Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Manchester City could all be beaten to their targets by Europe’s top clubs, according to today’s reports.
Bayern Munich, Zenit St Petersburg, Valencia, Paris St Germain, Roma, Lazio, Galatasaray and Ajax all feature in todays round-up of European transfer news.
With all the transfer news embroiling the Premier League it is easy to forget there are other deals going on elsewhere in Europe, here is a pick of the bunch.
Athletic Bilbao’s versatile midfielder Javi Martinez’s proposed deal to Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich has hit a snag according to Bayern director Matthias Sammer and chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge. The German giants emerged as favourites to sign the Basque 23 year old ahead of Manchester City this summer and Javi can operate in the heart of defence or midfield. A reported €40 million deal to bring the Spanish international to Bavaria has been mooted but at the moment Bayern must await a reply from the San Mames side who do not want to lose one of their most prodigious talents along with rumours of Fernando Llorente also leaving the club.
Another player who could be leaving Spain is Ibrahim Afellay who has been linked with a move to Russian side Zenit St Petersburg. The 26 year old has previously been linked with Arsenal and Inter Milan this summer after struggling with injury and form since arriving at the Nou Camp last January. Now it appears the Dutch international is a significant target for Zenit’s Italian manager Luciano Spalletti.
Zenit will also rival Spurs and Arsenal in the race to snap up Rennes and France midfielder Yann M’Vila. With Zenit more then able to cough up the £17million asking price for the talented 21 year old.
Valencia have taken the hotseat in the pursuit of Lyon left back Aly Cissokho. Bernard Lacombe told L’Equipe that Valencia are willing to pay the €7 million but face stiff competition from Newcastle and Napoli for his transfer. Cissokho himself has proclaimed his desire to play for Manchester United, an unlikely deal now in the light of Alexander Buttner’s Old Trafford arrival.
Meanwhile as one full-back looks to leave Ligue 1 another is set to arrive as Stephan Lichtsteiner is being touted as the next arrival in the Paris Saint Germain adventure. PSG boss Carlo Ancelotti has previously dispelled such rumours but after a disappointing start to the Ligue 1 season they may rekindle their interest in a €18 million move for the Swiss 28 year old.
Staying in Serie A, Roma appear to have won the race for highly rated Brazilian full-back Marquinhos. He follows fellow Corinthians youngsters Dodo and Leandro Castan to the Italian capital this summer as he signs an initial one year loan deal at the Stadio Olimpico. He is a former Brazilian youth team captain and will hope to emulate legend Cafu in Rome.
Another done deal in Italy sees Giampaolo Pazzini and Antonio Cassano swap Milan sides. Cassano has left the Rossoneri for the Nerazzuri and Pazzini vice-versa. The former Sampdoria team-mates had interesting campaigns last year, Pazzini struggling for goals and Cassano recovering from heart surgery to perform admirably at Euro 2012.
And in other news Galatasaray are eyeing up a potential shock double swoop for Real Madrid’s Kaka and former Birmingham forward Mauro Zarate of Inter Milan.
Free kick guru Keisuke Honda has distanced himself from a potential transfer to Lazio from CSKA and Ajax have re-signed 26-year-old AZ Alkmaar defender and one time Southampton target Nicklas Moisander; six years after releasing the current Finland captain.
image: © henrikalexandersen
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