Premier League - Transfer Talk: Rather tasty

Eurosport - Fri, 13 Jun 12:43:00 2008

It all makes perfect sense. Liverpool are managed by a Spaniard. David Villa scores a hat-trick for Spain. Liverpool are linked with a move for David Villa in the press.

FOOTBALL 2008 Euro 2008. Villa y Torres. - 0

This is not the first time the rather tasty Valencia forward has been linked with a move to Anfield, but the images of him hugging international team mate Fernando Torres were enough to prompt a rehash of said rumours.

Of course, his current club know nothing about it, with Los Che director Juan Sanchez saying: "He has a contract and is having a great Euro. We are calm and we hope he will continue to score many goals. You never know what will happen if we get offers. It's not a question of putting a price on him. What will come in the future will be assessed then."

In addition to bothering Valencia about Villa, and annoying Aston Villa with yet more bids for Gareth Barry, those pesky Scousers are also trying to prise midfielder James Milner - who looks like he would have made a great Victorian chimney sweep - from the clutches of Newcastle United.

The Toon could be set for a double-loss, as Arsenal are reportedly going to bid for goalkeeper Shay Given, and they might just go for it in order to reduce their wage bill. What's this, Newcastle trying to save money? Bring back the days when Albert Luque could joke that he wanted £90k a week and they just gave it to him.

They are also set to be denied in their £4.5 million bid for Birmingham's Chuckie-a-like Sebastian Larsson.

Anyway, Arsenal's transfer activity has suddenly stepped up a gear, as you would expect with Arsene Wenger out there in the Alps for Euro 2008.

However, it seems he needn't have bothered as, aside from Given, the other player set to move to the club's Legoland stadium is Barcelona's Yaya Toure.

A snip at £20 million, the midfielder would link up with his brother, Kolo, at Arsenal (like the case of David Villa, above, this is another good example of how to assemble a transfer rumour in three easy steps). Again, ignorance is pleaded from the club hierarchy as sporting director Txiki Beguiristain said: "(Manager Josep) Guardiola considers him to be an important player in his new project."

Going in the other direction, it seems, is Alexander Hleb, who will be subject of an £8 million bid from the Catalan club.

In more Iberian related news, Spurs are eyeing up the strike duo of Sergio Garcia and Diego Milito, who both went down with Real Zaragoza last season, to replace the perennially-leaving Dimitar Berbatov.

Elsewhere, Wigan boss Steve Bruce's baffling aversion to Jason Koumas could send the Welshman all the way to Hull City, Sunderland captain Dean Whitehead wants to go to Reading for some reason, Middlesbrough have almost sealed their £4 million capture of PSG midfielder Didier Digard and Bolton goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi wants to leave after first-choice Jussi Jaaskelainen signed a new contract.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 30 - 49 of 49

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  1. Valencia says Villa is for sale for 20mil before Euro started and now have come out and said he is not for sale. Who was it that was instrumental in bringing Villa to Valencia in the first place? Rafa, even though Villa with to Valencia the year after Rafa came to Anfield. And as far as this whole thing about "foreign money greedy players", they are actually benefitting the league by raising the standard. If the English players were good enough, they would push their way into the sides. It's about quality, not quantity, these teams are going for foreign players, because 1) they are cheaper than English players, I mean how can Torres be 20mil and Aston Villa want 20mil for Gareth Barry. And 2) the foreign players are brought in because the English players just aren't good enough, sure there are a few great English players, but if all of them were so good, the teams wouldn't have to go abroad to bring players in.

    From Gary M, on Wed 18 Jun 2:48AM

  2. WhErE iS MaNuChO???

    From jaza_fabregas, on Sat 14 Jun 5:12AM

  3. iF LiVeRpOOl GeT dAviD ViLlA.ThEy Will HaVe A SenSaTiOnAl sTrIkeR fOrEvEr!!!!

    From jaza_fabregas, on Sat 14 Jun 5:12AM

  4. man u won champions league playing like greece 4 years ago not (how fergie says) how the game should be played. ne1 wiv half a brain stem cud c ronaldo won them the league last 2 years on his own take him n ferg away they wont win nefin n theyll never catch liverpool on titles their only chance is wiv ferg n theres no chance they will by the time he retires n all the manks no it. who agrees?

    From dblumberg24, on Sat 14 Jun 1:46AM

  5. WHY WOULD A DECENT PLAYER WANT TO JOIN YOU GANG OF NOB HEADS YOUR SH*T!!!

    From frankbrookside, on Fri 13 Jun 11:38PM

  6. diehard or some thing look at italy lose in Euro2008 and there poor parformence look at the games liverpool hve played with any italian team, they look like they dont even know wht they a doing. now i think u a wrong to say liverpool plays boring football. u shld think first be4 u tolk, becouse foot ball is not born in italy it is born in liverpool.
    ramliverpool.

    From edrack m, on Fri 13 Jun 7:36PM

  7. 1. if villa moves he is comin 2 arsenal he loves us
    2.i love y.toure and he is rotting away at barca it will b nice 2 see him on da pitch
    3.people will say liverpool rely on da spanish if villa goes 2 lfc so i dont fink dey will buy him
    4.i do wish wenger showed an interest in villa cus i now if he puts a bid in he will accept
    5.we r linked wiv robinho??? well i wudnt mind him he is rava gud .
    6. we still got hleb???????? sum1 needs 2 tel him 2 @#$% off or stick around cus he is lyk in the middle of arsenal and milan
    7.scolari is gd 4 chelsea bt really he is bringin in 2 many new players i wudnt b surprised if dat owner guy goes bankrupt i will die of lafter

    From Aliabbas, on Fri 13 Jun 5:11PM

  8. west ham are the team thats going to shine next season..... best players best manager,
    best team in the league by far,all chelsea and arsenal fans eat our dust... champions and you will be asking who the fuc* are man utd and liverpool

    From bazzadoni1, on Fri 13 Jun 3:58PM

  9. If i have just a chance of allowing some body to live forever i will definately give this cahnce to the GREAT ROMARIO.he must live forever because he is my HERO.

    From g_smariam, on Fri 13 Jun 2:45PM

  10. If i have just a chance of allowing some body to live forever i will definately give this cahnce to the GREAT ROMARIO.he must live forever because he is my HERO.

    From g_smariam, on Fri 13 Jun 2:37PM

  11. liverpool will better next season... its true... come on liverpool... we have 18 times wins the league... 5 times champions in UEFA champions league... man united can't cut us..... liverpool never walk alone....

    From harun h, on Fri 13 Jun 1:11PM

  12. If Villa arrives to Pool, Torres and Villa would be the first choice for Rafa. I still feel that Pool should not sell Crouch rather they can sell Voronin. They also need a great left winger and Right Back to win EPL.

    From Thangadurai M, on Fri 13 Jun 12:09PM

  13. "RED" - Salford is the area in which Old Trafford is located is what "Wayne from Chester is saying"... To be fair United don't actually play in Salford but they are the nearest located Sports Club just a skip away... Ironically they did nick the "Red Devis" nickname from a Salford Rugby club although I can't remeber who it was...

    Anyways "RED" next time you wanna make someone look stupid try not to let that be yourself by spouting off at another blogger for being thick when indeed it would appear you are not the sharpest tool in the shed either...

    From ck2311, on Fri 13 Jun 8:29AM

  14. Wayne from Chester United play in Trafford not Salford you Thicko get your facts right before sprouting @#$%.

    From red, on Fri 13 Jun 12:07AM

  15. Bushy makes perfect sense you being called that because your talking out of ya ar$e!!!

    From sean850, on Thu 12 Jun 9:31PM

  16. if all the english players were great, nobody would buy foreign ones. people in other countries have better discipline and seem to care more about the game WE invented. barwick: pull up your socks

    From bushy, on Thu 12 Jun 7:11PM

  17. you should change your name to salford borough or something then see how popular you are people would probably say who are they

    From wayne g, on Thu 12 Jun 4:57PM

  18. hey bobby shut it ya red @#$% weall know there is only oe team in manchester they play in blue ya team play in salford which is only a borough of manchester and you all call ya selves true mancs ha ha ha !!!!!!!!!

    From wayne g, on Thu 12 Jun 4:47PM

  19. ya,ya ross u always going to do the tripple but liv will be in the fnals of the championsleague it will take u anough 8years to get there and i would laugh my ass of if ronaldo goes then u will win nothing:)

    From reynoldstina31, on Thu 12 Jun 3:53PM

  20. bobby u talk @#$% my friend how long did it take u to get to the finals of the champinosleague end of liverpool will get the prem soon

    From reynoldstina31, on Thu 12 Jun 3:49PM
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