soccernet blog
On The Move
January 31, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/31/2012

Today's On The Move transfer blog has been substituted with the Deadline Day Transfer Centre.

Join us there for live chat throughout Tuesday January 31 ahead of the close of the transfer window at 23.00 GMT.

January 30, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/30/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.

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Rangers' Nikica Jelavic wants a move to the Premier League.© Getty Images

23.51 GMT: Right, that's your lot for tonight, but we'll be back tomorrow morning for what could actually turn out to be an interesting deadline day. Thanks for joining us and see you then.

23.48 GMT: Not really transfer gossip, to be honest, but Roberto Carlos has been emphasising his club's spending power, claiming Anzhi could buy Lionel Messi if Barcelona made him available. "There would be no problem paying the buyout clause," he told Marca. "We have the cash to sign Messi or anyone, but it's not only a question of money - you have to show that you can deliver a major project."

23.41 GMT: Reader MikeD sends a rumour our way: "Mirror reporting that Rolledega will play Spurs and then join them at the end of the game"

23.39 GMT: Santos coach Muricy Ramalho isn't expecting Ganso to leave for now. "I have been told that when a good offer comes, Santos will open negotiations, but Ganso is a player good enough to be in a World Cup," he said. "It has to be a good offer. From my experience, I think he will not leave Santos now. He wants to show his talent to return to the Brazil national team."

23.28 GMT: Roma general manager Franco Baldini has provided an update (of sorts) on the Daniele De Rossi situation, with the midfielder still having failed to extend his contract.

“It is an issue that has gone on for some time but I am not worried or pressured by the deadline of January 31,” he said. “We’re concerned little by it. Even before this date De Rossi could have signed for other clubs, so I feel no pressure of any kind. It is a decision that will be taken with proper consideration.”

Asked if Roma would sell De Rossi, he said: “No, because from February he will be open to talk about a free transfer.”

23.21 GMT: AS thinks Alexander Hleb, who is back at Barcelona to serve the final months of his contract after his loan spell at Wolfsburg, could join Olympiakos.

23.09 GMT: And speaking of T***z, Roberto Mancini seems to have something against certain agents. Whoever could he be referring to?

"Sometimes it is difficult to understand why some players have certain agents," he said. "If I was a player I would never take an agent like some who work here.

"First the agent should find the player work, after that they should help players in difficult situations; help them, not put them against the club or the manager or the other players. Agents are important for doing this, not only for earning lots of money."

Mancini also said he "never heard" anything about Liverpool's reported swap offer involving Andy Carroll and added: "Carroll is a good player. He is young. He is strong. But at the moment? No.
We don't have any chance to talk about this with Liverpool."

22.59 GMT: It appears the reports of Liverpool (and QPR) wanting T***z on loan will be making the back page of The Times tomorrow. Journalist Tony Barrett, who has good connections at Liverpool, has a co-byline and - as Liverpool did indeed enquire about a swap with Andy Carroll recently - it appears this one has legs.

22.53 GMT: The Guardian's Daniel Taylor tweets his own verification of a rumour West Ham might win the race to sign Manchester United starlet Ravel Morrison: "True ---> RT @John__Percy #WHUFC are close to signing Ravel Morrison from #MUFC before deadline"

22.51 GMT - BREAKING NEWS: Everton have agreed a fee with Rangers for Nikica Jelavic, according to Sky Sports News. We're actually set up to see some stuff happen on deadline day, it now seems.

22.48 GMT: Reader Kris tempts us with the promise of final-day drama in the football world's most tedious saga: "twitter exploding w/ T**** 6 month loan deal to Liverpool ... Man City certainly wouldn't agree to this would they?!?"

22.44 GMT: Some words from Spurs defender Vedran Corluka confirming that he’ll be on his way to Bayer Leverkusen on a loan deal - which will also include an option to buy - should he pass a medical.

“I’m not 100% sure it will happen,” he told Sportske Novosti. “Perhaps it’s better to wait until Tuesday for the medical to formally confirm that I’ll be joining Bayer.

“I’ve said goodbye to my team-mates - they’re all great guys and I would really miss them as friends and team-mates. I thank everyone at Tottenham, and the fans, after a wonderful year, but life goes on.”

22.36 GMT: Stoke defender Danny Collins' move to Southampton has fallen through, Press Association Sport understands.

22.29 GMT: There are rumours AC Milan might make a final bid for C****s T***z tomorrow. Newshound extraordinaire Harry Harris is trying to sniff out a lead for us.

22.24 GMT: Former Brazil international Marinho Peres thinks Neymar is ultimately bound for Barcelona. "I am friends with Santos' officials - I can say that Neymar's transfer to Barcelona is at an advanced stage," he told COM Radio. "Sooner or later, Neymar will play at Barca. He has a tremendous talent and he will be a big hit at the Camp Nou.”

22.08 GMT: Sky Sports News is reporting that Bayer Leverkusen are in talks over the signing of Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka.

21.57 GMT - DONE DEAL: Catania have signed Marco Motta on loan from Juventus until the end of the season.

21.28 GMT: Midfielder Lucho Gonzalez looks poised to return to Porto from Marseille. Story here.

21.10 GMT - DONE DEAL: Espanyol have signed Inter Milan midfielder Philippe Coutinho on loan for the remainder of the Primera Division campaign. Espanyol have also signed Nigerian striker Kalu Uche from Swiss club Neuchatel on a deal which commits the former Almeria forward to the club until the end of next season. Story here.

21.01 GMT: Goal.com reports: "Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign midfielder Thomas Eisfeld from Borussia Dortmund for around £400,000. The 19-year-old German has been in London today with his agent Reza Fazeli negotiating a switch to the Premier League club."

20.42 GMT - DONE DEAL: Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd has signed for Major League Soccer side the Portland Timbers. Story here.

20.02 GMT - DONE DEAL: Leicester have completed the signing of Wes Morgan from Nottingham Forest for a fee believed to be somewhere in the region of £1 million. Story here.

19.48 GMT - DONE DEAL: Southampton have announced the signing of striker Billy Sharp from fellow Championship side Doncaster on a three-and-a-half-year deal. Story here.

19.43 GMT: Full story here on Fulham's bid to sign Pavel Pogrebnyak.

19.26 GMT: Reader Mo asks: "Is Gio Dos Santos London nightmare ever going to end?"

Prompting us to link you to our story about how Gio Dos Santos' London nightmare looks like it's never going to end.

19.14 GMT: The Press Association is now of the understanding that Fulham are in talks to sign Stuttgart striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, as we mentioned a little while ago.

18.52 GMT: Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers has denied rumours of interest in Matthew Bates, Adrian Mariappa and Nicky Maynard but is still hopeful of bringing someone in before the deadline.

"We have had feedback on one to two possibilities and we will see," he said. "There is still a lot of work to do if they are to become permanent signings, but we will see over the next 24 hours and take it from there. We have certainly made no bids as yet but we have been given an indication of what the price would be."

18.33 GMT: West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has confirmed Genoa striker Ze Eduardo is undergoing a medical at the club. Story here.

18.24 GMT: Eastern European football expert @jamesappell tweets: "Stuttgart's Russian international striker Pavel Pogrebnyak has undergone medical at Fulham"

18.14 GMT: Sky Sports News says Kevin De Bruyne has turned up at Chelsea's training ground for his medical. Presumably this one will be done and dusted shortly.

17.54 GMT - DONE DEAL Polish striker Pawel Brozek has joined Celtic on loan from Trabzonspor until the end of the season. Story here.

17.45 GMT - DONE DEAL Bournemouth have signed striker Matt Tubbs from big-spending League Two side Crawley for a reported £800,000 fee. Tubbs scored 58 goals from 78 appearances for Crawley but said he could not resist the lure of joining the club he supported as a boy.

17.33 GMT Blackburn Rovers midfielder Keith Andrews has handed in a transfer request, according to Sky Sports. The Republic of Ireland international, whose contract expires in the summer, spent the first half of the season on loan at Ipswich.

17.25 GMT - DONE DEAL Nottingham Forest have announced the signing of 26-year-old Wolves midfielder Adlene Guedioura on loan until the end of the season. Story here.

17.10 GMT - DONE DEAL Liverpool have signed Wales Under-19 goalkeeper Danny Ward. The club said in a statement: "Danny Ward joins the Reds from Wrexham, the club he signed for as a 14-year-old, and will be based with the reserve squad at the academy."

16.55 GMT AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani says he'll be in his office until the transfer window closes waiting for a call from the man who shall not be named. However, if none is forthcoming he'll try to sign the Manchester City refusenik in the summer.

16.45 GMT - DONE DEAL Ipswich have completed the signing of midfielder Ryan Stevenson from Hearts for an undisclosed fee. The 27-year-old scored 11 goals in 67 appearances for the Scottish club. Full story

16.25 GMT Genoa are close to completing a deal for reported Tottenham transfer target Roger Carvalho. The Brazilian defender will sign from Figueirense. Genoa president Enrico Preziosi said: "Roger Carvalho? He's undergoing medicals, then his signing will be official."

16.08 GMT Hernan Crespo became the hottest property in the Indian soccer league auction today, with Barasat shelling out $840,000. Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro went to Siliguri for $830,000, while Robert Pires of France ($800,000), Nigerian Jay-Jay Okocha ($550,000) and Liverpool great Robbie Fowler ($530,000) went to Howrah, Durgapur and Kolkata respectively.

15.45 GMT Everton manager David Moyes has refused to comment on widespread reports that he's about to sign Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic. Moyes said: "I never talk about players at other clubs, I wouldn't do that."

15.32 GMT - DONE DEAL Cologne have completed the signing of North Korea international Jong Tae-Se - dubbed the Korean Wayne Rooney at the 2010 World Cup - from German second division side Bochum for an undisclosed fee.

15.26 GMT Sweden goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt is joining Liverpool on trial. Nordfelt, who has been a free agent since leaving IF Brommapojkarna last summer, told FotbolDirekt.se: "It's really exciting. I'll be flying to Liverpool on Monday with my agent."

15.12 GMT - DONE DEAL QPR have finally secured a deal to sign Samba on loan for the rest of the season. Not colossus Chris Samba though, Mali midfielder Samba Diakite from French club Nancy. Rangers have the option of exercising an agreement for a permanent transfer at the end of the 2011/12 campaign.

14.56 GMT Queens Park Rangers are set to complete the signing of Djibril Cisse from Lazio before Tuesday night, ESPNsoccernet has been informed. Full story

14.33 GMT Fulham are hoping to complete a deal for Borussia Dortmund striker Lucas Barrios, according to reports. Barrios, a Paraguay international, has fallen out of favour at Signal Iduna Park in recent times. Full story

14.19 GMT Sunderland's simmering interest in Bolton striker Kevin Davies eventually resulted in bid, but it has been rejected by the Trotters, Black Cats boss Martin O'Neill has confirmed.

14.10 GMT AC Milan have snapped 19-year-old Austrian striker Philipp Prosenik who was out of contract at Chelsea, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.

13.48 GMT Inter Milan have agreed a €1.5 million deal to sign Porto midfielder Fredy Guarin, with a view to an €11m permanent switch, according to Sky Sport24. The reported deal casts further doubt over the future of Thiago Motta at San Siro.

Comment from AJCook: I know it is widely considered ‘imprudent’ to make January purchases for most teams (unless you’re Arsenal), but it certainly would liven things up – the lack of action in this current window is making me want to bash my head against the wall.

13.25 GMT Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish does not expect any transfer activity at Anfield before the window closes on Tuesday night. "There is no-one going in or out of the club before the transfer window [closes]," he said. Full story

13.05 GMT QPR have now agreed a €5 million transfer fee with Lazio for former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse.

12.45 GMT Hold on to your hats Spurs fans, your club has just confirmed two DONE DEALS. Unfortunately, they're players going out and not coming in, with John Bostock joining League One promotion chasers Sheffield Wednesday on loan and Tom Carroll joining Derby on loan until the end of the season.

Comment from Mark: Where is the marquee signing for Spurs? I've been waiting since Nov 2010..three windows and still nothing (actual signings, not loans)...we NEED a world class striker... sign someone Harry!

12.35 GMT Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle wants Kevin Davies to stay at the club but admits an exit could be in the offing if the striker expresses a desire to move on. Sunderland are interested in the striker. Full story

Comment from Alex: Sunderland should be going after better strikers than Davies. They should try to sign Jimmy Briand from Lyon,Dennis Oliech friom Auxerre or Vincenzo Iaquinta from Juve.

12.25 GMT Wolves are waiting to see whether Everton firm up their interest in striker Kevin Doyle by making a concrete bid, or if the Toffees are going to spend all their limited cash on Rangers' Nikica Jelavic.

12.03 GMT Inter Milan`s attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho has revealed that he will play for Spanish Primera Division side Espanyol until the end of the season.

11.49 GMT With the vultures circling, Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has insisted that Victor Moses and James McCarthy are not for sale. "Victor and James are the two younger players in this football club and it would be wrong for us to sell these assets," he said.

11.31 GMT Blackpool midfielder Elliot Grandin has completed his anticipated loan move to Nice.

11.08 GMT What's that? You want even more transfer news? We'll how about a DONE DEAL? Brighton have signed Wales striker Sam Vokes on loan from Wolves until the end of the season. Full story

11.05 GMT And there's more on Bolton's bid for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, with coach Owen Coyle confirming his club have lodged a bid. "I think it is documented now that we have made an offer, which we have,'' Coyle said. Full story

11.01 GMT Here's a further update on the Kevin de Bruyne transfer. Quite why Chelsea would loan him back to Genk when they are desperate for a winger is up for debate. Full story

10.41 GMT Juventus general director Beppe Marotta has confirmed his club's interest in Cagliari midfielder Radja Nainggolan and will attempt to do a deal in the next 48hrs.

10.25 GMT Racing Genk midfielder Kevin de Bruyne will undergo a medical at Chelsea today, but once the reported £8.5 million deal is done he will return to Belgium on loan for the remainder of the season.

10.14 GMT West Brom have made a move for FC Twente winger Emir Bajrami, according to reports. The 23-year-old Swede has made 21 appearances and scored four goals for the Dutch side this season.

09.51 GMT German Bundesliga side Hoffenheim will not be continuing their pursuit of Wolfsburg striker Srdjan Lakic as he is too expensive.

09.27 GMT Juventus have confirmed striker Luca Toni has left the Serie A club after agreeing a deal with UAE Pro-League side Al Nasr. Full story

09.10 GMT Claudio Ranieri has suggested midfielder Thiago Motta will remain at Inter Milan in the current transfer window despite the 29-year-old being linked with a move to Ligue 1 side PSG. Full story

09.02 Bolton boss Owen Coyle is lining up a double swoop for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha and Porto’s 18-year-old forward Juan Iturbe, according to the Daily Mirror.

08.30 GMT Blackburn are hoping to sell unsettled Argentinian Mauro Formica to Brazilian club Flamengo for around £3 million to give manager Steve Kean some last-minute transfer cash.

08.10 GMT Everton are set to use the cash from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov’s £5 million sale to Spartak Moscow to bolster their forward line with the capture of Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic. Everton are likely to go to about £6m including add-ons. Full Story

A quick sweep of the newspapers shows that you just can't keep Carlos T****z out of the headlines, with Daily Telegraph reporting that West Ham United will wait until after the transfer window closes to make a last attempt to re-sign Carlos Tevez on loan from Manchester City.

Meanwhile, The Guardian report that Andy Carroll has no desire to leave Liverpool after the club tried to exchange him for Manchester City's rebel striker only a year after his £35 million arrival from Newcastle United.

The Sun go with a story that Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill will step up his bid to sign Bolton striker Kevin Davies today. O'Neill wants to boost his strike force after losing Nicklas Bendtner to an eye injury.

Fulham have offered £2 million plus Andy Johnson for Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega, according to the Daily Mail. Wigan have already rebuffed a £4m bid from QPR for the Colombian with chairman Dave Whelan demanding £6m.

January 29, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/29/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


Liverpool have failed in an audacious attempt to swap Andy Carroll for C****s T***z.© Getty Images

23.59 GMT: And that's it for today - see you on Monday for the penultimate day of the window.

23.34 GMT: Stand-in skipper James Morrison has questioned West Brom's transfer policy and urged the club to bring in new players if they want to become an established force in the Premier League.

23.16 GMT: We're hearing that Fulham have lodged a bid for Wigan's Hugo Rodallega.

22.33 GMT: Spurs youngster John Bostock is set to join Sheffield Wednesday on loan for the rest of the season.

21.50 GMT: Andrés D`Alessandro has rejected an offer of $10 million for a 2 year contract with Chinese club Shangai Shenua, stays with Brazil's Inter. Via Daniel Colasimone on Twitter.

21.33 GMT: Nancy have announced Samba Diakite has joined QPR on loan until the end of the season. Awaiting confirmation from the Rs.

21.05 GMT: Everton have been in touch with Rangers regarding Nikica Jelavic but Press Association Sport reports that no official bid has yet been made.

20.01 GMT: Eden Hazard has confirmed on Canal+ that he will stay at Lille until the end of the season before moving to England. But he didn't say which club ... intriguing. He said: "I want to play in a big club where I am sure to play."

19.07 GMT: Arsene Wenger has revealed Ryo Miyaichi is likely to go out on loan to an English club before the deadline.

17.28 GMT: Martin O'Neill has confirmed that Sunderland are interested in signing veteran Bolton striker Kevin Davies.

17.01 GMT: Genoa have paid €4m for half the rights of Pescara's Italy Under-21 international Ciro Immobile, while they have also signed Brazilian Roger Carvalho.

16.38 GMT: There's obviously plenty of rumours flying around but one we've heard that sounds reasonably feasible is that Everton are keeping tabs on Birmingham's highly-rated young winger Nathan Redmond.

16.07 GMT: Ajax star Christian Eriksen says he doesn not expect to leave the Dutch giants in January, or even in the summer: "I will definitely not leave Ajax this month, and I probably won't move in the summer either. I have an ongoing contract and I feel like I'm in the right place at the moment. Of course, I'm flattered that these big clubs are watching me. A transfer has to be a real step forward for me though."

15.54 GMT: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has finally officially signed for Spartak Moscow after leaving Everton.

15.26 GMT: MK Dons have signed former Man Utd midfielder Alan Smith on loan from Newcastle until the end of the season.

14.32 GMT: Kenya international Macdonald Mariga looks set to return to Parma, who he played for between 2007 and 2010, after ending an unsuccessful loan spell with Real Sociedad. His agent Federico Pastorello Tweeted last week: "Mariga wants to go back to Parma ,and a part of his heart did not leave the ducal city."

14.06 GMT:For those of you keen to keep up to date with the FA Cup action this afternoon, feel free to join Dec Warrington for live text commentary of Sunderland v Middlesbrough. Boro are currently 1-0 up in the North East derby thanks to a cracking goal from Barry Robson.

13.48 GMT: Santos are expected to confirm the arrival of Uruguay international Jorge Fucile on a season-long loan deal from FC Porto on Monday. He passed a medical with the Brazilian giants on Friday.

13.25 GMT: James Beattie could have left Sheffield United to move to a bigger club, according to Blades boss Danny Wilson: "James could have earned a lot of money by going elsewhere. But money isn't the issue for him."

13.01 GMT: Nancy's Mali international Samba Diakite is due in London today to finalise his loan move (with a view to a permanent €4 million switch) to QPR.

12.43 GMT: DONE DEAL: Lyon have completed the capture of UAE international defender club Hamdan Al Kamali from Abu Dhabi-based club Al-Wahda.

12.27 GMT: Celtic appear to have beaten rivals Rangers in the race to sign Pawel Brozek after the Polish striker claimed he had agreed a move to Parkhead: "This is a great move and I can't wait to get started. I have been told plenty about Celtic from my former team-mate Maciej Zurawski and Lukasz Zaluska."

12.09 GMT: Lille general director Frederic Paquet is resigned to losing prized asset Eden Hazard at the end of the season. FULL STORY

11.52 GMT: Philadelphia Union's Congo-born forward Danny Mwanga is on trial at Aston Villa, accoring to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

11.31 GMT: Hamburg's on-loan Chelsea defender Jeffrey Bruma does not seem too keen on a return to Stamford Bridge, telling the Sunday Mirror: "It was my dream to win a first-team place by [the age of] 21. But you must play. At Chelsea it does not look like the chance is coming."

11.10 GMT: Owen Coyle has been talking up Bolton's interest in Crystal Palace starlet Wilfried Zaha: "I think there's players out there, and Zaha is certainly one of them, that I think would enhance our club for years to come on a permanent basis, and there are one or two on a loan capacity I'd love to bring in before the deadline on Tuesday."

10.54 GMT: Perhaps not quite a transfer story, though one with big ramifications: Jose Mourinho is ready to quit Real Madrid in the summer and return to England, according to reports on Sunday. FULL STORY.

10.32 GMT: Over to France, where L'Equipe reports that Marseille are in advanced negotiations with Le Havre about signing their Cape Verde striker Ryan Mendes in the summer. He is also believed to have caught the eye of Lorient, Sochaux, Saint-Etienne, Arsenal, Chelsea and Porto.

10.18 GMT: Last bit of Serie A news for now is that Lazio are being widely tipped to complete a deal for CSKA Moscow's Keisuke Honda in the next 24 hours.

10.06 GMT: The Italian press is also talking up the possibility of Eljero Elia joining Newcastle from Juventus.

09.57 GMT: Gazzetta dello Sport claims Milos Krasic is in advanced negotiations with Zenit St Petersburg, but Juventus only want to sell the Serbian winger, while the Russian side only want a loan for now.

09.42 GMT: Right, off around Europe now and let's start in Italy, where unfortunately the Man City mercenary is STILL in the headlines. Corriere dello Sport says that Milan have not yet given up on him. We hope they have.

09.25 GMT: Amazingly, we can confirm that Liverpool did indeed make "tentative enquiries" about swapping Andy Carroll for the one who shall remain nameless. FULL STORY.

09.15 GMT: Let's kick things off with our customary look around the English press:

Andy Carroll being swapped seems to be a theme of the day and the Sunday Mirror reckons the lumbering striker will be used as bait for Newcastle’s Demba Ba, while the same newspaper says Real Mallorca want Everton defender Johnny Heitinga; Liverpool are ready to make a double Bundesliga swoop for Werder Bremen winger Marko Marin and Borussia Dortmund striker Luca Barrios, according to the Sunday People.

Metro claims Dirk Kuyt will not be allowed to leave Anfield during January, with Roma and Fiorentina reportedly interested in securing his services, while the paper also tips Spurs to make a last-dicth bid for Wolfsburg striker Mario Mandzukic; Wolves want to take Peter Lovenkrands and Leon Best on loan from Newcastle, according to the Express and Star.


09.00 GMT: Good (GMT) morning everyone and welcome to the final Sunday of the January transfer window. Sunday is usually a day brimming with gossip and The Guardian certainly haven't let us down with their story that Liverpool rang up Man City to ask if they could swap Andy Carroll for that Argentina striker they have. Unsurprisingly City resisted that tempting offer.

January 28, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/28/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


Saturday sees a fixture at Anfield take precedence over tittle tattle. © Getty Images

00.00 GMT: It's been an unsurprisingly slow Saturday evening again, but with just three days to go, maybe we can expect some more action tomorrow. That's all we've got time for for now but goin us again on Sunday morning.

23.23 GMT: The Daily Telegraph says that Spurs are preparing to go head-to-head with PSG for the signature of Brazil striker Leandro Damiao.

22.51 GMT: QPR are rumoured to be plotting a swoop for Fulham veteran Danny Murphy.

22.08 GMT The Guardian reports that Liverpool may be planning an audacious bid for Carlos Tevez, offering Andy Carroll as part of a swap deal for the wantaway Argentina international. Great story. but surely not?!

21.35 GMT: Wolves forward Sam Vokes is set to sign for Brighton after being present in the directors' box to watch the Seagulls' FA Cup victory over Newcastle.

21.16 GMT: Portuguese dail A Bola is suggesting that Real Madrid may be planning a shock swoop for David Luiz, with Pepe being offered as bait to Chelsea.

20.43 GMT: Beppe Marotta again talking about Juve's transfer activity, although this time outgoing: “Luca Toni’s move to Al Nasr is not yet official, but we believe it will be completed tomorrow."

20.24 GMT: Everton have been linked with a £5 million move for out-of-favour Ajax striker Mounir El Hamdaoui.

19.56 GMT: Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta says the Turin club are looking to sign Cagliari midfielder Radja Nainggolan: "Nainggolan is a player that interests us. I have talked with [Cagliari president] Massimo Cellino but there is no real negotiation.

"We are trying to bring him to Turin as early as January, but there are many things to evaluate and first of all we must find out if Cagliari are willing to sell him.

19.31 GMT Kia Joorabchian has moved quickly to quash the Carlos Tevez-to-West Ham rumour: “He is a West Ham fanatic. That is one club that is very close to his heart but I think that would not be possible."

19.04 GMT: The agent of Milos Krasic has said that the Juventus midfielder favours a move to England, suggesting that Lazio are not a big enough club for him: “There is no news to report. Milos wants a change of team, but will only move to a top club, preferably in England. With all due respect for Lazio, they are not a side in Milos’ thoughts.”

18.42 GMT: Romanian side CFR Cluj have signed French midfielder Nicolas Godemèche on an 18-month deal.

18.25 GMT: Inverness have accepted an offer from Swindon for midfielder Lee Cox.Caley manager Terry Butcher said: "It looks like Lee Cox will leave on Monday. We have agreed a fee with Swindon. It's up to Swindon now.''

18.08 GMT: Diego Maradona has been criticising the transfer policy of his chairman at Al-Wasl: “The management did not make enough reinforcements to the squad, I was promised six new players but only two came. Like we say in Argentina, we would like to bring out all meat from the fridge to serve it, but we were not able to."

17.51 GMT: Felix Bastians has joined Hertha Berlin from Freiburg on a four and-a-half year deal. Hertha's manager Michael Preetz said: "We have agreed on an immediate switch. Felix Bastians will join our club immediately. It is the best solution for everyone involved.
We are happy to add another quality left-back to the squad."

17.32 GMT: Harry Redknapp claims he is not planning any late January swoops: "I can't see an awful lot". Not sure if we believe him.

17.14 GMT: Rumour time: Supposedly, the medium of Twitter and Jeff Stelling say that C****s T***Z will sign on loan for West Ham.

17.03 GMT: Werder Bremen are set to complete a deal to bring promising Austria Vienna playmaker Zlatko Junuzovic to the Weserstadion, say Soccerway.

15.00 GMT: Diouf story here to compound a day of misery for Manchester United. Story.

14.02 GMT: DONE DEAL: Hanover 96 have signed Manchester United forward Mame Biram Diouf on a contract until 2014, the club said on Saturday.

13.42 GMT: "Roman Bednar has this afternoon ended his four-and-a-half year spell at Albion by joining Blackpool on a free transfer," confirms West Brom's official website.

12.43 GMT: Wolves are interested in taking Leon Best on loan until the end of the season - while Alan Smith looks to be already heading for the St James’ Park exit door, says The Chronicle.

12.40 GMT: WBA boss Roy Hodgson has ended his interest in Fulham defender Chris Baird, who he worked with at the Cottage.

12.36 GMT: Ganso could be taking the usual route of Brazilian players into Portugal first. The Santos playmaker may be on his way to Porto, even after an offer described as 'comical' by his current club president was turned down. However, agent Diogo Kotscho has suggested that the move may be back on. "Porto are a great showcase because they play in a lot of competitions. Besides that, the language make it easier for a young player like him to settle," Kotscho tells O Globo.

12.09 GMT: Liverpool have money to spend in the transfer window but may stick with the squad they have, MD Ian Ayre tells Sky Sports News. "Money is not an issue," Ayre told Sky Sports News. "If we need somebody and there's a player I think our owners have shown the level of commitment you would expect from a good ownership group that the manager will get supported whatever he needs.But that's not the same as saying we will just go spend money because we have got it or just because we can."

11.20 GMT: Rangers manager Ally McCoist is hoping to beat the transfer deadline and secure the services of Polish striker Pawel Brozek. The Ibrox boss is keen for Brozek to join the Scottish champions on loan from Turkish club Trabzonspor.

11.07 GMT: Alex Bruce of Leeds United could be heading to LA Galaxy to play with Beckham, Keane and Donovan. His dad, Steve, was once a colleague of Becks at Manchester United. Leeds manager Simon Grayson tells the Yorkshire Evening Post that the move might be happening.

11.05 GMT: Silkmen latest: Rotherham United right winger Marcus Marshall has joined Macclesfield Town on a month’s loan.

10.10 GMT: Our friends at insidefutbol.com have an inside line on the future of Eden Hazard, one of Europe's most covered players. PSG and the lure of Carlo Ancelotti's eyebrow have Hazard making eyes. "Of course, PSG is a great club, and a personality like Ancelotti, he makes you want to play there," said Hazard.

10.09 GMT: Bolton boss Owen Coyle has made a £5 million bid for Crystal Palace’s brilliant young attacker Wilfried Zaha, say the Daily Mirror. Bolton need fresh blood, and Palace need dough. Could be a goer.

10.06 GMT: Plenty of talk about Edison Cavani and Liverpool, and though many have a late move for the Napoli man happening, we'd suggest that he won't move until the summer to link up with Luis Suarez. Napoli have Chelsea to come in the Champions League, after all.

10.03 GMT: QPR to sign Djibril Cisse, say The Guardian. The former Liverpool man, who never lived up to that early promise, is at Lazio but seeking a loan.

09.30 GMT: With even C****s T***z resigned to not moving clubs, a damp squib approaches and January 2012 may even be remembered for being about football. Tuesday night will see a raft of Premier League action to further dampen the frenzy. Let's see if we can find some developments.

January 27, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/27/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


Chris Samba 'wants a divorce' from his club Blackburn © Getty Images


21.23 GMT: Seeing as it's Friday, and it's a dry old night in transfer land, we'll leave it there for today folks. Make sure to check back tomorrow for a full day's coverage of everything coming in and out of the January window. Have a good Friday night!

20.44 GMT: David Dunn has signed a new deal at Blackburn Rovers. The 32-year-old midfielder has committed himself to the club until 2013.

20.11 GMT: Bayern Munich have apologised for raising hopes of a new signing yesterday. The German giants incurred the wrath of fans when it turned out the exciting new signing they'd hinted at was in fact a Facebook app. "We're sorry. But it wasn't our intention to disappoint you with the new FC Bayern app," Bayern said. "Rather, we wanted to put the focus on you with this action, to show how important each fan is for Bayern Munich."

19.41 GMT: Barcelona youngster Isaac Cuenta has signed a new contract with the club, to take him through until 2015.

19.21 GMT: Tevez saga latest It's looking very much like Carlos Tevez will be staying in Manchester. Talks have fallen through with PSG and Inter, as you know, and this evening Milan have signed Maxi Lopez from Catania - seemingly ruling out a move for Tevez in this window.

18.54 GMT: West Brom manager Roy Hodgson is hopeful they'll sign Zenit
St Petersburg winger Szabolcs Huszti before the window closes. "He is a player who comes with a very good CV, a type of player we don't really have at the club, not least with Gera and Brunt injured long term," Hodgson said.

18.27 GMT: Cristian Chivu has denied speculation he's about to switch sides from Inter to AC Milan. "It won't happen, this is a story someone has invented, and it does not interest me," the defender said. That's the end of that one then.

17.47 GMT: Arsenal's Jack Wilshere has taken to Twitter to voice his frustration at his latest injury setback. "It is true I have had a set back.] I can't tell you how long I have been set back because I don't know! I am very annoyed but will stay strong." Might Arsenal be pushed into the transfer market?

17.20 GMT: Rangers manager Ally McCoist is hopeful he can keep hold of striker Nikica Jelavic until at least the summer. Read the full story here.

16.54 GMT: Lille winger Eden Hazard has reacted to speculation linking him with a move to PSG. "Of course, the interest from Paris is tempting. Paris Saint-Germain are a great club," he told Le Parisien. "And especially with a coach like [Carlo] Ancelotti, that makes you even more keen. Only God know where I will be playing my football in 2012 though."

16.25 GMT: The Sunderland Echo is reporting that the Black Cats are weighing up a late bid for Besiktas striker Hugo Almeida.

16.06 GMT: Mark Hughes wants more new faces at QPR before the transfer window shuts next week. The Welshman has said: "As you can imagine there are a lot of conversations going on at the moment. Forward players, midfield players, defenders - that is what happens in the January window." Full story.

15.47 GMT: Manchester City have rejected the claims of Carlos Tevez's agent, Kia Joorabchian, that the striker's relationship with manager Roberto Mancini is the reason that he wants to leave the club. Full story.

15.25 GMT: The Daily Star suggests QPR have made an offer for former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse.

15.06 GMT: Vagner Love has expressed his delight at finally sealing his move from CSKA Moscow to Flamengo. He said: "I had promised that I would not cry, but I cannot do it. This gives me such joy. I want to give all my thanks to God for being here. To thank the people who fought so hard so this could happen. It was tough, but we managed to win the war."

14.42 GMT: Neil Lennon claims Jorge Molina is just one of several players he is having trouble in attracting to Celtic.

14.26 GMT: Villas-Boas has been talking about the rather gifted Brazilian Willian. The Portuguese has said: "Willian is an extremely interesting player but I don't think we will progress with our interest because of different issues, from work permit to price valuation. I think our project next year is more important than the actual project at the moment. Not that Willian doesn't have the characteristics for the future but we are betting a lot on what we can build on for next year."

13.54 GMT - Twitter talk: Our very own Adam Digby: "Martin Caceres medicals complete, expect signing [to Juventus] to be announced."

13.33 GMT: Remember the Bayern Munich fiasco yesterday, when the club suggested the unveiling of a signing on Facebook was imminent, only for it to turn out to be a publicity stunt for an app? Well, the club have apologised: "We're sorry. But it wasn't our intention to disappoint you with the new FC Bayern app.''

13.19 GMT - DONE DEAL: AFC Wimbledon have completed the signing of defender Gavin Hoyte on a month's loan from Arsenal.

13.05 GMT: And here's the full story on Alex's switch to PSG for a reported fee of around £4 million.

12.51 GMT - DONE DEAL: Chelsea defender Alex has signed for PSG.

12.46 GMT: It is not strictly transfer news, but Arsene Wenger's confirmation that Jack Wilshere has suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury is sure to send the rumour mill a-turning.

12.25 GMT: CSKA Moscow attacker Keisuke Honda is closing on a move to Serie A side Lazio, despite the Japanese saying that Italy can no longer claim to have the best league in the world. Full story.

12.11 GMT: Here is the full story on the Kia Joorabchian quotes regarding Tevez below. Enjoy.

11.43 GMT: Catania have claimed they turned down a €9 million offer from Fulham in order to ensure Maxi Lopez joins AC Milan.

11.24 GMT - DONE DEAL: Lille striker Moussa Sow has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Fenerbahce.

11.01 GMT: Tevez's agent, Kia Joorabchian, has told L'Equipe: "If Carlos doesn't leave Manchester City this winter, he doesn't rule out the possibility to join PSG in the summer. Carlos has faith in PSG project. You know he had talks with Carlo Ancelotti, one of the best coaches in the world. He talked with (PSG director of football) Leonardo. Paris can be a possibility."

10.45 GMT: Oh, goodness, here comes a Tevez lead...

10.33 GMT: Sky Sports are reporting that Steven Pienaar is growing increasingly frustrated that Tottenham are standing in the way of a possible move to Queens Park Rangers

10.20 GMT: Aberdeen boss Craig Brown is keen to sign Stephen Hughes and could swoop for Danny Uchechi.

09.57 GMT: David Moyes has spoken to the Telegraph about AEK Athens defender Kostas Manolas: "He's a young boy we have looked at for a while, and we know quite a lot about him. We could do with a centre-back, although ideally someone who could go straight into the team, and he couldn't at the moment. But he's got potential, his representatives have been in, and we have spoken to the club."

09.39 GMT: Boca Juniors midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme insists that he would drop everything to go back to Villarreal and help them out of their current slump. Full story.

09.26 GMT - DONE DEAL: Greek club Olympiakos have signed former Northern Ireland goalkeeper Roy Carroll on an 18-month contract.

09.08 GMT: Rumours that Jack Wilshere has suffered a setback in his recovery from injury have sparked suggestions Arsenal will now strengthen during the current transfer window.

08.53 GMT: The Mirror: Chelsea want to sign Manchester United youngster Paul Pogba while the Blues' chances of signing Willian have taken a blow due to issues over obtaining a work permit ... Sunderland could bring in Bolton striker Kevin Davies for £1.5 million ... Matthew Upson is unsettled at Stoke ... QPR have been told they must pay £6 million for Hugo Rodallega.

08.40 GMT: The Daily Star: QPR manager Mark Hughes wants to add Blackburn centre-back Samba to his ranks.

08.29 - Twitter talk: French football journalist Julien Laurens: "Alex has just arrived in Paris to finalize his transfer there. Good signing for PSG and good move from him."

08.25 GMT - DONE DEAL: League Two side Crawley have signed Arsenal forward Sanchez Watt, 20, on loan for the rest of the season. One worries we may have just peaked. It's possibly downhill from here. Still, it's Friday.

08.20 GMT: More from The Sun: Victor Moses' has claimed QPR manager Mark Hughes is an admirer of the Wigan winger ... Newcastle are keen on bringing Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez to St James' Park, with a £5 million summer move mooted ... Watford's Adrian Mariappa will hand in a transfer request amid interest from the Magpies ... Giovani dos Santos looks to be heading for Villarreal ... Roma and Juventus are set to battle it out for Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa ... Wolves Mick McCarthy wants to bring in Mame Biram Diouf on loan from Manchester United.

08.12 GMT: First up are quotes carried by The Sun from Blackburn defender Christopher Samba. He has said: "When a couple don't get on they get a divorce - and that's what me and Blackburn have to do."

08.00 GMT: Good morning, all. On first glance, the rumour mill appears distinctly dry. We will, however, endeavour to bring you what transfer talk there is to offer...

January 26, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/26/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


Shakhtar's forward can't play in the Champions League © Getty Images

00.00 GMT Right folks, another day of the transfer window draws to a close - thanks for reading. Just five days left now, could Friday be the day when the floodgates open? We predict not.

23.40 GMT: Turkish forward Sercan Guvenisik has joined San Jose Earthquakes, subject to the receipt of a visa. Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop said: “We had him on trial last year and followed him ever since. He’s an intelligent, experienced player who should help with the depth on our squad. We’re happy to have him in San Jose.”

23.28 GMT: DONE DEAL: One from the left-field here, Olympiakos have snapped up former Manchester United goalkeeper Roy Carroll from OFI.

22.52 GMT: The Daily Mail is doing well to provide us with a gossip stream tonight - apparently Everton boss David Moyes wants to sign Paris St Germain striker Guillaume Hoarau on loan and is also keen on AEK Athens centre-back Kostas Manolas.

22.37 GMT: Fernando (not Torres) has his say on Arsenal:


Is Wenger leaving his January transfer buys to the last possible second, as he did in the summer? He must be because I cannot fathom that he will not make any purchases. If he doesn't, I gaurantee RVP will not re-sign and Arsenal will be left to mid table mediocrity for years to come.

22.14 GMT Monaco have announced the acquisition of ACV Vienna's Dutch striker Nacer Barazite, who is though to have cost the principality club in the region of €3 million.

21.56 GMT: Greek side Panionios have signed Jean-Jacques Pierre on a free transfer, after he was released by Nantes.

21.32 GMT: The Daily Mail believe Sunderland are favourites to land Kevin Davies from Bolton, with the Wearsiders reportedly ready to step up their pursuit after Nicklas Bendtner was ruled out for a couple of weeks with facial injuries.

21.08 GMT: Hardly groundbreaking this one but Wayne Rooney's brother, John, has penned a deal with with American third-tier side Orlando City of the United Soccer League.

20.43 GMT: Fulham boss Martin Jol won't be losing any sleep if Rafik Halliche leaves Craven Cottage in January: "With Halliche, he is probably our fifth centre-back so he is in a difficult position. I feel for him because he played for the reserves when we beat Arsenal and played a terrific match. He is a good player, but I can't play five centre-backs. If there is a good opportunity for him, I would like to help him."

20.22 GMT: Tony Pulis says Stoke may still be tempted into the transfer market despite chairman Peter Coates insisting no business will be done before deadline day:
"Never believe chairmen! We'll see. We are very open to going either way. If there is an opportunity and we think it is a good one, that will never cease at this football club.

20.03 GMT: Gazzetta dello Sport reckons that Genoa want to bring out-of-favour Inter Milan attacker Sulley Muntari to the club.

19.50 GMT: DONE DEAL: League Two promotion hopefuls Crawley have signed Arsenal forward Sanchez Watt on loan for the rest of the season.

19.39 GMT: DONE DEAL: Taiwo moves to Leyton Orient on loan. No, new QPR signing Taye has not fallen even further down the football pyramid, his namesake Solomon has moved from Cardiff to East London until the end of the season.

19.21 GMT: Staying in France and Toulouse have agreed a reported €1.3 million fee for Lens teenager Serge Aurier, according to L'Equipe.

19.07 GMT: DONE DEAL: Lorient have completed a deal to bring Senegal defender Lamine Gassama to the club from Lyon.

18.55 GMT: Moussa Sow has headed straight to Turkey after Senegal's African Nations Cup exit to put the finishing touches to his move to Fenerbahce from Lille. Sow said: "Yes, I'm leaving for Turkey. But it's not done until it's official. I'm going to pass the medical and then we'll see. I'll be back tomorrow [Friday]."

18.36 GMT Giovani Dos Santos' name has cropped up plenty of times in the transfer window, but the Spurs attacker won't be heading to Sevilla according to the Primera Division side's president Jose Maria del Nido: "(Tottenham wanted) an exorbitant amount for him. In the end they were asking for 6.5million euros."

18.19 GMT: Toronto FC have confirmed that they have completed a swoop for Ecuador defender Geovanny Caicedo from LDU Quito: “Caicedo brings great club and international experience to Toronto FC and can compete for a starting position. He is a player that we have been watching for some time and we felt he would be a good fit at our club and in Major League Soccer.”

18.01 GMT: Reports in Spain suggest that Chelsea are ready to step up their interest in Ajax defender Gregory vander Wiel.

17.48 GMT: A wonderfully/tragically accurate summation of the January 2012 transfer window here from Jake:


"This has been the most anti-climatic transfer window ever and I think it is that way because there was so much activity during the summer. But you would think that teams like arsenal, liverpool, chelsea, or even newcastle who are so close to the 4th spot, would be looking to bring in one or two players that could make a difference."

17.34 GMT Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre claims the club have money to spend in the transfer window but nobody they need to sign. "Money is not an issue," Ayre said. "If an opportunity presents itself I am sure we will look at it, but right now it's about keeping going. We have got some great players in a great squad of players."

16.47 GMT Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean has been told must sell midfielder Mauro Formica, who is a target for Olympiakos, before he can sign any new players.

16.12 GMT Inverness have signed Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Sam Winnall on loan for the rest of the season, the Highland club have confirmed on their official website.

15.47 GMT - DONE DEAL Championship side Reading have completed the signing of Blackburn Rovers striker Jason Roberts on an 18 month contract. Full story

15.34 GMT Hertha Berlin have completed the signing of Freiburg defender Felix Bastians while also agreeing a contract extension with Christian Lell until 2016 on Thursday.

15.24 GMT Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle is hoping to land Liverpool's young winger Raheem Sterling on loan, according to the Daily Mail. Coyle will face competition from Swansea City and West Ham United should the Reds decide to loan him out.

14.55 GMT Mark Hughes is eager to keep his recruitment drive going at QPR and has now targeted want-away Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega, according to reports. Hughes is ready to offer £4 million for the Colombian, who is a free agent in the summer.

14.22 GMT Lille have confirmed the arrival of Argentinian defender Mauro Cetto on a six-month loan deal from Palermo. The 29-year-old becomes the French champions' second January recruit following the acquisition of striker Nolan Roux from Brest.

13.57 GMT DONE DEAL Injury-plagued Leeds defender Ben Parker has joined Carlisle on loan until February 25.

13.45 GMT Swiss-English right-back Scott Sutter is in talks with Blackburn over a possible move from BSC Young Boys.

13.34 GMT ESPNsoccernet reader Felix vents his anger over the Bayern fake: "I have song for Bayern after THAT announcement: "You're so lame. You even think this rumor is about you, you're soooo laaaame".

13.23 GMT Fulham manager Martin Jol has quashed transfer speculation linking Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora with moves away from Craven Cottage, insisting he wants the to keep hold of the strike duo.

13.11 GMT: Well it's taken a bit longer, but it appears that Bayern Munich have not signed anyone. Instead they have made a page showing your Facebook picture as the new signing... What. A. Let. Down.

12.53 GMT: Nigeria Under-23 striker Daniel Uchechi will join Aberdeen on loan until the end of the season after trials this week.

12.42 GMT: Bayern Munich chief Christian Nerlinger has revealed that the club will reveal a new striker at 1300 GMT. "There will be a spectacular new signing for the offensive area," he said. Stayed tuned for that one... although some suggest that it could be a clever marketing ploy rather than a new player.

12.30 GMT: Chelsea have extended the contract of young Brazilian midfielder Lucas Piazon until 2017 and now have him available for first-team action if they so wish.

12.14 GMT: Sevilla defender Martin Caceres will undergo a medical today in Turin before completing his transfer to Juventus, the Spanish club confirmed today.

12.05 GMT: Chelsea defender Alex has yet to come to an agreement with PSG. His agent Giuliano Bertolucci said: "There is no agreement to date, we have not received a formal offer from PSG. [However] Alex remains eager to join PSG."

11.49 GMT: Gus Poyet has hailed Albion's link to Michael Owen as a sign of the club's progress. "When we are being linked to those kind of players it looks like we are in a good place," he said. "It shows how far Brighton have come. It is a little bit easier now to convince players to come here. It was a very difficult place in the past to convince players to come to."

11.39 GMT: DONE DEAL Kieron Cadogan has joined Rotherham on loan from Crystal Palace until the end of the season.

11.33 GMT: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has aimed a parting shot at Everton as he prepares to seal his move to Spartak Moscow. "Naturally, it (the open football) attracts me. This is exactly what Everton have been missing lately," he said. "The team has problems with creating scoring chances, and converting them. There was a whole set of circumstances against me. It is not so easy to be a foreign player in England."

11.18 GMT: Juventus are tracking Cagliari's Belgium international Radja Nainggolan and could include Ciro Immobile in a deal for the midfielder according to Tuttosport.

11.06 GMT: DONE DEAL Nedum Onouha has joined QPR from Man City on a four-and-a-half year deal.

10.51 GMT: QPR are in talks with Samba!!! No, not that Samba, in fact it's Nancy midfielder Samba Diakite, which is slightly less interesting than the Blackburn skipper.

10.49 GMT: Jason Roberts is having a medical at Reading, according to Sky Sports.

10.38 GMT: Roma are set to complete the signing of Fluminense attacking midfielder Marquinho on Thursday.

10.27 GMT: Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has revealed he wants to stay at the club for the rest of his career, indicating it would be pointless for any club to make a bid for him. He said: "I think other clubs know how much I love playing for Villa. I don't think there's ever been a bid for me. They know this is a club I want to stay at and it's somewhere it would be hard to get me to leave."

10.04 GMT: Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes is confident of persuading Nedum Onuoha to leave Manchester City for Loftus Road. "A lot of boxes have to be ticked but certainly from a football side, I am sure we can convince him this is where his future lies," he said.

09.45 GMT: Lazio are being linked with eeveryone left, right, and centre. Now Il Corriere dello Sport report that Milos Krasic could be on his way out of Juventus in the January transfer window and on his way to Rome.

09.33 GMT: DONE DEAL Bolton defender Tim Ream has signed for Bolton on a three-and-a-half year deal.

09.22 GMT: Roy Hodgson believes West Brom are beginning to see the best of midfielder Graham Dorrans and admits it is like having "a new player'' at his disposal. Not sure it will, Roy.

09.13 GMT: AC Milan will make a final decision regarding the signing of Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez tomorrow, according to club vice-president Adriano Galliani. They have yet to reach an agreement with City regarding the transfer fee, however: "We will make a definite decision on Friday,'' he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

09.00 GMT: Bayer Leverkusen custodian Rene Adler is poised to jump ship to Bundesliga rivals Hamburg at the end of the campaign, according to reports from Sport Bild.

08.47 GMT: Newcastle will also have to wait until the summer to sign United starlet Ravel Morrison after they would not pay the £4 million that the Red Devils want.

08.45 GMT: Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha and Burnley’s Jay Rodriguez are both understood to be on Newcastle’s list of targets. A senior United source, however, told The Journal nothing was imminent on either.

08.42 GMT: His contract runs out in June 2013, but Goal reckon that Theo Walcott will hold imminent talks with Arsene Wenger before deciding whether or not to stay. Some reports have suggested that he wants around £85,000-a-week.

08.29 GMT: Manchester City denied it yesterday, but it seems they are having talks with Israeli outfit MS Ashdod about signing midfielder Nir Biton. Ashdod owner Jacky Ben Zaken told the Jewish Chronicle: "They want to take him on loan immediately and want an option to buy him in the future."

08.18 GMT: Birmingham are reported to have offered Espanyol the chance to sign Serbian striker Nikola Zigic on a six-month loan.

08.05 GMT: Papers, papers, papers, they are full of some fairly unsubstantiated nonsense this morning. Let's try and find the gems.

Daily Mirror: QPR manager Mark Hughes is ready to launch a £4 million bid for Wigan’s contract-rebel striker Hugo Rodallega, who will leave in the summer... Bolton boss Owen Coyle’s hopes of a daring raid for Porto superstarlet Juan Iturbe are being raised - his dad is pushing him to go out on loan.... Martin Jol is still keen on bringing £7 million-rated FC Twente star Nacer Chadli to Fulham... Swansea midfielder Ferrie Bodde is wanted by Sheffield Wednesday to boost their League One promotion challenge.

The Sun: Newcastle are trying to land Dutchman Eljero Elia on loan - six months after Juventus pipped them to his signature... West Ham manager Sam Allardyce last night failed with a £7 million bid for Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic. Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has signed Jean Beausejour from Birmingham on a two-and-a-half year deal.

The Daily Mail: West Brom left-back Joe Mattock may go to Birmingham as part of the deal that takes Liam Ridgewell to the Hawthorns. West Brom have offered £1.5m for Ridgewell who has asked to leave... Chris Hughton is interested in signing Ajax striker Mounir El Hamdaoui on loan - if he can shift Nikola Zigic off his wage bill... Wigan are showing interest in Rennes striker John Verhoek.

The Times: Queens Park Rangers have switched their attention to Victor Moses after being unable to sign a winger from Tottenham.

08.00 GMT: First up this morning, Chelsea target Willian has indicated he would be interested in a move to the Premier League club, stating that the prospect of playing for a team which regularly wins silverware "excites" him.

January 25, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/25/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


The Arabian desert is staging the Dubai Desert Classic © Getty Images

00.00 GMT: Right everyone, I'm afraid that's all we've got time for today but be sure to join us for more fun-filled transfer goings on and probably more AC Milan/Inter Milan drivel about the one who shall remain nameless on Thursday.

23.35 GMT: The Daily Star says Tottenham's wantaway Mexican forward Giovani Dos Santos is set to snub interest from Bolton and move to La Liga, with either Villarreal or Granada.

23.09 GMT: Fulham have been tipped to make a £500,000 bid for Portsmouth winger Ryan Williams.

22.43 GMT: Gambia international Pa Saikou Kujabi is on trial at Hibernian after leaving German side FSV Frankfurt. He had unsuccessful trials with both Portsmouth and QPR last summer.

22.18 GMT: The Daily Mail reckons West Brom left-back Joe Mattock will be used as a makewight in a deal for Birmingham centre-half Liam Ridgewell.

21.39 GMT Newcastle United have been linked with a swoop for Hamburg's Netherlands winger Eljero Elia.

20.53 GMT: The father of Benfica's Rodrigo says that a return to Real Madrid is not on the cards, at least not in January: "The right moment to handle that issue will be the end of the season. First, he needs to play one full season at Benfica, then in April/May we can talk. No offer whatsoever has arrived, but even if it did, we would have no interest in listening to it."

20.31 GMT: DONE DEAL: We mentioned earlier that Cagliari might have been steeping up their striker interest and they've done just that, rather quickly in fact. Mauricio Pinilla has arrived from Palermo: Mauricio Pinilla from Palermo. “I am proud to become part of a club with such a great history behind it. I never had the chance to come to Sardinia, not even when playing for other teams in Serie A, but I know it is a splendid place with so many beautiful beaches.

20.20 GMT: Just to warn you folks that a night of Cup action across Europe could see posts become somewhat more sporadic.

19.57 GMT: Al Ahli's striker Ahmed Khalil insists he is committed to the club amid speculation that Monaco are keen to secure his services: “I didn’t receive any official offers from any party whatsoever. I have no intentions to leave my country. I have something in mind which I need to accomplish at the national level."

19.41 GMT: France Football claims QPR are looking to tie up a €4 million deal for Nancy's Mali international midfielder Samba Diakite, who is currently on African Nations Cup duty.

19.28 GMT: American goalkeeper Jeremy Vuolo has joined New York Red Bulls from Finnish second-division side AC Oulu. New York general manager Erik Soler said:
“After doing extensive scouting, we believe that Jeremy has a very bright future ahead of him and can compete at the MLS level."

19.12 GMT: Chicago Fire have signed Zimbabwean striker Kheli Dube, with coach Frank Klopas saying: “Kheli has been an offensive threat since he came into the league. He’s a gritty, hard working forward that plays for the badge. Since joining us in pre-season Kheli has shown his desire to be part of our club.”

19.00 GMT: Former Arsenal and Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright has been training with MLS side FC Dallas.

18.41 GMT: The comments are still coming in thick and fast and Max is among those to have had his say on Liverpool:

"Are the purse strings tied off at Liverpool? Having spent (wasted) so much money on Suarez, Carroll, Henderson, Downing and Adam, can they even afford to add more players at this point? The Torres money must be all gone and then some."

18.32 GMT: Wow, it's almost like transfer deadline day with all of these actual signings. A busy evening.

18.31 GMT: DONE DEAL - Wigan have signed Birmingham winger Jean Beausejour for a fee believed to be in the region of £4 million.

18.18 GMT: DONE DEAL - Stade Rennes have confirmed the arrival of PSG forward Mevlut Erding.

18.04 GMT: DONE DEAL - Werder Bremen have signed Young Boys defender François Affolter on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy outright. Affolter said: "It was my dream to play for a big European club. Werder is a huge opportunity."

17.52 GMT: DONE DEAL - Internacional have signed Jesus Datolo from Espanyol as a potential replacement for midfielder Andres D'Alessandro, who is expected to move to China before the end of January.

17.36 GMT: Porto teenager Juan Iturbe is prepared to leave the club in search of regular football, his agent says: "I have had approaches for him for three years and every day I get new proposals, but first you need to talk to FC Porto and then we'll decide together."

17.21 GMT: Charlton striker Bradley Wright-Phillips has pledged his future to the club by signing a contract extension. He said: "It's good news because I am very happy at the club. This is one of the happiest times I've had in football. It feels like I have been at the club for much longer than a year."

17.13 GMT: Everton have agreed a fee with Spartak Moscow for midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov: "The Blues have been in negotiations with Spartak for several days and an undisclosed figure has now been agreed, paving the way for Bilyaletdinov to return to his homeland."

17.06 GMT: Rangers have rejected a bid - thought to be £7 million - from West Ham for Nikica Jelavic, according to Sky Sports News.

16.53 GMT: Twitter talk from ESPNsoccernet Press Pass Presenter Andrew Orsatti (@AndrewOrsatti): Reports from Italy insists Keisuke Honda will almost certainly join Lazio from CSKA Moscow, 12.5m Euros plus Carrizo is what they're saying.

16.45 GMT: Football Italia reckons that Cagliari are preparing to step up their hunt for a new striker, with Palermo's Mauricio Pinilla and Juventus' Luca Toni reportedly on the Rossoblu's radar. We hear Man City might have a striker they're willing to offload...

16.31 GMT: The Lancashire Telegraph earlier reported that Olympiakos are chasing Blackburn's Mauro Formica and that news has now been confirmed by his brother Lautaro, who plays for Greek club Asteras Tripolis.

"Of course I spoke with my brother about this," the elder Formica told Sport24. "There is a possibility to make a transfer to Olympiakos...He told me that he wants to come to play here. It doesn't depend on him. It depends on the two clubs, Blackburn and Olympiakos. We will see what is going to happen."

16.14 GMT: Neymar appears to be happy with his decision to stay at Santos for the time being. "I made the right decision," Neymar told Lancenet. "I do not regret staying at Santos at all. If it was not for Santos, I would not have the profile I now have inside and outside the country. Everything fell into place and I am having a good time, and the team too."

16.07 GMT: Some rumours were talking about Man Utd rebel Ravel Morrison arriving at Newcastle ahead of a £4 million move. However, it appears he's in Tenerife with the United squad for a summer training camp, so that's probably rubbish.

15.57 GMT: Switzerland international Francois Affolter has joined Werder Bremen on loan from Young Boys for the remainder of the year, the Bundesliga club have announced.

15.48 GMT: Peterborough are keeping tabs on non-league hotshot Jamille Matt, who is currently doing well at Kidderminster.

15.37 GMT: Valencia midfielder Ever Banega has extended his contract for two seasons. "I would like to thank the club for giving me the opportunity to continue here and gain more years playing in this team," Banega said. "I have already been at the club for a few years and am very happy. I hope to continue in the same manner."

15.26 GMT: Schalke youngster Julian Draxler is attracting the interest of Inter Milan and Arsenal. "My agent informed me that Inter have shown interest," Draxler told Sport-Bild. "It's a great feeling and new for me. I am tremendously honoured by such a thing. I've read that Arsenal have interest in me. That made me very happy."

15.13 GMT: Ready for another denial? "There is nothing," Leonardo told L'Equipe about the speculation linking PSG with a move for Kaka. "I have known Kaka for 11 years, and when he joined Milan he could have been loaned to PSG. We have a very good relationship but we have never asked Kaka to come here."

15.00 GMT: QPR have agreed a £3 million fee with Manchester City for the transfer of Nedum Onuoha. However, he has yet to agree personal terms.

14.44 GMT: DONE DEAL Flamengo have signed striker Vagner Love from Russian side CSKA Moscow, the Brazilian club confirmed on their website.

14.35 GMT: Bundesliga strugglers Kaiserslautern have bolstered their ranks with the signing of experienced defender Anthar Yahia. The French-born Algeria international, 29, has signed a contract until 2015.

14.19 GMT: Paris Saint Germain transfer target Thiago Motta could make his final appearance for Inter Milan on Wednesday night before swapping the San Siro for the Parc des Princes.

14.05 GMT: Manchester City have played down reports of an imminent bid to sign Israel midfielder Nir Biton. The 20-year-old FC Ashdod player impressed during a recent trial period with the Premier League leaders and there have been suggestions a loan deal is being put together.

13.54 GMT: Leeds United chairman Ken Bates claims former striker Jermaine Beckford was offered to the club last month, before he scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup.

13.42 GMT: Wigan have denied making a bid for Bristol City striker Nicky Maynard, who is out of contract in the summer. "Contrary to heavy media speculation, no official bid has been made," the club said.

13.31 GMT: Bolton are hopeful that a deal to bring Tim Ream to the club before the end of the week, meaning he could make his debut against Swansea City in the FA Cup.

13.19 GMT: Sky Sports "understands" that Sunderland, Wolves, West Brom, Celtic and Rangers all want Bolton's Kevin Davies, but he's not available on a loan.

13.03 GMT: DONE DEAL: We told you earlier that this deal was close, well now Stuttgart have completed the signing Vedad Ibisevic from Hoffenheim.

12.31 GMT: Granada and Villarreal and believed to be in negotiations for wantaway Spurs midfielder Giovani.

12.18 GMT: Rayo Vallecano have signed Brazilian striker Diego Costa on loan from neighbours Atletico Madrid. Costa, who will be presented later today after passing his medical, will join until June 30, after which he will return to Atletico as Rayo do not have an
option to buy.

12.09 GMT: Rangers manager Ally McCoist claims his club have not received any offers for Nikica Jelavic despite mounting speculation linking the striker with a move to the Premier League.

11.33 GMT: More on Martin Caceres: The 24-year-old is expected to move to Juve until the end of the season with an option to make his stay permanent for a reported 10 million euros.

11.17 GMT: Tevez tedium latest: Here's our story on the man who owes £9.3 million. Story

11.06 GMT: Reader comment from Alex, an Arsenal fan: "Since Shaqiri is available, why isn't AW making a move for him? Hey we need a good left-wing, Arshavin is not as productive, Chamberlain is not physically ready to playing a full game, then why not purchase Shaqiri before some top club snatch him and slap a ridiculous price on him? Bear in mind that we've been defeated on both occasions to Man Utd in the league this season, and this is the player "responsible" for Man Utd not making it through to the next stage of this season's UCL."

11.01 GMT: Stuttgart are closing in on the signing of Vedad Ibisevic, with the Hoffenheim striker set to undergo a medical later today.

10.56 GMT: Tevez tedium corner: Inter Milan board member Marco Tronchetti Provera has told Ansa: "Now we're no longer interested in Tevez. He is following a different path." Milan, or, literally after that £9.3 million fine, bust.

10.54 GMT: MASSIVE DONE DEAL: Norwich City midfielder Korey Smith has joined Championship side Barnsley on a month's loan.

10.51 GMT: Reader comment from Tommy: "I can't get over how poor Liverpool's transfer activity has been over the past few years; it is absolutely mind boggling to me. We obviously need more creativity so why not go after someone like Shaqiri, Kagawa, or Honda? Why would a team with such a fantastic youth academy choose to overpay for British players when they've proven that they can develop their own?"

10.45 GMT: Giovanni Dos Santos looks like he's headed for Villarreal, who must be desperate to pay the silly money Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy wanted for a player destined never to light up the Lane.

10.41 GMT: Flamengo and CSKA Moscow have finally reached an agreement on Vagner Love's transfer to the Brazilian club, say insidefutbol.com. The striker, whose blue hair reminds of a member of George Clinton's P-Funk All-Stars, wants to get funked up on his home patch after a recent loan spell ended a time in Russia that began way back in 2004.

10.35 GMT: Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic, previously linked with a shock move to Liverpool, is open to a move to West Ham United. He told the Daily Record: "West Ham are a great club and not a Second Division outfit. They are a famous English Premier League club who happened to be relegated last season and will return to the top division next season."

10.21 GMT: More of Kevin De Bruyne from this very website. Story

10.06 GMT: BREAKING ACTUAL NEWS: Genk say that Kevin de Bruyne is set for Chelsea, as has long been suggested, though he will spend the rest of the season back at the Belgian club.

10.03 GMT: Luis Boa Morte, freshly of the Orlando Pirates, could soon be joined in South Africa's Premier Soccer League by former Arsenal star Freddie Ljungberg. Shimuzu S-Pulse is where Freddie is at present. Club not yet specified by our friends at football365.co.za.

10.02 GMT: Watford boss Sean Dyche has hit out at Newcastle United, accusing the Premier League side of offering peanuts for defender Adrian Mariappa. Story

09.38 GMT: Zlatan Muslimovic is training with Sunderland with a view to a move to joining the club over the next few days, say the Sunderland Echo. He had been training with Rangers after being released by PAOK Salonika.

09.31 GMT: The Gazzetta dello Sport says Sevilla's defender Martin Caceres will undergo a medical ahead of his long expected return to Juventus.

09.14 GMT: Premier League champions Manchester United have been put on alert after Xherdan Shaqiri's proposed move from FC Basel to Galatasaray collapsed. Story

08.58 GMT: Twitter talk: From our own Andy Brassell - @andybrassell - "Mevlut Erding tells today's L'Equipe he's "relieved" move from PSG to Rennes sorted. Will sign 3.5 yr deal later today."

08.32 GMT: Twitter talk: Sky's Ian Dovaston - @skydovaston - says Sunderland want Kevin Davies.

08.28 GMT: Mario Balotelli, brother Enoch, is off to Sunderland on a trial - a footballing one and not a criminal one, it is best to point our. Perhaps he is represented by the agent who had a rather unnecessary go at referee Howard Webb. So say The Daily Mirror.

08.23 GMT: Aston Villa may release 34-year-old striker Emile Heskey on a free in the summer, suggest the Daily Mirror.

08.20 GMT: Blackburn Rovers are asking for at least £3.5million for Argentine playmaker Mauro Formica - with Olympiakos’ attempts to get the 23-year-old on the cheap set for failure, says Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

08.18 GMT: Chelsea are set to sign Racing Genk winger Kevin de Bruyne, 20, for £8.5m after talks in London between the two clubs, say the Daily Express.

08.00 GMT: Clubs across Europe are on alert as Xherdan Shaqiri is no longer joining Galatasaray from FC Basel. Manchester United are one of the clubs spuriously linked.

January 23, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/23/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


Rangers forward Jelavic. © Getty Images

23.35 GMT Well folks, that's all we have time for tonight, but be sure to check back on Tuesday morning for more transfer tittle-tattle... and maybe a deal or two.

23.23 GMT Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf, who is attracting interest from French club Brest, Hannover 96, Hoffenheim and Wigan, has hinted he could be on the move but nothing is official. "I have many contacts, but nothing is done yet," he is qouted as saying in the Daily Mail.

22.59 GMT Manchester City and Juventus are tracking Willem II starlet Jeroen Lumu, according Voetbal International. The 16-year-old scored against PSV Eindhoven last Frdiay.

22.22 GMT Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman says there have been no bids for reported Manchester United target for Nathaniel Clyne. "There has not been one single approach for one of my players, so, so far, so good," Freedman said.

21.43 GMT Bolton Wanderers have been granted a work permit for American defender Tim Ream, according to BBC Sport. Ream, who began his career with Chicago Fire Premier, has won seven USA caps.

21.15 GMT QPR's proposed deal to sign highly-rated Brazil Under-20 Henrique has fallen through after the striker was denied a work permit. Full story

20.42 GMT Trabzonspor striker Burak Yilmaz has issued a come and get me plea to Arsene Wenger. "I am a Trabzonspor player until the end of the season; if I were to move abroad I would want to move to a big club. I would accept a transfer to Arsenal," he told TRT1.

19.43 GMT Galatasaray have announced that they have begun talks with Swiss side Basel over the transfer of Xherdan Shaqiri. "The club have officially begun talks with the professional football player Xherdan Shaqiri and FC Basel," The Turkish side said in a statement.

19.01 GMT Celtic winger James Forrest has shrugged off speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League with Tottenham. "It's obviously good to hear but it doesn't bother me," Forrest said. "The main thing is that I want to keep playing well with Celtic."

18.38 GMT It seems that Diniyar Bilyaletdinov's proposed return to Russia has now hit the skids as Everton and Spartak Moscow can't agree on a fee, accoridng to talkSPORT.

18.07 GMT There are reports that Andrea Mancini, son of Roberto Mancini, signed for Italian lower league side Alma Juventus Fano 1906 on loan from Manchester City for the rest of the season.

17.41 GMT: Werder Bremen have confirmed defender Andreas Wolf has joined French outfit Monaco on a three-and-a-half-year deal. Wolf, 29, joined Bremen last summer on a free transfer from Nurnberg and moves on with nearly 18 months remaining on his contract.

17.33 GMT: DONE DEAL: Coventry defender James McPake has joined Hibernian on loan for the rest of the season.

17.16 GMT: DONE DEAL: Auxerre have signed footballing nomad Olivier Kapo until the summer of 2013.

16.48 GMT: The Daily Mirror's James Nursey says Birmingham's Jean Beausejour is at Wigan for a medical. Amazingly, a £4 million fee is mooted. Full story

16.26 GMT: Torino have signed Palermo goalkeeper Francesco Benussi as they bid seal a return to Serie A.

15.59 GMT: QPR have completed the deal to sign Taye Taiwo on loan from AC Milan for the rest of the season, reports Sky Sports. Still awaiting official confirmation.

15.48 GMT: Michael Tonge's loan move from Stoke to Hibernian is off and he is likely to join a Championship club.

15.23 GMT: Wolfsburg's Simon Kjaer wants to make his loan move to AS Roma a permanent deal. His agent said: “He loves this city, the Italian championship and the people. He’s very happy and he isn’t missing Germany.”

15.09 GMT: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov is set to leave Everton to return to Russia with Spartak Moscow in a £2m deal.

14.47 GMT: Luis Boa Morte is to sign for South African champions Orlando Pirates on Tuesday. He had been at Larissa, after leaving West Ham, until they ran into money troubles.

14.35 GMT: Lyon defender Dejan Lovren has signed a two-year extension to his contract.

14.17 GMT: Danish defender Kris Stadsgaard has left Malaga after his contract was canceled by mutual consent.

14.03 GMT: TEVEZ UPDATE! Carlos Tevez has reiterated his desire to sign for AC Milan. "I see myself only in the red and black shirt, I am hoping for Milan," Tevez is quoted by m24digital in Argentina.

13.45 GMT: Ligue 1 outfit Ajaccio have signed Felipe Saad after being released by Evian. The Brazilian made 19 appearances in Evian's promotion campaign last season but has played only four minutes in Ligue 1 this season.

13.21 GMT: It is being reported that Inter have rejected an offer from PSG for Thiago Motta.

12.52 GMT: St Johnstone striker Francisco Sandaza says he opted against signing a pre-contract agreement with Rangers as he felt undervalued by the SPL champions.

12.35 GMT: TEVEZ UPDATE! Milan official Adriano Galliani has confirmed AC Milan have a deal in place for Catania's Maxi Lopez but the club will only sign one of the players. He saidL “Tevez? We want him. The player and his agent know the situation. A striker will certainly arrive. If that isn’t Tevez then it will be Maxi Lopez – but it won’t be both.”

12.12 GMT: Guingamp striker Anthony Knockaert claims he is wanted by Newcastle and talks have taken place. He told FootMercato: "They are in touch with my agent. Now, I take care of my own work and nothing else."

12.04 GMT: Just had confirmation that Wellington has been loaned to Segunda side Alcoyano on Friday, scoring on his debut at the weekend. He had been sent on a season-long loan to Levante but failed to make a single La Liga appearance.

11.59 GMT: DONE DEAL: Leicester City have completed a loan deal to bring promising young Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso to the King Power Stadium.

11.53 GMT: Roman Pavlyuchenko's agent has confirmed that Spurs have taken up their option on extending the player's contract. "Tottenham, headed by Mr [Daniel] Levy, had the option of extending his contract, and they have done so," Oleg Artemov said. This will protect his transfer value.

11.31 GMT: And yet more Sky Sports! Their sources understand that Newcastle United have made a bid for Watford defender Adrian Mariappa.

11.26 GMT: Sky Sports believes that Wigan are in talks with Birmingham over a possible deal for Chile winger Jean Beausejour.

11.01 GMT: Sky Sports is reporting that Chelsea have had a £16.6m bid for William of Shakhtar Donetsk rejected. Only yesterday Andre Villas-Boas suggested there was no interest this month.

10.47 GMT: Newcastle boss Alan Pardew hopes to sign a new defender before the end of the week.

10.20 GMT: The Liverpool Echo reports that Liverpool have distanced themselves from reports suggesting they are leading the chase to sign Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic.

09.52 GMT: Juan Jesus is set to join Novara on loan from Inter for the rest of the season. “By sending him out on loan to another Italian club for the next few months, such as Novara, he’ll be able to mature and settle in the world of Italian football, said Inter assistant boss Beppe Baresi.

09.33 GMT: Everton could try and hijack QPR's move for Man City defender Nedum Onuhoa.

09.21 GMT: Here's the full story of Nikica Jelavic being linked to Liverpool.

09.12 GMT: Leeds United boss Simon Grayson has denied that Robert Snodgrass will be the next star name to be sold. “He still has 18 months on his contract so we are in a good position. We would like to keep him longer, which is why we offered a new contract," he told the Yorkshire Post. Leeds have already rejected a bid from Norwich.

09.00 GMT: The Lancashire Telegraph reports that Olympiakos have made a move to sign Blackburn Rovers’ Argentine playmaker Mauro Formica on loan.

The Sun provides this morning's top transfer story. It is claimed that misfiring Liverpool will sign Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic.

Jelavic's dad Philip said: "We know about the interest of West Ham and QPR. But Nikica has five or six clubs that are interested, including that of the great Liverpool. As for West Ham and QPR, Nikica is more ambitious than that. It's most likely that he'll sign for Liverpool."

Here's rest of the day's paper talk:

The Sun: Adel Taarabt wants to stay at QPR under new boss Mark Hughes ... Lyon have joined the chase for Spurs ace Vedran Corluka ... Tony Pulis is sending Michael Tonge and Tom Soares to Hibernian on loan in a Stoke clearout ... Portsmouth boss Michael Appleton has been told to sell his stars to save the club.

The Daily Mirror: Bolton boss Owen Coyle is swooping for Guinea’s exciting attacker Ismael Bangoura ... West Brom have slapped an £8million valuation on Peter Odemwingie amid interest from Fulham and West Ham ... Leicester boss Nigel Pearson is set to sign Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso on loan ... Aston Villa will give a trial to Jamaican striker Brian Brown and raid Portsmouth for Aussie midfielder Ryan Williams ... Bristol City axed contract rebel Nicky Maynard against Doncaster to try and persuade him to join West Brom or Wolves now ... Blackpool want ­Celtic’s Paddy McCourt on loan for the rest of the season.

Daily Mail: Steven Pienaar is to seek talks with Tottenham this week after QPR were told he will cost £6million ... Shakhtar Donestsk have confirmed Chelsea's interest in Willian ... Galatasaray and Juventus have been rebuffed in enquiries for Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong ... Manchester United are interested in Brazil striker Leandro Damiao ... Tottenham Hotspur have backed off from an immediate move for Celtic star James Forrest ... Reading are ready to move for Doncaster striker Billy Sharp this week ... Tottenham have offered out-of-favour Roman Pavlyuchenko to Newcastle and Sunderland ... Wigan are making a £2million move for Bristol City striker Nicky Maynard and are interested in Everton's James McFadden ... Blackpool have been told they will have to make a cash offer for Celtic winger Paddy McCourt despite attempts to loan him.

The Times: Tottenham have extended the contract of striker Roman Pavlyuchenko until 2013 but the Russian remains available for transfer.

January 22, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/22/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


Real Madrid and Inter Milan are reportedly keen on Liverpool forward Luis Suarez © Getty Images

23.30 GMT That's all for tonight, my kingdom for a DONE DEAL. Hopefully, as the final week of the window draws to a close we might just get some. More of the same tomorrow.

23.09 GMT Anybody want a Russian striker? Slightly used? Tottenham's Roman Pavlyuchenko is being offered to Newcastle and Sunderland, apparently.

22.35 GMT You would think they had enough strikers at the moment, but Manchester United are interested in Brazil striker Leandro Damiao according to the Daily Mail. The 22-year-old was subject of a £15 million bid from Tottenham in the summer but his club Internacional want closer to £24 million.

22.00 GMT Lancenet say that Sao Paulo are closing on the signing of Nilmar and could announce it by Tuesday, having agreed a deal with Villarreal.

21.38 GMT Greek champions Olympiakos are reported to be in advanced talks with Blackburn Rovers over Mauro Formica.

21.27 GMT Reports in Italy suggest Everton are showing an interest in Alessio Cerci of Fiorentina, who was linked with Man City last season.

20.59 GMT Reading are closing in on signing Blackburn striker Jason Roberts on loan until the end of the season.

20.52 GMT Want another Carlos Tevez update? I'm sure you do, so here you go: AC Milan coach Massimo Allegri told Sky Italia: "Am I optimistic over Tevez? I'm always optimistic in life."

20.23 GMT Brazil Under-20 international defender Juan has confirmed that he is on the verge of completing a move to Inter Milan. "I have passed a medical; thanks to God everything is okay," the Internacional man is quoted as saying by FcInterNews.it.

Inter assistant coach Beppe Baresi claimed he would go out on loan, and told Sky Sport Italia: "Juan is a young player with good quality. He knows how to defend very well, but he also plays well with the ball."

19.14 GMT Leicester are believed to be interested in taking Nathan Delfouneso on loan from Aston Villa.

18.34 GMT Yuri Zhirkov, who moved to Chelsea from CSKA Moscow for a reported £18 million in July 2009, didn't actually want to join the Blues. "Then I had offers from both Chelsea and Bayern, and I wanted Bayern," he was quoted as saying by Anzhi's website. "(It was) because (former CSKA team mate and friend) Ivica Olic was already playing for Bayern and in general I like Germany more than England. But in the end I was sold to Chelsea."

16.06 GMT - DONE DEAL: Senegalese striker Baba Diawara has completed his move to Sevilla from Maritimo, the Primera Division club have announced.

15.20 GMT Sky Sports are reporting former Chelsea midfielder Tiago is eyeing a return to the Premier League.

14.35 GMT - DONE DEAL: Parma have signed Roma striker Stefano Okaka on loan until the end of the season.

13.52 GMT: Andre Villas-Boas: "Willian is a very interesting player, but he is cup tied in the Champions League. I don't think we should go for players who cannot be involved in all the competitions. We are not stressed regarding what we can do in this transfer window. If a good opportunity arises, we could study it, but at the moment, we are very satisfied."

13.13 GMT: Paris Saint Germain sporting director Leonardo on Carlos Tevez: "It is true that with a player like Tevez, we know that we must make sacrifices." Read into that what you will.

12.45 GMT: Fulham boss Martin Jol has issued a hands-off warning to clubs tracking his hat-trick hero Clint Dempsey.

12.00 GMT: Stuttgart are expected to firm up their interest in Hoffenheim striker Vedad Ibisevic in the wake of their 3-1 defeat to Schalke on Saturday.

11.16 GMT: The Daily Mail suggests Manchester United could bid £50 million for Tottenham's Luka Modric in the summer.

10.36 GMT: Martin O'Neill has confirmed that Sunderland have rejected offers from abroad for Ji Dong-won.

10.09 GMT: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes the key to defeating Arsenal is to nullify the threat of star striker Robin van Persie - a player the Scottish coach considered signing. Full story.

09.45 GMT: The Star: Chris Samba is seeking a pay rise, with the defender out to double his pay at Blackburn to £80,000-a-week ... Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka is open to a loan move to Roma.

09.30 GMT: The Mirror: Tottenham have slapped a world-record £150 million price tag on Gareth Bale, who is a target of Manchester City ... Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has reiterated that Dimitar Berbatov has a future at the club ... Tottenham are keen on Swansea playmaker Joe Allen.

09.15 GMT: The People: Inter Milan and Real Madrid are interested in signing Liverpool forward Luis Suarez ... Chelsea are closely monitoring Lille star Eden Hazard, who is said to be available for around £25 million ... Real Madrid are keeping an eye on Manchester United's Danny Welbeck.

09.00 GMT: Good morning one and all. We are knee-deep in newspapers for your pleasure. Rumours to follow...

January 21, 2012
Posted by ESPNsoccernet Staff on 01/21/2012

ESPNsoccernet's On the Move transfer blog is where you will find a hearty round-up of all the rumours and signings during the January transfer window. Get your teeth into the below to find out which player(s) your side are being linked with today.


Carlos Tevez's purported switch to PSG is unlikely, say the papers © Getty Images

23.30 GMT: Is Tevez done yet? Please? No... ok then, we can expect some more transfer gossip tomorrow and presumably another story about a possible move for the Argentine.

22.43 GMT: Mark Hughes is preaching caution with his transfer plans at QPR. "I'll strive to keep the character of the group, but along the way if good players become available then that will help us stay in the Premier League, which is what we all want," he said. "I'm sure we'll be able to bring some more players in to help the guys here because it's going to be a long end to the season."

22.15 GMT: A fight is brewing. Portuguese club Maritimo claim that Sevilla's presentation of Baba Diawara was not legitimate, as they have not sanctioned the deal yet. A statement read: "Sevilla FC presented on Saturday morning, in their stadium, Maritimo's player Baba as a new footballer of that Spanish club. This is a situation which Maritimo strongly condemn, because there is no authorization whatsoever for that presentation. This makes that the 'rules of engagement' which were previously defined have been changed."

21.17 GMT: Roman Pavlyuchenko's agent says that his client would be keen on a move back to Russia with Rubin Kazan.

20.06 GMT: Catania keeper Mariano Andujar has moved to Argentine side Estudiantes on a six-month loan deal.

19.35 GMT: Confirmation that Rangers chairman Craig Whyte and his West Ham counterpart David Sullivan have been talking over top scorer Nikica Jelavic. Manager Ally McCoist said: "I spoke to Craig today and I believe Craig had a conversation with David Sullivan. But Craig was very keen to point out that absolutely no offers had been made at all. I think it was just a pretty informal chat they had."

18.56 GMT: Alessandro Del Piero, whose Juventus contract ends in the summer, has reportedly been offered a huge $5m per season contract to join Montreal Impact in the Canadian Major League.

18.45 GMT: Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill reiterated his desire to keep hold of Craig Gardner after the homesick midfielder sealed victory over Swansea in stunning style.

He said: "We want him to stay at the football club. At this moment, there has been no concrete offer. There is interest from other Premier League teams in and around that area, but there has been nothing concrete and we wouldn't want him to be leaving. I have not thought about an immediate replacement at this moment, so time is running out. We want him to stay."

18.22 GMT: Inter defender Lucio has urged the club to sign Sao Paulo playmaker Lucas rather than Brazil team-mate Neymar. "I know Lucas very well and Inter ought to run to sign him straight away. He is a wide attacker with a great deal of quality, all combined with exceptional pace. He always works hard in training and is a humble lad," the 33-year-old told Il Corriere dello Sport. "I remember during Copa America training, he'd often face Dani Alves during games between ranks and it was always a fiery battle. I think Lucas is better suited to Italian and European football than Neymar."

17.20 GMT: French international Yann M'Vila will not be leaving Rennes this month, according to this agent.

16.40 GMT: Stan Collymore on Twitter: "Rumour.Luis Suarez courted by Real Madrid.€45 million mentioned."

16.00 GMT: It is all understandably quiet on the transfers front as the Saturday matches unfurl. So, in the meanwhile, why not join Chris Murphy for goals, chat and updates. He's over here.

15.26 GMT: West Ham United have announced that James Tomkins has signed a new contract until summer 2016.

14.55 GMT: Simon Grayson has insisted Leeds United have "no intention" of selling any other players ahead of Jonny Howson's seemingly imminent departure to Norwich City.

14.00 GMT: Samir Nasri has been speaking to The Times about his move from Arsenal to Eastlands. He said: "I didn't choose Manchester City for the money. The Premier League table shows that."

13.10 GMT: Leeds United manager Simon Grayson is hoping to persuade Aston Villa to allow the Fabian Delph to spend the rest of the season on loan at Elland Road.

12.30 GMT: Portsmouth manager Michael Appleton has confirmed the signing of former Manchester City winger Kelvin Etuhu until the end of the season.

11.58 GMT: Here is the full story on reports that Tevez's switch to PSG is off.

11.30 GMT: Carlos Tevez's proposed move from Manchester City to Paris St Germain is reportedly off after talks broke down. Full story to follow...

10.48 GMT: Chelsea new boy Gary Cahill has hit back at claims he was greedy during contract talks with the Blues. He said: "It's disappointing when you see things in the press. You bite your lip because I didn't read one report that was correct. It was upsetting, but my family and the clubs knew the real situation. It was really hard (to accept the perception I was greedy) because that's the perception I got."

10.20 GMT: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted he probably should not have allowed Emmanuel Adebayor to join Tottenham on loan this season.

09.43 GMT: Harry Redknapp has insisted Tottenham have no intention of selling midfielder Niko Kranjcar in January. Full story.

09.29 GMT: The Mirror: Chelsea have launched a £20 million bid for Shakhtar Donetsk's Brazilian midfielder Willian ... Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is chasing Michael Mancienne ... West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is in the race for Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic.

09.15 GMT: The Sun: Carlos Tevez will turn down a £10 million-a-year deal at Paris St Germain, whose football director Leonardo said: "We didn't get a deal with Tevez, maybe we never will." ... Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is against Niko Kranjcar joining QPR ... Everton are close to a £500,000 deal for Portugal Under-23 forward Eder ... Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill has rejecte claims Newcastle new boy Papiss Cisse snubbed a move to Wearside.

09.00 GMT: Good morning. Happy Saturday to you. Newspaper round-up to follow, once we have rubbed the sleepy dust from our eyes.