[Football] Summer Transfers 2008

[Rappy Veteran]

Chelsea will offer up to ?50million in an audacious bid to sign Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.

Stamford Bridge owner Roman Abramovich is ready to smash the world transfer record to land the 24-year-old Spaniard.

Abramovich was prepared to pay that much for Thierry Henry when he first took over at Chelsea and he has given chief executive Peter Kenyon permission to offer the same amount for a brilliant marksman who scored 33 goals in his debut season at Anfield.

Avram Grant was sacked as Chelsea's manager on Saturday and the search now begins for his successor, with Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard among the favourites to take over.

But it is understood the club will continue to pursue those players Grant identified prior to his dismissal - and Torres was top of his wish list, with the Barclays Premier League and Champions League runners-up happy to take advantage of the chaos at Liverpool.

Chelsea believe they have a chance of pulling off one of the most extraordinary transfer coups in football history which could beat the world record fee of ?46m Real Madrid paid Juventus for France midfielder Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

"There is a desire among certain people at Liverpool to sell at the right price," said an insider last night. "It's just a case of whether they have the nerve to incur the wrath of the Liverpool fans."

This has to be false but if they complete it we know Martyn will throw himself into the Merse:laugh:h:

[rajputwarrior]

yeah right, el nino isn't going anywhere. He is the future of the club...

[fatbobalot]

Liverpool would be crazy to let him go, it'll never happen.

Just wish we had actually gone for him at United! :rolleyes:

Ah well, i'd love to see someone like Huntelaar come in this season, although SAF seems to have a bit of a boner for Berbatov still, so I wouldn't be surprised about him leaving Spurs this summer.

Anyway, back to Torres, stranger things have almost happened I guess, if you believe the Mirror Henry almost signed for us last week. :|

[Martyn]

I could see G&H accepting a stupid money offer from Chelsea.

However, there is no way Torres would want to play for Chelsea or any other club such is his love for Liverpool. If the move went through, G&H would most likely be assasinated and there would be a massive manager and player revolt.

[Deletedforeverhaha]

I wonder what's going to happen to Ronaldhino. I hope he makes a comeback and stays with Barca.

[fatbobalot]

However, there is no way Torres would want to play for Chelsea or any other club such is his love for Liverpool.

He was supposed to "love" Athletico. Money changed all that. ;)

[Rappy Veteran]

He was supposed to "love" Athletico. Money changed all that. ;)

Yeah he spurned interest from Real and Barca when he was at Athletico so who knows he could spurn Chelsea but with the board at Liverpool anything is possible.

[Martyn]

He was supposed to "love" Athletico. Money changed all that. ;)

The fact that Torres took a pay drop when he came to Liverpool kind of shoots your argument in the foot don't you think?

Fernando Torres has always admired Liverpool FC. Just look at the tattoo's and armbands himself and his friends got saying "We'll Never Walk Alone". Torres came to Liverpool for a combination of the sporting capabilities (like playing in the Champions League), the club itself, the Spanish influence, and his need for fulfillment.

The love between him and the fans is mutual. He is scoring goals and enjoying his football. What more could the man want besides trophies, that will surely come in time? Being that I have sat in The Kop this season when Torres has scored at that end the feeling as he runs towards us with his arms held aloft and wide as if embracing us is one that money cannot buy.

[fatbobalot]

Yeah he spurned interest from Real and Barca when he was at Athletico so who knows he could spurn Chelsea but with the board at Liverpool anything is possible.

I think the reason for that as much as anything was that he didn't want to play for a team directly against the team he had grown up with.... and of course, because of that there was no way he would go to Real. But yeah.

The fact that Torres took a pay drop when he came to Liverpool kind of shoots your argument in the foot don't you think?

Didn't actually know that, I had assumed that going to a big club like Liverpool and playing more matches in competitions like the champions league would involve a pay rise? :)

How do you know what his pay is though out of interest? Didn't know they were common knowlegdge, other than estimation. You weren't the one who burgled the salary books were you? :p

As for a player staying with a club because of love, then fair enough, having stood in the Stretford End enough times, seeing Giggs and Scholes knock them in I can identify. However, he has only been with the club a year, and if he realy does want the big trophies and for the sake of argument, Liverpool don't win anything next year, will his tatoos be enough to keep him there? :)

Saying that, unlike some other United fans, I think hes great, and I hope he does well for you.

[rajputwarrior]

^ cause martyn knows everything about the reds and especially torres....

[Rappy Veteran]

I think the reason for that as much as anything was that he didn't want to play for a team directly against the team he had grown up with.... and of course, because of that there was no way he would go to Real. But yeah.

Didn't actually know that, I had assumed that going to a big club like Liverpool and playing more matches in competitions like the champions league would involve a pay rise? :)

How do you know what his pay is though out of interest? Didn't know they were common knowlegdge, other than estimation. You weren't the one who burgled the salary books were you? :p

As for a player staying with a club because of love, then fair enough, having stood in the Stretford End enough times, seeing Giggs and Scholes knock them in I can identify. However, he has only been with the club a year, and if he realy does want the big trophies and for the sake of argument, Liverpool don't win anything next year, will his tatoos be enough to keep him there? :)

Saying that, unlike some other United fans, I think hes great, and I hope he does well for you.

Think it was revealed on Liverpools Site when he signed.

[Martyn]

Didn't actually know that, I had assumed that going to a big club like Liverpool and playing more matches in competitions like the champions league would involve a pay rise? :)

How do you know what his pay is though out of interest? Didn't know they were common knowlegdge, other than estimation. You weren't the one who burgled the salary books were you? :p

As for a player staying with a club because of love, then fair enough, having stood in the Stretford End enough times, seeing Giggs and Scholes knock them in I can identify. However, he has only been with the club a year, and if he realy does want the big trophies and for the sake of argument, Liverpool don't win anything next year, will his tatoos be enough to keep him there? :)

Saying that, unlike some other United fans, I think hes great, and I hope he does well for you.

Benitez said at one of the press conferences when Torres signed that El Nino took a wage drop to come, a lot of people seemed to think that his basic wage had dropped from around ?105,000 a week to around ?95,000 a week.

Of course you are probably right, I imagine Torres receives some performance related incentives including a bit of the old ??? everytime he scores a goal! Seeing as he scored 33 goals this season, that must be a few :pid :p

Anyway, Rafa, Torres and Liverpool commented on it this morning...

Rafa Benitez today gave short shrift to suggestions Fernando Torres could be allowed to leave the club.

The Anfield boss claimed there was no offer which would persuade the club to part company with its record signing and top scorer.

Benitez said: "The situation is very simple – we do not want to sell Fernando Torres.

"If a player does a good job for his team, like Fernando has for us, then it is sometimes easy for people to speculate that he might be wanted by other clubs.

"I am not aware of any offer being made by Chelsea but even if there was my answer would be the same – he is not for sale.

"We are trying to add to the spine of our team and that means keeping players like Fernando, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher."

Earlier this morning, a club spokesman added: "The idea that Liverpool Football Club would consider selling Fernando Torres is absolute nonsense. Everyone at the club is fully focused on improving the squad ahead of the new season."

FERNANDO TORRES has reassured Liverpool he will be back at the club following the Euro 2008 Championships.

The Spanish striker was yesterday reported to be at the centre of an imminent ?50million bid from Chelsea as they look to refurbish their squad following failure at the final hurdle in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Torres is understood to have been the number one target of previous manager Avram Grant, who was sacked on Saturday – but Chelsea’s hierarchy are still considering an audacious bid.

Torres himself appears to have no intention of cutting short his love affair with the Kop – in front of which he scored 18 times last season – after less than 12 months.

Although dismissive of yesterday’s speculation, he did say: “I am enjoying my time at Liverpool, although I would prefer to forget the transfer talk for now and concentrate on Euro 2008, which is my primary concern at the moment.

"This is my team, my city and Anfield is my pitch. I can't tell you how good I feel about playing for Liverpool.

"It is so important to me that the fans think so highly of me. It is fantastic to see my name on the shirts of our fans.

"This was only my first season for Liverpool, and I can say without contradiction I want to play better here for many more yet.""

“I will go away on holiday once the tournament has finished and will then return to Liverpool.”

Although no approach has yet been made, Liverpool would recoup double the record transfer fee they paid Atletico Madrid for Torres last year, but the club would be reluctant to cash in even to that extent.

The 24-year-old’s stock rose considerably when he broke the record for the most league goals by a foreign player in a debut season in England.

His 24 Premier League strikes surpassed Ruud van Nistelrooy’s previous best and Torres’s 33 in all competitions makes him pretty much irreplaceable at Anfield.With manager Rafael Benitez confident he has the spine of a side that can further close the 11-point deficit between Liverpool and champions Manchester United last season, selling his top player would dismantle his pre-season plans.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is seemingly determined to break the world transfer record, particularly after the club lost the finals of the Carling Cup and Champions League and finished runners-up in the Premier League to United or the second successive year.

The Russian billionaire has previously been prepared to pay ?50million to take Thierry Henry from Arsenal and beat the ?46million Real Madrid forked out for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

I don't know what all the big fuss is about it though to be honest. It was rumoured Chelsea bid ?50 million a few weeks ago, but not much was made of it.

[Rappy Veteran]

Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has revealed the representative of Xabi Alonso is expected in Italy on Wednesday to discuss a potential transfer from Liverpool.

Alonso struggled for first-team football at Anfield last season due to a lack of form and fitness and rumour has been rife that the Spanish midfielder is set to leave Liverpool this summer.

Although Alonso regained a place in the Reds' first XI towards the end of the campaign following a tactical reshuffle by manager Rafa Benitez, it is expected that the possible arrival of Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry would put his position under greater pressure.

Juventus manager Claudio Ranieri, who signed former Liverpool midfielder Mohammed Sissoko in the January transfer window, has made no secret of his admiration of Alonso, 26, and Gigli is optimistic a deal can be struck.

"It looks like his representative will arrive today," said Gigli when asked about the possible signing of Alonso.

"We can't deny that we're interested, but there's always the problem of getting value for money.

"(Managing director Jean-Claude) Blanc is working on this and on other possibilities."

[Martyn]

It seems to me that it will be Barry in, and Alonso out. Although, I hope we keep Xabi Alonso as on his day no one can match him, but the trouble is that it has not been his day for a few years now.

To be honest, Xabi Alonso is worth upwards of ?18 million for me. Especially considering Juventus paid ?10 million for Sissoko!

[Rappy Veteran]

Internazionale striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could move to Barcelona in a swap deal involving Samuel Eto'o.

Reports have claimed that Barca president Joan Laporta met his Inter counterpart Massimo Moratti earlier this week to discuss potential transfer business.

Barca are rumoured to have pinpointed Ibrahimovic as the club's major summer signing, while Moratti is keen to bring Eto'o to the Giuseppe Meazza.

Ibrahimovic's agent Mino Raiola admits the Swedish striker could be tempted to leave Inter in favour of a move to Camp Nou.

Possibilities

"There are possibilities that Ibra could go to Barcelona to replace Eto'o, but the two clubs must find an agreement," Raiola told TV station Antenna 3.

"And, in that case, we would evaluate the proposal."

Speaking on Thursday, Ibrahimovic suggested he would not be pushing for a move away from Inter in the summer, despite the change of coach.

He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "After two Scudettos, I want to win the Champions League. I'm still happy."

Inter sacked Roberto Mancini on Thursday and former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is widely expected to take over the Serie A champions.

Moratti is keen to provide the new coach with big signings and Eto'o is one of several potential targets for Inter.

That would be a crazy signing.

Edited May 29, 2008 by Rappy

[Martyn]

That is an interesting one to be honest. Ibra would flourish in La Liga because it is such a technical league, and well, everyone knows what a skillful player Ibrahimovic is.

I'd rather have Eto'o in my team than Ibra though.

Speaking of Inter...

Inter Milan have sacked coach Roberto Mancini, who has been linked with the vacant manager's job at Chelsea.

Despite leading Inter to three successive Serie A titles, Mancini's future had been in doubt since March.

After Inter's Champions League defeat to Liverpool, Mancini said he would quit the club at the end of the season, but changed his mind a day later.

Inter said on Thursday the 43-year-old Mancini was dismissed because of his comments after the Liverpool defeat.

Mancini's exit increases speculation that the Italian could become the next manager at Chelsea following the departure of Avram Grant on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho has long been linked with the Inter coaching job and the former Blues boss is the firm favourite to replace Mancini.

606: DEBATE

With Mancini gone, I believe that the likelihood of him managing Chelsea is inevitable

Modernllama

Club president Massimo Moratti and Mancini had met on Tuesday, but the club made no comment for 48 hours following those talks.

"FC Internazionale have informed Roberto Mancini that he has been sacked as coach," said the Inter statement.

"In particular because of the comments made by the coach at the end of the Inter-Liverpool match."

Mancini joined Inter in 2004 and as well as those three Serie A titles he also guided the club to successive Italian Cup victories in 2005 and 2006.

On Wednesday Mancini's agent Maurizio De Giorgis told BBC Sport: "He no longer works for Internazionale. He's available for work if he gets a phone call."

Before moving to Inter, Mancini had previously coached Fiorentina and Lazio.

What a disgrace Inter are! After Mancini said he was going to resign, Moratti and Inter begged him to stay, but now they are getting Mourinho they are ****ting on him and making up excuses!

[NightCrawler.]

The lure of the special one is just too much for them :p

[Rappy Veteran]

Giovani Dos Santos is on the verge of completing a move from Barcelona to Tottenham Hotspur after a basic agreement was reached between all three parties.

The 19-year-old Mexico international could join the Premier League side as early as Monday according to Sport after Barca accepted an 8million euros (?6.2million) bid.

That fee may rise to 11million euros (?8.6million) depending on both Dos Santos and Tottenham meeting specified targets during his four-year stay at White Hart Lane.

[leesmithg]

He is only going there for the money.

Spurs are a nobody team.

I saw a Spurs fan today, he was being wheeled off for psychiatric treatment.

[Kralik]

IF there is any one who trusts what the Mirror reports.. they just dropped the biggest bombshell of the year on all you Man U fans:

Real Madrid's Robinho reveals Cristiano Ronaldo swap deal

By Mirror.co.uk 2/06/2008

Brazilian winger Robinho has claimed he could be part of a part exchange deal taking Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.

Your thoughts?!? :laugh: :woot: :blink:

Oh and the Sun also carried similar stories:

"ROBINHO could be on the way to Manchester United ? if Cristiano Ronaldo quits Old Trafford for Real Madrid. "

andCRISTIANO RONALDO will make his plans for the future clear in the next 48 hours.b>

The Manchester United superstar spoke out after Portugal beat Georgia 2-0 in a friendly in Viseu on Saturday. Ronaldo, constantly linked with Real Madrid, said: ?I will decide my future in two or three days.? He had been asked if he was joining the Spaniards.

Edited June 2, 2008 by Kralik

[Rappy Veteran]

Probably lies all kinds of rumours get banded around best to hear it from the clubs websites themselves.

[Mike]

tbh i have a feeling he knows what he is saying and is doing it to give the papers stuff to write about, afterll he said he was staying after the CL final

[HilariousNinja]

United are very close to signing Aaron Ramsay, me hears. Very good young talent me hears. Hopefully he can kick Nani out the team and be the REAL long term replacement for Giggsy.

[Rappy Veteran]

United are very close to signing Aaron Ramsay, me hears. Very good young talent me hears. Hopefully he can kick Nani out the team and be the REAL long term replacement for Giggsy.

Arsenal have also agreed a deal as well so its up him but chances are he will come to utd.

[Kralik]

Arsenal have also agreed a deal as well so its up him but chances are he will come to utd.

I wouldn't bet my house on him going to Utd or Arsenal.. Everton has just had a bid accepted for him today.. I think if he comes to Utd or Arsenal he may want some kind of assurances of being in the first squad.. where as at Everton that's guarenteed... so why shouldn't he sign for them?;)