[Football] Winter Transfers 2011

[Kriz]

Thats good news, i was hoping he'd stay around after that horrible leg break.. Awesome player!

[Rappy Veteran]

Rennes have confirmed that midfielder Sylvain Marveaux is set to leave the club.

The 24-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and, after holding talks to discuss his future, the French club are resigned to seeing him move on.

Marveaux has been suffering from a niggling groin problem for the last year and faces a lengthy lay-off during the second half of the season, even if he does not require surgery.

The Rennes youth product may therefore have played his last game for the club, with Liverpool reported to be among his many suitors.

"We met Sylvain twice and I will meet him again, but I don't think he wants to stay at Rennes," general manager Pierre Dr?ossi told the club's official website.

"He would have played only five or six more games for Rennes this term, that's all."

Marveaux has been with Rennes since 2001 and caught the eye with 10 goals from 35 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

The former France Under-21 international is an appealing prospect as he will be a free agent in the summer, and he was believed to be a guest of Liverpool at their recent home defeat by Wolves.

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Newcastle are hoping to win the race for David Bentley, skysports.com understands.

Tottenham have already made it clear they are happy to see the England international move on.

And there has been no shortage of interest with the likes of Aston Villa, West Ham, Fulham and former club Blackburn all hoping to land his signature.

But Newcastle, who have also enquired about Bentley's team-mate Robbie Keane, are now making a real effort to try and lure the winger to the North East.

It is believed Bentley would rather stay closer to his Southern roots, but he has played in the North before and could yet be tempted to move again.

Tottenham have insisted that they will only allow Bentley, like Keane, to leave on a permanent basis but it remains to be seen if any club will meet their demands.

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Demba Ba has told skysports.com he is committed to sealing a dream move to England.

The Senegal star is currently AWOL from Hoffenheim as he seeks to seal a deal with a Premier League club.

He should currently be in La Manga with the rest of the Hoffenheim squad as they are undertaking a winter training camp.

But Ba refused to travel to Spain and is now looking to seal a move to England, with West Ham seemingly leading the race for his signature.

"All I know is my ambition is to play in the Premier League," he told skysports.com.

"If there is an opportunity I should take it and the club knows that."

However, Hoffenheim have been left outraged by Ba's behaviour and have again condemned him for not travelling to La Manga.

"Demba's behaviour will definitely see us coming up with consequences," warned general manager Ernst Tanner, speaking to Deutsche Presseagentur.

"He will be fined and have his contract terminated, but he will not be able to

play for any other club.

"We cannot accept his doings with regard to our club, our fans and his team-mates. That's a fact, he is acting on his own authority at the moment.

"We already had a situation with him in the past, he was also wanting to leave by all available means then.

"The manner Demba Ba is wanting to do it for a second time now, the way he is actually trying to pressurise his employer, is definitely unique in the whole Bundesliga."

[Kostaz]

Dzeko will be a hit for City. Adebayor is on his way out as is Santa Cruz and his pricetag alone will get him game time. They'll be genuine contenders next season.

Bale isn't going nowhere, I guess his contract has less than 18 left so it's the perfect time for the journos to start making stuff up.

[nothuman]

A Welsh that good can only end up in one place. Manchester United. You'll see.

[Rappy Veteran]

West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami is set to seal a move back to Italy with Fiorentina ready to pounce.

Switzerland international Behrami spent most of his career in Serie A prior to his move to Upton Park in 2008.

Now the former Lazio and Genoa man is set to get his wish of moving back to Italy.

Behrami has suffered a number of injuries during his two-and-a-half years in England which have limited him to just over 50 Premier League appearances.

Now the Hammers are understood to have agreed terms with Fiorentina for his move.

Reports in Italy suggest the 25-year-old will pen a four-year deal in Florence.

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I like him but suppose its money!

[Rappy Veteran]

Tottenham Hotspur have completed the transfer of South Africa international Bongani Khumalo.

Spurs reached a pre-contract agreement with Khumalo in October following a successful trial.

And the centre-back has now linked up with the Premier League club on a four-and-a-half year deal.

Spurs agreed a fee of around ?1.5million with South African side Supersport United to sign the 23-year-old defender.

Khumalo, who was born in Swaziland, impressed during last summer's World Cup and played in each of South Africa's three group games, scoring the opener in the hosts' 2-1 win over France.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp already has a number of options in defence but doubts remain over the long-term fitness of injury-plagued centre-backs Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate.

Khumalo could make his debut in Spurs' FA Cup third-round clash at home to Charlton on Sunday

[Rappy Veteran]

Birmingham have signed winger David Bentley on loan from Premier League rivals Tottenham.

[Kriz]

Good riddance Bentley, welcome Khumalo :D

[Rappy Veteran]

Manchester City have completed the ?27m signing of Bosnian international striker Edin Dzeko from Wolfsburg.

Dzeko, 24, has joined the Eastlands club on a four-and-a-half year deal.

However, he was not registered in time to feature in Sunday's FA Cup third round tie at Leicester. He could make his debut against Wolves next Saturday.

Dzeko has scored 66 goals in 111 games in Germany, helping Wolfsburg win the Bundesliga in 2009. He has 10 goals in 17 league games this season.

[BGM]

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

[nothuman]

The Sun believes Arsenal and the Colombian striker Falcao may be linked.

[Rappy Veteran]

arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

not happy then? :p

[Kriz]

Beckham supposedly being unveiled as a Spurs player before tomorrows FA Cup clash against Charlton :D

[BGM]

Beckham supposedly being unveiled as a Spurs player before tomorrows FA Cup clash against Charlton :D

wow

[Kriz]

wow

Sulking? :p

[BGM]

Sulking? :p

er what? how do you infer that from "wow" ?

no, i am just surprised it all went ahead.. i am actually very happy, i am a big becks fan and would love to see him in the premier league again :D

[Rappy Veteran]

er what? how do you infer that from "wow" ?

no, i am just surprised it all went ahead.. i am actually very happy, i am a big becks fan and would love to see him in the premier league again :D

yeah same here, he's a class act

[Rappy Veteran]

Former England captain David Beckham has agreed to train with Tottenham until 10 February but will not play for the Premier League club on loan.

BBC Sport understands that insurance premiums have made a short-term loan deal for the LA Galaxy midfielder too complicated.

"Tottenham are delighted to announce that David Beckham will train with the first-team squad," said the club.

Earlier, manager Harry Redknapp had said the loan move was a "no-goer".

"He will be a great influence around the place and I am sure we will all benefit from his winning mentality," Redknapp said in a statement.

"I think everyone will enjoy having him here. We'd love to have him here for longer but respect his commitments to LA Galaxy. They wanted him back in early February so that made it difficult to do a playing deal on the basis of three weeks."

Galaxy demanded the insurance fee after Beckham picked up an Achilles injury during his last spell on loan in Europe with AC Milan last season.

That injury ruled the former Manchester United player out of last year's World Cup.

It will come as a blow to the 115-cap midfielder, who had been hoping to catch the eye of England manager Fabio Capello with a two-month loan spell at the Premier League side.

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whats the point? :pinch:

[Valerus]

well that's dumb.

[Kriz]

Whats the point, they shouldnt have sold Bentley, just chuck Beckham in his shirt, who'd notice? ;)

[Rappy Veteran]

Whats the point, they shouldnt have sold Bentley, just chuck Beckham in his shirt, who'd notice? ;)

yeha seems pointless

[BGM]

well, it's clearly not pointless, otherwise they wouldn't have taken him.. harry was actually quoted as saying something like even if he spends an hour a week working with aaron lennon on freekicks it will be worth it

becks keeps his fitness up, spurs get a morale boost although granted it's not really that necessary, and they get to learn a bit from his experience and skills as a dead ball specialist

i'd say it's certainly a good deal, and it would be brilliant if he was playing but hey.. i guess it's not meant to be. i actually think harry said that he would struggle to fit him into the starting lineup anyway.. not to mention the conundrum that comes when he leaves about shifting the team round AGAIN. Perhaps it's the best of everything that he cannot actually start?

just some things to ponder, don't be so short sighted

Edit: Bentley wasn't really in contention for a starting place anyway was he, i don't think his loan will be much of a loss tbh :)

[Rappy Veteran]

Ronaldinho has left Milan to join Flamengo in Brazil.

The transfer was agreed after a meeting in Rio de Janeiro between Roberto de Assis, the brother and agent of Ronaldinho, Flamengo president Patricia Amorim and vice president of AC Milan, Adriano Galliani .

The Brazilian club issued a statement on their website to announce the deal which is worth ?3 million to Milan as a transfer fee with the former World Player of the Year receiving ?130,000 a week in wages over three and a half years.

The deal will be financed partly by Traffic, sports marketing company and he will wear the number 10 shirt, though will not be officially unveiled to the press until Thursday.

?Today is a special day, very special in that Flamengo has the pride and joy and satisfaction to finalize the signing of Ronaldinho.

It was a realisation due to the endeavour of many people and want to thank all my board for conducting the work,? Patricia Amorim told a news conference after the announcement Ronaldinho had previously been courting both Gremio and Palmeiras as he wanted to return to Brazil in a bid to win back his place in the national team ahead of the 2014 World Cup which Brazil is hosting.

[BGM]

Ronaldinho has left Milan to join Flamengo in Brazil.

The transfer was agreed after a meeting in Rio de Janeiro between Roberto de Assis, the brother and agent of Ronaldinho, Flamengo president Patricia Amorim and vice president of AC Milan, Adriano Galliani .

The Brazilian club issued a statement on their website to announce the deal which is worth ?3 million to Milan as a transfer fee with the former World Player of the Year receiving ?130,000 a week in wages over three and a half years.

The deal will be financed partly by Traffic, sports marketing company and he will wear the number 10 shirt, though will not be officially unveiled to the press until Thursday.

?Today is a special day, very special in that Flamengo has the pride and joy and satisfaction to finalize the signing of Ronaldinho.

It was a realisation due to the endeavour of many people and want to thank all my board for conducting the work,? Patricia Amorim told a news conference after the announcement Ronaldinho had previously been courting both Gremio and Palmeiras as he wanted to return to Brazil in a bid to win back his place in the national team ahead of the 2014 World Cup which Brazil is hosting.

lols at the website: http://www.flamengo.com.br/

;)

[Rappy Veteran]

Sky Sports News sources understand Wayne Bridge is to have a medical at West Ham United ahead of a loan move to Upton Park.

The full-back is set to leave Manchester Cityand skysports.com revealed on Monday that Bridge would decide within 48 hours whether to join West Ham or Aston Villa.

The England international has two opportunities to secure regular first-team football and it appears the former Chelsea defender is edging towards a return to the capital.

It is understood that the 30-year-old will be put through a medical before finalising his switch to the Hammers in time to be available for Saturday's Premier League game against Arsenal.

Bridge will be a welcome addition to the West Ham squad as manager Avram Grant seeks to lift the club off the bottom of the table.

The move will also give Bridge the chance to play regularly after starting only one Premier League game for City this season.

He has made a total of 57 appearances for the club since joining City in a ?12million deal from Chelsea two years ago.