Transfer Rumors

[Tilla]

Who? - Luis Fabiano - Speculation
Where is he? - Seville
Who is he linked with? - Manchester United
Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Sevilla's Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano. Fabiano, one of the most highly-rated strikers in Europe this season, is expected to quit La Liga after his family were held at gunpoint last month. "My family, at this moment, are very scared and aren't thinking about remaining in Seville," Fabiano told Spanish TV. "I'm speaking with them to see if they would change, but it's not easy. "I'll see what Sevilla have in mind. We spoke once and didn't arrive at any agreement," he said, insisting that he still wants to stay at the club. "Things are going very well." United are looking for another striker to replace the injury-prone Louis Saha at the club and while Sevilla are demanding 44m for Fabiano, the player has hinted that his buy-out clause is only 7m.




Who? - Michael Dawson - Speculation
Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur
Who is he linked with? - Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson is rumoured to be close to putting in a transfer request after losing his place in the team at White Hart Lane. Dawson had been a regular for Spurs in the last few years, but the arrival of Jonathan Woodgate and return to fitness of Ledley King have seen him drop down the pecking order. With Juande Ramos being linked with a second attempt to sign Espanyol's Daniel Jarque, Dawson is concerned that he could soon be fourth choice centre-half at the club. Having grown up near Newcastle, Dawson has been strongly linked with a move to St James' Park, with Kevin Keegan targeting him as one of the men he wants to rebuild the team in the summer. An 8m bid is believed to be lined up, while Dawson waits to see if he can force his way back into the team by the end of the season. If he cannot, he will request a transfer.




Who? - Giovani dos Santos - Speculation
Where is he? - Barcelona
Who is he linked with? - Manchester City
Manchester City have been linked with a move to try and entice Barcelona youngster Giovani dos Santos to try his luck in England. The 18-year-old Mexican forward is already a regular member of the Barca first-team squad, but his father believes that his offspring could be tempted by a new challenge. Zizinho told Mexican newspaper, El Universal: "There is interest from Manchester City. However, I cannot give more information now as Giovani's agent is the one in charge of all this, it's him who is dealing with negotiations. I can't say for sure if Giovani will go to another team. There are still games to play in La Liga and while there are, he's only thinking about Barcelona. We don't want to get ahead of ourselves, there is interest, but first he has to concentrate on Barcelona."




Who? - Michael Owen - Speculation
Where is he? - Newcastle United
Who is he linked with? - The exit door Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has expressed his desire to keep Michael Owen at the club amid rumours linking the star with a transfer window exit. The England international scored in the Magpies' 2-0 win at home to Fulham over the weekend, but his current contract ends next summer and he has still not signed a new one. Manchester City are among the teams linked with a move at the end of the season and this has encouraged Keegan to insist that the club and the player meet up to discuss terms and establish Owen's future at St James' Park sooner rather than later. "I've already told the club that we should be talking to Michael now. Not next week, not next month. But now," he said. "I've never asked Michael whether he wants to stay, but I'm hoping the answer will be yes." If not, we've got another year of him next season and that's the very least we'll get. "You ask why it is an urgent issue. It is urgent because I don't think that we'll go out and get a player that's better than Michael Owen."




Who? - Jason Roberts - Speculation
Where is he? - Blackburn Rovers
Who is he linked with? - The exit door Blackburn Rovers striker Jason Roberts has said he is looking forward to a long future with the club after making his mark on the team this weekend. The former Wigan Athletic man scored in Rovers' 3-1 win against his old club on Saturday, but he has struggled to secure a regular starting spot this term. Some have suggested this will lead the 30-year-old to move on, but he believes he has a lot more to offer Mark Hughes' men. "We've got some really good strikers here so you've got to be on top of your game all the time," he said. "But if you look at my record since I've been here, when I have played, and I've played consistently, I have scored goals, and I have caused the opposition problems, so hopefully there is more of that to come. I still feel there is a lot more to come from me at this football club."




Who? - Ronaldinho - Speculation
Where is he? - Barcelona
Who is he linked with? - Chelsea
Barcelona manager Frank Rijkaard has said he is happy with Ronaldinho as rumours persist that the Brazilian will leave in the summer. Ronaldinho has struggled to find a regular place in the Barca starting eleven this season as injury has lessened his chances. He has been linked to some of Europe's elite, with Chelsea and AC Milan especially touted. However, Rijkaard has sung the star's praises, saying: "Above all I consider him a great person with a great character. And more than his football qualities he has given a lot to his team-mates, to the club and to the fans. I don't want to say that there's a relationship, but after so many years working together I hold him dear and I always want well for him. I respect him a lot."




Who? - Dimitar Berbatov - Speculation
Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur
Who is he linked with? - The exit door Tottenham Hotspur manager Juande Ramos has suggested that Dimitar Berbatov's agent is more interested in money than his client. Berbatov has been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane all season and representative Emile Dantchev has been quoted discussing a potentially money-spinning move to AC Milan. "Milan are one of the biggest clubs in Europe and if there is interest we would discuss it with Dimitar," he said. "If a player is happy [with his club], that does not mean he can't be happy somewhere else." However, Ramos has hit back, saying: "It is the obligation of the agent to try to sell their player so they can get paid as much as possible. Berbatov is a great player and it is normal that clubs are interested in him. It is normal that an agent tries to do business in the transfer market. But Tottenham are very happy to have him and he is very happy here."




Who? - Wilfred Bouma - Speculation
Where is he? - Aston Villa
Who is he linked with? - The exit door Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has insisted that he does not feel under any pressure over the contract of Wilfred Bouma, despite rumours linking the player with an exit from Villa Park in the summer transfer window. The former PSV defender's current deal will expire at the end of the season, and the club must decide whether or not they want to take up a one-year extension option before the end of April. However, O'Neill has said: "It doesn't matter whether there's a month or three minutes to go. I just haven't had a chance to sit around a table with him. He's done very well and I will get round to sorting it out. But I really do need to talk to Wilfred first about it."




Who? - David Moyes - Speculation
Where is he? - Everton
Who is he linked with? - The exit door Everton manager David Moyes has moved to ease rumours of him leaving the club, saying he will discuss his future in the summer. Moyes's current deal expres in June 2009, but he has yet to negotiate new terms with chairman Bill Kenwright. However, the Scot has insisted that this is not a problem and that contract talks will be forthcoming. "We have said we will wait until the end of the season and that's when we will look at it," said Moyes. "I wouldn't think there will be a problem. In an ideal scenario, we will sort things out and I will be here for the foreseeable future. I am interested to find out what the next stage is for Everton and I want to see what that is. That will be part of the discussions when we meet. Whatever is said, I have still got a year to go and it's not as if my contract is running out tomorrow. We will have a better idea of things when we see where we finish the season, as that might dictate finance. The fans should not have any fear, as [leaving] is not in my mind. It's certainly not something I have ever considered."




Who? - New Players - Speculation
Where is he? - Anywhere
Who is he linked with? - Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes has vowed to sign some new players in the summer transfer window in a bid to keep his side developing. Rovers have struggled to find consistant form in the league this term and were knocked out of the cup competitions in the early stages. Hughes completed the signing of former AC Milan midfielder Johann Vogel this week, and the Welshman is targeting more players of similar quality in the close season. "I'm hoping to bring in other players this summer," he said. "I'm happy with Johann's acquisition and if we can get similar quality players, and players with the same pedigree, then that's got to help us, so I'm quite hopeful. I think it's important that we try to keep on progressing, and you have to do. You sometimes have to change personnel and, as I've always said, you have to try to improve the quality of your first 11 or 15 players, and that's where I'll spend the money."

[Karl]

Any word on the GUNNERS getting an 'out and out' striker or two in the mold of a Samuel Eto'o? (hopeful emoticon! - pant! pant!)

[Jangle]

Any word on the GUNNERS getting an 'out and out' striker or two in the mold of a Samuel Eto'o? (hopeful emoticon! - pant! pant!)

Unuh betta beg TH14 fe come back.

[Twan]

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is interested in signing Lyon's £17m-rated winger Hatem Ben Arfa. (Various)

senal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted he is interested in signing Lyon's France international left winger Hatem Ben Arfa.

Ben Arfa is one of the most sought-after young players in Europe after impressing for Lyon in the last few seasons.

Manchester United were linked with a move for the 21-year-old and team-mate Karim Benzema last month, while Tottenham have held a long-term interest in Ben Arfa.

The young midfielder, who is of Tunisian descent, still has two years to run on his Stade Gerland contract and Lyon are hoping to tie him down to a new long-term deal.

Wenger is a big admirer of his fellow Frenchman and admits he would be at the head of the queue if Ben Arfa became available.

"If Ben Arfa is for sale, then we are very interested," Wenger is quoted as saying in The Sun.

Meanwhile, the Gunners have also been linked with a move for Barnsley's German goalkeeper Heinz Muller.

The 29-year-old impressed earlier this season at Oakwell before suffering a serious knee injury which has ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Wenger could be in the market for a new keeper in the summer as doubts surround the future of Jens Lehmann.