It’s safe to say that Darren Bent is leaving Tottenham, but for who? It looked like Sunderland was a go for Bent, but until all of the i’s have been dotted and all of the t’s crossed, nothing is definite.
Along with late bids for Bent, this morning’s roundup is packed chock full of Portsmouth tidbits, and we’ve also got the latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of AC Milan’s Andrea Pirlo, Hull’s pursuit of new striker(s), and much more.
England
Chelsea’s Pirlo Bid Rejected
Whether it was a bid of £8.6m, Claudio Pizarro, and Michael Mancienne on loan, or a bid of £12.5m and Pizarro, AC Milan have rebuffed Chelsea’s move for midfielder Andrea Pirlo. (Goal.com)
Analysis: This one probably won’t go away for a while, though I don’t see Chelsea shelling out upwards of £30m to make the deal happen.
Tottenham Target Turner
Tottenham could be readying a cash-plus-player move for Hull center back Michael Turner, who’s also been linked with Everton and Fulham recently. (The Mirror)
Analysis: Once again, I don’t really see how selling Turner would benefit Hull that much, but it’s looking increasingly likely that he’s going to be moving in the near future.
Bent Set For Sunderland…Or Is He?
It looked like Sunderland were all set to land Darren Bent in a £15m deal (The Mirror), but it may not be a guarantee now.
Both Hull City and Aston Villa have matched Sunderland’s asking price for Bent, (ESPN Soccernet), while The Sun says that Stoke City have also done so.
Analysis: It’d be a real blow for Sunderland to miss out on Bent after also missing out on Peter Crouch, but I think he’ll still end up there despite all of the late interest.
Sunderland Close On Sedan Defender
Sunderland are set to sign Sedan defender Paul Baysse, with the 21-year-old rejecting Blackburn and Portsmouth for a move to the Stadium of Light. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: Well, he doesn’t hold back from telling the truth, that’s for sure.
Busy, Busy Portsmouth
Portsmouth may not be spending big for a little while, but they’re certainly busy in the market right now.
Pompey have signed former Fulham and Liverpool defender Steve Finnan on a free transfer after the Irishman negotiated a release from Espanyol after only a season at the club. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: His Spanish adventure didn’t exactly go well due in part to injuries, but a fit Finnan could be a rock at the back for Portsmouth.
Portsmouth are also busy looking for a new striker, and according to The Mirror, they’re in talks to bring former Wigan striker Amr Zaki in on loan.
Analysis: Paul Hart might want to have a conversation with Steve Bruce before going through with this one, but maybe that’s just me.
Pompey could be dipping into the Championship, as they’ve made an offer for Cardiff striker and Hull target Ross McCormack and are in talks with Reading star Stephen Hunt, who could sign for £3.5m. (Daily Mail)
Analysis: Both would be excellent signings for Pompey. Hunt’s already proven that he’s Premier League quality, and McCormack’s got the potential to be a future star for club and country.
And last but not least, a bid for St. Etienne defender Mouhamadou Dabo has been made. (Transfer Market Web)
Analysis: With the signing of Finnan and Dabo, Hart will have the present and the future at right back locked down. Dabo can also slot in at left back, and a little versatility is never a bad thing.
Blackburn Move For Ghilas, Eye Di Santo
Blackburn are close to a £1.7m deal for Celta Vigo’s Algerian striker Kamel Ghilas. (The Sun)
Analysis: His best seasons have come in the second divisions in France, Portugal, and Spain, with only one season of top-flight experience with Vitoria Guimaraes in 2007/08 (six goals in 30 appearances), but a diamond in the rough he could be.
Sam Allardyce could also look to bring in Chelsea striker Franco di Santo on loan. (The Mirror)
Analysis: Chelsea could well be reluctant to let di Santo go on loan since he could be in line for a key sub role and a few starts here and there after making 16 substitute appearances last season, but with the arrival of Daniel Sturridge and the chance of Andriy Shevchenko and/or Claudio Pizarro being in the fold again,
Hull Target Vennegoor and Jovanovic
Along with possibly being in the hunt for Bent, Hull City are in talks to sign former Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink on a free transfer and could also make a bid for Standard Liege attacker Milan Jovanovic. (Daily Mail)
Analysis: I can’t say I rate their chances of landing Jovanovic that high if one of his other Premier League suitors comes in for him, but Vennegoor of Hesselink bring a record of success with two top sides in Celtic and PSV, a nice amount of European and international experience, and to top it off, one of the greatest names in football.
Italy
Clark Set For Livorno
Livorno have agreed a deal for Houston Dynamo midfielder Ricardo Clark, and the American international will join up with the newly-promoted side in the January transfer window. (Tribal Football)
Analysis: Livorno may well be a top relegation candidate, but the step up to Serie A can only be a good thing for Clark, and having another American in Serie A is another small, but positive step in the right direction for American soccer.
Germany
Stuttgart In For Tuncay
VfB Stuttgart have agreed a £9m fee with Middlesbrough for striker Tuncay Sanli. (Daily Mail)
Analysis: Maybe it’s not so bad to get relegated after all. Tuncay and Obafemi Martins may have seen their current clubs be victims of the drop, but they could both be set for a step up to a couple of Champions League clubs in the near future.
France
Lyon Close On Guiza And Remy?
Lyon have agreed a €12m fee with Fenerbahce for Spanish striker Dani Guiza, and they could soon bring back former youth product Loic Remy, with an offer of €16m + Anthony Mounier perhaps enough to land the Nice striker. (ESPN Soccernet)
Analysis: It’s a fair assessment to say that, if they can complete these two deals, Lyon will have a markedly better front line overall this season, despite losing their best individual talent in Karim Benzema.
Portugal
Benfica Take Keirrison On Loan
Newly-signed Barcelona striker Keirrison will spend next season on loan at Benfica. (Sky Sports)
Analysis: This will be a great move for Keirrison. He won’t have any problems fitting in language-wise, and he’ll get to learn from and develop alongside three accomplished forwards in Oscar Cardozo, Nuno Gomes, and fellow summer signing Javier Saviola. Those are three good mentors, I’ll say.
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