World Football Transfers: Top 10 Rumours of the Week
With the European football season approaching an end, many managers will look to recruit new players in the summer.
Who will sign Sergio Agüero? Is Didier Drogba leaving Chelsea? Is Diego Forlan linking up with Diego Maradona?
Let's review the top 10 transfers rumours of the past week.
Chelsea and Manchester City Chase Sergio Agüero
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Diego Maradona’s son-in-law, Sergio Agüero, has informed Atlético Madrid of his intentions to leave the club after five seasons. So which clubs have their eyes set on the Argentine international?
According to Antony Kastrinakis at The Sun, Atlético Madrid have told Chelsea and Manchester City that Agüero will cost £40 million.
If a homesick Carlos Tévez returns to Buenos Aires, then Agüero becomes a viable replacement at Eastlands. If Tévez stays, then it is more likely that Agüero’s final destination will not be at Eastlands.
For Agüero to come to London, Chelsea has to sell Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka or Salomon Kalou, unless one of the aforementioned three is content with indefinitely warming the benches.
Though there’s also the possibility that Agüero will stay in Spain after Eurosport.com reported Atlético Madrid teammate Tomáš Ujfaluši stating Agüero was desperate to defect to cross town rivals Real Madrid.
Change, Change and More Change at Chelsea
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After a trophyless season, Roman Abramovich has already said arrivederci to Carlo Ancelotti and is set to lead a revolution at Stamford Bridge.
According to Mark Fleming at The Independent, Chelsea will cut Henrique Hilario, Jose Bosingwa, Paulo Ferreira and Yuri Zhirkov.
To fill up the vacancies, Chelsea will target Gregory van der Wiel, Kevin de Bruyne, Neymar and Romelu Lukaku.
It makes sense for Chelsea to cut underperforming players, yet Abramovich hasn’t shown a great deal of patience, and you can’t expect immediate success with youth players.
Then again, BBC's football pundit Alan Hansen infamously said on Match of the Day, “You’ll never win anything with kids” after Sir Alex Ferguson’s fledglings lost 3-1 to Aston Villa in 1995.
For the next five seasons, Manchester United won four English Premier League titles, two FA Cups, a UEFA Champions League title and an Intercontinental Cup.
Diego Forlan Headed to Dubai with Diego Maradona?
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After his worst season for Atlético Madrid, 32-year-old Diego Forlan, recipient of the 2010 FIFA World Cup golden ball, looks set for an exit.
According to Ashley Hammond at Gulf News, Al Wasl have begun negotiations with Atlético Madrid for Forlan’s signature.
Al Wasl may have made headlines signing Diego Maradona as manager, but it is unlikely that Forlan will curtail his European career at just 32 years of age.
Is Arsène Wenger Willing to Sell Gaël Clichy at a Cut Price?
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With Denílson and Nicklas Bendtner announcing their intentions to leave Arsenal, speedy left back Gaël Clichy is set to follow suit.
According to Wayne Veysey at Goal.com, Arsenal has set a £5.5 million transfer fee on Clichy, with Inter Milan and Bayern Munich showing interest.
Arsène Wenger holds a masters degree in economics and wouldn’t have set such a low transfer fee for one of the premier left backs in the world.
Cesc Fàbregas Back with Barcelona?
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Cesc Fàbregas has gone trophyless with Arsenal for six seasons, and Barcelona’s elongated affair of tapping him up may result in him returning to Catalonia.
According to Steve Stammers at Mirror Football, Arsenal would be willing to sell Fàbregas for £50 million.
If Barcelona had the funding of Sheik Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, then it would become a question of when not if Arsenal would sell Fàbregas.
With Barcelona strapped for cash, coupled with the emergence of Thiago Alcântara, it becomes more economically feasible for Barcelona to wait until Fàbregas’ contract runs out in 2014.
Harry Redknapp Monitoring Didier Drogba's Job Security at Chelsea
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With Roman Abramovich wielding his iron fist upon Chelsea, it seems a mass exodus in on the menu, and aging Ivorian forward Didier Drogba may not survive the cut.
According to Tony Banks and Mike McGrath at Express.co.uk, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is keen to bring Drogba to White Hart Lane.
Drogba only has one year left on his contract, so if he is to be sold, it would be this summer.
However, Tottenham doesn’t have UEFA Champions League football to entice Drogba.
Also what type of contract will Tottenham offer Drogba? Offering him a three-five year contract at £100 000-plus per week seems disproportionate to the playing ability of a 33-year-old forward who only scored 13 goals this season.
Yet if Tottenham offer him a one-two year contract with cut wages, then Drogba may pursue more financially lucrative options elsewhere.
Charles N’Zogbia Headed to a Club in the UEFA Champions League
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Wigan Athletic may sell diminutive French winger Charles N’Zogbia after an impressive season.
According to Footylatest.com, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish may sign the £10 million valued Frenchmen.
If N’Zogbia is sold, it would increase Wigan’s chances of relegation.
If they do want to sell, Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is likely to inflate N’Zogbia’s transfer fee to somewhere around Antonio Valencia’s estimated £15-20 million transfer fee to Manchester United.
Though Sky Sports reported Wigan manager Roberto Martínez are insisting N’Zogbia will only be sold to a UEFA Champions League side, and Liverpool do not have Champions League football next season.
Heurelho Gomes Set to Return to the Netherlands
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Heurelho Gomes’ topsy turvy season may result in his exit from White Hart Lane
According to the Daily Mail, Gomes has informed Tottenham Hotspur of his desire to return to PSV Eindhoven.
Gomes’ Massimo Taibi like blunders are costing Tottenham, yet has Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp lined up a replacement?
Karim Benzema's Signing Could Mean Another Frenchmen at Arsenal
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Karim Benzema’s 26 goals and nine assists in 48 games hides the fact he was being treated as second rate by manager José Mourinho. This may result in Arsène Wenger providing Benzema with an exit from the Bernabéu.
According to Sportal.co.nz, Wenger is looking to sign Benzema, having signalled his intent to spend money this summer.
Even though Benzema at times has warmed the benches, he still has scored an impressive 26 goals. Also his agent Karim Djaziri told Metro.co.uk, “Karim is not going to leave Real Madrid for Arsenal or anywhere else”.
£150 Million for Cristiano Ronaldo
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After a historic 53 goals and 15 assists in 54 games, Cristiano Ronaldo looks set for an exit from the Bernabéu.
According to Matt Lawton from the Daily Mail, Ronaldo has fallen out with manager José Mourinho, and owner Florentino Pérez would be willing to sell Ronaldo for £150 million.
This rumour doesn’t even have an ounce of logic attached to it.
Pérez is a man so obsessed with the marketing element of football that it makes no sense for him to sell his most marketable product, who also happens to be the second best footballer in the world by a country mile.
Also ESPNStar.com reported Mourinho saying he would leave if Ronaldo was sold.
So in effect, Pérez would sell Ronaldo which would then lead to Mourinho leaving—not to point out the obvious, but it won’t happen.
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