Premier League - Arsenal lead Melo chase

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Jul 08:25:00 2009

Fiorentina have denied reports Felipe Melo has signed for Juventus, claiming Arsenal are the only club to have made an offer for the midfielder.

FOOTBALL 2008/09 Uefa Cup Fiorentina-Ajax Felipe Melo Anita - 0

Melo appeared to end speculation strongly linking him to the Gunners by signing a one-year extension to his contract on Tuesday, tying the 25-year-old to La Viola until 2013 and including a release clause of 25 million euros.

Reports in Italy suggested the Brazil international had agreed a deal with Juve, with the two clubs set to meet on Tuesday - something Fiorentina have moved swiftly to deny.

A statement on the club's website, it.violachannel.tv, read: "Fiorentina sporting director Pantaleo Corvino, in denying the transfer rumours of the past few hours, which sees Felipe Melo definitely at other clubs and reporting potential meetings to finalise the transfer of the player, underlines the following:

"In case the footballer has already reached an agreement with any club, the release clause fixed with the player himself is 25 million euros. We would not contemplate any exchange, unless it is to the liking of Fiorentina.

"Arsenal is the only club to have come close to the sum established by the release clause. Fiorentina in turn proposed to the aforementioned club a reduction in the amount set by the release clause by including right-back (Emmanuel) Eboue in the deal."

PA Sport

Comment 34 - 53 of 73

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. i think it should be stupid to say that Eboue is the­ worst player to have ever played in arsenal, come on­ give a blake we need him he is as good as if not­ better than Walcott, he is a utility player who can be­ useful in any position at any time. we need a good­ midfielder like Melo but exclude Eboue from the deal,

    From buikenwa, on Sun 5 Jul 8:42AM

  2. You funny Gooners. Why would the man sign a contract­ extension with his current club and then head over to­ Highbury a week later? Don't believe everything you­ read in the papers.

    From Charlie G, on Sun 5 Jul 5:41AM

  3. Hmm.. to think of it.. we really need a good tackler­ indeed.. with experience.. he will fill d void dat­ flamini left, voids i meant id u include viera and­ gilberto.. he is twice better than denilson.. he can­ also shot from range... what else can we ask? samir and­ anrei will do damage upfront to the oppenent with­ walcott and friend will help.. but we did conceed to­ much goal because of we dont have a defensive­ midfielder as good as barry or xabi or essien or yaya..­ DM can win more tackle which can win more ball and time­ so will gain more possession and calmness.. mind my­ grammar.. i dun speak english well, but when it come to­ arsenal, english is indeed my word..

    From ramken, on Sun 5 Jul 3:33AM

  4. Hmm.. to think of it.. we really need a good tackler­ indeed.. with experience.. he will fill d void dat­ flamini left, voids i meant id u include viera and­ gilberto.. he is twice better than denilson.. he can­ also shot from range... what else can we ask? samir and­ anrei will do damage upfront to the oppenent with­ walcott and friend will help.. but we did conceed to­ much goal because of we dont have a defensive­ midfielder as good as barry or xabi or essien or yaya..­ DM can win more tackle which can win more ball and time­ so will gain more possession and calmness.. mind my­ grammar.. i dun speak english well, but when it come to­ arsenal, english is indeed my word..

    From ramken, on Sun 5 Jul 3:33AM

  5. Arsenal need a player like Lorik Cana he is a strong­ player and destroys the game of the ather teams he will­ fit so good with arsenal

    From kujta_83, on Sun 5 Jul 3:14AM

  6. I thought they had wanted senderos as part of the­ deal!!
    if Eboue will be content as a squad player I­ dont feel we should let him go just yet I dont think he­ is a bad as gus ceasar nor as bad as some fans are­ saying I also do not share the opinion he is as good­ if not better than walcott I do feel the poster who­ mentioned that needs glasses at the very­ least!!
    Walcott is being played on the wing untill he­ gets some bulk which I hope will come with age then you­ will see him in his best position through the middle­ but look at the gamble Fergie has taken on another fast­ young man played through the middle well before he­ should have been and now a crock most of the time and­ not even 30 yrs old!!

    From LEX, on Sun 5 Jul 3:12AM

  7. Get Melo and give them Eboue.
    Cash in on Adebayor.­
    Buy David Villa and chuck in Bendtner as part of the­ deal.
    Can you imagine David Villa and Eduardo Da Silva­ upfront.
    Magic!!!

    Oh yes how could I forget, get rid­ of Gallas. He brings a bad vibe to the team.
    Job­ done!!!

    From aimin4success, on Sun 5 Jul 2:46AM

  8. eboue let him go, he is better as a gonner than a­ gunner adeb, is also better as a gonner as he has­ missed so many sitters and always caught off side. the­ team had set him up so many times only to be let down­ just look at any game these guys played and see for­ yourselves, come on fans the owners are the only one­ having fun these days they are in pocket no matter how­ many times the ground is filled we can find much better­ out there than what we have at the moment we dont need­ super-starlets there are great players on the pitches­ all around great britain so scouts do your job properly­ as the master scouts did in previous years. tickets­ should be cheaper now in this world recession never­ mind wasting big money on the greedy players.­ wouldn't it be great to beat the rich greedy kids­ with pure british skill and guts.

    From robert k, on Sun 5 Jul 2:23AM

  9. I DONT KNOW Y ARSENE WENGER LIKES TO WAIT TILL DEADLINE­ BEFORE HE BUYS PLAYERS, WE NEED MELO AND EBOUE IF HE­ WANTED TO SPEND MUCH ON BENZEMA Y CANT HE BUY A VERY­ GOOD HOLDING MIDFIELDER, PLS LET HIM BUY MELO OK. EBOUE­ IS VERY INDUSTRIOUS HE CAN PLAY UP FRONT AND ALSO AT­ THE BACK OK. PLS LETS IMPROVE OUR SQUAD.

    From SLEEK KID, on Sun 5 Jul 2:06AM

  10. Seriously..are my fellow Gooners taking something this­ fine sunny weekend?

    Somebody ACTUALLY wrote Eboue is­ better than Walcott - seek medical help immediately­ please!! Are you serious? No, seriously, are you?

    The­ Brazilian lad is exactly what arsenal need right now..I­ watched him last weekend playing for Brazil and­ he's a great player...as for Eboue..the guy is­ embarassingly bad..I've not seen a more­ embarrassing player since Gus Ceaser - Sell him quick­ Arsene, before they see video of him playing!

    From Dee Piddly, on Sun 5 Jul 12:48AM
  11. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Glasgow Celtic Forever.

    From inverkenny, on Sun 5 Jul 12:26AM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Eboue is a lot more effective than Walcot. He might­ not be as fast, but he does track back when necessary. ­ We must also remember injuries. We have been very­ unlucky over the past four years. Should we have any­ more drama next season, we would still need him. It­ takes a big squad nowadays to win anything. If we­ could afford it, I would say keep Eboue and also get­ Melo.

    Talking of calling him a disaster, I would not­ say so. Compare his reaction to the boos from the­ crowd and that of Adebayor's, and that should say a­ lot about his mindset. He is a very strong-minded­ individual and still has a lot to offer us. There are­ a few other players I would give their marching orders­ based on their performance last season, but he will not­ be one of them

    From Olu, on Sun 5 Jul 12:21AM

  13. Oh please let Eboue leave, he's a disaster!!!

    From darrenrya, on Sat 4 Jul 11:49PM

  14. Fiorentina are being shrewed, asking for Eboue who to­ my mind is a player that gives Arsenal pace in certain­ matches. He is also utilitarian. He could play as a­ stopper (left or right) and as a tackler in front of­ the back four. The fact that Wenger prefers to bring­ him into matches as a substitute does not detract from­ his value. I would prefer to release Sylvestre and­ Johann J as part of the deal.

    From Kaybee, on Sat 4 Jul 10:51PM

  15. Arsenal should take up the deal for melo and get rid of­ eboue one of the worst players ever to wear an arsenal­ shirt probably the only player the arsenal fans have­ bood playing for arsenal they could also try give them­ senderos as part of the deal

    From karen.justin, on Sat 4 Jul 10:27PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I agree with Jay, Melo is what Arsenal need... He wil­ make a great partner for Fab, and Eboue is @#$%..! Get­ rid of him..! From : Rob Duncan

    From ewelinasmith, on Sat 4 Jul 10:11PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    sell walcott instead cos he cant live up to epectation­ playing big games.he was sh_it in the champions league­ can only play when we tackle maybe boro or newcastle­ sell him!.but yet again wenger wont cough up to 20m to­ buy a player so all this is waste of time

    From efozia, on Sat 4 Jul 10:08PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Eboue is better than Walcott.

    From Robert, on Sat 4 Jul 9:34PM

  19. i am a chelsea fan and i think that to put eboue in the­ deal would be stupid.
    yes i know melo is better at­ tackling but he will earn a lot of red cards because he­ will
    get tougher and rougher because of the premier­ league is tough and hash.
    from king isaac the­ first,
    COME ON CHELSEA!!!!!!!!!!!1

    From oloriolanike, on Sat 4 Jul 9:27PM

  20. Can't believe all these comments about Eboue...he­ was pants all last season....I would bite their hands­ off to get Melo for cheaper and offload a player who­ regularly dribbles the ball straight into an opposition­ defender!!!!!!!!!

    From Ragman, on Sat 4 Jul 9:23PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account