FCB play LA Galaxy in Los Angeles on the 21st of July, Manchester United in San Francisco on the 25th and Chelsea in Washington on the 28th, before jetting back to Europe for a friendly with Fiorentina in Florence on the 2nd of August.
Real Madrid are said to be on the verge of sealing a £28 million deal for Juventus attacker Arturo Vidal, fresh from his Copa America win with Chile.
Real are also said to be tussling with Monaco for the signature of Juve’s Spanish striker Fernando Llorente.
Arda Turan was all set to swap Atletico Madrid for Barcelona but FCB’s board have kaiboshed the deal until a new club president is elected on the 18th of July. The Turk’s transfer fee is set to be between €35 and €41 million. Barça’s transfer ban expires in January.
Late in the week it was reported Arsenal were willing to recruit Turan in exchange for Spanish international Santi Cazorla and an unspecified fee.
The 28 year-old has been linked with Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG as well recently. Blues striker Diego Costa said it would be Qiu Qiu Online great to link up with his former Colchoneros teammate at Stamford Bridge.
Turan himself if said to favour a move to Barça (no surprise) but if that is a no-go, a transfer to Man Utd.
*Atletico are said to be close to signing Congolese defender Chancel Mbemba from Anderlecht.
* Rafa Benitez was claimed to have asked Real Madrid to replace Karim Benzema with Fernando Llorente but his club turned him down.
* Paul Pogba remains the most sought-after signing in football this summer but Juventus are in no mood to sell it appears, after reports were ubiquitous that La Signora had turned down an offer of €80 million from Barça.
The Frenchman himself denied any club had spoken to his agent about a possible move.
* Real Madrid have offered €30 million to Manchester United for David De Gea but the Red Devils are holding out for €35 million, down from their initial price tag of €46 million.
With Man U’s players due back in training this week, things could happen quickly and De Gea’s arrival could kickstart long-speculated moves for Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos. Man U are said to be demanding Ramos if they are going to sell De Gea,
Ramos, back in Seville this week for a wedding, told reporters “I am not negotiating with anyone,” which still allows leeway for his club and agents to be talking and for Real to be refusing to up his salary, the source of the leaving rumours in the first place.
His mother meanwhile was car-doorstepped this week and was asked if her son was staying at the Bernabeu: “Of course,” she replied. “Real Madrid first and foremost…He loves Spain.”
With Man Utd said to be offering €35 million and Real demanding €90 million any movement seems stalled, but the rumour is far from dead.
Andres Iniesta, oddly, was asked at a Nike function about Ramos and said he thought Real would not sell him.
In a survey for AS, 55% of Real supporters would accept a big-money offer for their storied defender.
De Gea jetted into Madrid this week, but only to spend time with his family it appeared.
* Barca’s 19 year-old forward Munir El Haddadi is attracting interest across Europe. Ajax have had an offer already turned down. Born in Spain to Moroccan parents, El Haddadi is now the subject of an enquiry from Arsenal.
* Arsenal are willing to pay £18 million for Karim Benzema and have enquired about Pedro’s availabilty at Barcelona, as the Gunners look for a forward following Lukas Podolski’s sale to Galatasaray.
Manchester United and PSG were also linked with the Frenchman this week. The Red Devils met Benzema’s agent in London’s Savoy hotel last month. If Benzema leaves Real, the club will surely plump for a replacement centre-forward, with Manchester City’s Argentine ace Sergio Aguero high on their wish-list.
* Atletico Madrid are trying to buy Benfica’s Argentine midfielder Nicolas Gaitan but the 27 year-old is believed to favour a move to Old Trafford.
* Barcelona have been linked with Sao Paolo attacking midfielder Gerson. The 18 year-old has seven caps for Brazil’s U-20 side.
* PSG’s Qatari millions could be used for an audacious offer for Neymar or Cristiano Ronaldo, according to the Italian soccer press.
* The transfer window closes at the end of August so there is plenty of time for deals to be struck. Looking back, Real Madrid have bought and sold big names like Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil close to deadline day.
* Real Betis are after Nice’s defensive midfielder Didier Digard on a free transfer but face competition from Marseille.
* Real Sociedad are set to sign Racing Santander’s 18 year-old winger David Concha for €1 million.
