The European Club Soccer Off-Season Thread

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

Chelsea have come out publicly and stated it was a cash only offer, no player exchange.
Mata and Luiz have both been mentioned in transfer rumours lately - Luiz to Barcelona, as a ball-playing defender fits their style, Mata just out in general as he apparently does not fit with Mourinho's system (unless he is played wide). My guess is they were lumped on as a rumour. I can't see Mata being moved to a rival, nor Luiz.
Also Jose is adding fuel to the fire - Rooney or bust - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23350316

Could just be posturing, but it does 2 things:
Puts the heat on United, if nothing else, mind games
Reassures the squad he is not looking to find replacements for them (unless your name is Fernando Torres, whom Rooney would arguably replace)

Gosh wonder why Chelsea would deny? Wouldn't cause drama with those two players or anything.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

Contractually they do not,

Well then, what heat has Chelsea put on Utd by stating it\s Rooney or bust.

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

but if they intend to hold onto Rooney, they need to go into major damage control. It's a distraction until it is resolved, one way or another

Damage control from what?

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

Contractually they do not, but if they intend to hold onto Rooney, they need to go into major damage control. It's a distraction until it is resolved, one way or another

Why did you use the word "contractually" ?

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Imported_Aussie

Contractually they do not, but if they intend to hold onto Rooney, they need to go into major damage control. It's a distraction until it is resolved, one way or another

United are obviously quite happy to hold onto Rooney, if they were desperate to move him they would have been far more active. Chelsea showing interest doesn't increase any pressure, it doesn't do anything except feed the tabloids.

[d_phaneuf]

that has to be a typo...

Mata>Rooney

Mata was arguably the 3rd or 4th best player in the league last season

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

that has to be a typo...

Mata>Rooney

Mata was arguably the 3rd or 4th best player in the league last season

Shhh. Who asked you

[united]

[carom]

I am loving #ThingsThatAngerandConfuseWayneRooney on twitter.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/robinedds/21...e-wayne-rooney

Seem good ones not mentioned in the link.

[Locke]

Haha, Mourinho playing the mind games already. Can Moyes take it? Mourinho must be choked that Fergie isnt around anymore so they cant be jackasses to each other.

[DeanOMac]

Unfortunate news out of Barcelona.

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova is to resign his position amid reports he has suffered a cancer relapse.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/15...-coach?cc=5901

Hope he beats it again.
----

On the footballing side, rumour has it AVB has been approached for the vacancy, although I don't see it happening, as his assistant seems a very likely choice.

[Locke]

I dont know whats going on over at Barca. I'm not sure if Pep was such an important piece of the puzzle that he was irreplaceable or if he was just a coach that was fortunate to have some of the best players in the world together at the same time.

Especially after the whole 'Pep vs. Barca' row.

Pep took some shots at Barca, Barca took some shots at Pep, Pep took some shots at Tito and Tito took some shots right back.

WTF is going on in this scenario?

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Locke

I dont know whats going on over at Barca. I'm not sure if Pep was such an important piece of the puzzle that he was irreplaceable or if he was just a coach that was fortunate to have some of the best players in the world together at the same time.

Especially after the whole 'Pep vs. Barca' row.

Pep took some shots at Barca, Barca took some shots at Pep, Pep took some shots at Tito and Tito took some shots right back.

WTF is going on in this scenario?

What? First I've heard of this. What's he saying & Barca in reply?










Oh and Diane I heard Benteke signed a new contract today





with Villa. LOL

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

What? First I've heard of this. What's he saying & Barca in reply?

Its a whole huge thing. Apparently he wanted to take a year off and Barca constantly pestered him against his wishes.

Guardiola left Barcelona in the summer of 2012 after four seasons in charge, saying he needed to "recharge my batteries", and announced he would be taking a year's sabbatical in New York.

However, Guardiola, whose first two years at Barca had come under Joan Laporta's presidency, told a press conference that Rosell had refused to grant him the "peace" he had requested when walking away from the Camp Nou.

"I told them [the president and his directors] I was going 6,000km away and asked them to leave me in peace, but they haven't kept their word," he said. "I did my time [at Barcelona] then decided to leave.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/14...rosell?cc=5901

And then Barca trashed his character saying that while he was in NY he refused to visit Tito in the hospital, which Pep refutes.

Then issues such as 'stealing' Thiago from Barca as well there was a rumour that Pep talked to Neymar's agent trying to lure him to Bayern and told him 'Tito doesnt know how to play Neymar and Messi together.' Which apparently neither Barca nor Tito were overly pleased about.

Barca and Pep have been going back and forth on this crap for weeks.

[Addick]

I like this rumour.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Addick

I like this rumour.

That would be great for them. Hes a solid player.

[rubecube]

I still think he winds up at Spurs.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by rubecube

i still think hope he winds up at spurs.

fyp

[united]

Obviously this is fantasy at best, but it's still a hilarious thought:

PSG Is Threatening To Buy Lionel Messi. Wait. That Can't Happen, Right?
http://deadspin.com/psg-is-threateni...-can-838927020
Today's dick-swinging contest is the best dick-swinging contest, because it's between Spanish kings FC Barcelona, the greatest club of the last decade, and French champions Paris Saint-Germain. The two clubs have history: Just last season, Barcelona squeaked by PSG on goal differential in the Champions League quarterfinal. Barcelona are the most prestigious club in the world, and basically can sign whomever they want whenever they want. PSG, though, were taken over by a Qatari oil conglomerate Qatar Investment Authority in 2011, and now, without hyperbole, have more money than God. They're trying to buy silverware, and so far it's working.
...
Yesterday, Sky Sports reported that PSG president Sheikh Nasser Al-Khelaifi finally got tired of the Silva rumors and decided to strike back. "If Barça pay the buyout clause of Thiago Silva, then I will meet Messi's buyout clause," he told reporters.
With one statement, Al-Khelaifi's whipped out his dick on the world stage, and for the first time, the world is seeing that bulging bludgeon in all its glory. That's because Lionel Messi's buyout clause is reportedly €250 million. To compare, PSG were valued at about €100 million two years ago when the Qatar Investment Authority bought the club.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...g-Thiago-Silva
PSG president Sheikh Nasser Al-Khelaifi is unhappy that Barca are continuously being linked with PSG's Brazilian defender and has vowed to play them at their own game.
"If Barca pay the buy-out clause of Thiago Silva then I will meet Messi's buy-out clause," he is quoted as telling ActuSports.fr.

[Addick]

I thought no good would come from all these sugar daddies but that would be just grand.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by DeanOMac

Unfortunate news out of Barcelona.



http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/15...-coach?cc=5901

Hope he beats it again.
----

On the footballing side, rumour has it AVB has been approached for the vacancy, although I don't see it happening, as his assistant seems a very likely choice.

they ruled out the assistant I think

my guess is Luis Enrique, he was rumored as an option when Pep first left, he's former Barca too so they keep it in house which seems important to them