I'm willing to bet that Frey, Mutu and Felipe Melo will not leave Firenze. Barcelona? I repeat: Seba won't move."

Read more:
Fiorentina goalkeeper Frey has been offered
Fiorentina interested in Marquez
Montolivo dismisses Barcelona rumours

Asked about the future of Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic (28), Inter Milan sports director Ernesto Paolillo has said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky that the club is ready to listen to offers:

"I know that Ibra is under contract with Inter, that we're not the ones who should do crazy things to sign him. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is an asset, so if we would receive offers, which we didn't so far, then we will evaluate them in the light of the recent international transfers. But the player is ours and we are very happy with that...

Ibra can dream of going wherever he wants, but this shouldn't harm Inter. No player can think that a club will sell him for the only reason to do him a favour. The doors are open for Barcelona? The doors are open for all clubs. The market has just started... If he doesn't leave, we will have the pleasure of seeing Ibrahimovic another season with Inter. The same goes for Maicon. No player is not for sale but there's a right price for everything."

Read more:
Inter asks record transfer fee for Ibrahimovic
Meeting with Inter on Ibrahimovic: A reconstruction

Asked about why he never left his club, AC Milan midfielder and Italian international Andrea Pirlo (29) has said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky that he always preferred to stay despite interest from teams like Barcelona (read more here) and Chelsea:

"Yes, there has always been the possibility to move to another team, but I preferred to stay here because I think that Milan is one of the most important clubs in the world and that I have here the chance to win something every year."

Read more:
Pirlo rejects Barcelona offer
Transfer history: Xavi was close to Milan
Agent Ronaldinho doesn't exclude Barcelona return
Transfer history: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)

Asked about the rumours linking him with an exit (read more here), Inter Milan forward and Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovich (27) has said in an interview with Italian television channel Sky Sport Italia that he’s now focusing on his club:

"I have a contract with Inter and I'm happy to be at this club. For now we are all concentrated on winning the league. At the end of the season we will see what happens."

The player’s agent Mino Raiola said in an interview with Italian television channel Radio Radio that the club will decide on the player's future: "Ibra was hurt after the Champions league elimination but he’s now only thinking about winning the league title.

He has a contract with Inter for four years and we respect that, so he will only leave if the club finds an agreement with another club or when Inter doesn’t want to renew his contract. Without the collaboration of Inter, Zlatan cannot leave.

Like every top player he wants to play for one of the top teams---Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter, Milan and Manchester United. All those clubs know each other very well, so Moratti will hear it when one of them is interested and then he will have to decide. I think he’s worth close to 100 million euro°. It’s the strongest and most complete player in the world."

Asked about the transfer rumours, Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti told journalists on Monday that a transfer is not on the table at his moment but seemed to leave a door open: "It's not a question of money or a dislike for the team. Perhaps he's just hurt by my outburst after Manchester, but I was refering to everyone, not just him. He clearly reacted to that defeat in the same way I did. He was disappointed.

He is just ambitious. Maybe he wants to leave to win the Champions League, but it's hard to know beforehand which team will win the Champions League. In any case, Inter will try again next year. In life, sometimes you change and then regret it after... Zlatan has an excellent relationship with Mourinho and with the club. There's mutual esteem, we only need to speak to understand each other.

There are no meetings planned for the end of the season. If he decided to leave, if he asked me to leave, then there would be a price, like there is for everyone, but I honestly haven't thought about it. We're certainly not looking for buyers for Ibra. We can't imagine Inter without Zlatan because of the importance he has for the fans. I like to think that Ibra will continue at Inter."

One day later, Moratti made clear to journalists that for now he doesn’t want to talk about the issue anymore: "Listen... I really don't want to keep on talking about this. I still haven't seen Ibrahimovic. Actually, I saw him on Sunday when he played very well, and I saw him after the match and he was calm. I will know more after I have spoken with him. For the moment I can't say anything."

Inter Milan manager José Mourinho meanwhile said to journalists that he’s calm about the future of Ibrahimovic: "Like all of us, he's very disappointed about the Champions League elimination, but he has replied on the pitch, transforming his frustration into good performances. I'm not worried. I have already convinced players to stay before. It happened with Deco. He wanted to leave Porto after the UEFA Cup victory but he stayed and we won the Champions League the following season."

Read more:
First contacts with Ibrahimovic
Last summer's search for a striker
Agent Ibrahimovic hints again at Barcelona move


Watch these videos of Ibrahimovic (Zlatan: The Good vs. Zlatan: The Bad) :

Asked about a possible summer exit of Inter Milan left back defender Maxwell (27) (read more here), the player's agent Mino Raiola has said in an interview with Italian television channel Radio Radio that the Brazilian will certainly leave at the end of the season:

"Maxwell has decided that he will leave, not because of the fans, the team or the president but because of the coach. He has a lot of qualities, but he's not the physical player that Mourinho wants.

So the conclusion is that both parties should go their own way. Maxwell is a typical player who can go to any European club and be a starter. I can see him joining a team like AC Milan, Arsenal, Real Madrid or Barcelona."

In an interview with Italian televison channel Sky, Raiola had already said that the player will most probably join another club during the next transfer window: "I think that the stay of Maxwell at Inter has ended. He is the best left back defender in Europe and there have always been offers for him and that's not different this year.

We have an honest relationship with the club and right now I do not see how there can be a future for Maxwell at Inter next season. I cannot exclude that he will move to another Italian club. The player still has another year of contract and if all three parties involved agree, then why not ... But I do think that it is more likely that he goes abroad."

Read more:
Barcelona interested in Inter left back Maxwell
Barcelona will sign left back next summer
Sylvinho doesn't exclude a renewal