Football Dispatch

Summer Football
09 August 2007
Juventus have been surprisingly absent from the transfer market this summer. New manager Claudio Ranieri has made only three, high-profile signings since taking the helm at the Old Lady last month. Italian international striker Vincenzo Iaquinta was signed from Udinese for 11.3M-euros, Czech defender Zdenek Grygera was acquired from Ajax, and midfielder Tiago was lured from Lyon for a fee of 13M-euros. However, it appears as though Ranieri would like to add at least one more big name before the curtain raises on the Serie-A season on 26 August. At the top of his wishlist is Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva. Since arriving in north London from Atletico Mineiro in 2002, Gilberto has tallied 16-times in 147-appearances for Gunners. He has also been capped 54-times for Brazil. Still, at 30-years of age, he is soon to be subject to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's rigid "over-30" policy of awarding only one-year contracts to veteran players. Ranieri would likely be inclined to propose something a little more long-term.

Despite Ken Bates' many pleas, the decision to deduct 15-points from Leeds United's total ahead of the Ligue One season has been upheld. Bates, the club's owner and president, begged each of the division's twenty-three chairmen to overturn the ruling. However, at least eighteen of of the club officials refused to buckle to Bates' request -- effectively legislating the ruling. Leeds has now signed the necessary paperwork and will not seek another appeal.

Chelsea are refusing to sell Arjen Robben to Real Madrid until the winger tables a formal transfer request. Robben has been stalling over a contract package worth 85,000-pounds per-week for five years and has instead hinted that he would prefer a move to the Santiago Bernabeu. Still, the Holland international has yet to ask manager Jose Mourinho for a transfer; and until he does so, says Mourinho, he will be a Chelsea player. Meanwhile, Madrid have increased their bid for Robben to 21M-pounds.

Despite Steve Finnan's strong season at right-back in 2006-2007, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez continues his hunt for reinforcement at the position. After striking-out on Sevilla's Daniel Alves, the Spaniard has turned his eye to Real Madrid's Cicinho. The Brazil international has made only 16-appearances in La Liga since completing a 4M-euro switch from Sao Paulo two years ago. Still, he is highly rated and has been capped 15-times for his country. Liverpool's interest in the player has not yet been attached financial figure.

Alan Smith is unlikely to be Newcastle's final signing of the summer. New manager Sam Allardyce is sniffing around Craven Cottage for the signature of Papa Bouba Diop. The 29-year-old Fulham captain and Senegal international was first linked to Tyneside in July. However, Cottagers boss Lawrie Sanchez appears to be in more of a buying frame of mind than selling and would be reluctant to part with his top defensive midfielder.

Radical Islam is planning a takeover of Manchester United. This report comes courtesy of the Iranian press after supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad revealed their intent to purchase the iconic English football and make it a symbol of Islam to the entire world. Under the plan, the radical group Ansar Hezbollah would rename the club "Khayabar" -- a reference to an oasis near Medina, Saudi Arabia where a Muslim army defeated Jewish settlers in 629AD. And while the report is clearly little more than an eyebrow-raiser from the crazy-pages, here's betting a Khayabar-Tottenham Hotspur match would take on a rather interesting flair.