EPL Gossip Tuesday July 6th
New Barcelona president Sandro Rosell insists he won’t pay anywhere near the £60m asking price floated for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas. Daily Mail
On one hand David Villa cost Barcelona 40 million and there is no way Fabregas is worth 20 million (roughly) more than Villa. On the other hand Barcelona did get 30 million for Yaya Toure which I’m sure they popped a bottle or two when the cheque cleared.
Lazio president Claudio Lotitto is ready to negotiate Aleksandar Kolarov’s departure provided the right offer comes along. The Serbia left back is under contract for a further season with the Serie A outfit and is a reported target of Manchester City and Real Madrid.
Basically Lotitto is saying give me money before I lose Kolarov for nothing next summer.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has flown to South Africa to try to secure the signing of Liverpool and Spain striker Fernando Torres for a British record £50m. Daily Telegraph
I’ll believe this when Abramovich whips out the chequebook again. The free spending days seem along time ago for Chelsea.
Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan has declared that he would never return to play in England. The 31-year-old scored 17 goals for Manchester United in 37 starts, with 58 appearances from the bench from 2002-04. Daily Express
Unless silly money comes Forlan’s way he should stay in Spain where his talents are a perfect fit.
New Inter Milan boss Rafael Benitez is hoping to sign either Tottenham defender Gareth Bale or Liverpool full-back Glen Johnson as a replacement for the Real Madrid-bound Maicon. Daily Mail
Like both players but both of them would be like a fish out of water playing in Italy.
Manchester United are plotting a £25m-move for Inter Milan and Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder, who has excelled at the World Cup in South Africa. Daily Mirror
Inter Milan are plotting to say no to that offer.
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti says he will give the club’s young English players a chance to establish themselves in the first-team squad and maybe stake a claim for the national team.
Full story: Daily Mirror
He says this now but if Chelsea are a point back of Manchester United and about to visit Old Trafford I doubt many young English players (can’t even think of one in the Chelsea ranks mind you) will be playing.
Manchester City’s new midfield signing Yaya Toure says that one day he would like to return to Barcelona, the club he just left to join City on a reported £200,000-a-week contract. Daily Mirror
Maybe on vacation