In this weekend’s Transfer Window, JOE takes a look at Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s possible return to Serie A, and what it means for a despondent Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Confirmed – Masch to Barca
This morning brings disconcerting news for Liverpool fans – the Anfield side have agreed an apparent €16m fee for Javier Mascherano, with €6m in further add-ons, to join Barcelona on a four-year deal. Do Liverpool now have enough time to find a suitable replacement before the Transfer Window (and this column, sob) slams shut on Tuesday night? Or was that the point of Christian Poulsen in the first place?
Either way, Mascherano’s departure is a moot point, since the grizzled (ugly) defensive midfielder began holding the club to ransom on Monday, refusing to travel to Eastlands for a Manchester City drubbing. On the plus side, Dirk Kuyt has rebuffed Inter Milan and pledged his future to Liverpool, stating that he’s ‘had four great years at the club. Unfortunately, I have not won any trophies yet, but hopefully I will.â€
In any case, that Mascherano’s transfer comes just days after losing Alberto Aquilani on a season loan is a bitter blow for ‘Pool fans – both players were rated at a combined €40-50m last summer and have left for relatively nothing, now inarguably downgraded by their €6m Poulsen replacement.
After his depleted side made tough work of Trabzonspor with a late flurry of goals last night, Roy Hodgson may have to chalk this week down as one to quickly forget. In Barcelona’s case, they’ve managed to replace City’s Yaya Toure with a better player at half the price – how do they do it, eh? Oh, endless player tapping-up and knowingly insulting rejected opening bids to unsettle their chosen target – right, my mistake.
Zlat’s all folks
Speaking of Barcelona, the overpaid wonderflop of our time, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is one step closer to joining Ronaldinho and the Rossoneri, afer AC Milan agreed a deal to take the Swedish striker to the San Siro. According to Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo, Ibra will move from the Nou Camp for a €40m fee, payable in three instalments. Zlatan now has 24 hours to decide where his future lies, though if he does move he will have played at Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan during his Serie A tenure, or ‘doing a Patrick Vieira’ as it is more commonly known.
If Zlatan does move, it spells trouble for the disappointing-but-still-deserves-a-proper-chance Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who Milan have seemingly been trying to ship out since the second he joined the club last summer. With Luis Fabiano reportedly cold on moving to North London, Huntelaar’s long-held admirers Tottenham Hotspur may swoop for the 27-year-old, especially since they can now offer him some incredibly difficult Champions League fixtures.
Stereotype-enabling sulky Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa may finally be able to complete his ‘dream’ season-long loan to Aston Villa-spankers Newcastle United, as French daily L’Equipe have announced that the deal is set to be completed. Ben Arfa’s deal will include an option for the Toon Army to purchase the player for around €7m if he makes at least 25 first team appearences.
SPL in a bucket
Despite being an utter embarrassment (Utrecht?!), Celtic boss Neil Lennon is looking to add another signing to Parkhead to delay his inevitable sacking – Irish striker Anthony Stokes. Stokes won’t come cheap, however, as his club Hibernian have told Celtic it will take at least €5m to sign Hibs’ top goalscorer of last season.
Serie A in a gondola
Having had a rejected transfer move for last year’s Serie A top goalscorer, Antonio Di Natale of Udinese, Luigi Del Neri’s much-revamped Juventus have reportedly agreed to sign Napoli’s Fabio Quagliarella on a €4.5m loan, with the option to make the move permanent for another €10m. Quagliarella would be an ideal replacement for the Bianconeri’s departing Diego, and the Italian already showed his class in this summer’s World Cup, providing the lone bright spark of a disastrous campaign with this stunning chip.
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