Barcelona has signed promising midfielder Thiago Alcantara to a two-year contract extension that ties him to the Spanish champion until 2015. Barcelona did not reveal terms of the deal, which sees the 20-year-old’s buyout clause set at ?90 million ($127 million). Thiago scored an audacious 40-meter free kick in last weekend’s 2-0 victory over Switzerland to clinch the European Under-21 Championship for Spain.
(more…)
AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has promised a summer of spending to turn his AC Milan side into Champions League winners — and Tottenham’s Gareth Bale is on the Italian’s hit list. Berlusconi said signing Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi was impossible because “the Spanish game is rich and has different tax laws.” However, he insisted Milan will sign some of the biggest names in world football, with Bale being one of them.
Didier Drogba is the latest name to be linked with a possible move to Major League Soccer. The Chelsea striker’s future in London has been questioned since the club signed Spanish star Fernando Torres and it seems the Ivorian is now considering a move to the USA.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is lining up a summer move for Brazil star Kaka. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is a huge admirer of the 28-year-old Real Madrid playmaker, having worked with him at AC Milan. Abramovich’s vision is to play Kaka off new $80 million signing Fernando Torres next season. Chelsea believes his struggle with a long-term knee injury under Jose Mourinho this season means he can be captured for a knock-down fee of $39 million.
West Ham is confident of a cut-price deal for Robbie Keane after emerging as favorites to sign the unsettled Tottenham striker. The Hammers are actively pursuing Keane and believe they can see off competition from Birmingham, Newcastle, Fulham, Aston Villa and MLS to help him kick-start a career that has stalled in recent months. Keane is reluctant to uproot his family and in no mood to be dictated to by Tottenham over his future, with West Ham chiefs hoping to land him for barely half the $15 million that Birmingham was initially quoted.
Fulham is the latest side to attempt to sign Emmanuel Adebayor on loan from Manchester City. It is understood Mark Hughes’s side were willing to offer $125,000 per week but City will only allow him to go if a club pays the full $220,000 a week. Real Madrid is also interested as Jose Mourinho agitates to find a striker to replace Gonzalo Higuain in the January window.
chelsea-sign-dortmunds-subotic/borussia-dortmund-v-hertha-bsc-berlin-bundesliga/”>Chelsea has entered talks with Borussia Dortmund to sign highly-rated defender Neven Subotic over rivals Manchester United and Real Madrid. Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti is keen to bolster his defense after injuries to first-choice pair John Terry and Alex earlier this season caused problems. According to German daily Bild, Chelsea have launched an opening $27 million offer for the 22-year-old Serbia international.
