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.
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.
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Comment 9 - 28 of 48
Three points to consider,
1. why would kaka go to a relegation side.
2. why are liverpool talking to kenny daglish.
3. will money buy the premiership year after year ask chelsea
nice
Daniel Agger's quality. I'm glad to see he'll remain at Anfield. I'm also glad to see City overpay stars in hopes of becoming relevant one day, it sure worked with Robinho.
Bellamy can go north! He seems to think he is bigger than West Ham, I just hope he spends the rest of the season on the bench contemplating would could have been if he had stayed put!
All this talk of City not able to build a team is utter bulls#@t! How come so many of you predict this downfall? Mark Hughes has only just began building his squad, and the purchases he's made so far are encouraging, I know coz I go to most league games. None of you know anything!! CTID!!!
Di Michele is a good player, learning to speak English and has already stated his desire to come and play in England so now is the time, quick swap him with Bellamy
to paul uk, yes, and chelsea have been doing brilliantly recently haven't they. no. the money had a lucky, but good effect on the club at first, but now the team isn't working well together, due to the players having not played with each other for a long time. success is built on, not bought.
A club can have all the best 'on paper' players, but there is no guarantee that the team will work. Instead of pulling names out of the sky, City should concentrate on how to better the team squad as a unit, even if this means investing in our lesser clubs, the money could help smaller clubs to survive too.
Those who say you can't buy a good team seem to have short memories. Chelski did exactly that not really all that long ago.
"There's not one player in that dressing room who cares about money before football"
no,only you Beckham you overrated money grabbing fool!!!!!! If football and not money is the objective then why did he leave Real Madrid to play in Mickey Mouse land for £128 million????????????? Enough said i think!!!!!!!!
if Arsharvin does come to Arsenal, it will be great for the premier league having another star of his quality playing week in week out, but one thing i can't understand is where would Arsharvin fit into Arsenal's formation and shape?
Just because Man City can buy whoever they want, doesn't mean they can become a good team, they should be more focused at the moment on young talents at their club, like Sturridge, he's there future. They should spread out their spending, otherwise to many new faces will come together and may not gell well.
BECKHAM IS MAKING MILLIONS FROM FOOTBALL NOT FOR HIS ABILITY ON THE PITCH BUT HIS GOOD LOOKS.I HAVE NEVER SEEN A PLAYER SO OVERATED IN FOOTBALL THAN BECKHAM.ONE DIMENSIONAL PLAYER,KICKING LONG BALLS AND TAKING FREE KICKS. NEVER SEEN HIM GO PAST A DEFENDER IN ONE ON ONE SITUATION.HE JUST CANT DRIBBLE AND HE IS DETERMINE TO CONTINUE PLAYING FOR ENGLAND UNTIL HE CANT KICK A BALL.
Why are people being like this over Bellamy, granted he doesnt get on with everyone but hes quick, makes intelligent runs and ask any defender in the league and he'll tell you hes a nightmare to play against because he pulls defenses apart and creates space for other players
Conversation between Kaka and City:
City: Please come join us to help build a team of Champions and Superstars.
Kaka: Maybe, who else are you signing?
City: We're getting Craig Bellamy in a few days.
Kaka: Who?
If City want Champions, why buy Bellamy? It doesn't make sense.
city will try buy any player that has the smallest sniff of having a household name.
what have city got to offer these players other than stupid amounts of cash? lets see errrm no i will get back on that one or maybe not
I think it is quite funny.As an English person I find it difficult to understand what Mark Hughes is saying.Imagine being one of their foreign players.They will have no chance in understanding what he wants them to do.
Before the event, how many City fans, or fans in general, would have believed that Robinho would go to City? Yet there he is. It's the same with Kaka, and any other world Superstar.
They'll go if the money's right. Despite Beckhams comments, it's always going to be about the money.
How contradictive is Beckham?? He's a thick c#@t quoting such a thing! "It not always about money. There is not one player in that dressing room who cares about money before football" He should look at himself, bearing in mind the contract he's got with LA Galaxy and the standard of football he's playing in the USA, there's no prestige whatsoever playing there! PS: Lee H (comment No 5) is a sick f#@k!
Thank God Agger is signing a new contract,it will be a big delusion for me if he will leave
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