THE CURRENT season is not yet fully completed and yet players are already being traded all over Europe. In England, Chelsea are the most active despite claiming to be happy with their current squad of superstars. Lyon midfielder Michael Essien was offered a 37 million euro, five-year contract, but amazingly turned down the Blues. Barcelona’s prolific striker Samuel Eto’o was tempted with a 45 million euro deal involving William Gallas and on-loan Hernan Crespo – no go!
Gallas will leave anyway, probably still to Barcelona, and one transfer already completed to replace him is that of Asier Del Horno. The Athletic Bilbao defender will earn 60,000 euros a week after signing an 18 million euro, four-year deal. Nigerian whizzkid John Obi Mikel, 18, is also close to joining the Stamford Bridge outfit from Norwegian club Lyon Oslo for five million euros in the company of his countryman Emmanuel Sarki. While Crespo remains a bargaining piece, Dortmund’s Dede may provide cover for Del Horno and Italian forward Alberto Gilardino looks to become Chelsea’s most expensive investment at 50 million euros.
Elsewhere in the Premiership, Arsenal’s José Antonio Reyes has overcome his homesickness and looks set to stay at Highbury while Edu is off to Juventus. A 25 million euro offer from Barcelona for top scorer Thierry Henry has been refused. Everton have Chelsea’s Scott Parker, Spurs’ Robbie Keane and Inter Milan’s Emre on their wish list while Portsmouth has lost both Patrick Berger and Yakubu.
Berger has joined Aston Villa on a free transfer while Yakubu will partner Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Middlesborough next season. Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new contract at Manchester United and El-Hadji Diouf will make his move to Bolton permanent. Newcastle has offered 25 million euros for Madrid’s Michael Owen and Liverpool has secured the services of Villareal goalkeeper José Reina for 12 million euros.
Current keeper Dudek is set to rejoin former club Feyenoord, but tempting offers for Steven Gerrard involving Madrid’s Guti as well as AC Milan have been rebuffed. Instead, manager Rafael Benitez is keen to add Zaragoza’s Argentinian defender Gabriel Milito to his squad.
Beira Mar’s Steven McPhee has joined Hull City for 319,000 euros. Elsewhere in Portugal, Porto want to buy CSKA Moscow’s Vagner Love as well as Ajax Amsterdam’s Rafael van der Vaart, who is also in contact with Hamburg. Porto have lost Luis Fabiano to Seville as well as Greek defender Seitaridis, Maniche and Costinha to Dynamo Moscow, 40 million euros swell the Dragãos’ coffers. Benfica’s Sokota has signed for Hertha Berlin and club-mate Delibasic has gone to Majorca. Miguel will be the next to leave either to Spain or Italy.
Inter’s Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids wants to return to Ajax, Iker Casillas will stay in Madrid and may be joined by Juventus’s Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the subject of a 70 million euro bid. Champions, Barcelona have been reinforced by PSV Eindhoven’s Mark van Bommel and German record title holders Bayern Munich have secured Asian player of the year Ali Karami from Iran.
