PSG Bid for QPR Playmaker
French club PSG are on a spending spree and their latest bid of 13,5 million pounds for QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt is testimony to their financial clout.
THT Verdict: Unlikely. QPR have just gained promotion to the Premier League and will be looking to retain their top players from the Championship in order to ensure survival at the end of the 2011-12 season. Attracting potential replacements for Taarabt is not going to be easy and hence QPR are most likely to turn down the offer.
Suarez Admits Barca Interest
Luis Suarez has admitted that he was always interested in playing for Barcelona although he is fully committed to Liverpool.
“Already from before I knew my current agent Pere Guardiola, I had this wish, this dream to play at Barcelona” – Suarez
THT Verdict: Although the player has quoted the above words, it doesn’t really mean anything. Suarez’ transfer to Liverpool was a clean and transparent one and he has enjoyed his debut season at the club starting from his first appearance. The new owners at Anfield have a plan and strategy in place now and all the required personnel to execute this plan are on board. Suarez makes a big part of it. So it’s best not to be lead on by these words.
Neymar No Longer for Sale
Amidst strong interest from Chelsea and Real Madrid, Brazilian club Santos have declared that the player is no longer for sale.
THT Verdict: This transfer saga has left a bitter taste in the mouth. ‘He is for sale‘, ‘Five clubs match the release clause‘, ‘I want to go to Chelsea‘, ‘I am going to Madrid‘, ‘Player not for taste‘ – there seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding the Brazilian’s transfer. Madrid might go for him after the Copa Americal if he does well. They will definitely offer him 45 million. And if Madrid bid, Chelsea will have to drop and look at other options.
Spurs Want Lllorente and Rossi
According to the Daily Mirror, Tottenham are lining up a bid for Spanish star Fernando Llorente but Redknapp has been told that he must first offload two out of their four strikers first in order to make room for Llorente.
In a new report on Daily Mail, it is stated that Spurs have again registered an interest in Villareal’s Giuseppe Rossi and may launch a bid soon for the 35 million pound striker.
THT Verdict: A bid is likely to happen. And if Redknapp has been asked to sell before bringing in new recruits, then this is probably the right way to go since the Spurs strike force, although is good on paper, has failed to imitate that detrimental aura on the pitch. Spurs have the wherewithal to launch a bid for the player and so we can expect a more concrete report on this front to come up soon.
Rossi is a class act and although he had an unsuccessful career in England to begin with, the little Italian has gone ahead to make a big name for himself in the La Liga. Villareal will not let go of their prized asset and so Spurs will really have to show some big bucks if they want to land their target.
Munich To Up Boateng Offer
German giants Bayern Munich are considering an increased bid for Manchester City defender Jerome Boateng as they look to wrap up a deal for the German player.
THT Verdict: Since Boateng has already agreed with Bayern on personal terms, this move looks more likely, day by day. Just that Bayern need to cough up a bit more cash than they had expected. Manchester City players don’t come on the cheap!
Newcastle Raid French Club. Again
Newcastle United have completed the signing of 18 year old midfielder Mehdi Abeid from Ligue-1 outfit Lens.
THT Verdict: Newcastle’s affinity towards French players is no secret and this latest acquisition is proof of the same. Abeid is a player with immense talent and has the room for a bright future ahead of him. We believe that he has arrived at the right club to pursue his career and the Premier League is always a good exposure at any given point in time.
Chelsea Offer 45 million for Javier Pastore
The Daily Mirror has published reports claiming that the Blues have made an offer of 45 million for Palermo midfielder Javier Pastore.
THT Verdict: Likely. The only thing which makes one wonder or look at this deal skeptically is the price-tag on Javier Pastore’s head. The Argentine playmaker is unbelievably talented, is 22 years of age and will fill a certain creative void in the Chelsea midfield, with Lampard not getting any younger. However, at 45m, he is overpriced with Palermo looking to maximize on his sale. If Chelsea can somehow bring the price down to 35-40m, they should sign him. But, apparently many other clubs are also after him, so Roman may have to overpay to get his man.
Hamburg Sign Bruma on Loan
Hamburg have announced the signing of young Chelsea defender Jeffrey Bruma on loan for the 2011-12 season.
THT Verdict: Chelsea presently have 4 top quality central defenders in Terry, Alex, Ivanovic and Luiz. So, it’s best for Bruma to gain some valuable first team action for at least another season. The Dutchman is talented, no doubt, but his game needs fine-tuning which will only happens if he gets to play regularly – something which is presently not possible at Chelsea. Unlike others such as Mancienne, Tore and Sala, Bruma’s move is rightfully a loan deal and should benefit all parties involved.
Iaquinta, Amauri Closer to Juventus exit
Misfiring strikers Vincenzo Iaquinta and Amauri are likely to be shipped out with recent signings of Alessandro Matri and Quagliarella. Amauri is being linked to a both Genoa and Parma. In Parma, Amauri showed a rich vein of form reminiscent of his first season with Juve and played a major role in the club’s survival in Serie A. Iaquinta, on the other hand, has been very injury prone and hasn’t been linked to too many clubs. Latest news suggests that he might move to Russia.
THT Verdict: Amauri, by virtue of his form should fetch an amount close to 5 million Euros. However, he has a high salary which might be a deterrent for some clubs. Marotta’s negotiation skills will be tested if he has to sell these two players.
Liverpool Eye Chivu
Gael Clichy seems to be heading towards Manchester City which means Liverpool have to look at alternative targets. Reports today suggest that the Reds are targeting Inter Milan defender Christian Chivu.
THT Verdict: Unlikely. For all the hype created about Liverpool’s transfer policy circling around youth recruitment, it is unlikely that the club will go for a 30 year old as a genuine option. Chivu is highly experienced and has a lot to offer in the Premier League but if Dalglish, Clarke and Comolli are building a team for the future, there is only a bleak chance that Chivu will feature in their plans.