MADRID (Reuters) — Barcelona has moved quickly to reinforce its squad snapping up Spain striker David Villa from Valencia for $49.66 million on Wednesday, three days after winning a second consecutive La Liga title.

After a board meeting at Valencia in the morning, its president Manuel Llorente said they had accepted Barca’s offer.

“There was a big offer from England that was not from Chelsea but Barcelona’s was the best for us and the footballer,” Llorente told a news conference at the Mestalla, without specifying which Premier League club had made a bid.

“Villa has delivered a lot [to Valencia] and he deserves this chance,” he added.

The 28-year-old is Spain’s second-highest scorer with 36 goals from 55 matches, eight short of the record held by Real Madrid striker Raul, and he will be spearheading Spain’s World Cup campaign in South Africa next month.

Barcelona confirmed the deal in a statement on their website (www.fcbarcelona.com), saying Villa would sign a four-year contract with an option for one more year.

The player, who Barca said “guaranteed goals”, will travel to the Catalan capital on Thursday and will take a medical before being presented on Friday at 1130 GMT.

Nicknamed “el guaje” [the kid], Villa will join a formidable Barca forward line that already includes La Liga’s leading marksman Lionel Messi, Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Spaniards Pedro and Bojan Krkic.

France striker Thierry Henry spent most of last season on the bench and is expected to move on.

Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain told the club’s TV channel on Wednesday Villa was a similar player to Messi in that he could play as a centre forward or drift in from the right wing into goal-scoring positions.

“He has the profile of a player who makes very good diagonal runs and moves very well into space,” Begiristain said.

Valencia have been forced into the sale by the precarious nature of their finances. They are burdened with debts of more than 500 million euros, they have a half-built new stadium, and have yet to sell their current one, the Mestalla.

“The board’s principle objective is to make sure we have economic viability for the future,” Llorente said, adding that he did not rule out further sales.

“We are obliged to take responsible decisions. Considering our situation it is responsible to sell this player.

“As everyone knows we could have done this deal last year but we thought at that moment it was best to keep our squad together to try and get into the Champions League.

“We have achieved that aim and finished third in the league, and he has contributed a lot towards this. We think it is good sale and necessary for the economic situation of the club.”

Lionel Messi scored an amazing 47 goals for Barcelona this season.

Here is a video of every one of those goals.

Which is his best?

Is it just me or is everyone sick of this kid?

He was raised in Jersey then said screw you to good old USA and moved back to Italy.

Now everyone is praising this kid, but what everyone forgot is that he chose Italy as the country he would represent instead of the US.

In my mind that means that we are finished with him.  He means the same to me as any other foreign star.

Am I alone on this?

Add a comment…

As you’d expect, over the coming weeks and months, the transfer grapevine will be aflutter with tittle-tattle, and the big news from Marca – the popular Spanish rumour mill – is that Frankie Lamps might yet find himself sharing his various leg ointments and changing room hair styling equipment with Cristiano Ronaldo next season.
The whisper being that should Mourinho end up at Real Madrid, he’s going to make a move for his old buddy.
But, would Ms Chelsea budge? Let us know your thoughts with a comment.

MILAN (AP) -Jose Mourinho plans to coach Real Madrid one day – he just won’t say when.

In an interview to be published in the Italian magazine Panorama on Friday – excerpts of which were released Thursday, Mourinho says he “will coach Real Madrid” sooner or later.

Mourinho says that “what they write is that I’ve got one foot in Spain and one foot here in Milan and that’s false. … I will coach Real Madrid. I’ve coached a big team in England. I’m coaching a big team in Italy and I will coach a big team in Spain.”

Mourinho can clinch the Serie A title with Inter Milan this weekend, and his team faces Bayern Munich a week later for the Champions League title.

Sir Alex is thinking about making a move for current Real Madrid star Lassana Diarra.

At 21 M pounds that would be quite a price for a player that has moved around a lot in the last few years.

Thoughts?