Chelsea Planning To Smash Transfer Record For Barca Star?

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Chelsea are understood to be considering making a world record bid for Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta, with Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari keen to lure the Spanish International away from the Nou Camp, according to Catalan newspaper Sport.

24-year-old Iniesta has been identified by the Premier League club as the player to turn around, what has been a disappointing first season in charge at Stamford Bridge for former Portugal and Brazil coach Scolari. Chelsea are 2nd in the Premiership, but have performed poorly against other teams of the ‘big four’, which was highlighted in their 3-0 loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Chelsea reportedly made an offer of £42million two-years ago to bring Iniesta to England and are now set to reignite their interest in the EURO 2008 winner in a bid to get their faltering season back on track.

Barca allowed Deco to leave the Blaugrana last summer for Chelsea, with Iniesta, who has been at Barca since 1996, proving a more than adequate replacement for the Portuguese International. Deco has struggled to regain his early season form at Stamford Bridge, which has led Scolari to Iniesta, with it remaining to be seen if Chelsea owner Roman Abramovic will bankroll the purchase of Spaniard after refusing to go above a certain point with both Robinho and Dani Alves last summer.

Sport claims that Chelsea are preparing an offer for Iniesta, with it also understood that should Barcelona allow the midfielder to leave. They would expect a fee in excess of the £46million that Real Madrid paid for Zinedine Zidane from Juventus in 2001.

Sevilla To Reject £25million Man City Offer For Fabiano

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Manchester City have been told by La Liga side Sevilla that striker Luis Fabiano will not be allowed to leave the Rojiblancos in January, with the Premier League club reportedly planning a £25million swoop for the Brazilian International next month, when the transfer window reopens.

City, who are expected to be one of the major players in the transfer market in January after the takeover by the wealthy ADUG in the summer have made an approach for 28-year-old Fabiano, according to his agent Jose Fuentes.

Fuentes was quoted saying in the Daily Star recently, “Manchester City have asked about Fabiano but that is not unique because they are just one of many.

“The final decision lays with Seville and I still have to speak to the club's directors.”

However, Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido has ruled out the possibility of Fabiano leaving the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan for the Eastlands Stadium in January. With del Nido insisting that while the Sevillistas are still involved in all the major competitions it woild damage the team if Fabiano was to leave for the Premiership.

“We have already discarded this opportunity because we feel that it will damage the team,” del Nido is quoted as saying in the Daily Star.

“We are involved in a lot of competitions and at the moment we do not want to lose such an important player. We are not interested in the money. I will not change my mind.”

Fabiano arrived at Sevilla from Porto in 2005 and has scored 64 goals in 131 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish side, with the striker also finding the net 14 times in 23 caps for Brazil.

Arsenal Tracking Ghanaian Starlet?

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Premier League club Arsenal are reportedly tracking Ghanaian sensation Francis Boadi, according to reports.

17-year-old midfielder Boadi, who currently plays in the Ghanaian Premiership with Great Olympics first caught the attention of Gunners manager Arsene Wenger, while helping the Ghana win the Under-17 World Cup in Japan last year, with Ghana beating Brazil in the final.

Boadi has already had a trial at Championship side Reading last December, with it believed the highly rated youngster would sign for the Royals.

However, a move to the Madejski Stadium did not materialise and now Boadi could become the latest young starlet to receive a football education under the guidance of Wenger at the Emirates Stadium.