Premier League - Transfer Talk: All business

Eurosport - Sun, 20 Jul 12:15:00 2008

It may be the weekend, but Transfer Talk has no time to mess around this afternoon.

FOOTBALL Xabi Alonso Liverpool PSV - 0

It has to return some books to the library, attend a christening, pop in at the neighbours' BBQ and make it to Homebase before closing time to pick up a set of liberty ring door knobs with ceramic crackle finish, so let's get down to business.

We start with news that Inter will turn to Liverpool's Xabi Alonso should they miss out on Frank Lampard, according to reports in Italy.

Alonso had been strongly linked with a summer move to Juventus before the Serie A giants ended their interest in the Spanish schemer.

Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is hoping to sign a new deal with the German champions.

The Germany international's contract at the Allianz Arena expires at the end of next season and he wants to put an end to speculation over his future, which has included moves to several Premier League clubs, although that has quietened down since Germany were taught a lesson by Spain in the Euro 2008 final.

Bolton Wanderers are refusing to lower the price tag they have placed on out-of-favour defender Abdoulaye Meite.

The Ivory Coast international has attracted interest from Premier League new boys Hull City, but the Tigers have yet to match the Trotters' valuation.

It is thought that Gary Megson is holding out for a fee in the region of £2million for the player, despite the 27-year-old having no future at the Reebok Stadium following a bust-up with the manager in March.

Hull boss Phil Brown admits that the Tigers are struggling to strike a deal as they look to get their man.

"It's chairman to chairman and we are still talking," Brown told the Hull Daily Mail.

"It's interesting as we go along, either Bolton will have to play ball or they won't play ball. At this stage, it's in their court."

Cologne general manager Michael Meier insists the club's dream of bringing in Lukas Podolski "lives on", which is bad news for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Bayern Munich striker has been strongly linked with a return to his former club this summer after becoming unhappy at his lack of first-team opportunities with the German champions.

Sunderland may be on the verge of signing Pascal Chimbonda , but their hopes of pulling off an admittedly ambitious quadruple swoop for the aforementioned full-back, midfielders Steed Malbranque and Teemu Tainio and centre-back Younes Kaboul have been scuppered by the latter saying he would not join the Black Cats: "even if there was an earthquake", whatever that means.

Elsewhere, Middlesbrough have received an undisclosed bid from Wigan Athletic - who are also after Egypt striker Amr Zaki - for midfielder Lee Cattermole, Martin O'Neill will breathe a huge sigh of relief once Hull City take Marlon Harewood off his hands, and West Ham are closing in on £5 million-rated Swiss midfielder Valon Behrami.

Sporting Life / Eurosport

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  1. to derna : how typical a whining arse anal fan man u are just better
    ps:anderson is 100 times better than nasri ,diaby and merida put together so shut your @#$% trap you @#$%

    From opowicz, on Sun 20 Jul 3:10PM
  2. Mis.lieberman23, I don't know if you noticed but Wenger is building a whole new squad. As was mentioned in a previous article, only clichy and Toure are left from the squad that won the league. So to have a team which plays such great football and can find each other so well on the pitch is great! Furthermore, I don't think we should whinge about why Wenger doesn't want to pay ridiculous amounts for players. Everybody says we have to invest like Chelsea and Man utd etc, but do you really want us to pay 30mil euro for a shevchenko? Should we pay 30 mil for anderson, Tevez, or even more for english players. Barry only costs 18 mil pound because he's english!
    By the way, we only nearly missed oud on the league! I'll be the first one to admit that we lacked in maturity at times but we had an awfull lot of bad luck with key injuries at key times. And I don't like saying it, but I can recall many many decisions that went against us that would have saved us a lot of points.
    Anyway, Buying great players would perhaps ruin younger players and since we already gave them a chance, it would be a waste to now let them go, while their growing to their best.

    From s_derna, on Sun 20 Jul 11:37AM
  3. michlle.lieberman. I am a LFC supporter, the yanks dont invest money, they EXTRACT it. ask any MU supporter what they think of the yanks? as regards to money, they will say the same as I. Having lived in London the past 30years. Arsenal are my second club, if thats permited? Mr A Wenger is truly a great manager. The boys you mentioned, will be more mature this season. And Arsenal will be, as allways striving to be first, and thats a good bet. I would like you to look at Mr Wengars stats, and then think about your statment? PS with a name like yours i would have thought you had more business sense. PPS Best Wish,es to you, and all true football fans.

    From a.mcdonough6, on Sun 20 Jul 10:08AM
  4. michlle.lieberman. I am a LFC supporter, the yanks dont invest money, they EXTRACT it. ask any MU supporter what they think of the yanks? as regards to money, they will say the same as I. Having lived in London the past 30years. Arsenal are my second club, if thats permited? Mr A Wenger is truly a great manager. The boys you mentioned, will be more mature this season. And Arsenal will be, as allways striving to be first, and thats a good bet. I would like you to look at Mr Wengars stats, and then think about your statment? PS with a name like yours i would have thought you had more business sense. PPS Best Wish,es to you, and all true football fans.

    From a.mcdonough6, on Sun 20 Jul 9:28AM
  5. I agree with 'devairus' about Eto'o in place of Adeybayor. I dont know about anyother Arsenal fans but I'm getting a bit fed up with nursmaiding younger players that Wenger buys only to leave the club when they become stars. Its been 3 years since we won any silverware, 4 years this season and its amazing that Wenger has kept his job any other manager including SAF when have got the boot by now. Everyone has an expiry date and I think Wenger is reaching his if he dont get some big names into the squad this season - the boys just arn't doing it - maybe we should also sell out too the yanks and get more money invested in the club.

    From michelle.lieberman23, on Sat 19 Jul 10:32PM
  6. rafa buy villa and silva and we will win the premier league! All the other top 4 have players their top players wanting to jump ship, united got ronaldo, chelsea got lampard and arsenal got helb ade etc!! get rid of pennant voronin alonso and the rest of the cr@p! Alonso is decent but what more than gerrard and masc will we need in centre mid??? barry at 27 isn't worth 18 million, next year he will be half that like deco going for 8 million! keane would be an exciting buy as he is a red! You cant buy Love! but to finish buy villa villa villa villa!!!!
    In rafa we trust!!!!
    YNWA!

    From pove, on Sat 19 Jul 10:29PM
  7. pre-season and liverpool looks the same running around like headless chickens after the ball,well sod it ,if rafa cant deliver its time for him to go,when last did we have a decent winger,ok just a good one then,i cant remember can you? full backs are not wingers and i cant remember any good team winning anything without them,my last point is if you pass the ball to one of your own team mates it wont be classes as a sin.

    From ms curve, on Sat 19 Jul 10:12PM
  8. randiosco stop @#$% spamming you @#$% do you have to write that @#$% multiple times..we get the picture get over it

    From www.corsten, on Sat 19 Jul 7:41PM
  9. Will Bellamy score many this season for the Hammers ?

    From double.j1958, on Sat 19 Jul 6:47PM
  10. let lamps go

    From ryan, on Sat 19 Jul 6:05PM
  11. they should let lampard go to inter because he isn't that good anyway

    From scott.syson, on Sat 19 Jul 5:51PM
  12. Slightly concerned about my belovered Man City's firepower up front for the coming season, yep, we have splashed out 19m on Jo from CSKA but he will be on Olympic duty come August and when he returns he'll need a little time to settle in.

    If City were prepared to splash out 25m for Ronadinho then why not go and buy a proven striker like Santa Cruz from Hughie's old club Blackburn ? or even Huntaaler from Ajax who certainly knows where the back of the net is.

    Jo aside, we have Benjani, Bojinov, Vassell, Bianchi (if he stays) and a couple of others, decent players but judging by the 2-0 win against EB Streymor we need more firepower.

    From rigby515, on Sat 19 Jul 5:38PM
  13. Is Wenger aware that Samuel Eto'o has been available all this while after being declared surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp.He should have done some trade with the want away Adebayor and got us a quality striker like Eto'o.Its Eto'o any day over the leagues highest goal misser last season.

    From devairus, on Sat 19 Jul 4:53PM
  14. Being a christian cn i join the sikh league or is this forbidden it should,nt be seeing that sikhs can join our league but then again we are not allowed to practice our religion in there country so the answer is probably no

    From stevenshelly85, on Sat 19 Jul 4:51PM
  15. Jay and Fire,

    No you are not alone. We have a 44,000 stadium that is always full house. I am not a business man, but if instead money was injected in the immediate future of the club, i.e. players that can guarantee high flying football for the next 2-3 years we would be in a position to compete and really win things. With that comes prize money that can be put apart for the new stadium. Don't forget that Rafa has bought heaps of very good young prospects that can be gradually phased in, taking pressure off the need of urgent immediate money.

    But hey I am not G&H. Or is it that they want to build a brand new stadium, with BORROWED money, and then sell at a very huge profit to themselves?

    From Jason F, on Sat 19 Jul 4:48PM
  16. I want silva at Anfield this istant rafa have you seen him his better then any wingers that we had for the last 5 years WIngers we need W.I.N.G.E.Rs

    From wear4work, on Sat 19 Jul 4:38PM
  17. Is it just me or would putting the new Liverpool stadium on hold and having some cash to buy what players Rafa wants and a few years of success make it become a more viable prospect?
    A new stadium would be great but not if we end up a midtable or worse team in doing so!
    Just a thought :)

    From Jay & Fire, on Sat 19 Jul 4:02PM
  18. im thinking about starting christian football league ho i forgot that might be deemed racist

    From itclakin, on Sat 19 Jul 3:57PM
  19. liverpool cant afford barry they need to sell alonso first no wonder stevie g wants barry. to take the pressure off him

    From itclakin, on Sat 19 Jul 3:53PM
  20. Xabi Alonso should not be for sale in my opinion!
    Barry is a decent Midfielder but Alonso is better and younger too!
    Liverpool need two wingers and a decent forward to gel with Fernando Torres, Robbie Keane maybe?
    What we really need is for those two American's to hold to their promise when buying this great club to invest in players for Rafa.
    I think they are holding back the money hoping Rafa fails to deliever so they can bring in a new manager let alone using any profit to invest in their American teams!

    From Jay & Fire, on Sat 19 Jul 3:41PM
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