Adebayor Still Wanted By Barca

*

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor is still a transfer target for La Liga giants Barcelona next summer, with David Villa at Valencia and Lyon’s Karim Benzema also on the Catalan clubs potential list of recruits for the Nou Camp next season, according to Sport.

24-year-old Adebayor had been on the verge of joining Barca during the summer in a £30million deal, with Serie A side AC Milan also interested in the Togolese International. However, a move to either the Blaugrana or the Rossoneri failed to materialise and the former Monaco striker agreed to sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium, which is believed to be worth around £80,000-a-week to Adebayor.

Adebayor has struggled with niggling injuries this season for the Gunners, but has still scored 8 goals in 20 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League side, 7 of which have come in the Premiership.

A move for Adebayor by Barcelona could be easier and probably cheaper than any attempt to land Villa or Benzema, but the Togolese hit-man would still cost in excess of £25million, with it unknown if Gunners boss Arsene Wenger would be willing to let the forward leave the North London club.

Another factor, which could affect any move by the Spanish side for Adebayor is Togo’s involvement in the African Cup of Nations next year, with Togo on course to qualify for the tournament. Barca, are already going to lose Cameroon International Samuel Eto’o for a month to the tournament next year and are unlikely to want to have two key players in the same position missing for so long.

City Will Have To Wait For £60million Villa

*

Manchester City will have to wait until the end of the season if they wish to add EURO 2008 star David Villa at Valencia to the squad at the Eastlands Stadium, according to reports in Spain.

City are expected to be a major player in the January transfer market, with owner’s the ADUG keen to flex their financial muscle in order to turn the Premier League club into a real force in European football.

Blues manager Mark Hughes is eager to use some of that wealth to attract a striker of proven world-class quality to the Premiership side, with 27-year-old Villa being heavily linked with a world record transfer of £60million from the Mestalla to the Eastlands next month.

However, the Spanish media are reporting that Los Che, despite rumours of serious financial trouble at the La Liga club want to hold on to Villa until the end of the season. Meaning City would have to wait to sign the prolific striker, who was the top-scorer at EURO 2008 in the summer.

Spanish International Villa has been at Valencia since joining from Real Zaragoza in 2005 and has scored an impressive 82 goals in 146 appearances for Valencia, with the striker also finding the net 24 times in 41 caps for Spain. Making Villa one of the hottest properties in European football.

Man City May Be Rich Now, But Will They Just Chuck Money Around In January?

*
The New Voice Of Football column at FootballFancast.com

Manchester City broke the British transfer record on transfer deadline-day to sign Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5million after the takeover at the Eastlands Stadium by the ADUG on the same day. Since then the media have come to the conclusion that the wealthy Arab owner’s will be prepared to chuck as much money around as is needed to land any player they fancy.

I for one do not think this will be the case. Wealthy? Yes. Stupid? No. While, City are in the position to outbid anyone for a player they want, they simply won’t pay massively over the odds just in order to get their man.

Take the case of Robinho (left), Chelsea wanted him and offered £30million, so City steal in and do a deal at £2.5million more, Real take that deal and so Robinho ends up in Manchester, despite the Brazilian revealing recently that Stamford Bridge was where he wanted to play.

So now look at the list of potential targets for the Premier League side in January, which include David Villa, Kaka, Gianluigi Buffon, Esteban Cambiasso, Fernando Torres and Roque Santa Cruz.

Now the name on that list that has cropped up most recently, with a World Record price tag attached is Valencia striker Villa, but how did anyone arrive at the figure of £60million? Valencia, are in dire straits financially and surely if City are to pay £60million. Then another club has to be willing to pay £55million, but I have not heard anything to that affect. So why would the City owner’s launch in at £60million?

Take what will probably be a much cheaper option in Mark Hughes former player Roque Santa Cruz at Blackburn Rovers, if offers are coming in for him at around £15million. Would it not make sense to just gazump them by a little in the same way City did with Robinho and Chelsea?

The only possible exception on that list is AC Milan playmaker Kaka, who if the Rossoneri decide to sell then a bidding war will ensue, starting at a pretty big fee and ending up anywhere. However, City will again only have to go that extra yard if they really want to recruit the soon to be former FIFA World Player of the Year to the Eastlands.

Yes, Man City will certainly be making a few big-money signings in January, but I can’t see them offering £10-20million more for a player just to get their man. You see my experience of rich people is they didn’t become rich by throwing it away when they simply didn’t have to.

City On Verge Of World Record Deal For Villa?

*

EURO 2008 winner David Villa is on the verge of a world record £52million transfer from Valencia to the Premier League with Manchester City, with the Spanish International’s agent due to fly into England on Tuesday to thrash out a deal for the striker, according to The News of the World.

City owner’s the ADUG, who broke the British transfer record, when they brought Brazilian Robinho to the Eastlands Stadium on transfer deadline day in the summer for £32.5million from Real Madrid are understood to have already rubber stamped Citizens manager Mark Hughes’ move for Villa. As the Manchester club look to flex their financial muscle when the transfer window reopens in January.

Los Che are understood to be in serious financial turmoil and City, are ready to take advantage by making Villa the most expensive signing in football history. With the fee for 27-year-old Villa set to eclipse the £50million Real Madrid paid Juventus for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.

A source close to the deal said: “It is clear City need a world-class striker and Villa fits the bill.

“The Arabs have been impressed with him and Mark Hughes is convinced he will do well in English football.

“His agent will be flying in on Tuesday and there is every chance talks and a deal will be concluded by the end of the week.”

Villa has been at Valencia since joining from Real Zaragoza in 2004, with the prolific striker boasting an incredible 70 goals in 114 La Liga appearances during his time at the Mestalla and is considered one of the hottest properties in European football.