Tottenham, Arsenal and United look to sign Joey Barton for free
THT Verdict: Joey Barton, despite all his vices, is indeed a value buy for any club wanting to add a bit of steel to the midfield. Any manager strong enough to keep him under control will not think twice before bringing him in, as on the pitch, one can always expect Barton to give his 100%, irrespective of the situation. Tottenham are apparently leading the race, but this story is far from over yet.
Jovanovic on Brink of Anderlecht Transfer
Much awaited news for Liverpool fans – Milan Jovanovic has agreed personal terms with Belgian outfit RSC Anderlecht and set to complete his move soon.
THT Verdict: Finally. The Liverpool management was eager to lower the wages of several players who wouldn’t feature in their future plans and Jovanovic was one of the key players who was to leave. Hopefully this move will spark Liverpool towards fine tuning their squad before the season begins.
Milan Firm on Cassano Transfer
AC Milan have announced that Cassano will remain a Rossoneri till he hands in a formal transfer request.
THT Verdict: Even though the enfant terrible of Italian football is linked with Fiorentina and Genoa, it will be difficult for him to move to either of the two clubs. Being the Scudetto winners, Milan is slowly and steadily building a squad for the future and Cassano is a part of it. However, as Galliani has said, if Cassano himself wants to leave, Milan won’t stand in his way.
AC Milan Confirm Aquilani Interest
At a time when Liverpool are finding it hard to bring in suitors for Alberto Aquilani, Italian giants AC Milan have confirmed their interest in the player.
THT Verdict: Milan has spoken about him in passing terms as he has the characteristics that is being searched for in the new midfielder role. But in order for that to happen, Aquilani has to lower his wage demands. An improbable transfer that is arising out as a result of failing to land Riccardo Montolivo.
PSG Line Up Next Target?
Fresh reports in the media are stating that French club PSG are all set to make a move for Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.
THT Verdict: PSG are on a spending spree and £18m is a lot of money for the 30 year old Bulgarian superstar. With just about an year left on his contarct, Sir ALex Ferguson could look to cash on the former Spurs hitman, as there is no dirth of striking talent at the Theatre of Dreams. Furthermore, the cash could come in handy for any midfield reinforcements that the gaffer might have in mind.
Spurs Want Diarra but Deal Involves Bale
According to the Metro, Harry Redknapp is looking to bring back Lassana Diarra under his tutelage but Real Madrid are looking to leverage this to achieve pole position in pursuit of Gareth Bale.
THT Verdict: Likely. Lass Diarra is sure to leave the Spanish capital and England seems to be the likely destination. Harry would love someone like Lass in his team who can break plays and provide the necessary cover for Modric to weave his plays. He would be a great addition to the squad. But Spurs don’t have the CL card anymore and hence if any other major club comes calling, Diarra would have to make the decision. But Real Madrid will sell him sooner or later this summer.
Yuri Zhirkov Close To Joining Russian Outfit
ESPN reports that Chelsea full back Yuri Zhirkov is on the verge of joining Russian club Anzhi for a fee of 13.2 million pounds.
THT Verdict: Likely. Yuri Zhirkov hasn’t been able to extablish himself in the Chelsea first team ever since joining the club in 2009, because of injuries and the presence of Ashley Cole/Florent Malouda on the left flank. Now, in Bertrand and Aanholt, the club have two left-backs ready, if not for the first team then surely for serving as Cole’s backup. Chelsea may be considering to sell the Russian for around 15m, allowing Zhirkov to play regular first team football which is essential for his career with the Russia NT. Also, he jut has 1 year left in his contract, and getting the reported £13.2m for a squad player, in the last year of his contract will definitely be good business.
Inter Accept Sneijder Offer
According to reports in England, Inter Milan have accepted an offer in excess of 30 million from the Red Devils for the Dutch playmaker. Is this the moment all United fans were waiting for?
THT Verdict: Rumour mills are gaining strength and the moves looks likely, however the major stumbling block could yet prove to be the Dutchman’s exorbitant wages. Will United break the bank for Sneijder, or will Wesley take a wage cut? Let’s hope this tedious transfer saga ends soon, for the sake of all concerned!
Enrique Close to Sealing Liverpool Move
Fresh news from England is that Liverpool are close to signing long term left-back target Jose Enrique from Newcastle United. Several left-backs were linked with the Reds since the start of the transfer window but it now looks like the club has zeroed-in on their target following the sad state of affairs at St. James’ Park.
THT Verdict: Enrique was a closely monitored target for the Reds and carries a good amount of Premier League experience with him. It was just a matter of time before Liverpool would make a move. The club must have been waiting for things to boil up at Tyneside following the departure of Carroll and Nolan and with Enrique recently venting out his frustration against the club management, it has served as the right time for the Merseyside outfit to strike a deal.