Chelsea transfer news

Chelsea Transfer News: Lucas Piazon Heads To Frankfurt

July 24th, 2014 Ted_Ashton


Chelsea midfielder Lucas Piazon has signed for Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt on a season-long loan.

The 20-year-old moves to the German club for a third loan spell away from Stamford Bridge since he joined Chelsea from Sao Paulo in his homeland.

“We are glad that we were able to reach an agreement after lengthy but very fair negotiations with Chelsea and that Piazon will strengthen us in the coming season.

“The left-winger is used variably, he can just play on the right and he can be used as an attacking midfielder.”

Piazon joined Chelsea in 2011 and spent his first season in the Blues’ youth ranks. He has just one Premier League appearances and two appearances in the League Cup to his name.

He spent the second half of the 2012-13 season with La Liga outfit Malaga where he made 11 appearances in La Liga, one in the Copa del Rey and also played in two Champions League games.

He then spent the whole of last season in Holland with Vitesse Arnhem where he scored 11 goals in 24 starts and five appearances off the bench in the Eredivisie. He averaged a goal for every 190 minutes playing time.


Douglas Costa Arsenal transfer

Arsenal Transfer News: Competition For Douglas Costa

July 24th, 2014 Bill_Kendal


Hefty fee for Brazilian

Douglas Costa is an Arsenal transfer target, but reports from Italy suggest the Brazilian won’t come cheaply and they face competition from at least two other clubs.

Costa is one of six players refusing to return to Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk due to the worsening political situation in the eastern part of the country, particularly in the Donetsk area.

Arsenal are one of the club being linked with a loan move. However, their north London rivals Tottenham are also being linked, while reports from Italy claim AC Milan are also keen on a deal.

Milan have the advantage of being familiar with Costa’s representative, Kia Joorabchian, a man the Serie A club’s chief Adriano Galliani is familiar with.

However, while the current talk is over a loan move, any permanent transfer for Costa is likely to cost somewhere in the region of at least €26million (£20.6million).

One potential solution is for Shakhtar to play their home games elsewhere. Chief executive Sergei Palkin confirmed on Wednesday that the club will shift their headquarters to Kiev and will play home games in Lviv, close to the Polish border and some 600 miles away from their home ground.

The Lviv Arena hosted matches at the Uefa 2012 tournament. It also hosted the Ukrainian Super Cup clash between Shakhtar and Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.

Costa called for ” risk-free working conditions” in order to remain with Shakhtar. Lifting the club to another, more secure, part of the country may fulfil that criterion.

The 24-year-old Costa has been with Shakhtar since a €6million move from Brazilian side Gremio in January 2010. He has been consistently linked with interest from the Premier League and after being spotted at a Manchester United game in 2011 he was linked with a move to Old Trafford.

However, Shakhtar’s asking price has always been prohibitive and Costa’s contract with the club runs to 2018.

See also: more Arsenal transfer news featuring Joel Campbell and Sami Khedira.


Javier Manquillo Liverpool transfer

Liverpool Transfer News: Bertrand, Moreno, Manquillo

July 24th, 2014 Ted_Ashton


Bertrand In New Liverpool Transfer Link

Chelsea full-back Ryan Bertrand has been linked with a Liverpool transfer over the course of this summer and reports today suggest the deal has been revived.

The Liverpool Echo claims the Reds have turned to Bertrand after giving up in their attempts to sign Alberto Moreno from Sevilla and Ben Davies from Swansea.

Chelsea reportedly rejected an initial Liverpool bid of £6million for Bertrand but the west London side are dragging their heels over the sale of the full-back to a club they expect to be one of their rivals at the top end of the Premier League.

Reports last weekend suggested Liverpool would return with an improved bid, but even with the Reds meeting Bertrand’s £8million price tag Chelsea are refusing to sell. Tottenham are also said to be interested.

Bertrand spent part of last season on loan at Aston Villa where he made 16 Premier League appearances. He knows Brendan Rodgers well having worked with the Liverpool boss when Rodgers was part of Chelsea’s coaching set-up. He later took Bertrand on loan when he was manager of Reading.

Alberto Moreno’s Liverpool transfer has turned out to be one of the sagas of the summer. The fact that he played in Sevilla’s friendly with Lyon this week suggests he won’t be on his way out of the La Liga side at any time in the near future.

Ben Davies of Swansea was also on the Liverpool transfer wishlist but he has now completed a move to Tottenham.

Atletico Madrid right-back Javier Manquillo (pictured) is expected to complete his Liverpool transfer later this week. The 20-year-old Spaniard will move to Anfield on a two-year loan with the option to purchase for £4.7million in 2016.

Liverpool were linked with Manquillo in January but despite agreeing a deal with Atletico, Manquillo elected to stay with the Spanish club rather than move on in the middle of a season.

Atletico have a right to recall the player as long as they are in the Champions League.

Loic Remy and Divock Origi are expected to be confirmed as new Liverpool signings. More Liverpool transfer news here.


Andy Carroll West Ham United

West Ham United News: Fears for Four-Month Carroll Lay-Off

July 24th, 2014 Mike_Penwortham


There are fears that West Ham United striker Andy Carroll could be out of action for up to four months with an ankle injury. The 25-year-old has already been ruled out of the Hammers’ two friendlies in New Zealand and there are reports that the injury could cause him to miss the early part of the season as well.

Carroll was withdrawn from the Hammers’ 2-1 defeat to Wellington on Wednesday after complaining of soreness around the ankle during a training session.

“After assessment by the club’s medical experts, it was decided to let the England international rest for both remaining games and receive intensive treatment to ensure he is fit for the start of the season,” a club statement said.

The Hammers are currently stressing that the injury is not the same as that which saw him miss half of the 2013-14 season. Carroll ended up making just 16 appearances for the Hammers last term following his £16million move from Liverpool.

However, the Daily Mirror speculates that while the ankle could just be a twisted ankle, which would rule him out for two to four weeks, it may be something more serious that means he is sidelined for up to four months.

New signing Mauro Zarate was on target for the Hammers in their 2-1 defeat to Wellington. The side wrap their short visit when they take on A-League side Sydney FC in Wellington on Saturday.


Premier League transfer news

Premier League Transfer News Thursday 24 July

July 24th, 2014 Leonard_Mountfield


Manchester United’s bid to sign Wolfsburg full-back Ricardo Rodriguez was scuppered by the chief executive of the German side’s owner, Volkswagen. Manchester United striker Bebe suggests he is about to leave the club – or was he misunderstood?

Click here for more details.

Arsenal striker Joel Campbell is wanted by both Sunderland and AC Milan. Meanwhile, Lukas Podolski has urged his Germany international team-mate Sami Khedira to move to the club.

Click here for more details.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas is once again being linked with a move to Arsenal.

Click here for more details.

Liverpool are being linked with a possible £42m bid for Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, at least according to a Chilean newspaper.

Click here for more details.

Meanwhile, Sunderland boss Gus Poyet hopes to push through his £14m permanent move for Liverpool striker Fabio Borini despite the Italian stating he wants to fight for his place at Anfield. Liverpool could also revive an £8m move for Chelsea defender Ryan Bertrand and look set to complete the signing of Atletico Madrid full-back Javier Manquillo.

Newcastle United are close to a deal for Juventus full-back Mauricio Isla.

Click here for more details.

Tottenham Hotspur are being linked with a move for Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar in a deal that would see cash plus Lewis Holtby and Michael Dawson head to Villa Park.

Spurs are keen on Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin – though they face competition from Arsenal. But the Saints are being linked with a replacement in the shape of Jordy Clasie, of boss Ronald Koeman’s old club Feyenoord, as well as a renewed bid for Celtic keeper Fraser Forster.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho intends to keep goalkeeper Petr Cech even if Thibaut Courtois is first-choice keeper at the club next season.

Former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o is being linked with QPR. The Cameroon international has been linked with Italian sides Roma and, more recently, Juventus. Even so, Eto’o’s agent is said to be flying to London to talk about a deal. The Rs have had a £5m bid for Leroy Fer rejected by Norwich City.

West Ham are ready to offload midfielder Ravel Morrison. The former Manchester United starlet has refused to have a necessary groin operation because he is frightened about being cut.

Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell has had a medical ahead of a £600,000 move to Crystal Palace. The Eagles are also being linked with Marseille midfielder Morgan Amalfitano, who spent last season with West Brom.

Galatasaray will try to scupper Inter Milan’s move for Cardiff midfielder Gary Medel with an £8m bid of their own.

Curtis Davies won’t be allowed to leave Hull City this summer.

West Bromwich are being linked with the Costa Rican duo of Cristian Gamboa and Yeltsin Tejeda.


Arturo Vidal Liverpool transfer

Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours Thursday 24 July

July 24th, 2014 Kenny_Gibson


Vidal In Liverpool Transfer Link

Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal is the latest player to be linked with a Liverpool transfer.

The Chile international is being linked with a move to Anfield after El Mercurio newspaper in his homeland suggested the 27-year-old could be the subject of a bid worth £42.5million.

Vidal has been linked for much of the summer with interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid. The Spanish club have spent over €100million on the signings of Toni Kroos from Bayern Munich and James Rodriguez from Monaco. That rules them out of another multi-million pound bid.

United have been linked with a possible £34million bid, but Juventus insisted last week that Vidal is not for sale – and never has been. That flies in the face of reports from earlier in the summer which claimed they were keen to offload either Vidal or France international Paul Pogba in order to fund their own squad-building for the summer.

El Mercurio has been linked with a number of stories surrounding Vidal and has been used by the player for his own pronouncements over his future, none of which amount to much more than a lack of knowledge.

Reds To Reveal Duo

Meanwhile, Liverpool expect to unveil another £18million or so of new signings. Strikers Loic Remy and Divock Origi travelled to Boston for medicals earlier this week and are expected to be announced as Liverpool players later today.

Remy moves from QPR after Liverpool agreed to pay his £8.5million release fee. Remy spent last season on loan at Newcastle United after QPR’s relegation to the Championship. He scored 14 Premier League goals for the Toon but the structure of his release clause meant Newcastle would have had to pay £15million to secure his permanent signing.

There were doubts at one stage that a Liverpool transfer would go through after Remy reportedly demanded over £80,000 a week in wages. That has now been resolved and a Liverpool deal will be confirmed at the team’s Harvard training camp later today.

Origi moves from French side Lille. A Liverpool transfer has finally been agreed after he was first linked with a move to Anfield last month.

Liverpool will pay around £10million for the 19-year-old, who starred for Belgium in the World Cup. However, Origi will spend next season on loan at Lille before linking up with his Anfield team-mates next summer.


Ricardo Rodriguez Manchester United transfer

Manchester United Transfer News Thursday 24 July

July 24th, 2014 Brian Harwood


VW Boss Scuppers Manchester United Transfer

Manchester United transfer target Ricardo Rodriguez is staying with German side Wolfsburg after the head of Wolfsburg’s owners, the car manufacturer Volkswagen, put the block on any sale.

The Switzerland international full-back was scouted for Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal by former Wolfsburg assistant coach Andreas Jonker.

Reports from Germany suggested a Manchester United transfer had been lodged and Rodriguez has admitted he was the subject of some interest.

“Yes, there have been offers,” he told German newspaper Bild, but it seems Wolfsburg rejected all bids after VW boss Martin Winterkorn personally intervened to block the sale.

“If they say ‘No’, then it’s just ‘No’ – I agree with the decision,” Rodriguez added.

“I have a two-year contract. I am looking forward to the new season.”

When asked if he thought he would still be with Wolfsburg next season he responded: “Yes, I can say. I am calm. I am doing my best and I want to help the team. The Bundesliga is awesome.”

Wolfsburg are owned by car giant Volkswagen whose huge plant dominates the German town.

Vidal for Anfield?

The Manchester United transfer saga surrounding Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal could take a turn with reports that Liverpool could come in with a bid.

Chilean newspaper El Mercurio claims Liverpool could make a bid of €50million (£42.5million) for the Chile international who has been on United’s radar for much of the summer.

Vidal’s future is up in the air with Juventus claiming that he is not for sale despite reports throughout the summer linking him with an exit from the Serie A club.

Bebe Leaving

Manchester United striker Bebe appears to have told fans that he is leaving the club, but there is some confusion over his comments.

Bebe played 45 minutes of a reserve team friendly against Southport on Tuesday and photographed with some United fans after the match. He was asked by the supporters whether he would be staying with the club and he said: “I go. I go”. But Bebe’s English isn’t particularly good and it isn’t known if he was referring to the question or he just wanted to get back to the dressing room. The Daily Mail suggests it’s the latter.

Both could be true. Bebe isn’t on the United tour of the USA and rumours suggest he could be on his way out of the club. He spent last season on loan at Portugese side Pacos de Ferreira and is being linked with interest from Benfica.


Joel Campbell Arsenal transfer

Arsenal Transfer News and Rumours Thursday 24 July

July 24th, 2014 Bill_Kendal


Campbell Set for Arsenal Transfer Exit?

Three years after his Arsenal transfer Joel Campbell is hoping to be in Arsene Wenger’s reckoning this season. However, AC Milan and Sunderland have both made enquiries about the Arsenal striker.

According to Sky Italia, contact has been made between Milan and Arsenal over the 22-year-old Costa Rica international after he put in a series of assured performances at the World Cup.

Meanwhile, Sunderland have made an enquiry after seeing Fabio Borini reject the chance of a permanent move to the Stadium Of Light.

Campbell spent last season on loan at Olympiacos and the previous two seasons at French side Lorient (2011-12) and La Liga outfit Real Betis (2012-13). However, those loans were necessitated by problems over Campbell’s work permit. Those issues have now been resolved and he sees his future very much as an Arsenal player.

The Gunners have signed Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona this summer and that signing, along with Campbell’s integration into the side, have led Arsene Wenger to decide he doesn’t need to add another striker this summer. That thinking ought to be enough for the Arsenal boss to reject any move for Campbell.

Khedira Arsenal Transfer Interest Ended?

Arsenal could be ready to give up their search for a deep-lying midfielder and give the job to Jack Wilshere.

The Gunners have been linked with Sami Khedira and Lars Bender, but Khedira wants too much money while Bayer Leverkusen aren’t keen on parting with Bender.

The Daily Mirror speculates that unless something crops up between now and the start of the season Arsene Wenger will play Jack Wilshere in that position. The role was filled last season by Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Flamini.

Meanwhile, striker Lukas Podolski says he has urged Khedira to make the move with an Arsenal transfer.

Khedira has told Real Madrid that he wants to leave the club, but after Arsenal agreed a fee of around £24million with the European champions Khedira told Arsene Wenger that his wage demands amounted to £150,000 a week.

Talks are on hold but Podolski claims Khedira could still make the move as he didn’t need much persuading to consider an Arsenal transfer.

“Sami knows how much fun he could have with me, Mesut and Per at Arsenal,” Podolski told German newspaper Bild.

“We had a great time together at the World Cup and everyone would be happy if he comes and joins us in London.”

Eisfeld Goes

Meanwhile, Arsenal youngster Thomas Eisfeld has joined Championship side Fulham on a permanent deal. The 22-year-old joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund’s academy in January 2012 but failed to make a breakthrough into the Gunners first team and has moved across London to Craven Cottage.

Eisfeld made just two League Cup appearances during his time at Arsenal.


Iker Casillas Real Madrid transfer news

Real Madrid Transfer News Wednesday 23 July

July 23rd, 2014 Des Nogalski


Casillas In Transfer Rumour

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas is being linked once again with interest from Premier League side Arsenal.

The Madrid newspaper El Confidencial claims the Gunners are keen to bring the Spain World Cup captain but the deal is dependent on Casillas moving to the London club on a free transfer.

Real expect to announce the signing of Costa Rican keeper Keylor Navas in a €10million (£7.9million; $13.5million) deal – €8million to his current club Levante and €2million to Navas himself as a signing-on fee. He will also receive a ten-fold pay-rise from the €250,000 a year he earns with Levante to €2.5million a year with Real Madrid.

But they also have Diego Lopez, who played in all but two of Real’s La Liga matches last season with Casillas as first-choice in the Copa del Rey and Champions League. Three into two doesn’t go so Navas’s arrival is likely to lead to an exit for one of the other stoppers.

Up to now it had been thought that Lopez would be the one to make way. He was offered to Monaco as part of the deal to bring James Rodriguez to the Bernabeu, but despite interesting the French side earlier this year prior to their ultimately abortive signing of Victor Valdes, he refused to move to the French Riviera and says he wants to fight for his place in the side.

That leaves Casillas and a possible Real Madrid transfer exit. He said last year that a move to the Premier League interests him. Arsenal were linked at the time as Poland international Lukasz Fabianski had already told manager Arsene Wenger he was leaving when his contract expired this summer. But another Poland international – and current Arsenal number 1 keeper – Wojciech Szczezny signed a new deal with the club at the end of 2013.

Casillas earns €9million (£7.1million; $12.1million) a year. Szczesny earns less but is still on a hefty wage. Arsenal have the choice of bringing in the Spaniard and having a highly-paid substitute goalkeeper – whoever is number 1 choice – or they can take the cheaper option with David Ospina, Nice’s Colombia World Cup keeper who will cost them €4million (£3.2million; $5.4million). In that case Real, Casillas, Lopez – and even Navas – are all back to square one.

Real Madrid Transfer For Youngster

Abner has completed a Real Madrid transfer. The club have signed the 18-year-old Brazilian left-back – full name Felipe Souza de Almeida – who left Coritiba in his homeland earlier this summer.

Abner was in the Brazil squad for the Under-17 World Cup last summer. However, a cruciate knee injury ended his competition prematurely and scuppered a move to Serie A side Roma.

Now, Real Madrid have picked him up and he is expected to play for the club’s second team, RM Castilla this season.


xherdan shaqiri Liverpool transfer

Liverpool Transfer Target Shaqiri Guarded Over Future

July 23rd, 2014 Kenny_Gibson


Liverpool transfer target Xherdan Shaqiri is interesting both Juventus and Monaco. However, the Swiss international says his future is very much up in the air.

The Reds were linked with Shaqiri last month after he cast doubts on his future with Bayern Munich after seeing his game time drop. Shaqiri had a good World Cup with Switzerland with the result that the 22-year-old has a queue of suitors, but he told Italian newspaper Tuttosport that he has a number of options open to him and refuses to rule out a move away from Bayern.

“I’m on vacation and do not know yet what will happen. My brother is concerned with my future. The only thing I am certain is that I have a contract with Bayern Monaco until 2016. I’ll see shortly.

“Juventus? I do not know if there have been any contacts with the Bianconeri and I am not even aware of Liverpool and Monaco.

“Juve could definitely be a good option, and the same goes for Liverpool and Monaco. Juventus are a great club. Who would not like to play for them?

“I am a Bayern player but I would not see Juventus as a backward step for my career.”


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