Transfers - Transfer Talk: City target De Rossi

Eurosport - Mon, 19 Jan 22:47:00 2009

All the buzz around Manchester City is still inevitably focused around Kaka, but there are plenty of other transfer goings-on at Eastlands.

FOOTBALL 2008-09 Serie A Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi - 0

For a start, there is the rumoured interest in Roma's commanding central midfielder Daniele De Rossi, who will soon be the subject of a £20 million bid from City, it says here.

Roma manager Luciano Spalletti has ruled out talk of his club cashing in on City's willingness to spend over the odds, insisting that his club will not be selling one of their best players.

He said: "A multi-million offer by City for De Rossi? There have not been any offers. However, De Rossi is a player that is admired by many teams."

However, the Giallorossi will find it hard to resist such a high bid.

David Beckham reckons that his Milan team-mate Kaka won't be joining De Rossi at City, though. Following his home debut in the 1-0 over Fiorentina on Saturday, Becks said: "I don't think it was Kaka's last game for us. He's very happy here."

The former England captain, who moved to the MLS on a five-year, £128m contract with LA Galaxy, added: "It's not always about money. There is not one player in that dressing room who cares about money before football. I hope he stays."

Even Giorgio Armani has been getting in on the act, telling Gazzetta Dello Sport: "Kaka's transfer? I would rather tell (Milan chief Adriano) Galliani to sell all of Milan. It's useless to sell such an important player. I would be very sad if Kaka left. With Kaka and his wife I have a splendid relationship, they are wonderful people. But I understand that such an offer is difficult to turn down."

While all this is going on, the £18m capture of Nigel de Jong has slipped nicely under the radar. The Hamburg defensive midfielder is set to fill a role far more essential to City's fortunes than the one Kaka would fill, and the deal is expected to be completed within the next two days.

All this splashing out on the present could be coming at the expense of the future, however. City's highly-rated 19-year-old striker Daniel Sturridge is yet to be offered a contract he is satisfied with and, with his current deal expiring at the end of the season, the club may live to regret it for years to come if he leaves.

With Craig Bellamy's move to City nearing completion, West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is already spending the £14m in his mind.

The big fluffy thought bubble above his vaguely equine head contains visions of Cardiff midfielder Joe Ledley and Fiorentina striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo sporting claret and blue. It'll take £5m for Cardiff and £7m to La Viola to make those dreams become reality.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has taken another swipe at the club's hierarchy over their stalling in offering defender Daniel Agger a new contract.

Benitez - who himself turned down a new contract offer on Friday - said: "The club has been too slow on his contract. Agger is now in the papers because we were not quick enough. Agger was telling me he wants to stay. His commitment to the club is 100 per cent but they have been waiting and waiting and waiting and we don't know what is happening."

Meanwhile at Anfield, Monaco are eyeing up a move for Moroccan winger Nabil El Zhar.

Portsmouth boss Tony Adams remains hopeful of convincing Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant to join Pompey, but only if he really wants to, saying: "If he doesn't want to then it is the same situation as Jermain Defoe - I won't take him on board if he doesn't want it. I need players working hard and scrapping and in it together."

However, Adams may find he has competition from Everton, who are hoping to hold out and get Pennant on a free transfer in the summer.

Arsenal's new chief executive Ivan Gazidis is due to meet Zenit St Petersburg officials tomorrow to sort out this Andrei Arshavin business once and for all, according to the Daily Express.

Long after most people have forgotten the Russian's eye-catching performances for his country at Euro 2008, or even who won that tournament in the end, the Gunners are hopeful of landing the most-touted player in Europe for £14m.

Marlon Harewood's five-minute cameos shielding the ball by the corner flag for Aston Villa have impressed Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate so much that he wants him to replace Mido , after he failed to swap Newcastle's Alan Smith for the injury-prone Egyptian.

If Wigan do lose either Amr Zaki or Emile Heskey, they could find a new striker arriving at the club to replace them soon - Marlon King.

King, currently on loan at Hull City from the Latics, was sent home by Tigers boss Phil Brown before Saturday's match against Arsenal when he reacted angrily to being left out of the starting line-up again.

A Hull source squealed: "He (King) was sent packing from the changing room and it's doubtful whether he still has a future at the club now."

Elsewhere, Joe Kinnear will table an improved £5m bid to bring Rennes midfielder Stephane Mbia to Newcastle, Blackburn fancy the look of Metz striker Babacar Gueye and Inter boss Jose Mourinho has refuted claims he wants to bring Jermaine Jenas to Serie A.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

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    From www.premiership.altervista.org, on Tue 20 Jan 2:11PM

  2. city aim alots of good striker n mid....even they know they already have a good squad infront...dont they realize the worse thing in city is defence...they only buy one defence...but want to buy 4 to 7 good stiker wtf...

    From Monkey L, on Tue 20 Jan 4:55AM

  3. There appears to be a lot of jealousy and stupidity about at the present time. The jealousy is from the fans of the teams at the top who are saddled with massive debt and no doubt City will be there again in the future. The stupidity from the footballers and ex footballers. Mark Hughes must have been on the sherry this Xmas to even spend a tenner on Bellamy. This is a guy (I wouldn't call him a man as he resembles a petulant teenager the majority of the time) who has done nothing apart from pick up signing on fees whereever he has been. But the top of the tree for footballer stupidity must go to David 'Show Pony' Beckham for the following comment in the article... "The former England captain, who moved to the MLS on a five-year, £128m contract with LA Galaxy, added: "It's not always about money. There is not one player in that dressing room who cares about money before football. I hope he stays."" Don't they have mirrors in the dressing room in Milan for him to look in and see his mouth resemble his backside?

    From Bob H, on Tue 20 Jan 12:01AM

  4. JUST TRIED TO MAKE A FAIR COMMENT ON THIS SITE NO SWEAR WORDS LIKE LOTS OF THE OTHERS BUT THE PC NAZIS THINK OTHERWISE! OR ARE YOU JUST ALL MAN U FANS!

    From citydave356, on Mon 19 Jan 10:59PM

  5. football is like woman; norture it, and you will see its beauty in earnest, leave it bland, it will be simply fine, not classified as beautiful or elegant. City has a target and if they meet it, they will top the league in three years time after blending the new players they will bring on board. This is the sole reason why people are afraid of them. I am a Chelsea fan and I can say I am not impressed with their performance at the moment. Its not about money this time, but motivation. They need motivation like Jose was giving them to top the league once more and not lose crusial matches and succumb to pressure. If I am Kaka, I will take the deal and give it a try. Its a try of a lifetime and I am sure it will make the P-League more competitive.

    From Anthony, on Mon 19 Jan 10:29PM

  6. The only way to get to the top in the premier league is to buy it. The teams at the top now have more or less been there since the sky money came into football. Portsmouth won the FA cup but stars will not join them! To get success- invest big and keep going, FACT. Man u, Chelsea, Liverpool and even Arsenal spend much more than any other team.

    From feedthephil, on Mon 19 Jan 9:44PM

  7. exactly albertone, plus..... man city got kit like merda lazio... another reason not to do it
    Forza Magica!

    From vilpalac, on Mon 19 Jan 8:50PM

  8. de rossi will never go to manchester city
    he plays in the team he supports... he plays CL manchester city neither fa cup... -_-

    From NoelG, on Mon 19 Jan 8:18PM

  9. Is this your answer then mr hughes, craig bellamy what a joke. I will pi=s myself when man city are playing notts forest next season! ha ha. come on the arsenal finding some form now

    From Michael, on Mon 19 Jan 8:06PM

  10. Is this your answer then mr hughes, craig bellamy what a joke. I will pi=s myself when man city are playing notts forest next season! ha ha. come on the arsenal finding some form now

    From Michael, on Mon 19 Jan 8:05PM

  11. to comment 11. Its not even nearly the same!

    sick of folk saying robinho went so other big names will. he doesnt wanna be at city!

    From yip, on Mon 19 Jan 7:35PM

  12. IT WOULD BE COOL IF I SAW THIERRY HENRY MADE A SHOCK RETURN ON LOAN TO ARSENAL THIS JANUARY FROM WIL

    From ISABELLE W, on Mon 19 Jan 7:31PM

  13. amoahjohn16 - Someone once asked me who i'd rather have, Figo or Beckham. Now, Figo was a brilliant player but he would go past three defenders and whip a ball into the box with no specific accuracy. Beckham would NOT go past the three players but he would cross the ball with unerring accuracy onto an attackers head. That's not to say that Figo did not make ANY good crosses or Beckham NEVER went past defenders because anyone who knows anything about football will know that anyway

    From Marcus, on Mon 19 Jan 7:21PM

  14. Yes, let's hope Arsenal delegates can work out this deal for rshravin, I can see him as a real assset.

    From El-Tony., on Mon 19 Jan 7:11PM

  15. mark hughes was a great player but as a manager he is tactically retarded.surely somebody else is pulling the purse strings whilst they find a proper manager. sorry sparky you were great to watch but your doomed.

    From NatalieW, on Mon 19 Jan 6:59PM

  16. spknott........Calm down lad. Can hardly call Old Trafford a s**thole when you rent your own stadium off the council, all that money and still don't own your own pitch. Us Mancunian United fans own more of your stadium than your owners as we've payed for the eastlands library to be built!!!!

    From bigt_lt, on Mon 19 Jan 6:39PM

  17. As a man-u fan,, I wud love 2 have tickets 4,, man-u V man city in the champions league cup final 2012,,
    what a great day 4 manchester that wud b.keep spending sparky.

    From billy, on Mon 19 Jan 5:11PM

  18. 32 YEARS AND COUNTING....

    From mike, on Mon 19 Jan 4:50PM

  19. chelsea a top 4 club b4 they had a big bank balance !!!! r u real , they were struggling just like man city are now, everyone knows money buys you success man utd were the richest club not so long ago !!!1

    From martyn, on Mon 19 Jan 4:50PM

  20. Im sick of hearing who city may or may not be buyin , at the end of the day all the players they get will be there for the money even kaka .you cant buy success , chelsea were already a top 4 club b4 the money came in man united got there money from being successful ,,,,,DREAM ON CITY .........

    From jason_rkirwin2000, on Mon 19 Jan 4:37PM
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