Soccer: *Official* Transfer Thread

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Post all Soccer transfer news here to stop them filling up the main sports page.

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Saw the newcastle game yesterday with Martins being in the crowd. Now lets see him play!!1

[AFC1986]

credit: www.bbc.co.uk

Real Madrid midfielder Thomas Gravesen is in Glasgow for talks and a medical with Celtic.
Gravesen told BBC Sport on Sunday that Celtic and four English Premiership sides - Newcastle, Bolton, Everton and Middlesbrough - were in for him.

Gravesen left Everton for Spain in a £2.5m deal in January 2005 and has been made available for a £2m fee.

And Real president Ramon Calderon told the club website that an agreement had been reached to sell Gravesen.

The 30-year-old hopes to have a new club before Thursday's transfer deadline and Denmark's opening match of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

The Danes are due to play an international friendly against Portugal on Friday, before they start on the road to Euro 2008 away to Iceland on 6 September.

The Danish squad was to assemble on Sunday but national coach Morten Olsen has given Gravesen time off to secure a new club.

A Celtic spokesman would only say that "talks (with Gravesen) are ongoing".

Former Celtic player Tommy Burns, now head of youth development at Parkhead, believes Gravesen would be a great signing.

"He has got a great pedigree," Burns said.

"He played in the English Premiership and made a big impact there.

"He went to Real Madrid and maybe didn't make so much of an impact there because they obviously have so many top players.

"But I don't think there is any doubt that, if Celtic get him to come here, he would make a huge impact."

If Celtic are to sign Gravesen, it would suggest that Stilian Petrov is leaving Scotland, with Aston Villa favourites to land the Bulgarian.

[Dmac]

There is a thread for this please post all transfer news in there in future.

*Merged*

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Hargreaves says Man Utd deal off



Owen Hargreaves has admitted defeat in his bid to join Manchester United, according to his agent.

The England midfielder was keen to leave Bayern Munich for Old Trafford, but the German club have refused to sanction the transfer.

Hargreaves' agent Roman Grill said: "We have to accept there is no way Bayern will allow this transfer to happen.

"His only hope is that if United remain interested in him the deal could happen at a later date."

United have been chasing Hargreaves and were thought to be willing to pay £17m for the player, who was one of England's few success stories at the World Cup.

But Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness underlined his club's intention to hold on to Hargreaves, even after the arrival of Mark van Bommel.

Hoeness said: "Owen stays - you can bet your house on that. Manchester United will have to plan without him."

It had been thought Van Bommel's move from Barcelona could pave the way for Hargreaves to join Manchester United.

Van Bommel himself was quoted as saying Hargreaves was "close to leaving". But Hoeness again insisted on Monday: "We want to move forward with Mark and Owen. We would be crazy to sign Van Bommel as a replacement for Hargreaves."

Van Bommel has signed a three-year deal, believed to be in the region of £8m, with the German giants after undergoing a medical on Monday.

He is now being seen as a replacement for Germany captain Michael Ballack, who moved to Chelsea earlier in the summer.

But when speaking prior to completing his move to the German club, Van Bommel had been quoted as saying: "I have left Barcelona because there were not enough guarantees that I would play every week.

"At Bayern the chances of playing are bigger, they told me, with Ballack gone and Owen Hargreaves close to leaving the club."

But it now appears Hargreaves, who is under contract until 2010 at Bayern, will have to put on hold a move to the Premiership until at least January.

Credit - BBC Sport

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Woodgate looks set to choose Boro



Middlesbrough are set to win the race to sign Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate on a season-long loan.

The 26-year-old is expected to undergo a medical at Boro on Wednesday before completing a move to his hometown club ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate said on Monday: "We've had a chat with him and he wants time to think about what he wants to do."

Newcastle have been linked with their former player but have not commented.

Boro's defensive problems were highlighted as they slumped to a 4-0 home defeat by Portsmouth, prompting Southgate to quip: "Hopefully he hasn't had the television on while he's thinking about it."

"But we should know something within the next 24 hours."

Boro and Newcastle are also reported to be interested in signing £5m-rated defender Robert Huth from Chelsea.

Woodgate is looking at a season in English football to get his Real career back on track after it was knocked off the rails by a succession of injury problems.

The England defender signed for Real in a £13.4m deal in August 2004, but has played just 14 games in two years.

His chances of regular first-team football at the Bernabeu have been reduced by the arrival of new Real coach Fabio Capello and Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro.

Credit - BBC Sport

[AFC1986]

credit: www.bbc.co.uk

Arsenal defender Ashley Cole's proposed transfer to Chelsea looks to be in danger of collapsing.
Cole, 25, who has been frozen out of the first team so far this this season, did however play for Arsenal reserves against Charlton on Monday.

The decision by boss Arsene Wenger to play Cole in the reserves could signal a change of tack by the Gunners boss.

Cole's move to Chelsea has stalled because the two clubs have been unable to agree a fee for the England star.

It has been widely reported that Arsenal have been holding out for as much as £30m for Cole - a price Chelsea have so far been unwilling to meet.

Chelsea have admitted making a bid for the defender and are thought to have offered in the region of £20m.

The protracted transfer saga was complicated when Arsenal registered an interest in signing Chelsea defender William Gallas.

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood hopes Cole will dedicate himself to the club if the transfer deadline passes on Thursday without a deal being struck.

"He is a very good player and if he is going to stay I hope his attitude is right.

"If he is going to be miserable and sour there is no point. Hopefully he will get his head right," he told the Daily Star.

The saga of Cole's drawn-out transfer to Chelsea started when the player was fined, along with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, in June 2005 for meeting in a London hotel without Arsenal's knowledge.

He has been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge ever since despite signing an improved one-year contract with Arsenal in July 2005.

But unless Chelsea offer more money or Arsenal have a last-minute change of heart, Cole's proposed switch across London will not happen.

Cole is expected to start for England in their Euro 2008 qualifier against Andorra at Old Trafford on Saturday despite his lack of first-team action this season.

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Liverpool swoop for Rovers' Neill



Liverpool are poised to sign Blackburn's Australian defender Lucas Neill after making a £2m bid.

The 28-year-old will be on his way to Anfield before the transfer window closes after turning down a lucrative new contract at Ewood Park.

Neill was a star of Australia's World Cup campaign and has only one year remaining on his current deal.

If, as expected, the deal goes through, Blackburn are ready to move for Manchester City's Danny Mills.

Neill was sent off in Blackburn's opening day defeat at Portsmouth.

The player's agent Peter Harrison said recently: "They have made an offer which Lucas has declined - he is not going to be signing a new contract at Blackburn.

"He has enjoyed his time there, he loves the club and the fans, he just feels it is time for a change."

Credit - BBC Sport

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Villa seal £6.5m deal for Petrov



Aston Villa have completed a £6.5m deal for Celtic midfield man Stilian Petrov.

The 27-year-old Bulgaria captain has signed a four-year contract and is boss Martin O'Neill's first signing since taking over at Villa Park.

Petrov worked with O'Neill at Celtic and it is understood the transfer could eventually be worth about £8m.

He is away on international duty, but loose ends have been tied up and Petrov is likely to make his Villa debut at West Ham on 10 September.

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp had trailed Petrov throughout the summer, but admitted defeat once O'Neill made his move.

The talented Petrov joined Celtic in July 1999 from CSKA Sofia and has made more than 250 appearances for the club.

Petrov was contracted to the Scottish champions until 2010 but submitted a transfer request at the end of last season.

He won his first cap for his country in March 1999 against Belgium and was eventually appointed skipper of his country.

Petrov was voted the Scottish Premier League's player of the year in 2001 after helping Celtic to the domestic treble.

O'Neill is also believed to be interested in Barcelona striker Javier Saviola who is out of favour at the Nou Camp.

The 24-year-old is out of contract next summer and Barcelona are keen to off-load the Argentinian international who impressed at the World Cup.

But O'Neill faces competition from the likes of Celta Vigo, Real Zaragoza and Villarreal for Saviola.

Credit - BBC Sport

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POMPEY SET TO SIGN FERNANDES



Portsmouth are poised to sign Manuel Fernandes after agreeing a deal with Benfica which could rise to £7million for the midfielder.

The 20-year-old has been in the care of Pompey’s medical team for the past month, having a groin injury assessed after he failed two physical examinations connected with the transfer.

And Portsmouth have finally decided to press ahead with the deal, though the player is not expected to be match-fit for two months.

However, if Fernandes does recover he will provide a huge boost to manager Harry Redknapp’s squad, which is currently composed of just 15 fit outfield players.

Storrie told the Portsmouth News: “We are completing the Manuel Fernandes deal and we are looking for two or three more players on top of that before the deadline.

“Fernandes is some player. He’ll go to the top of the tree."

Redknapp said: “We’re working hard. There are a few names who have come up who you would take, like the lads we’ve already brought in.

“You’d take them because you know they would come in and appreciate the opportunity of playing for us and enjoy working with me and Tony (Adams, assistant manager) getting something out of them.

“We haven’t had any luck getting anybody in lately, though. We have taken some players on free transfers and they have done great.”

BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP TRANSFERS

So far Glen Johnson, David Thompson, Sol Campbell, goalkeeper David James and Kanu are Pompey’s new summer recruits, while winger Ognjen Koroman has returned on a further season’s loan from Terek Grozny.

REDKNAPP LAUDS 'GENIUS' KANU

But Pompey fear Johnson, who damaged an ankle in training before Monday’s 4-0 win at Middlesbrough which took Redknapp’s team to second in the Barclays Premiership, will join striker Lomana LuaLua on the long-term injured list.

Credit - Premierleague.com