We’ve got quite a lot of tidbits from yesterday and today to go over in today’s roundup from around the Premier League, Serie A, and several more top leagues, so if you’ve missed any of the latest transfer news and rumors, we’re here to catch you up.
And as always, you can stay updated with all of the latest transfer signings from all England’s league clubs and several top European leagues thanks to our summer transfer lists.
England
Arsenal Ready Huntelaar Bid?
Arsenal could be set to make a bid of £16.5m for Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. (The Sun)
Analysis: Well, it’d be money well spent, but whether or not it actually gets spent is another thing entirely.
Liverpool Enter Crouch Race?
Could Peter Crouch return to Liverpool? According to the Daily Star, while Tottenham and Fulham appear to be favorites for Crouch, Liverpool have been keeping a close watch on the situation.
Analysis: Besides taking the source into consideration, it’s hard for me to see him going back to Liverpool, but never say never.
Cana Signs On At Sunderland
Sunderland have signed Marseille midfielder Lorik Cana for £5m. (Daily Mail)
Analysis: If the squad needs a kick in the teeth, he’ll be the one to give it to them…and literally, if need be.
Fulham’s Latest Greening Bid Rejected
West Brom have rejected Fulham’s £4m bid for midfielder Jonathan Greening. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: So, the third time isn’t the charm after all. Fulham seemed determined to sign him though, so don’t count out another bid.
Bolton Sign Duo
Bolton have signed Aston Villa defender Zat Knight and Hull defender Sam Ricketts. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: It’s pretty clear what Bolton’s priority is this summer. In Knight, Ricketts, and West Brom’s Paul Robinson, Bolton have picked up defenders with experience, and versatility has also been a target, with Robinson and Ricketts both able to slot at multiple places at the back.
Stoke Sign Whitehead
Stoke City have signed Sunderland midfielder Dean Whitehead. The deal is worth £3m initially, but it could rise to £5m based on incentives. (Daily Mail)
Analysis: The big winner in this deal? Whitehead’s old club, Conference (or Blue Square Premier, rather) side Oxford United, whose coffers will get a nice little boost from receiving 25% of the fee.
Hull Target Viduka
Hull’s continued search for new forwards has taken them to Mark Viduka, who is a free agent after being released by Newcastle. (The Sun)
Analysis: Well, Phil Brown says he hasn’t been in contact with Viduka, so there may not be much to read into this one. But if they did go in for him, wages could well be a stumbling block, but if they weren’t, he’d be worth a look. He went scoreless at Newcastle last season, but you can wipe that one off the books, given how bad it was overall and that he spent the first few months of it out injured.
Italy
Milan Move For Lavezzi Or Trezeguet?
AC Milan could be weighing up a move for Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi that could send Marco Borriello to Napoli. (Goal.com)
Analysis: Lavezzi’s relationship with the club isn’t exactly the best right now, which does nothing to cool speculation over a move, but even so, he’s still viewed as a key piece of Napoli’s ambitions. Besides, Milan weren’t willing to go too high for Luis Fabiano, and Napoli would no doubt be looking for as much or more than Sevilla have been for Fabiano.
Another potential target for AC Milan could be Juventus’ David Trezeguet. (Tribal Football)
Analysis: Trezeguet would be much more affordable than Fabiano, Lavezzi, or even Huntelaar, and his agent has claimed that Trezeguet is all too willing to take a pay cut for a move, so you’ve got to like the chances of this one happening if Milan do come in for him.
Fiorentina Target Eboue
Fiorentina are interested in Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Eboue. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: Fiorentina were reportedly interested in taking Eboue in a swap deal for Felipe Melo before Melo moved to Juventus, and they have more than enough funds to afford him in a straight cash deal. Eboue wants to be somewhere he can start regularly, and that place likely isn’t Arsenal, so…
Napoli In Dossena Talks
Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis has held talks with Rafa Benitez concerning a move for Liverpool left back Andrea Dossena. (The Guardian)
Analysis: It’s not out of the question that Liverpool could keep Dossena, but it has been said that he wants to return to Italy. Napoli’s prospects are pretty promising after all of the moves that they’ve made this summer (and with the talented pieces they already had), so it’d be a smart move for Dossena.
Germany
Wolfsburg Eye Martins
VfL Wolfsburg could make a move for Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins. (Daily Mail)
Analysis: Is it a telling sign that one of the Premier League sides looking for a striker (Arsenal, Tottenham, Sunderland, to name a few) haven’t gone hard after him yet? There are no guarantees what his place at Wolfsburg would be given that they already have Grafite and Edin Dzeko, but the offer of assured Champions League football could be appealing, and so could the likelihood that Dzeko will be off to a new club sometime in the near future.
Stuttgart Turn To Negredo
After missing out on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, VfB Stuttgart could now make a move for fellow Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo. (Goal.com)
Analysis: That pursuit could very well end up in disappointment as well, with Negredo also attracting attention from the Premier League.
Dortmund To Land Barrios
Dortmund are set to sign Argentine striker Lucas Barrios from Colombian side Colo Colo for €4.5m. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: Barrios has torn it up in Colombia over the last year and a half with Colo Colo and finished top of the goal charts in both halves of the Colombian championship last year, so he definitely knows his way around goal. Dortmund may have lost their best striker in Alexander Frei, but their front line may have actually gotten better with the relatively inexpensive additions of Barrios and Energie Cottbus’ Dimitar Rangelov.
France
Marseille After Morientes And Menez
Marseille are considering a move for striker Fernando Morientes, who’s available on a free after leaving Valencia. (Tribal Football)
Analysis: Morientes is no spring chicken, and his last couple of seasons at Valencia weren’t overly productive after a 19-goal haul in his first season in 2006/07, but he’d still be a quality signing for Marseille. He has experience in France from his time with Monaco in 2003/04, and hee can still get it done in Europe (three goals in seven UEFA Cup starts for Valencia).
Marseille have also made a bid for Roma forward Jeremy Menez, and though their initial bid has fallen short of Roma’s €10m asking price, negotiations are ongoing. (Transfer Market Web)
Analysis: Menez was in and out of the starting lineup in his debut season at Roma, and if his prospects aren’t set to change too much, he could certainly do a lot worse than move somewhere he can get regular football and play in the Champions League.
Scotland
Celtic Land Fox
Celtic have signed Coventry City defender Danny Fox for £1.5m. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: Fox could not only be the solution at left back for Celtic, but he can also be a valuable asset on the attacking end, as he netted five times and set up six more for Coventry last season.
Turkey
Fenerbahce Make Shevchenko Offer
Fenerbahce have made an offer for Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko. (The Times)
Analysis: Fenerbahce have the funds to be able to afford him, and it’d be better for all for him to be sold this summer instead of being a bit-part player in the upcoming season before leaving on a free.
Daily Links
Gerrard Cleared Of Affray Charges
Should anyone be surprised?
Which Retired Player Would You Like To See Come Back?
Now that is a tough one for me…I’ll have to get back to you with my answer.
How The Deep-Lying Midfield Position Is Reviving Careers
There’s quite a debate about who fits the role and who doesn’t, but whatever position title they have, all of the players mentioned are top-class talents.
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