Tweet
Who? - David Beckham
- SpeculationWhere is he? - LA Galaxy
Who is he linked with? - Chelsea
David Beckham may join Chelsea in the January transfer window if Carlo Ancelotti becomes new Blues boss. Ancelotti yesterday insisted he is going to stay at AC Milan, but he has recently been publicly criticised by Rossoneri owner Silvio Berlusconi. "We lost the title because of Ancelotti," he is reported to have said. "Many times we did not use the right tactics. We have so many good dribblers and should have based our football on this asset, but we did the opposite." Beckham has formed a strong friendship with Ancelotti during his loan spell at Milan and the Italian's departure may throw his future plans into doubt. He intends to move back to LA Galaxy at the end of this season and re-sign for Milan, on a permanent basis, in January. However, a source told the Sunday Mirror: "The first thing Carlo will do is try to negotiate a deal to take Beckham with him. There has been a lot of talk about various players, including Kaka, following him to Chelsea but he is confident he can sort out a deal to take Beckham on loan from LA Galaxy."
Who? - Didier Drogba
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Chelsea
Who is he linked with? - Manchester City and Inter Milan
Chelsea are targeting Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko as replacements for Didier Drogba, according to reports. The Ivory Coast striker looks set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer after infuriating Roman Abramovich with his actions after the Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona. Drogba apologised to the Blues owner for confronting referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, but with both Manchester City and Inter Milan thought to be interested a move seems likely. Chelsea will use the money earned from the sale to fund bids for Aguero or Dzeko. Aguero has been on stunning form for Atletico Madrid this season and would cost a reported 50million. Meanwhile Dzeko has also impressed for his club Wolfsburg and scored yesterday as the Germans sealed the Bundesliga title with a 5-1 victory over Werder Bremen.
Who? - Thierry Henry
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Barcelona
Who is he linked with? - Arsenal
Arsene Wenger has refused to dismiss suggestions that Thierry Henry will return to Arsenal. Henry has struggled to consistently reproduce his Gunners form at Barcelona since moving in 2007 and is often linked with a return to the Emirates. When asked if this would be possible, Wenger replied: "Of course. I hope for the club to have people of his quality. It would be difficult as a player because in 2010 he will be 33. I still talk to him. He was on the phone not long ago. Thierry does not miss one Arsenal game on TV. He even watches the reserves. He has a very strong link with this club. He had a massive influence here which also had a massive influence on his career. I believe somewhere in everybody's career one club has a stronger pull than any other. For him it would be Arsenal."
Who? - Emmanuel Adebayor
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Arsenal
Who is he linked with? - Manchester City
Manchester City have reportedly joined the race to sign Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor. It is thought the Togo international will leave the Gunners in the summer after a frustrating season, despite signing a new contract last August. AC Milan are thought to be favourites and Chelsea have also been linked. However, now Manchester City are weighing up an offer and first contacted the striker's advisors last October. According to the News of the World, they were told to come back in the summer and Wenger may be ready to deal for around 21million. A source told the paper: "City made their interest known and have no problem finding the fee or increasing his pay. It is not definite Adebayor will leave Arsenal but looks more likely than last year."
Who? - Xabi Alonso
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Liverpool
Who is he linked with? - Real Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester City and Juventus
Midfielder Xabi Alonso wants to leave Liverpool, despite Rafa Benitez insisting earlier this week that he will stay. Alonso is tipped for the exit door because Benitez is set to renew his interest in Aston Villa's Gareth Barry this summer. The Reds boss has played talk of his countryman's exit down, saying: "It is very clear. Xabi has three years left on his contract and we don't want to sell him." However, a friend has told the News of the World that Alonso is no longer happy at Anfield, despite his admiration for the club. "Xabi loves Liverpool but he doesn't feel he can stay," the source said. "He has not been happy for a long time and wants to go somewhere he feels he can enjoy his football again." Real Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester City and Juventus have been linked, with the Spaniards considered favourites.
Who? - Eljero Elia
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Twente
Who is he linked with? - Arsenal
Arsenal have joined the race to sign Dutch star Eljero Elia, according to reports. The 22-year-old striker has impressed at Steve McClaren's FC Twente this season and was recently called up to the Holland B squad. Manchester City and Everton are also thought to be interested, along with Hamburg, Ajax and PSV Eindhoven in Holland. However, the lure of a Premier League Big Four team may put the Gunners in pole position. He has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave Twente if the club receives an offer of 9.6million euros.
Who? - Danny
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Zenit St Petersburg
Who is he linked with? - Chelsea
Zenit St Petersburg midfielder Danny has claimed Chelsea are interested in signing him. The 25-year-old, who is currently out injured, only joined the Russians last summer, but has revealed that he could be on the move again this year. "I had an offer from Chelsea and the probability was very high," he told Record. "We have to wait and see what happens next. At Chelsea they know me as a player very well, but all will depend on how my operation goes. At the moment I have to recover 100 per cent." Danny broke into the Portugal national team last year and has also played for Sporting Lisbon, Maritimo and Dynamo Moscow.
Who? - Goran Pandev
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Lazio
Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur will miss out on the signing of Goran Pandev in the summer, according to reports in Italy. Harry Redknapp is thought to be considering bidding for the 25-year-old Macedonia midfielder, who has scored 51 goals in 134 league appearances for Lazio. However, Juventus have emerged as favourites to seal his signature. The Italian outfit are ready to offer 15million euros for the player as they seek to strengthen for next season. This is below Lazio's rumoured 20million asking price though, so Spurs still have hope of landing him. Pandev played for FK Belasica and Inter Milan before signing for Lazio in 2004.
Who? - Cristiano Ronaldo
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Manchester United
Who is he linked with? - Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo will move to Real Madrid in a deal understood to be worth around 70million, according to reports. The winger believes he has achieved all he can at Manchester United, having won three Premier League titles and got to two Champions League finals. Real failed to sign him last summer, but it is understood prospective new president Florentino Perez has made the Portugal international his top transfer target. And, if an offer is made, Ronaldo will accept, according to a source in The Sun newspaper: "He looks to have made up his mind again. He is not saying it publicly with such a big game coming up next week in the Champions League final. But in his mind that will be his last. The fact Real trailed Barcelona in La Liga this season only makes the challenge more exciting for him."
Who? - Daniel Sturridge
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Manchester City
Who is he linked with? - Blackburn, Chelsea and Aston Villa
Daniel Sturridge looks set to leave Manchester City this summer as negotiations over a new contract have stalled. The 19-year-old's current deal ends in the summer and it is understood Blackburn, Chelsea and Aston Villa are interested in signing him. Manager Mark Hughes has explained: "We put in another offer but that was declined so we won't be going back. We've not got much headroom to negotiate and I'm disappointed." Sturridge has been at City since 2003 and has represented England at under-17, 19 and 20 levels.
Who? - Joleon Lescott
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Everton
Who is he linked with? - Manchester City
Manchester City will make a move for Joleon Lescott in the summer, according to reports. Mark Hughes tried to sign the Everton defender in January, but the deal broke down and the 26-year-old stayed at Goodison Park. David Moyes will do all he can to keep hold of the player, who has formed a formidable central defensive partnership with Phil Jagielka this season. However, City have the funds to tempt him away and will reportedly offer around 10million. Lescott started his career at Wolves in 1999, before signing for Everton in 2006. He has represented England on six occasions, earning his first cap in October 2007 against Estonia.
Who? - Jermaine Pennant
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Liverpool
Who is he linked with? - Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic manager Steve Bruce has identified Jermaine Pennant as a possible replacement for Luis Antonio Valencia, who looks set to leave the club this summer. Bruce has admitted that he is resigned to losing the Ecuador international, with Real Madrid and Manchester United both reported to be interested. Pennant is thought to be his preferred replacement, and Bruce worked with him between 2005 and 2006 while managing Birmingham. The 26-year-old is currently on loan at Portsmouth from Liverpool, but it is thought the Fratton Park outfit will not make the stay permanent. It is unlikely too that Rafa Benitez will offer him a place at Anfield, with a summer of high-profile arrivals anticipated. Bruce said: "If the inevitable happens with Valencia then I need to be looking in that area. He did particularly well for me. He's someone we are interested in."
Who? - Joao Alves Jo
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Manchester City
Who is he linked with? - Everton
Everton manager David Moyes is resigned to the fact that he will lose striker Jo in the summer. The Brazil international has been on fantastic form during his time on loan at Goodison Park, scoring five goals in 13 games. The deal comes to an end in the summer, and Moyes does not believe he will be able to offer parent club Manchester City enough money to make it permanent. "I don't see where we could even come close to getting the money they spent on him," he told the club's official website. "But a loan has not been put to us or spoken about at all yet. It's something that, at the moment, we've not had any indication that they would have interest in. Obviously that means he will go back to Manchester City."
Who? - Ezequiel Lavezzi
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Napoli
Who is he linked with? - Liverpool
The agent of Liverpool target Ezequiel Lavezzi has revealed that the player's club Napoli have rejected a bid from an unnamed club. Eduardo Rosseto has said that the Italians received an offer of around 20 million euros for the striker, but refused it. "Napoli own the player, and they have the last word," Rosseto told La Gazzetta Dello Sport. "I can confirm that an important offer exceeding 20million euros was made, but [chairman Aurelio] De Laurentiis did not consider it sufficient. Will he stay? That depends on Napoli. It's like owning a car. If it's just an average motor then you don't have to spend much on maintenance. But, if it's a high spec type, then it will cost you more. Without going into too much detail, Lavezzi's wages would be tripled."
Who? - Miguel Veloso
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Sporting Clube de Portugal
Who is he linked with? - Everton
Sporting Lisbon have claimed that Miguel Veloso, the Portuguese international midfielder who has been frequently linked with a move to several Premier League clubs, is not for sale. Veloso has had issues with Sporting boss Paulo Bento this season, and reports had suggested that he had been transfer-listed by the club. However, his agent has denied that the 23-year-old player is up for sale. "That is not true, Sporting do not work that way, and the club will soon have presidential elections and no-one knows who will win," Paulo Barbosa said. "The player has a contract with the club, what could happen is that if interesting offers for both the club and the player are made, then they will be studied." Veloso has been a target of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Everton in the past, and is certain to be of interest to a number of top flight English clubs again this summer.
Who? - Emmanuel Adebayor
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Arsenal
Who is he linked with? - Chelsea and Internazionale
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has denied that he will be looking to cash in on troubled striker Emmanuel Adebayor this summer. Reports had suggested that the Togolese striker would be sold to raise cash for improving the squad at the Emirates, with Chelsea and Internazionale believed to be interested. However, Wenger insisted that he had no such plans: "My gut feeling is he will be here. At the moment his future is at the club. He has a long contract and we want to keep him at the club. I am hopeful I will be able to keep him." Of his own future, he said: "I do not want to talk about that because that is endless, and I am used to it. I believe I have faced that for a long time. When you are in a job for a long time, as soon as you have a blip, people are not happy. Through my whole stay here I have had contacts with other clubs, but nothing ever comes out from my side. I cannot master what people say or what is written in the newspapers. I believe nobody can question my commitment and I have always shown my commitment to this club. I cannot deny every noise or contact I have. My commitment is as ever and if one day it changes I will inform you."
Who? - John Carew
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Aston Villa
Who is he linked with? - Manchester City
Manchester City have reportedly targeted Aston Villa's Norwegian striker John Carew as Mark Hughes looks to add fresh faces to his squad this summer. Carew's form in the first half of the season was a major factor in Villa's rise into the top four, but he could be tempted to leave after their collapse in recent months. Martin O'Neill would be reluctant to lose one of his key players, but is reported to be looking at both Roque Santa Cruz (a former City target) and West Ham's Dean Ashton as potential replacements. O'Neill has also admitted that he might be willing to let Gareth Barry leave Villa Park if a good offer came in for him this summer. "We would like him to stay but we understand that he's been at the club for 11 years," he said. "If someone came in with the offer of the Champions League, then that's something that we would look at."
Who? - Kaka
- SpeculationWhere is he? - AC Milan
Who is he linked with? - Chelsea, Manchester City
Brazilian superstar Kaka has denied that he will follow manager Carlo Ancelotti out of AC Milan this summer. Ancelotti is widely expected to leave the San Siro to join Chelsea at the end of the season, but Kaka insists that he won't follow. As well as joining Ancelotti at Stamford Bridge, Kaka has also been linked with a move to Real Madrid or Manchester City, who tried to sign him in January. "I am tied to the club, and of course, to the coach," Kaka said. "But I have a contract through 2013 with Milan and not with Carlo Ancelotti. Right now my contract speaks clearly and with regards to any transfer news related to me it will be the club that speaks. Manchester City's offer in January was real. But if in the future the club decides to evaluate other offers for me, it will be the club to announce it. If now they don't say anything it must be that there are no offers. I am happy here. In the future many things can happen, but it's difficult to imagine myself far from Milan. As I have said many times, until Milan and I have the same aims, there will be no problems."
Who? - Maicon
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Internazionale
Who is he linked with? - Chelsea
Chelsea target Maicon has insisted that he has no intention of leaving Internazionale this summer, despite reports linking him with a move to Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian full-back has been a key figure in Jose Mourinho's side this season, despite injury problems, as they have swept to the Serie A title, and had been rumoured to be on Chelsea's shopping list. However, he claimed: "I'm ready to restart with Inter over the summer," he said. "There is a 100 per cent chance that I will stay here. Many players are attracted by the Premier League and La Liga, but I like Serie A. I am happy here because this club has allowed me to prove my worth domestically and in Europe. It is thanks to Inter that I have regained my place in the national side."
Who? - Guillaume Hoarau
- SpeculationWhere is he? - Paris St Germain
Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton
A number of Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton, are being linked with in-form French striker Guillaume Hoarau this summer. Hoarau has scored 17 goals in 32 games for Paris Saint Germain in Ligue 1 after arriving from Le Havre for just 500,000 last summer. As well as being compared to Lyon star Karim Benzema, he has also been labelled the 'Signing of the Century' by former PSG president Alain Cayzac. He was called into the French squad for the first time earlier this year and is expected to be a target for many European clubs, particularly with PSG losing boss Paul le Guen at the end of the campaign. Spurs, Everton and Aston Villa are amongst the Premier League sides believed to be paying close attention to his situation.
Comment