The Transfer Thread

[stokeriño]

And Chelsea are ruining football.

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Old news.

[botchedpiledriver]

That's an interesting point to make, Jook. I agree, they are partly ruining football. Reccently, we've hit a patch in football where transfer fee's have calmed down, I mean, 4 years ago, if Beckham went to Real Madrid he would have cost about 60m, and now, Chelsea are back throwing money around because they have no limit to how much they can spend, just look at there squad, they have 4 top class goalkeepers. I hope they don't win the league, they don't deserve it.

[pigeon]

We can expect to see plenty of stories in the papers tomorrow about Gerrard joining Chelsea.  The Echo covers the same story and the key points are:

- Benitez has held talks with Gerrard in Portugal

- hoping to persuade him to stay and play a pivotal role

- if Gerrard still wants to leave, LFC will put a £50m price tag on him

- unclear if the talks have had any impact on Gerrard's future

- LFC still clearly feel they can win the fight to keep him

- reports of a 'done deal' are 'wide of the mark'

- no official approach from Chelsea, but LFC are under no illusions about seriousness of the situation

- given he's only just signed a new contract, LFC are in a strong position to get maximum value for Gerrard

- Reds could also reignite their interest in Damien Duff (player + cash)

- LFC don't want things to reach that point, but contingency plans are being drawn up for the worst case scenario

As ever, press reports should be taken with the usual pinch of salt, but given the strength of the rumours, there would appear to be something to them.  We only hope that Stevie can be persuaded that his immediate future, and ideally his longer term one, lies at Anfield.

Source: one of the staff on redandwhitekop.net, pretty reliable source.

[TAFKA Castroneves]

Ben Thatcher has moved from Leicester City to Man City,

Marcus Bent has joined Everton

and Les Ferdinand looks set to remain with Leicester City another year.

[FLiam]

Barry Hayles has joined Sheff Utd on a free.

Dennis Rommedahl is close to signing for Charlton

Danny Cadermartari is close to signing for Leeds

Michael Ricketts has joined Leeds.

Atletico Madrid have reportedly agreed terms with Chelsea for Jesper Gronkjaer.

All I can remeber off the top of my head for now B)

Edited June 23, 2004 by Gooner4Life

[stokeriño]

So Gronkjaer's joining Athletico Madrid now? What happened to Birmingham...?

[FLiam]

He doesn't want to join them apparently.

I have also just read an article from a Brazilian site which claims Robinho is on his way to Arsenal in the near future.

If that is true, then that would be greatest signing ever!

[Summers]

Rommedahl was supposed to come to the Villa, but the deal broke down, so he decided on Charlton. I gurantee that somehow we have to blame Ellis for this. The sooner he dies, the better. Langham should have made sure we got Rommedahl, that's if the news that Villa were close was true.

[pigeon]

Steven Gerrard has handed in a written transfer request, and intends to join Chelsea.

[stokeriño]

Steven Gerrard has handed in a written transfer request, and intends to join Chelsea.

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Source?

[pigeon]

Various reliable sources on redandwhitekop.net. No windup, unfortunately. Should be in the papers this week.

[stokeriño]

Sweetness. ^_^

Oh, uh...sorry about your loss.

[Summers]

Villa have been linked with a few people lately, Mathieu Berson from Nantes wants to come to Villa park as soon as possible, and if we can agree a fee, I'd expect that the contract negotiations wouldn't take too long. Still being linked with Robert Huth, Carlton Cole, James Milner and Craig Moore.

[lazy_arse]

Some good news for all you Liverpool fans out there. Gerrard has confirmed that he is not going to Chelsea and is staying with Liverpool next season.

Link

[FLiam]

I found a few stories that I thought I would share

Young Spanish hotshot Fernando Torres is being heavily linked with a shock move to Liverpool Football Club – with Michael Owen reportedly heading the other way.

New Kop coach Rafael Benitez is a huge admirer of Torres, whom he watched flourish in La Liga whilst in charge of Valencia.

And with a question mark remaining against the Anfield future of Owen, reports emanating from Spain suggest that a sensational swap deal could unfold.

England ace Owen is still to pen a new contract at Liverpool Football Club and could be receptive to any overtures from La Liga.

Both players are rated in the £20m bracket, and both have been recently linked with moves from their current employers.

Torres is one of the most highly rated young strikers in Europe, attracting the interest of a wealth of high profile suitors, including AC Milan and Manchester United Football Club.

But Liverpool Football Club have jumped to the front of the queue given their reported willingness to use Owen as bait.

Arsenal Football Club boss Arsene Wenger is reportedly keeping a close eye on the situation of Spanish strike sensation Fernando Morientes.

The Gunners have yet to make a significant splash during the current transfer window period, but that could change dramatically with a swoop for Morientes.

The Real Madrid striker spent last season on loan at French outfit Monaco and is now back at his parent club.

But given that he faces an uphill task to dislodge either Raul or Ronaldo from the Bernebeu first team equation, Morientes’ return to Real could be short-lived.

“I am not bench player,” said the lethal hitman. "If finally I remain at Real Madrid I know that I am not a bench player.

"Ronaldo is not just anyone and to include me in the eleven ahead of him would be difficult. I do not want to return to be in the shade after what I have achieved in Monaco.”

Morientes helped steer Monaco to the Champions League Final last season - beating Real Madrid along the way - and increased his stock to around £15m.

Arsenal Football Club chief Wenger is a big admirer of the 28-year-old and would not be put off by Real’s asking price.

Birmingham City Football Club manager Steve Bruce hopes to tie up the transfers of Chelsea Football Club duo Jesper Gronkjaer and Mario Melchiot.

Bruce has already agreed a fee for the services of wing ace Gronkjaer, while Melchiot is available on a Bosman-style free transfer.

Both players have reportedly been told by new Chelsea Football Club coach Jose Mourinho that they are surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge.

The move for Gronkjaer in particular will now be hastened by Bruce, given Denmark’s exit from Euro 2004.

The £2m-rated star is not short of suitors, with a number of European outfits reportedly monitoring his movements.

But Bruce, having already opened dialogue with Chelsea Football Club, is in the box seat for his signature.

“I'm hoping to fly out to Copenhagen to see Jesper," said the Brum chief. "I think everyone is aware that he is a player I would dearly love to have at the club.”

Bruce is also hoping to tempt Dutch ace Melchiot to St Andrews during the current transfer window.

“It's well documented that Mario is another player I'm after and hopefully, we have made some inroads there," he confirmed.

It is looking more and more likely that James Milner will leave Leeds United Football Club this summer, with Newcastle United Football Club his most likely destination.

The 18-year-old midfielder is rated as one of the best youngsters in the country, yet Leeds’ perilous financial state and their relegation from the Premiership could see them lose their star player.

Newcastle United are long-term admirers of Milner, and Leeds director Peter Lorimer has admitted they face a fight on their hands to keep the player at Elland Road next season.

"We have gone as far as we can in terms of what we can offer James,” said Lorimer. "We've almost doubled his salary and in the present situation it would be impossible to offer him more.

"We hope the kid will stay, but we appreciate he is a much-wanted young player and if he wants to go and gets a better offer there is not much we can do about it.

"This club has lived well beyond its means in the past and we cannot go down that road again. We are trying to rescue the club, not make the cash situation worse."

Milner would cost Newcastle around £5million, yet this is a price manager Sir Bobby Robson is believed to be more than willing to meet.

Charlton Athletic Football Club boss Alan Curbishley is expected to table a bid for England Under-21 star Phil Jagielka.

The Addicks chief has a significant cash fund at his disposal and Jagielka is thought to figure highly on his transfer wish-list.

The versatile Sheffield United Football Club star is widely regarded as one of the best young talents outside the Premiership, and the Blades would be reluctant sellers as a result.

However, United manager Neil Warnock and the cash-strapped SUFC board could be receptive to bids in the region of £3m for the club’s prize asset.

Jagielka, who is equally at home in midfield or central defence, is keen to ply his trade in the top flight and United may decide to maximise his transfer worth in the event of overtures from the Valley.

[Guest Booker T & The MG's]

Henrik Larsson is expected to arrive in Barcelona on Tuesday to undergo a medical before being presented as the club's third summer signing.

The former Celtic man is set to sign a one-year deal with the option of a year extension.

"He is a priority," said president Joan Laporta. "He is a player that has been on the list of our coaching staff for some time."

Sports director Txiki Begiristain added: "It is something to be proud of for the club that a player that finishes his contract does not want to talk to anyone else until Barca have given him a response."

After being officially unveiled at the Nou Camp, Larsson is likely to go on holiday with his family and return with the other players who have been involved in the European Championships on 12 July.

Larsson scored three times for Sweden in Portugal as his country reached the Euro 2004 quarter-finals before being eliminated on penalties by Holland.

No suprise really, that deal was probably done a few months ago.

Adding to the Craig Moore rumours.

No decision will be made over the future of Rangers defender Craig Moore until he proves his fitness on 4 July.

The Australia international has been linked with a move away from Ibrox this summer after the arrivals of Jean-Alain Boumsong and Marvin Andrews.

Aston Villa are the most recent club reported to be looking at the 28-year-old, although his agent, John Viola, has played down any move to Birmingham.

Indeed, Moore's representative insists there will be no decision by either Rangers or the player until he has returned to full fitness following knee surgery which kept him out of the end of season games.

Viola said: "All Craig wants to do and all Rangers wanted to see was that he came back fit.

"He started training early and was in at Murray Park last week and will be back with Rangers on 4 July.

"That is when we and Rangers will start making decisions, so we will wait on that day and take it from there.''

I'd say there is a 50/50 chance that Moore could be on his way this summer, Moore was also critical of Rangers at the end of last season.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Nothing big but I was just on the Juventus site and read about us getting Wiltord possibly. It said it was almost certain but its actually the first I heard of this, I thought he had already signed for another club? Well if he does come to Juventus I wont be sad at all. Some Arsenal fans say he is useless but I still disagree, he does his job when given the chance, it was just so hard for him at Arsenal because there was really always bigger players than him.

Also Davids is supposed to be going to Inter for two years or something, once again first I heard of that, I thought he was staying at Barcalona. Also I just read that Romas Emerson is supposed to be joining us, another big signing if you ask me.

Edited June 29, 2004 by JohnnyPerfect

[botchedpiledriver]

Also Davids is supposed to be going to Inter for two years or something, once again first I heard of that, I thought he was staying at Barcalona.

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Davids has only just joined Barcelona on a free transfer, so that isn't correct. Davids was only on-loan last season, he signed for Barcelona a couple months back.

[FLiam]

No he hasn't. They withdrew their offer, he is still looking for a club.

[therockbox]

Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky has hailed his fellow countryman Milan Baros as the perfect team-mate and insists that he'd love to play alongside the Liverpool striker at club level. 

"I like to play with him very much, he is a perfect team-mate," claimed Rosicky who has been tipped to leave German side Borussia Dortmund this summer. "I am sure we would combine well together on the pitch if we play for the same club in the future." 

Credit: liverpoolfc.tv

If we could get Rosicky it'd be a good signing. He's played extremely well for the Czechs and if he could carry it over (like Baros) then they'd do extremely well at Liverpool.