ESPN Soccernet - On The Move
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On The Move
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.

Comments

Posted by Kevin on 01/25/2012

Unless Shaqiri is moving from left wing to central midfield, that United story is a wash. We already have too many wingers and after spending 18 mil on Ashley Young six months ago, we won't be spending 20 on Shaqiri now. Remember Mirko Vucinic came out and said he was "extremely close" to signing on a striker heavy United team this summer? Afraid he who shall not be named is still the only real transfer story so far.

Posted by Hatim on 01/25/2012

Eden hazard to arsenal rumour for 25 mill picking up
is there any truth in it ?

Posted by Max on 01/25/2012

Are the pursestrings 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.

Posted by BENSON WAINAINA on 01/25/2012

Man united should sign Shaqiri no matter the challenges coz he might be the future Beckham OR Ronaldo even Giggs

Posted by Kevin on 01/25/2012

Response to ALEX, the arsenal fan.
Gunners have gervinho, walcott, and Oxlade. Bringing in 19 year old Shaqiri would mess up your system...right now is a perfect situation for Ox to be hustling to get first team appearances because Gervinho is away. With a prized young talent like Shaqiri you would have to give up atleast another winger and potentially damage the development of Ox who at this rate may become one of Englands finest. Shaqiri would not suffice as a short term replacement for Gervinho, he needs to go somewhere that would need him long term

Posted by Woods on 01/25/2012

Really surprised to hear nothing about Marco Reus or Mario Gotze. Id enjoy seeing Reus make his way to the Premier League and see if he cant hold his own there with Liverpool perhaps.

Posted by Darrell McGahan on 01/25/2012

the Enter Shikari reference is probably lost on most people reading this blog. Woods- Reus has already stated that he is snubbing Bayern and moving to Dortmund in the summer, no chance of highjacking that move unless crazy money comes in.

Posted by jakero on 01/25/2012

what's the deal with David Texeira to Liverpool? There's been reports that the two teams are in talks over a possible deal.

Posted by Tim on 01/25/2012

Why is United going after Shaqiri when they obviously could use a creative midfielder like Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye. Shaqiri can wait till the summer cause no one else is going to sign him before the close of the window.

Posted by david on 01/25/2012

Responds to
08.23 GMT: Aston Villa may release 34-year-old striker Emile Heskey on a free in the summer, suggest the Daily Mirror.
I can't believe that Villa would let Heskey go. I am surprised that Man U haven't offered to buy him. After all they do have Owen and I wouldn't be surprised if Man U gets Heskey this summer Heskey + Owen team unstoppable.

Posted by jonp on 01/25/2012

Max, you consider Suarez to be "wasted" money? Adam hasn't been amazing but aside from some dodgy free kicks he's done what most expected out of him and developed a good rapport with Lucas (before Lucas was lost for the season), and they hardly broke the bank to get him. Carroll and Downing have been disappointing but Henderson is slotting in nicely and Jose Enrique at 6-7 million is proving to be a steal compared to where LFC was last season at left back.
I'll give you that Carroll was an impulse (or statement) buy but the rest of them suit the goal of building a squad with a chance at 4th without paying the kind of wages that Man City has available. Kenny is old school and believes in the "Liverpool Way" of keeping transfer business under wraps until there's something tangible to announce. A lot of window left. Be patient.

Posted by sean on 01/25/2012

Suarez a waste?

Posted by Tony on 01/25/2012

Can someone please tell me why Arsene Wenger is not making a move for Honda in a player swap with Arshavin plus cash. Is it because Honda has talent and might help the team while Arshavin plays defense like a statue while showing the same effort on the offensive end. Arshavin gets to finally go away and we get a young talent to replace him with.

Posted by DanS on 01/25/2012

@Woods, Reus has already been acquired by Dortmund and Gotze is injured, so that's that! As for Shaqiri, I think he would fit right in to a squad that actually NEEDS wingers, Chelsea. Every other top 7 team is stocked to the brim with wingers and Chelsea has none! Think about it, Man U has Young and Nani, Liverpool has Downing and Bellamy, City has Johnson and Aguero, Arsenal has Walcott and Arshavin/Ox, even Newcastle has Obertan and Ameobi. Chelsea have really no true winger.

Posted by Hunter on 01/25/2012

Why hasn't City made any moves? We need a midfielder while yaya is out at the African Cup of Nations. Even if it's a loan deal I think a midfielder is necessary. A defender is always wanted while the defense seems to be running thin. And could Dzeko be out in a year or do?

Posted by sam on 01/25/2012

why are there so many random pictures

Posted by Fern on 01/25/2012

Good im glad Giovanni is finally leaving he was nevr given a fair shot, Harry redknap you are a villain in mexico for trying to ruin gio's career

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