Chelsea Still Want Slovakian International?

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Chelsea are still keen on Slovakian International Marek Hamsik at Serie A side Napoli, despite the midfielder reportedly signing a new deal at the Stadio San Paolo, which will tie him to the Azzurri until 2013.

The Blues along with a host of top European clubs are said to be in the hunt for Hamsik, with Chelsea also linked to the midfielder’s team mate Argentine striker Ezequiel Lavezzi. Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is reportedly keen to bring Hamsik to the Premier League when the transfer window reopens next month, according to The news of the World.



However, Chelsea will have to wait until the end of the season before any move can be made to bring 21-year-old Hamsik to Stamford Bridge, with Napoli unlikely to part with one of their biggest stars halfway through the season and with the Slovakian’s agent Juray Venglos also insisting that Hamsik will remain in Italy until the end of the season.

“He will remain in Naples until at least the end of this season, the team are doing great things and he is happy to stay there,” Agi/Italpress quoted Venglos as saying.

Hamsik joined the Partenopei from Italian rivals Brescia in 2007 and has scored 16 goals in 52 appearances for the Azzurri since his arrival in Naples, with the Slovakian an integral part of the Napoli side that finished 8th in the Scudetto last season. Hamsik made his international debut in 2007 and already has 5 goals in 18 caps for his country.

River Plate Forced To Sell Spurs & Arsenal Target

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Néstor Gorosito, who is due to become the coach of Argentine giants River Plate in the New Year has confirmed that either Radamel Falcao a target of Premier League clubs Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur or Diego Buonanotte, will be sold in January to balance the books at the South American club.

River Plate have just suffered the humiliation of finishing bottom of the Argentine Primera Division, which means that Los Millionarios must offload at least one of their two biggest stars, with either Buonanotte, who is a target for Serie A side Napoli or Falcao likely to be sacrificed in January when the transfer window reopens.

“Falcao or Buonanotte will leave,” Gorosito told reporters on Monday.



22-year-old Falcao had been the subject of offers from Aston Villa and AC Milan in the past, but River Plate resisted the attempts to sign the striker, who has scored 35 goals in 89 appearances for the Argentine sides. Falcao has suffered from a series of niggling injuries during his short career, but is now back to full fitness and is valued in the region of £7million by River Plate.

The Colombian International had previously played down rumours of a switch to the premiership, but with River Plate now having to sell to balance the books it remains to be seen whether Spurs or the Gunners revive their interest in bringing Falcao to England.

Everton To Make £6million January Move For The 'New Alessandro Nesta'?

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Premier League club Everton are reportedly lining up a £6million bid for Napoli defender Fabiano Santacroce when the transfer window reopens in January, according to The News of the World.

Toffees boss David Moyes struggled to attract players to Goodison Park during the summer and has made no secret of the fact that he will need to strengthen the squad at the Merseyside club in January, with 22-year-old Santacroce top of his list to shore up a defence that has conceded 19 goals in 11 games so far in the Premiership this season.

Central-defender Santacroce only arrived at Napoli in January after impressing at rival Italian club Breschia in the previous two seasons, with the young defender’s performances for the Azzurri this year earning Santacroce a recent call up to Marcello Lippi’s Italian squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Montenegro.

However, it remains to be seen if a reported £6million offer from Everton in January will be enough to persuade Napoli let the defender dubbed the ‘New Alessandro Nesta’ leave the Stadio San Paolo, with coach Edoardo Reja reluctant to let Santacroce leave a side that is amongst the early pacesetters in Serie A.