FC Barcelona´s latest transfer rumours.
Today, the new winter transfer window openend and the speculation heats up again, who is coming and who is going. FC Barcelona Blog reports from the newest and not so new transfer rumours that have been reported in several national, international newspapers and news services:


OUT


Samuel Eto'o - to AC Milan

Eto'o linking to Milan is a never ending story but should not be taken too serious. The Rossoneri are after a big name international striker and of course, Sammy should be on every top club´s list.
If Eto'o is not going to Milan, the Rossoneri already have an alternative: Didier Drogba of Chelsea and Luca Toni of Fiorentina.


FC Barcelona Blog comment: It is highly unlikely that FC Barcelona will let their top striker go anywhere near a European rival. Every player has got a price but I suppose the price is too high for any Euro rival.


Leo Messi - To Internazionale

Inter boss Massimo Moratti is a huge fan of young wonderkid Lionel Messi and he would do anything to get Messi to the Giuseppe Meazza stadium. Reports rumoured that Moratti is prepared to offer € 100 mill. for the best young player in the world to lure him away from Camp Nou.


FC Barcelona Blog Comment: Inter are desperate to sign young star Messi from FC Barcelona and Moratti wants him at all cost. Moratti has admitted his desire and admiration but even € 100 mill. will not be enough to sign him from the European champions. Negotiations, if there are any ongoing, are at nearly stage and nothing will be done before summer anyway.


Juliano Belletti - To AC Milan
Milano based "La Gazzetta dello Sport" reported about a € 5 mill. offer from AC Milan for Champions League hero Juliano Belletti and that a deal had been agreed at club level.

FC Barcelona, Belletti and his agent (brother) Sandro Belletti have all denied any such offer or any approach of AC Milan so far.
After Ronaldinho, Messi and Eto'o it is now Belletti who is on Milan´s shopping list. Defenitely Milan is looking for a replacement for vetran right full back Cafu but it looks like Lazio´s Massimo Oddo is the prime target.


FC Barcelona Blog comment: I personally could see FC Barcelona accepting a € 5 mill. bid. the transfer bid would be interesting and Barca has got a surplus on players on Belletti´s right full back position. Zambrotta is the regular who occupies the right flank and also Thuram and Oleguer can fill the spot. Not sure, if Belletti himself would agree to such a move. Fact is that Belletti has never been considered as the top player on this position but is loved by the Barca crowd because of his "golden" goal against Arsenal in the Championsleague final in Paris that finally brought the European Cup back to Barcelona.

If Milan is not using its interest in Belletti simply as a tactical move to sign prime target Oddo, I could see the player move to the San Siro.


IN


FC Barcelona is actually not be looking to bring any new player to Camp Nou during the January transfer window but because of the time of your many players are linked to the European Champions. It is true that the responsible people at Barca are already working on the summer list to get some players in, to strengthen the team next season. 4 big names are linked to the Blaugrana in general.


Eric Abidal - From Olympique Lyon
Abidal has already claimed that FC Barcelona are interested and revealed that he could not say no to a club like Barca. The 27 year-old French ionternational could be the ideal long term replacement for Sylvinho and giovanni Van Bronkhorst, who have signed recently a one year extension to their current contract that would have ended in the summer. To put a bit more fuel into the fire, abidal has so far rejected any contract extension offered by Olympique Lyon so far.


FC Barcelona Blog comment: Abidal has proved his worth in the French national team this summer at the world cup in germany as well as for Olympique Lyon. Barca needs fresh blood for the future and abidal could fit into Txiki Begiristain´s and Frank rijkaards plans. I see a big chance for Abidal to move to Camp Nou next summer.


Cristiano Ronaldo - From Manchester Untited

Cristiano Ronaldo had been forgiven for his part in the sending off of team mate Wayne Rooney during the World Cup and his transfer request to Real during the summer, thanks to fantastic and outstanding performances with Manchester United this seaso. Ronaldo is one of the resons, why Man U are top of the table. His technical skills and pace must make him to a Barca target and a player of his quality will probably be on the Barca list.


FC Barcelona Blog Comment:
Cristiano Ronaldo might have some attitude problems but he is an excellent football player. FC Barcelona have managed more difficult caracters in the past. For sure, it is not the biggest dream of the Portuguese youngster to remain on "the Island" and a player of his personality is itching to play for one of the really big clubs in Spain or Italy. Real failed to land him and have signed enough players up front. So, Barca is a natural link.

But where should he play? Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi are untouchable and Ronaldo would not like the idea of warming the bench. also, he is in a tricky situation. after the World Cup and real saga, it would not go down very well with the Old trafford faithfuls, if he would hand in another transfer request. this time, he has to be 110% sure that the transfer would materialize, otherwise...


Xabi Alonso - From Liverpool FC
As so often when two big teams meet in the Champions League, the press likes to build up a heated atmosphere before the match. Always, mebers of one team are focused by the other opponent. This time it is Xabi Alonso, who was reported as a FC Barcelona target before he moved to Anfield from Real Sociedad. Xabi Alonso is a good player but I am not sure if he would fit into the Barca team.


FC Barcelona Blog comment: Xavi Alonso to Barca? I can not see this happening. good, but probably not good enough to compete with Deco, Xavi or Iniesta.


Rodrigo Palacio - From Boca Juniors to FC Barcelona

FC Barcelona have been linked with the Boca striker and it had been reported that a bid had been turned down last month. Another attempt can be expected in the summer. Technical secretary Txiki Begiristain is a big fan of the Boca forward.
However, several media reported that Real Madrid have shown their interest in Palacio after signing Fernando Gago and some other youngsters. The newspapaers claim that the Merengues made an agrement with Boca Juniors to gives them the right of signing more youngsters from the Argentine Club.


FC Barcelona Blog Comment: Palacio officially claimed that both Barca and real are interested in his services but did not reveal so far, which club he favours. Barca is on his tracks and it looks very likely that he will join the Blaugrana in the summer, unless Bocaßs president will demand silly money for the Palacio.


SWAP DEALS


Deco - To Chelsea and Frank Lampard - To FC Barcelona

Reports of a swap including Portuguese international Deco heading for English Champions Chelsea and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard coming to the Camp Nou are ongoing since 1 year. The fact that Frank Lampard has a catalan girlfriend and openly revealed that the Spanish Champions FC Abrcelona are an interesting club to play for in the future, added more fuel to the fire. Ont the other hand Deco was quoted by the Portuguese and English press that he could imagine to play in the Premiership before he hangs up his boots. His contract with Barca finishes in 2010, when he is 34 years old, so a change to the Premiership should materialize before the end of his current contract.


FC Barcelona Blog: A swap Deco for Frank Lampard would be very bad business for FC Barcelona and is out of any imagination. Deco has shown his importance for the team in the last month and Txiki as well as Barca boss Frank Rijkaard know that "Fat Franky" Lampard is no match to Deco. May be Chelsea needs Deco but Barca does not need Lampard. I can not imagine in my wildest dreams that a swap deal is on the agenda. Not now, not in the summer and not therafter.

Enlish international and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard revealed in his biography, that if he quits the English Premiership, that FC Barcelona is a club he would like to play for:

"If some day I decide to play outside of England, Barça would be one of the clubs, I would like to play for. In addition, if your name is linked to Barcelona it is always an honour."

Frank Lampard is known to have close relations to the Barca directors:

"The directors of Barça treated me very well during the ceremony of FIFA´s "Best Player of the Year" Award together with Ronaldinho and Etóo. Since I know my girlfriend Elen, every day I feel a greater affection towards the city of Barcelona."

Barcelona president Joan Laporta told British tabloid The SUN that FC Barcelona will not persue a transfer of Chelsea and England midfielder Frank Lampard.


Barca´s Laporta told the British newspaper The SUN that he is a great admirer of Chelsea´s Lampard but that with the arrival of Chelsea´s versatile forward (Gudjohnssen) and Barca´s current midfield players there is no place for England international Lampard. Laporta is quoted in The SUN:

"Lampard is a fantastic player, one I admire. But I can say that we definitely will not be signing him this summer. Our central midfield is closed now. We have a squad we are very happy with and we are very satisfied with Gudjohnsen and that's enough for us. Gudjohnsen is a class player who can play in midfield and in attack. So, I am happy and the coach staff are very happy with the squad that we have."

New Barca aquisition Gudjohnsen was asked about the future of his former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard and whether he would try and persuade the midfielder to join Barca. the 27-year old former Chelsea forward responded:

"I think, we will have to leave the decision down to Frank, who is a great player. Of course, if I try to convince him I will have a strong argument."

FC Barcelona midfielder Deco has told his former boss at Porto, Jose Mourinho, that he has no plans to link up with him again and to join Chelsea.


The Portuguese World Cup star won the 2004 UEFA Champions League with Jose Mourinho at Porto and rejected his former manager´s proposal already when he opted to move to FC Barcelona instead of Chelsea.


Deco has been consistently linked with a transfer to his former mentor Mourinho at Chelsea. Last week´s rumours heated up, suggesting Deco could leave FC Barcelona in a swap deal which would include Chelsea's England midfielder, Frank Lampard. However, Deco insists he and his family are very happy at Barca and he has everything he wants in Catalunya. Deco has no desire to change all this for London.


The Barca playmaker Deco told Portuguese radio station Rac 1:

"Why would I want to leave? I am happy at my club and in the city, people love me and I have just won a Champions League and a Primera Liga title. I already had the opportunity to sign for Chelsea before and I didn't do it, it would make no sense to do it now. As long as my club wants me, I will continue at Barca."