JUST 48 hours after the announcement that Santi Cazorla has signed for Arsenal comes news that Alex Song is on his way out of the Emirates. According to Spanish rag Sport, the Cameroon midfielder "has reached an agreement" with Barcelona.
Rumours first emerged last month linking the 24-year-old Song to the Spanish giants and now it's being suggested they've got their man.
Initially Barca had been after Athletic Bilbao's Javi Martinez, but when they failed in their bid new boss Tito Vilanova cast his gaze upon Song. Sport reports that the Catalan club have agreed personal terms with Song but have yet to make a make a formal offer to the Gunners.
Sky Sports reports that Barcelona are confident they've sealed the deal, with midfielder Andres Iniesta quoted as saying: "If he comes here it's because he has the ability to play here… we'll welcome him the best we can."
However, every cloud has a silver lining, and Song's departure could present Arsenal with an opportunity to draft in a replacement for wantaway striker Robin Van Persie. Once again it is the ever-reliable reporting team at Sport that has come up with the goods, and they claim that when Barcelona do make an offer for Song, out of favour Crisitian Tello will be included in the deal.
The 20-year-old has been targeted by Arsene Wenger in the past and his time at the Camp Nou appears to be over after he was not awarded a shirt number for the upcoming season.
And that neatly brings us to the vexed question of Robin van Persie. He failed to sign for United last night as predicted by the Manchester Evening News, so who knows what will happen now. The Mirror says the Arsenal striker, currently at the Gunners' pre-season training camp in Germany, has turned down the approaches of both Juventus and Manchester City. That leaves just Manchester United and though Alex Ferguson confirmed on Wednesday that he's tabled an offer there's still a long way to go.
"We have made a bid and they've been trying to negotiate with other clubs," said Ferguson after United's friendly against Barcelona. "We're not getting any breakthrough with Arsenal. It's difficult to say why they're operating this way."
The Mirror says the sticking point is money with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger demanding £25m for van Persie if he's to sell to the Gunners' hated rival. Asked what he thought of the price tag, Ferguson raged: "Unbelievable."
Goal.com claims that Manchester City have agreed terms with Swansea winger Scott Sinclair and will jettison Adam Johnson in order to make room for the Team GB star. It's alleged that City boss Roberto has become "frustrated" with Johnson's inconsistency and now believes he's wrung all he can from the England wideman. Instead he will bring in the 23-year-old Sinclair and City will soon be meeting Swansea's £5m asking price
Sinclair had been on the radars of several Premier League clubs following a solid season for the Swans last year, and with only one year remaining on his contract the Welsh outfit want to cash in their chips rather than risk seeing him leave on a free transfer next summer.
Johnson's destination is anyone's guess but goal.com speculates that he might be a target for Liverpool who are in need of a winger "following the departures of Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez".
Still with City and might the Premier League champs make a move for Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente? The Metro claims the 27-year-old has turned up his nose a chance to sign a contract extension with the Spanish club and the news "has alerted both Manchester City and Chelsea". Apparently it all boils down to wonga, with Bilbao offering to bump up Llorente's weekly wages from £40,000-a-week to £60,000-a-week. That's not enough, says the Metro, with the player demanding £80k.
Bilbao are said to be "upset" at the demand and will consider offers as they don't wish to see him walk out on a free transfer when his contract expires next June.
Teodoro Fonsecahe, the agent of Porto striker Hulk, has reopened the rumour mill concerning his client. The Brazilian frontman has been on the brink of leaving the Portuguese side for months. He's still there, though according to Fonsecahe it might not be for long. "Right now everything has a question mark," the agent told Portuguese paper A Bola."
Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain are believed to be monitoring Hulk as he stars for Brazil in the London Olympics. Asked if his client would relish a move to the Bridge, Fonsecahe replied: "Who would not want to play for Chelsea?" ·
Read more: http://www.theweek.co.uk/football/pr...#ixzz23S9c7jm2
Rumours first emerged last month linking the 24-year-old Song to the Spanish giants and now it's being suggested they've got their man.
Initially Barca had been after Athletic Bilbao's Javi Martinez, but when they failed in their bid new boss Tito Vilanova cast his gaze upon Song. Sport reports that the Catalan club have agreed personal terms with Song but have yet to make a make a formal offer to the Gunners.
Sky Sports reports that Barcelona are confident they've sealed the deal, with midfielder Andres Iniesta quoted as saying: "If he comes here it's because he has the ability to play here… we'll welcome him the best we can."
However, every cloud has a silver lining, and Song's departure could present Arsenal with an opportunity to draft in a replacement for wantaway striker Robin Van Persie. Once again it is the ever-reliable reporting team at Sport that has come up with the goods, and they claim that when Barcelona do make an offer for Song, out of favour Crisitian Tello will be included in the deal.
The 20-year-old has been targeted by Arsene Wenger in the past and his time at the Camp Nou appears to be over after he was not awarded a shirt number for the upcoming season.
And that neatly brings us to the vexed question of Robin van Persie. He failed to sign for United last night as predicted by the Manchester Evening News, so who knows what will happen now. The Mirror says the Arsenal striker, currently at the Gunners' pre-season training camp in Germany, has turned down the approaches of both Juventus and Manchester City. That leaves just Manchester United and though Alex Ferguson confirmed on Wednesday that he's tabled an offer there's still a long way to go.
"We have made a bid and they've been trying to negotiate with other clubs," said Ferguson after United's friendly against Barcelona. "We're not getting any breakthrough with Arsenal. It's difficult to say why they're operating this way."
The Mirror says the sticking point is money with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger demanding £25m for van Persie if he's to sell to the Gunners' hated rival. Asked what he thought of the price tag, Ferguson raged: "Unbelievable."
Goal.com claims that Manchester City have agreed terms with Swansea winger Scott Sinclair and will jettison Adam Johnson in order to make room for the Team GB star. It's alleged that City boss Roberto has become "frustrated" with Johnson's inconsistency and now believes he's wrung all he can from the England wideman. Instead he will bring in the 23-year-old Sinclair and City will soon be meeting Swansea's £5m asking price
Sinclair had been on the radars of several Premier League clubs following a solid season for the Swans last year, and with only one year remaining on his contract the Welsh outfit want to cash in their chips rather than risk seeing him leave on a free transfer next summer.
Johnson's destination is anyone's guess but goal.com speculates that he might be a target for Liverpool who are in need of a winger "following the departures of Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez".
Still with City and might the Premier League champs make a move for Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente? The Metro claims the 27-year-old has turned up his nose a chance to sign a contract extension with the Spanish club and the news "has alerted both Manchester City and Chelsea". Apparently it all boils down to wonga, with Bilbao offering to bump up Llorente's weekly wages from £40,000-a-week to £60,000-a-week. That's not enough, says the Metro, with the player demanding £80k.
Bilbao are said to be "upset" at the demand and will consider offers as they don't wish to see him walk out on a free transfer when his contract expires next June.
Teodoro Fonsecahe, the agent of Porto striker Hulk, has reopened the rumour mill concerning his client. The Brazilian frontman has been on the brink of leaving the Portuguese side for months. He's still there, though according to Fonsecahe it might not be for long. "Right now everything has a question mark," the agent told Portuguese paper A Bola."
Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain are believed to be monitoring Hulk as he stars for Brazil in the London Olympics. Asked if his client would relish a move to the Bridge, Fonsecahe replied: "Who would not want to play for Chelsea?" ·
Read more: http://www.theweek.co.uk/football/pr...#ixzz23S9c7jm2
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