Summer transfer window thread

[Tes]

Birmingham rekindle interest in Ryan Babel as Alex McLeish gets in the race for Hamilton youngster James McArthur

By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 9:16 PM on 7th June 2010



Birmingham City have entered the race to sign in-demand Hamilton midfielder James McArthur and are to revive their interest in Liverpool's Ryan Babel.

McArthur is also a target for Wigan Athletic, Leeds United, Cardiff City and Rangers.

Wigan had been the favourites to sign the 22-year-old having signed his former Hamilton teammate James McCarthy last summer.

But his agent Willie McKay said: 'There are a few clubs who have made their interest known to Hamilton, and we're waiting to see what happens next.'

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is also ready to rekindle an £8m move for Liverpool's Ryan Babel and will make a check on his other striker target South African Katlego Mphela of Mamelodi Sundowns at the World Cup.

The 25-year-old is raw but was top scorer in the country last season with 17 goals. Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli, however, is McLeish's main target.

Birmingham have already had an initial approach for Miccoli rejected and they hope to tempt Palermo into selling the 30-year-old by offering £4m.

Babel would prefer to take stock of Liverpool's managerial change before opting to leave Anfield although a good offer could be hard for cash-strapped Liverpool to resist.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1284761/Birmingham-rekindle-Ryan-Babel-Alex-McLeish-gets-race-Hamilton-youngster-James-McArthur.html?ITO=1490

Turn down £9M in January, accept £8M in June. You just know it's going to happen.

[Tes]

Fiorentina ready to end Emiliano Insua's Liverpool hell with £3.5m bid to prise Argentine left-back

By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 2:01 AM on 9th June 2010


Fiorentina are weighing up a £3.5million bid for Liverpool left-back Emiliano Insua.

The 21-year-old has been at Liverpool since 2007 and impressed when he first broke into the side but has suffered from poor form this year.

Liverpool have released Fabio Aurelio but are keen to find a new left-back once a new manager is in place.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1285054/Fiorentina-want-3-5m-Liverpool-left-Emiliano-Insua.html


Pathetic headline, but for that price I'd let him go.

[Juan]

Fiorentina ready to end Emiliano Insua's Liverpool hell with £3.5m bid to prise Argentine left-back

By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 2:01 AM on 9th June 2010


Fiorentina are weighing up a £3.5million bid for Liverpool left-back Emiliano Insua.

The 21-year-old has been at Liverpool since 2007 and impressed when he first broke into the side but has suffered from poor form this year.

Liverpool have released Fabio Aurelio but are keen to find a new left-back once a new manager is in place.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1285054/Fiorentina-want-3-5m-Liverpool-left-Emiliano-Insua.html


Pathetic headline, but for that price I'd let him go.

Awful headline alright.

£3.5 mil for a 21 year old that broke in to the Argentinian squad in the last year.

I wouldn't be accepting a penny under 5 or 6 million.

I was very disappointed with Insua this year though. I had expected more from him and he seemed to be slower than I thought he was.

[Tes]

Javier Mascherano 'tops Rafael Benitez's wish-list at Inter Milan'


Metro Sport - 9th June, 2010



Liverpool face a battle keep hold of a third top player this summer, following reports that Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are both unsettled, with Rafael Benitez set to raid his old club and take Javier Mascherano to Inter Milan.

Torres and Gerrard have both stated they will not consider their club futures until after this summer's World Cup.

But Benitez, who will take over as Inter's new boss this week, is keen to act quickly to build a squad in his image in a bid to retain the Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League titles won by Jose Mourinho last season.

The Argentinean was lured to Anfield from West Ham by Benitez in 2007.

And although the Merseysiders are said to be keen to hold onto the star with a contract offer approaching £100,000 a week, Benitez has been promised significant transfer funds to construct his squad and could look to guzzump his former employers.

Liverpool are currently in limbo as they look to appoint a new manager this summer following Benitez's exit.

The upheaval means several players are likely to be unsettled over the next few weeks, while some will see their futures away from Anfield.

It remains unclear whether Mascherano sees a future with the Reds after Benitez - especially as he enjoyed a close relationship with the former Valencia coach and is thought to be keen to test himself in another European league before he retires.



http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/830041-javier-mascherano-tops-rafael-benitezs-wish-list-at-inter-milan


If we get £30M+ for him and the new manager gets to keep it, then let him go.

Try and entice Spurs with a bid for Palacios, if not get Momo back, or do a swap with Inter for Cambiasso.

Or maybe a bid for Mark Noble of West Ham who I feel would flourish if surrounded by better players.

[Tes]

Awful headline alright.

£3.5 mil for a 21 year old that broke in to the Argentinian squad in the last year.

I wouldn't be accepting a penny under 5 or 6 million.

I was very disappointed with Insua this year though. I had expected more from him and he seemed to be slower than I thought he was.

Problem is, apart from other Premier League teams, who I don't think would be interested and the big two in Spain, most other clubs now don't have the finances to offer huge sums.

[Tes]

Daily Mail : Rafa Benitez returns to Liverpool with £33m offer for Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1285265/Rafa-Benitez-returns-Liverpool-33m-offer-Dirk-Kuyt-Javier-Mascherano.html?ITO=1490

Click Liverpool: Inter Milan planning to sign Liverpool FC's Glen Johnson

http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverpool-fc/129419-inter-milan-planning-to-sign-liverpool-fcs-glen-johnson.html


If we could get our money back on Johnson I would and put some of it towards City's Nedum Onuoha, who with the right coaching could become a better all round player, certainly better defensively than Johnson and also counts as 'homegrown'.

We're going to see a rash of stories linking a lot of our players with Inter.

[Juan]

Daily Mail : Rafa Benitez returns to Liverpool with £33m offer for Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1285265/Rafa-Benitez-returns-Liverpool-33m-offer-Dirk-Kuyt-Javier-Mascherano.html?ITO=1490

Click Liverpool: Inter Milan planning to sign Liverpool FC's Glen Johnson

http://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/liverpool-fc/129419-inter-milan-planning-to-sign-liverpool-fcs-glen-johnson.html


If we could get our money back on Johnson I would and put some of it towards City's Nedum Onuoha, who with the right coaching could become a better all round player, certainly better defensively than Johnson and also counts as 'homegrown'.

We're going to see a rash of stories linking a lot of our players with Inter.

He would have to pay 33 million for Masch alone. Now 43 million and i would take it for both.

[the dude abides]

it would be great if we could recoup our money on Johnston.

dirk kuyt is one of my first names on the teamsheet each week, so no way should h be allowed to leave.

monster has shown zero respect (typical), and has not progressed as much as I'd have liked these past 18 months or so (he is a decent destroyer, but that's about it - very little positive play).  I don't wanna necessarily lose him, but for 40 million, I'd snap someone's hand off.

[Kopite999]

If it was up to you guys Gerrard, Torres, Kuyt, Johnson, Skertal, Insua, Carra, Masch would all be sold? Is there any point renewing season tickets for next year?

Completely agree with Juan with regards to Insua. He'll be a quality player with experiance under his belt. Selling for 3mill would be a crime. Tes you werent in charge of the deal that saw Arbeloa leave for £2million were you?

[Tes]

Tes you werent in charge of the deal that saw Arbeloa leave for £2million were you?

No, if it had been up to me I'd have sold him the year before when he refused to sign a new contract and made it clear he wanted to return to Spain.

I don't see Insua as being suited to the Premier League and with the exception of Real/Barca in Spain and maybe Juve and Inter in Italy, there's not much money about. Maybe Rafa will offer us a good price. 

[wittsy]

This could be a good bit of business... as usual not for us though.

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,14018_6204532,00.html

Quaresma needs a new start and at that price would be worth a gamble. If we can find one or two deals like this it would be nice.

Jas

[Tes]

This could be a good bit of business... as usual not for us though.

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,14018_6204532,00.html

Quaresma needs a new start and at that price would be worth a gamble. If we can find one or two deals like this it would be nice.

Jas

Jas, I'd rather we steered clear of Quaresma. Terrible attitude, undoubted talent but terrible application and use (or rather waste) of his talent.

[wittsy]

It is true he has an attitude but if we could off load someone like Babel it may be worth a gamble. IF we bring anyone in I can't see what kind of players we could get that would offer us something new, gambles may be our best bet as long as it's not at the expense of reliable steady players.

Jas

[Tes]

Jas, there's gambles, then there's Quaresma.

[Tes]

Sorry, Jas:


Quaresma heads to Besiktas

Last updated: 14th June 2010


Inter Milan winger Ricardo Quaresma has ended his disappointing stint in Italy by joining Turkish outfit Besiktas.

Quaresma was a big-money recruit from Porto two years ago, but the 26-year-old struggled to make an impact under Jose Mourinho.

He made just 32 appearances during two seasons with the European champions, scoring only once for the Nerazzurri.

The Portugal international also spent the second half of the 2008/09 season on loan at Chelsea, but again struggled to impress as he featured just four times in the Premier League.

His lack of action for Inter during the past campaign scuppered any chance of Quaresma making Portugal's World Cup squad and he has now accepted a move to Turkey.

Besiktas, who have also been linked with a move for Brazilian attacker Robinho, have paid around £6million to sign Quaresma, who had three years remaining on his Inter contract.

Quaresma also becomes new Besiktas coach Bernd Schuster's first signing since he took charge of the club last week.


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11860_6204587,00.html