Add Ayala and Maxi, and subtract Kily. He's actually playing for Inter this season. With a name like Battaglia, I hope he has an Italian passport. Another defender can't hurt. That's for sure.
you're right Chris! he holds an italian passport and is THA SHEET! he's the responsible to hold Boca's midfield!
Oh I know about KG, how well is he performing for Inter, it seems as if Veron's biggest mistake was leaving Lazio, although he's making a gargantuan wage at Chelsea as is Crespo..
I think Battaglia wont be sold in January. He is just to value for his club now. And during this season his price will rise. But he will be sold at the end of the season and that is for sure. As far as I remember Barca has been interesting on him, they just didnt sign him. But this might happen in summer. The new board dont talk much about new names but they are working to sign good players next season. What is for sure is that Barca will bring two or three new players at the end of curtain season: one new striker if Kluivert goes Replacement for Cocu (I think his contract expires at the end of the season) replacement for Overmars (I heard if Barca dont sign Henry or Owen, Van der Vaart will come!!! he will not stay at Ajax for one more season, that is 100%) And we will need one more defender (Andersons contract expires) LE21 will be out of contract, he has the biggest wage from all Barca players, so there will be money for new contracts (around 5 million € without bonuses)
Time for the youngsters to shine It seems that Barca have some interesting names in youth team. They are going to play today against Porto: Frank Rijkaard has called up 11 reserve and youth team members for Sunday night's friendly against Porto. The game will also be the inauguration of the Estadio do Dragao which will host Portugals first game in the Euro 2004 finals. Márquez, Gabri, Xavi, Luis Enrique, Luis García and Fernando Navarro are the only first team players available for the game due to the internationals this weekend. Fernando Navarro returns after an 11 month lay-off after his knee injury. The rest of the squad is made up of Barca B players (Oscar López, Albert Jorquera, Ramon Ros, Sergio Santamaria, Oleguer Presas, Manuel Exposito and Tiago Calvano) and 4 youth team players (Xavier Ginard, Lionel Messi, Jordi Gomez and Oriol Riera). The youngster's fact file Tiago Calvano is a 22 year old Brazilian centre-back on trial with Barca B after a spell with Perugia in Italy. His contract runs till Christmas and his Italian passport means he isn't a non-EU player. Lionel Messi, is a left midfielder from the A youth team with outstanding technique. He is only 16 and comes from Newell's Old Boys in Argentina. He has already signed a contract until 2012. Jordi Gomez is a midfielder who has been with the club since February 2000. The Vic born player previously played for Osona, Espanyol and Vic. Xavier Ginard, or Xavi, is a youth team goalkeeper who could well get his chance this time if the manager call on him. Manuel Expósito "Chino" is a regular in Pere Gratacos' side, playing at full back for Barca B. Oriol Riera was born on the 24th May 1985 in Barcelona. He is a forward who previously starred at Catalonia Football Club.
I must correct my self, Battaglia has already agreed with Villarreal (damm it, how could Barca board allowed this to happen): Villarreal delighted with Battaglia agreement tribalfootball.com - November 17, 2003 Villarreal are delighted with the capture of Boca Juniors midfielder Sebastian Battaglia. The young Argentine central midfielder will arrive in Spain in January and offers Villarreal a host of options. The Spanish Liga outfit have beaten the likes of Inter Milan and Parma for Battaglia, who will play alongside Fabrizio Coloccini and Sonny Anderson in an ever improving Villarreal lineup.
Pure Class. What he said about RAUL. That´s Pure Class. http://www.marca.com/edicion/noticia/0,2458,416059,00.html
Riquelme back to Barca next year Rosell floats Barcelona return for Riquelme tribalfootball.com - November 21, 2003 Barcelona vice-president Sandro Rosell has revealed the club is considering bringing Juan Roman Riquelme back to the Nou Camp next season. The Argentine has been in dazzling form on-loan at Villarreal and has cast away any doubts that he could cut it at Liga level. "Our idea, as we said in the beginning, was to give the player the opportunity to raise himself, psychologically, so that one day he could return to Barca," said Rosell. "We have loaned him to Villarreal to see if he could show that he could play at this level. Unfortunately, we couldn't give him that chance at Barca, but he is proving himself now at Villarreal. "Obviously, playing for Villarreal and playing for Barcelona are two completely different scenarios, but it is positive what he is achieving."
Yes, and if Saviola completes the process of obtaining a Spanish passport we'll have the Non-EU space!
Damn, where is this money going to come from??? Van der Vaart is your best bet I think. Henry cannot be allowed to leave Arsenal, he has had a goal or an assist in all but 3 premiership matches and has been the best player in the EPL this year. To get him would take a Chelsea like offer, and even then, it would be unlikely. As for Owen, getting him would be very hard as well, it is rumoured that Rivaldo will go to Liverpool this winter and he will be all it will take to keep Owen with 'pool they will certainly be a force in the Prem and qualify for Europe... I guess with LE21 leaving and possibly Kluiv you might free up some money but can you just continue to spend and spend? Money should go into youth and let them develop, too many stars wreaks havoc with the team chemistry. If Owen or Henry came they would both want to be "the man" Van der Vaart would of course be a good buy, wish we could have him though...
Saying VDV would come in Handy is like saying "You know 20 million GBP would come in Handy right now" Of Course VDV would come in handy, he's part of the masterplan to build the Greatest U-25 Midfield ever.
I am not a big fan of talking about future signnings (too many rumours), but if Barcelona gets Henry, it would be bigger than Roaldinho. Henry is, imo, the best there is in terms of attack. Imagine a Ronaldinho, Henry attack About Saviola; its not very hard to get Spanish citizenship, especially for him. He has a Spanish grandmother and he has also been a legal resident for two years. Once the process starts it takes about six months to get it through, so it should be towards the end of this year, beginning of next that he should get it. Lastly, about the money, the club is not just spending money, its also creating revenue. If Henry is availble the money will be there.
Boys and girls, pry that Arsenal wont get in second phase in CP and wont be Premiership champions and that Henry will want to go Barca. If this dont happen, Henry wont come here !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It would be much bigger chance that he would become Barca player if Wenger would be the coach. So basicly we can forget about signing Henry (btw, a friend offered exchange offer- Henry to Barca , Ronaldiniho and 50 million € to Arsenal; thats the reality, but I think it is still not enough) We should reather talk about Tevez, it is more likely, what do you say Mario
Henry is the present, Tevez is the present AND the future Carlos is US$ 22 million and Henry at least US$50 million who would you sign?
Henry..yeah I'd take Henry..he's already the best striker in England, and probably the best not in Spain or Germany.
Hm, Henry is the best striker in the world and perhaps the best player at the moment, you people should see him playing!!!! The problem is that he is yust not for sale, it is somethink like Raul at Real. If it is posible to bring him here deffinnitly Henry, if not Tevez or ... btw, 50 million $ for Henry is just not enough