Transfers - Gossip Shop: Eto'o leads cut-price stars

Eurosport - Mon, 30 Mar 22:17:00 2009

'Star Sale' screams today's front-page headline of La Gazzetta dello Sport.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 La Liga Barcelona Barcelona-Málaga Eto'o - 0

The Italian sport daily is not referring to the similarly-named Dad-rock beat compo, you understand, but the fact that several of Europe's top clubs will be forced to slash player asking prices in order to persuade recession-hit rivals into buying.

The eye-catching neon stickers in the window certainly look tempting: Resurgent Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o - WAS 40 million euros, NOW 20m! Werder Bremen's first-class playmaker Diego - WAS 35m, NOW 20! Perennial Liverpool target David Silva - WAS 40m, NOW 30m!

There are even more goodies in store for those few club chairman and sporting directors with the disposable income needed to kick-start the football economy.

The pink paper beloved of piazza-lurking latte sippers also reckons Real Madrid's Dutch trio Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Royston Drenthe - all rumoured to be on their way out if Florentino Perez regains the club presidency - will leave in cut-price deals at the end of the season.

On a domestic tip, Chelsea duo Deco and Florent Malouda appear to have long since outstayed their welcomes at Stamford Bridge, in the manner of a couch-surfing old college friend, and are earmarked for cheap summer exits.

The Mirror report that Wigan Athletic will sell winger Luis Antonio Valencia to Manchester United in the summer for an eye-popping £17m in order to fund their purchase of another Ecuadorean, Christian Benitez.

The little hitman has scored 9 goals in 7 games for Santos Laguna in the Mexican league this season, to add to his impressive 15 in 30 last term.

Steve Bruce's need to fork out the £7m required for Benitez will become more pressing if Zamalek persist with their £12m valuation of Amr Zaki, despite the Egyptian striker's loan spell at the Latics going off the boil somewhat.

Manchester City are all set to duke it out with fellow big-spending low-achievers Tottenham Hotspur for the signature of Fabio Cannavaro, who has admitted he would consider leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season on a free transfer.

Spurs are also eyeing up another Real want-away - Argentina full-back Gabriel Heinze, who would set Harry Redknapp back £4m, according to the Guardian.

Another City target, Leeds United midfielder Fabian Delph, will have drawn extra attention from the top flight after being named the Football League's young player of the year.

The 19-year-old has scored six times this season, including a couple of long-range corkers, so don't expect him to be plying his trade in League One for much longer, with or without play-off hopefuls Leeds.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 20 - 39 of 59

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  1. How can Etoo be only 20 milion when this season is the­ best season at Barcelona...and how can be Etoo at the­ same price with Diego??? WTF????

    From dobressive, on Mon 30 Mar 5:58PM

  2. i really dont have a problem with top quality­ international stars comin to the prem, torres and the­ like, but as for most of them they're keeping­ british players out of teams who are at least as good­ as them,i mean u look at some of tottenhams foriegn­ players and if there aren't british players out­ there that are as good then we're screwed, far to­ many foreign squad players, lets have the 6 and 5 rule­ brought in, cheap imoports are killin our youth­ football.

    From gus h, on Mon 30 Mar 5:53PM

  3. Paul McShane? Has he left Hi-De-Hi?

    From Feltorange, on Mon 30 Mar 5:25PM

  4. Thank you, it's just a shame the idiots who run­ football are the only ones who can't see the common­ sense approach. As much as i love football and the hold­ it has on my life i'd be the first to admit the­ game is in a sorry state when you hear of the amount of­ money involved in some seemingly world class players­ move to an English club then watch as they fail to cope­ with what's meant to be a walk in the park for­ them. Even mediocre players are going for rediculous­ amounts these days... how can anyone justify spending a­ couple of million on a player like Paul McShane. He­ reminds me of a dog the way he plays football, he sees­ the ball, he chases it, proceeds to kick it in any­ direction, then chase after it again. I don't even­ think he'd get a job in KFC?

    From Interthenet Jnr, on Mon 30 Mar 5:20PM

  5. Interthenet Jr - Top Man! Great rant and oh so true. ­ When will the featherbrains who fork out vast sums for­ T V through a dish whilst wearing a ten bob piece of­ nylon resembling their team's shirt realise THEY­ are funding this ridiculous extravangance. ALL players­ the world over should be paid a max of £2000 per week­ (still generous). Those that don't like it can get­ highly paid jobs as industry leaders, rocket­ scientists, brain surgeons...... my arse! KFC more­ like!

    From Feltorange, on Mon 30 Mar 5:04PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i say spot on for man chity, spurs " big-spending­ low-achievers " i might forward the article to any­ spurs fan hahahahaha

    From lazygooner, on Mon 30 Mar 4:59PM
  7. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    shittttttttttttttttt

    From niyonitin, on Mon 30 Mar 4:09PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    hahahahahahaha, 1-st: Eto'o is in negotiations with­ barca for a new contract;
    2-nd: no serious club will­ pay for silva such a huge amount only based on­ potential;
    and 3-rd: Diego Who? I mean, he is good but­ not "20mil-good"

    Crappy article all the­ way!

    From Teddy T, on Mon 30 Mar 4:09PM

  9. What a badly written article..how is this person an­ online editor!!!

    From Ash, on Mon 30 Mar 2:40PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    If I want to buy a player for myself, look for club to­ play Him, pay him and make money out of him, its­ incredible.
    The only guy who does the best business in­ the planet is the Jorabchiaan, the guy who owns tevez­ and mascherano. He gets the transfer money and the club­ pays the player, it would be better if he'd charge­ no fee but share his weekly wages.

    From Majoser, on Mon 30 Mar 2:32PM

  11. silva is not worth 30 let alone 40 and the only way­ liverpool will buy him is if they try to sell alonso­ again who has been their best play this season. and its­ all good saying city are going on a shopping spree but­ they can only attract desperate over rated stars like­ robihnio (excuse my spelling). the chances of them­ playing uefa football next year are slim and these­ stars want to play champions league or atleast uefa.­ Thats why city have trouble attracting big names or­ have to pay them 180k a week. Players won't want to­ go to a team where the manager is guranteed to be there­ next season and who can't control any of his­ brazilian players who seem to have no respect for hin.­ And with all that in mind who has been citys best­ player stephen ireland an underated under paid­ midfielder who saved city at the start of the season on­ many occasions.

    From andybrewster, on Mon 30 Mar 2:21PM

  12. ETO'O and SILVA are going to Crystal Palace. In a­ realisation that he has to invest in the club SImon­ Jordan will reach for his pockets. We also understand­ both Villa and Eto'o are great admirers of Neil­ Warnock's coaching skills since he managed to gt­ Sheff Utd relegated. I can dream can't I?

    From Allen H, on Mon 30 Mar 1:54PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Could be a Fab summer for City, Fabio Cannavaro, Fabien­ Delph, oh and 1 other Luis Fabiano (Brazil forward)­ although i'm not too sure about him after watching­ (lucky) Brazil last night.

    From JOHN, on Mon 30 Mar 1:36PM

  14. I like the title of cut price stars yet the valuation­ given is roughly around £30m. When will football wake­ up and realise it cannot continue the way it's­ going with disgusting amounts of money being given for­ players. Teams like City and Tottenham deserve to be so­ low in the table. I didn't think it was possible to­ make the same mistake more than twice never mind 5 or 6­ times. You can't just throw money at a problem and­ expect it to go away, examples of this... Robinho,­ Pavlychenko, Modric, Jo etc. It sums it up when you­ look at who has been arguable City's best player­ this season... Stephen Ireland. Premiership is filled­ with over paid, over rated foreign players, half of­ them don't cut it in the rough and tumble of the­ Premiership.

    Rant over.

    From Interthenet Jnr, on Mon 30 Mar 1:30PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    flinto. Well diego is the kind of player Im not sure­ will def fit in well in EPL, goes down very easy and­ when not happy wont perform. Van der vaart, as you even­ said, has the potential. all he needs is a team to play­ him and someone to bring it out in him. I prefer­ sjneider buy I dont see him leaving madrid.

    etoo is­ late 20's. Id be looking for someone early 20's­ that could have at least 5 top years in them but still­ has enough experience. plus I know he has a bit of an­ ego. and I did say he would still score anywhere but he­ wouldnt be my 1st choice.

    so how bout next time ypou­ comment dont try and be a smart a rse that thinks they­ know it all. eh? you clearly know as much as playing­ fifa tells you. p rick!

    From yip, on Mon 30 Mar 1:26PM

  16. Raith Rovers would buy all the players mentioned but­ they cant afford them. Shame. Some of them would be­ quite good in the Scottish second division.

    From Gary, on Mon 30 Mar 1:23PM

  17. anyone want a bargain gallas for 5 quid any takers ring­ me wenger

    From OLIVER, on Mon 30 Mar 1:18PM

  18. dont tell me you're talking about alan smith

    From Tarek T, on Mon 30 Mar 1:17PM

  19. Sorry PaulF but city are even worse off in the fair­ play league (12th). Intertoto perhaps?

    From Edna Bucket, on Mon 30 Mar 1:17PM

  20. I STILL WOULD BUY ETOO,HE IS A WONDERFUL TALENT,AND­ WOULD FIT IN WELL AT ARSENAL IN THE STYLE AND TEAM­ WENGER PLAYS

    From sthomasberry, on Mon 30 Mar 1:15PM
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