Spanish Football | Soccer

NEYMAR | AN AGREEMENT - DEAL WITH FC BARCELONA SHUT ?

More news from Brazil after intense negotiations today between Santos, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid & Neymar. The very latest news circulating is the offer each Club ( Barça & Madrid ) has made to the Santos player: Real Madrid 11M€ /season & FC Barcelona 7M€/season. But there is a "catch", Real Madrid asks for 50% of the players image rights while FC Barcelona gives it all - 100% - to Neymar. Just to remind you, Neymar earns around 8M€ just in publicity per year.

But there is more, Spanish Sports paper "Marca", along while the two main Barcelona based papers, "Sport" & "Mundo Deportivo", have let known this afternoon in their online editions that its a practical done deal in favour of FC Barcelona. According to the mentioned Sports papers, barring last minute surprises & paperwork, the Brazilian 21 year old will be a FC Barcelona player as from next season with a 5 year contract. The rumoured signing - transfer figure that FC Barcelona will pay to all 4 parties that own the rights of Neymar is around 50M€ although I suspect that it will finally be much higher.

This is all unconfirmed. It is important that readers keep this in mind. Plus it is not even certain that Real Madrid has really offered the player anything & least 11M€ per season. I say this because the highest paid players at Real Madrid right now are Cristiano Ronaldo & Kaka & they are around the 10M€. If it is true that Real Madrid has offered 11M€/season to Neymar, & if Neymar surprises everyone choosing Real Madrid next season, the Club would have to raise the salary of Cristiano Ronaldo substantially & perhaps others players to keep the salaries "in line" & not offend "egos".

The only thing right now that can be said is that the "Neymar story" is very close to coming to a conclusion & that FC Bareclona is in the front seat. Everything indicates that Barça is the destination the player desires for next season - over that of Real Madrid - & that an official announcement seems very close. If I were a FC Barcelona fan I would be conservatively happy - if your in agreement - that the Brazilian is in "the bag".

Stay tuned!

NEYMAR NEWS - LATEST | FC BARCELONA OR REAL MADRID ITS UP TO NEYMAR

We have been following the Neymar "soap opera" here for months. I would assume that plenty of fans of Santos, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid & World Football in general will be interested in knowing how it will finish.

Apparently, according to local Spanish Sports press, we could be in the final home stretch.

There are two firm offers on the table that satisfy the 4 players rights owners of Neymar. The most "difficult" to date, Brazilian Club Santos, has apparently accepted a figure & has said it is up to Neymar to decide which one he prefers.

The two Clubs are Spanish Football giants FC Barcelona & Real Madrid CF, the former is offering around 60-70M€ ( way above originally agreed months back ) while Real Madrid it is rumoured to be around the 90-100M€ mark ( not confirmed ). Santos has said OK to both & leaves it all now in the hands of Neymar to decide. The player came out this morning to say to press that he was honoured to have both Clubs interested & that he will decide soon which offer to take up.

In Football nothing is certain, & least with the ever changing Neymar & his money hungry circles of advisors & rights owners. Real Madrid is the offer economically superior, but it seems the player wishes to go to FC Barcelona & this is the determining factor.

However, in the last days influential voices at FC Barcelona ( Johan Cruyff for example ) have expressed the "no need for Neymar" & the worry of having "two peacocks" in the same dressing room that may cause more problems than solutions. The possible clash of "egos" between Messi & Neymar has been voiced, plus the unknown of how will Neymar adapt to Barça & European Football ? Theses opinions from Barcelona may have reached Brazil & may make Neymar think & change his mind, but everything looks set that Neymar will choose FC Barcelona, taking into account that he apparently Neymar signed weeks back a document saying so.

But don´t take this as a certainty, anything can still happen. Stay tuned!

THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE IDEAL 11 TEAM SELECTION FOR SEASON 2012 - 2013

The news source in itself could be debated if its reputable, English paper "The Sun" has released their "Ideal Champions League 11" for season 2012 - 2013". Apart from their choices - all top players - there is a stark contrast with the "Ideal 11" lists from last season.

Firstly, the list is dominated by the German Clubs Bayern Munich & Borussia Dortmund, both which will meet tomorrow in London in the Champions League Final. Secondly, there is just one Spanish player & that is FC Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez. Thirdly, the Spanish Club with most players is Malaga FC with goalkeeper Willy Caballero & defender Welington.

You may have noticed that "The Sun" leaves out Lionel Messi, but puts in Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo who is currently the leading Champions League goal scorer for season 2012-2013.

Here is the full list of names:

Willy Caballero; Lahm, Dante, Weligton, Schmelzer; Xavi Hernandez, Schweinsteiger, Götze; Lewandowski, Yilmaz & Cristiano Ronaldo.

As with all lists of these type they cause debate & never satisfy all the Footy punters. However, interesting how it does illustrate to some exact the "changing of the guard" or "shift in the European Football power" from Spanish Football to Germany.

EURO U-21 CHAMPIONSHIP ISRAEL | FULL LIST OF SPANISH NATIONAL SQUAD PLAYERS

The Spanish U- 21 National Team Selector & Coach Julen Lopetegui has handed in today his list of players that will make up the U- 21 Spanish Football Team for the upcoming U-21 European Championships to be held in Israel during the days 5 - 18 of June.

Spain will be defending title & put forward on paper a powerful squad full of full-time experienced players in top league Clubs around Europe.

Here is the full list of players that makes up the U-21 Spanish National Football squad:

-Goalkeepers: De Gea (Manchester United), Joel (Wigan), Mariño (Villarreal).

-Defenders: Nacho (Real Madrid), Montoya, Bartra y Muniesa (FC Barcelona), Íñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad), Alberto (Sevilla), Carvajal (Leverkusen) & Álvaro González (Zaragoza).

-Midfielders: Koke (Atlético), Illarramendi (Real Sociedad), Thiago (FC Barcelona), Isco y Camacho (Málaga), Muniain (Athletic), Sarabia (Getafe) & Canales (Valencia).

-Forwards: Morata (Real Madrid), Tello (FC Barcelona), Rodrigo (Benfica), Álvaro Vázquez (Getafe).

FC BARCELONA | THIAGO TO LEAVE BARCELONA

FC Barcelona has always preached they are different, that one of the elements they hold close & cultivate is to create local talent for the Club. It´s propaganda , as with most other Clubs.

FC Barcelona "home grown" young midfield talent Thiago Alcantra is to leave the Club because he can´t find a regular place. The irony & the truth is that FC Barcelona prefers to spent a whooping 60-70M€ on an outside & still unproven player in European Football like Neymar.

The father of Thiago, ex Brazilian International Mazinho, warned Barcelona early this season. Thaigo wishes to stay & play at FC Barcelona, but if he can´t get regular play & he cant continue evolving Thaigo will have to move elsewhere to grow.

The player had a 90 M€ contract release clause, but because he has not played this season a "determined number of games", his contract release clause falls to 18 M€ & naturally this has made the midfielder "top prize" in the European signing market.

Latest news is that Thiago will be leaving FC Barcelona ´& that the player has an "agreement" elsewhere for next season. Bayern Munich is rumoured to be interested but everyone is pointing to England & concretely Manchester United which is rumoured to be preparing the 18M€ needed.

Thiago is an immense young Football talent & already a Spanish International, the player is destined to be a great in European Football, but as with the insects FC Barcelona prefers to smash itself against the bright lights of others. The 60-70M€ price figure for Neymar is an "investment risk" when you have the "sure thing" in your back yard & free.

REAL MADRID | TRANSFER NEWS - GOSSIP FOR SEASON 2013-2014

Spanish Sports paper "Marca" has put on its front cover today a story titled "The plans of Florentino" discussing the wishes & possible signing targets the Real Madrid CF has for next season 2013 - 2014.

With the above image courtesy of the Spanish paper, they speculate that President Florentino & Real Madrid will be going for: Neymar, Lewandowski, Bale, Isco, Carvajal & Casemiro.

Studying other sources & International press Real Madrid can basically forget about the first two:

Neymar will finally end up in FC Barcelona, this is what the player desires & has signed a pre-agreement to this effect. What Real Madrid has managed to do is "stick it up" Barça by lifting the initial transfer offer from 40 to 60 M€ just by their "interference". One can say that indirectly Real Madrid has been strategically successful.
Lewandowski will go to Bayern Munich, this is the wish & desire of the Polish forward. Real Madrid can forget this option, & now have Napoles Cavani as their main striker target.

The rest are still open:

According to UK press, Real Madrid will make an initial 50M€ to Tottenham Hotspurs for Gareth Bale & offer a player to chose from; Higuain, Di Maria, Coentrao, Pepe etc. This will be a very difficult operation & will go on all summer. We need to watch how it all develops.

Malaga FC has priced its midfielder Isco at 35M€. Negotiations will continue.

Carvajal is an option but it ain´t too clear. The next new Coach ( Carlo Ancelotti ) will have a big say here.

Cashemiro looks set to stay at Real Madrid. The Brazilian has given good sensations & his price is 6M€ that Sao Paolo will receive in the operation.

There are more names floating around & as always a "surprise" will arise in coming weeks or months , but this is how it is for now. It may change tomorrow & I have no doubt that it will.

REAL MADRID | EDINSON CAVANI THE CHOICE OF ANCELOTTI

Edinson Cavani has scored 29 goals in 34 games this season & seems the striker that Real Madrid wishes for next season. Current Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain looks all set to leave for Juventus ( or England ) & there will be a place for the Napoles Uruguayan International.

News from Italy & locally cite that current Paris St Germain Coach - & next Real Madrid Coach - Carlo Ancelotti has called personally the representative of Cavani to let him know that he & Real Madrid count on his player for next season. Plus days back the Real Madrid Director General Jose Sanchez flew to Napoles to tell the player of his Clubs interest for his services.

Meanwhile the Italian Club Napoles is "auctioning" the player in order to get the most money possible from a transfer. The Club has let known to Real Madrid that English Club Manchester City is already negotiating for their player. The advantage that Real Madrid has in this "tug-of-war" operation is that it seems Cavani wants to play at Real Madrid & not in England. Either way the transfer price will be high as speculation puts it around the 35-40M€ mark. No doubt Real Madrid will force downward & may attempt to put in a player.

If all the above is true, Cavani will have a big say on his future. Stay tuned!

ATLETICO DE MADRID | WHO WILL REPLACE FALCAO ?

It seems clear that Atletico de Madrid forward Radamel Falcao will be leaving at the end of the season. What´s not confirmed is where but there are a few Clubs being mentioned, Monaco, Chelsea FC, Manchester City & Paris St Germain, with the first two more favourite than the others.

Atletico de Madrid obviously have to work - & have been - to find a substitute forward that will fill the "big" space that Falcao will leave vacant. Names are already been sounding & are appearing in Football press.

First name to hit the papers was FC Barcelona forward David Villa, but it seems that the Spanish International will go to the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspurs or Arsenal FC battling out between themselves to convince the player.

Second name that is sounding is Luis Suarez of Liverpool FC, an old desire of Atletico de Madrid. Apparently there are negotiations going on but money maybe a serious obstacle.

Thirdly, Spanish International & Sevilla FC forward Alvaro Negredo has offered himself for next season as he desires to play in Champions League & is an option.

Lastly, the name of Brazilian International & Russian Club Zenit forward Hulk has appeared on the scene. The Brazilian is not happy in Russia & looks favourably a move to Liga. The big obstacle here is the 60M€ that Zenit paid recently for the player.

In conclusion there are two current viable options: Luis Suarez & Alvaro Negredo. Stay tuned!