[Soccer/Football] Summer Transfers?

[Martyn]

Liverpool have confirmed that they are on the brink of sealing deals for Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel.

The Reds have revealed that they have agreed terms with West Ham for Israeli midfielder Benayoun, whilst they are also close to sealing a deal with Ajax for forward Babel.

The fee for Benayoun is believed to be around ?4million and he is now on Merseyside ahead of finalising his move.

"We've agreed the fee with West Ham for Yossi Benayoun," said chief executive Rick Parry.

Parry also revealed that Ajax have given Liverpool permission to talk terms with Babel, despite the fact no agreement between the clubs is yet in place.

"We're not quite there with Ryan Babel yet," he said.

"But we've now been given permission by Ajax to talk to the player.

"We hope to reach an agreement with Ajax very shortly."

For Babel, Liverpool have seen a ?10million offer rejected, with Ajax wanting nearer ?13million - but a deal does look set to be finalised very shortly.

Liverpool will hope to have both players signed by the weekend and will take their summer spending to well over the ?30 million mark, following the arrivals of Andrei Voronin and Fernando Torres earlier this month.

Benayoun will only be a squad player, but for 4 million he is not that bad a buy. Babel is an exciting player, but I am unsure as to how he will fit into our system, especially considering his agent said Babel would like to play as a striker, not as a winger...and 13.75 million is a bit cheap for a Van Persie clone.

[Rappy Veteran]

We are close to Stephen Appiah I have heard...

[Shibby]

I remember pompey wanted to sign him last year, prehaps because Muntari came Appiah wants in on the action in England.

[Rappy Veteran]

The English leagues are where its at these days for money and the talent but mainly the talent and the game itself...

[NightCrawler.]

But mostly the money :p

[Rappy Veteran]

But mostly the money :p

Yeah usually the main reason...look at some players they earn over ?100k week here...shame its all taxed:DD

[Martyn]

Reports in Spain suggest that AC Milan are prepared to pay ?89million for Ronaldinho.

Spanish daily AS claims that Milan chief Silvio Berlusconi is prepared to pay the 125 million Euros required to trigger Ronaldinho's buy-out clause at Barcelona.

The reports claim that Milan will make a series of bids for the striker, but if they do not succeed then such is Berlusconi's desire to bring him to the San Siro, he will meet the enormous buy-out clause, which would comfortably break the world transfer record currently held by Real Madrid, who paid ?45.6 million for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

AS goes on to claim that an agreement has already been reached between Ronaldinho and Milan, that will see him sign a five-year contract worth around ?6m a year, plus exclusive image rights.

Ronaldinho has been in extensive contract negotiations with the Catalan giants to improve his current deal, which runs until 2010.

However, talks have stalled, leaving the prospect of the Brazilian joining the European champions open.

?89 million? How many sheep can that buy?

[MightyJordan]

That Ronaldinho rumour can't be true. No football player is worth that much, especially Bugs Bunny.

[Rappy Veteran]

Thats just crazy!!!...also if they have already agreed terms thats illegal?

[Shibby]

Not if they triggerd the buy out clause, then I think club and player can talk.

But leave Barca for AC Milan? Doesn't seem right to me.

Nugent and Utaka are pompey players now!

[Rappy Veteran]

AC Milan would be a step down imo :yes:

[ctebah]

AC Milan would be a step down imo :yes:

Yeah, leave the club that finished 2nd in spanish league for a club that finished first in EUROPE!

Definitely a step down :blink:

Haha that makes me laugh, don't even know why you would say that.

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah, leave the club that finished 2nd in spanish league for a club that finished first in EUROPE!

Definitely a step down :blink:

Haha that makes me laugh, don't even know why you would say that.

Yeah actually reading it back I might of jumped the gun there :laugh:

Either side is pretty class tho I would give my leg to play for them well maybe not then I wouldn't be playing...

[Martyn]

Real Madrid have snapped up Jerzy Dudek on a free transfer as back-up to Iker Casillas following his release by Liverpool at the end of last season.

The Polish international was linked to Bolton and Manchester City, but was always keen on trying his hand in Spain.

Bernd Schuster gave the green light to complete the deal for the Pole after he finalised deals for central defenders Pepe and Christoph Metzelder, who arrived from Porto and Borussia Dortmund respectively.

Madrid have been after a new keeper following the sale of highly-rated youth team product Diego Lopez to Villarreal for ?6million last month.

Dudek was released by Liverpool after six seasons on Merseyside as he was unable to earn a regular place in the team ahead of Jose Reina.

Having spent the last two seasons playing second fiddle to one Madrid-born custodian, Dudek will now perform the same task in the Spanish capital itself.

Casillas is the undoubted number one, but the club's technical staff wanted experienced cover rather than to promote a keeper from their youth team.

Francesco Toldo was also approached by Madrid only for his wage demands to rule him out of any move.

Good luck to him, legen(Y)Y)

[Rappy Veteran]

I rated Diego Lopez pretty highly...thats a shame they sold him :(

They paid ?19m for Pep?:|:|

[NightCrawler.]

Yeah that's ****ing crazy, Laporta went mad and I think he has the right to;

http://rss1.mediafed.com/feed/skysports/Fo...1db50dd625e9229

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah I wouldn't pay ?20m for him...I paid ?9m on Football Manage:D:D

[NightCrawler.]

Sagna has completed a 6-8Million deal and has signed for Arsenal:

http://rss1.mediafed.com/feed/skysports/Fo...977ae04eb1e6552

Sagna will slot into to right back while Hleb will be dropped to the bench while Eboue takes his place and is slowly converted into a right winger.

[Martyn]

The purported transfer of Carlos Tevez to Manchester United has taken a fresh twist, with the news that an arrest order has been issued for businessman Kia Joorabchian, the representative responsible for the player's affairs.

A federal judge in Brazil has charged Joorabchian, amongst others, with money-laundering and being part of a criminal gang, for the role he played in the relationship between Media Sports Investment (MSI), the company he fronts, and Corinthians, the Brazilian club he first took Tevez to, before bringing him to England.

London-based MSI has been under investigation ever since it took over Corinthians back in 2004, with Brazilian intelligence known to have run thorough checks on the company.

"The (MSI) transactions are carried out with the use of numerous offshore accounts which have the single and well-known intention of distancing the investor and the illicit origin of the resources from their final destination, in this case the purchase and sale of (football) players," the federal attorneys Silvio Luis Martins de Oliveira and Rodrigo de Grandis are quoted as saying on Brazilian legal website consultor Juridico.

The detention of Corinthians president Alberto Dualib has also been ordered, along with that of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, whose money is thought to have bankrolled MSI. Both face similar charges.

News of Joorabchian's impending arrest has overshadowed the news, revealed exclusively to Sky Sports News on Thursday, that Tevez would wrap up his move to Manchester United in the next few days.

Suspicions of corruption were raised by the failure of money involved in the purchasing of players to be passed through the country, in a chain of events which has manifest accusations of money laundering. Both MSI and Corinthians have reportedly been unable to clarify the origins of the money, which proceeded to lead to the investigation, that has ultimately led to Joorabchian's impending arrest and cast further doubts over Tevez's move to United.

Joorabchian has been at the centre of the furore caused by Tevez's switch to West Ham, which concluded at the campaign's end with the Premier League club being fined ?5.5million, having been found guilty of third-party ownership.

Sheffield United, who feel they should be reinstated to the top flight, at West Ham's expense, have taken the matter to the High Court, but it would appear Joorabchian now has more pressing affairs of his own.

Another twist...the Tevez stuff is like a book:pp

[Shibby]

Fifa should outlaw companies from owning players. If a club buys a player then the club owns him, no need for this a company owns him with a loan to another club for a vast sum of money.

However, fifa and the league have got to read carefully. It could throw the whole situation up the wall.

[Rappy Veteran]

This Tevez crap is getting boring...yeah he's talented yeah he's a great scorer but this is ruining the game...why Man Utd can't just pay ?20m to Kia and ?6m to West Ham and thats that...if they don't give West Ham nothing its going to court and its gonna go on for months!!!

[Martyn]

Why should Kia get anything considering West Ham had to prove to the Premier League that he was "their player" after they where fined 5.5 million? They had to re-register him officially as a West Ham player after they where fined for him to legally be allowed to play.

So technically West Ham should get all the money, if Kia gets anything then West Ham have broken the rules again.

[Rappy Veteran]

He's been arrested today I read for money laundering...its to funny plus...SHEFF UTD LOST AGAIN!!! :laugh:

[faraway.]

I wish Dudek all the best at Real Madrid. He's was Liverpool's CL Final '05 hero.

I'm really glad we picked up Ryan Babel. He's a really exciting prospect. Plus, I guess I have a thing for Dutch players haha.

We'll see how Benayoun fits in as well. I'm not so sure about Voronin though.

[Rappy Veteran]

Benayoun and Babel together on the pitch would be amazing to watch :D