Forlan to bolster Atletico's strike force

Uruguay striker Diego Forlan is poised to sign for Atletico Madrid, his club Villarreal disclosed on Saturday.

"Villarreal and Atletico Madrid have reached an agreement on the transfer," Villarreal said on its official site without revealing the fee or length of the contract.

The deal follows reports that Atletico's Fernando Torres is likely to be heading to Liverpool after the Premiership side tabled a 27 million pound bid for the Spanish forward.

Forlan, who has 54 Spanish first division goals to his name, joined Villarreal in 2004 from Manchester United.

Real agree deal with Robben, says Spanish press

Real Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Chelsea's flying Dutch winger Arjen Robben according to reports in a Spanish newspaper on Saturday.

AS claims that Real have come to an agreement with the father and agent of Robben and are waiting for Chelsea to rubber stamp a 20-million-euro transfer.

Robben is currently in negotiations with Chelsea over a contract extension until 2012, although he has not always been in favour with the club's Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho.

The 23-year-old is thought to be among Real's top three summer transfer targets alongside AC Milan's Brazilian playmaker Kaka and Arsenal's Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Olympiakos sign Argentina striker Galletti

Greek champions Olympiakos announced Friday that Argentine striker Luciano Martin Galletti has penned a four-year contract.

The club did not release financial details of the deal.

Galletti, 27, has played 13 matches for Argentina, scoring three goals.

For the last two seasons Galletti played for Atletico Madrid and before that for Real Zaragoza (2001-2005), Estudiantes (2000-2201 and 1997-1999) and in Italy for SSC Napoli and Parma AC (1999-2000).

"I am very happy and want to thank both Olympiakos and Atletico Madrid for this opportunity," he said.

"I am pleased with the way that the administration of Olympiakos, the coaching staff and the fans welcomed me and I want to show my appreciation on the pitch."

Toulouse sign Elfsborg defender Jonsson

Toulouse have signed Swedish defender Jon Jonsson from Elfsborg, the French club's coach Elie Baup said Friday.

The 23-year-old's signature is the third of the close season for Toulouse, who will play in the Champions League next season having finished third in the French league.

Already joined are goalkeeper Rudy Riou from Istres and forward Andre-Pierre Gignac from Lorient.

Tottenham smash transfer record to land Bent

Tottenham smashed their transfer record on Friday to sign England striker Darren Bent in a 16.5 million pounds deal from relegated Charlton.

The 23-year-old cost the club 5.5 million pounds more than Ukraine forward Sergie Rebrov when he joined from Dynamo Kiev in 2000.

Bent's signing will also provide a windfall for his first club Ipswich Town, who like Charlton will play in the Championship next season, as they will receive 20 percent of the fee due to a clause in Bent's contract when he left the Suffolk club to join Charlton.

Bent was delighted to sign for one of the few clubs capable of challenging the big four in the English Premiership.

"Tottenham have a lot of young English players and it's a young squad, it's a squad going forward and that's the direction I wanted to take.

"They seem to be getting better and better every season and I would love to be part of that.

"It helps a lot that I know a few of the lads from England internationals and I'm sure they will help me settle in.

"It's exciting times for me and the club, hopefully I'll show what I can do at Tottenham and we'll go on to win things."

Bent scored 15 goals last season but that was not enough to save Alan Pardew's men from relegation and his move from The Valley had been anticipated since Charlton's demotion was confirmed.

West Ham made the first move for Bent but he turned down the chance to be reunited with Alan Curbishley, who brought him to the Premier League from Ipswich two seasons ago.

He bolsters a Spurs attack that scored more than 60 goals last season - and that without Egyptian Mido who is expected to leave White Hart Lane.

Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane were Jol's first choice for the big games, with Jermain Defoe adding 18 goals as the third striker. The form of Berbatov and Keane means Bent will face a tough battle to get into the first 11.

Spurs sporting director Damien Comolli said: "The two signings we've completed so far in Darren and Gareth Bale offer us massive improvement in terms of the squad, players with great potential whose best days are in front of them."

Charlton chairman Richard Murray added: "Realistically, it was always going to be difficult to hang on to a player of his quality following relegation, but we feel we have negotiated the best deal possible for the club and, after a payment to Ipswich, it's a sum of money that will cushion the effects of relegation for the club."

Charlton chief executive Peter Varney admitted that Bent was always going to leave the club once relegation from the Premiership had been confirmed.

"He's done a great job for us here and we wish him all the best but, being an England international, he's keen to stay in the Premiership.

"That's the reality when you get relegated," he told Sky Sports. "I know fans will be disappointed but I think they are also realistic. The Premier League is the place to be if want to play for your country."

AC Milan keeper Abbiati loaned out to Atletico Madrid

AC Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati has joined Spanish first division side Atletico Madrid on a one-year loan, Milan confirmed on their website on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old former Italy international spent the whole of last season on loan to Milan's Serie A rivals Torino.

Abbiati joined AC Milan from Monza in 1998, but after four seasons as their number one keeper he lost his place to Brazilian Nelson Dida.

Abbiati was Milan's reserve keeper up until August 2005 when he was loaned out to their fierce rivals Juventus, making 19 league appearances for the Turin club.

He returned to Milan at the start of the 2006-07 season only to be sent out on loan again, this time to Torino.

Suazo officially signs for Inter

Honduras international striker David Suazo has officially joined Inter Milan, the Serie A champions confirmed on Tuesday.

Inter had been involved in a bitter tug-of-war with city rivals AC Milan over the 27-year-old Cagliari striker.

Last week AC Milan announced that they had snapped up Suazo only to be told that the player had already signed a contract with Inter.

Inter will unveil Suazo at a press conference at their Appiano Gentile training ground on Wednesday morning.

Suazo, who joined Cagliari from Honduran club Olimpia in 1999, scored 14 goals in Serie A last season.

His best return since arriving in Italy was 22 goals in 37 matches in the 2005-06 season.

Nakamura happy at Celtic, says agent

Japan international midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura is happy at Scottish double winners Celtic, despite claims from an Italian agent claiming the player could use a get-out clause in his contract.

Italian agent Angelo Massoni claimed there could be a one million pounds (2 million dollars) get-out clause in Nakamura's contract, which he signed last summer, and stated that four giants of world football wanted to sign him.

However Celtic have now rubbished Massoni's suggestion, and the 29-year-old's agent Robert Takuda said Nakamura is settled in the west of Scotland.

In a statement on their website, www.celticfc.net, the club said: "Celtic can state categorically that there is absolutely no 'get-out clause' in Shunsuke Nakamura's contract."

Massoni does not represent Nakamura, who joined the Scottish champions from Reggina two years ago and completed a clean sweep of Scotland's player of the year awards last season.

Takuda confirmed: "I would like to stress that these reports about Naka are complete nonsense.

"Naka is currently preparing for the Asian Cup but straight after this, is very much looking forward to returning to Celtic.

"He and his family are very happy at Celtic and very happy in Glasgow. He has no reason to go anywhere else."

TOP 5 PLAYERS ABOUT WORLD SOCCER PLAYERS 2006/2007

1. Kaka

Kaka's World Cup ended early in disappointment as Brazil failed to live up to their early billing and failed to reach the final for the first time since 1990. Personally the young playmaker was under pressure in the following months at both club level, where he was expected to fill the void left at AC Milan by Andriy Shevchenko's departure to Chelsea, and for Brazil where new coach Dunga began his reign by dropping Kaka to the bench in the friendly against Argentina. In both cases Kaka delivered the perfect answer by firing AC Milan to the Champion's League final and by regaining his Brazil starting spot in style.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo
No longer is the young Portuguese winger known as "the other Ronaldo" in world footballing circles as his performances for Manchester United, in both domestic and European competition, have catapulted him into the upper echelon of world soccer's greats. Skilful with either foot and deceptively strong in the air, Ronaldo has taken his game to an all new level this season, mixing the skilful showboating with plenty of end product in terms of goals and assists as Manchester United look set for the Premiership title and a possible league and cup double. Double Player of the Year awards haven't flattered him at all.

3. Steven Gerrard
While we usually clamour more for the skilful artists and big goalscorers when it comes to handing out awards, it would be completely remiss to leave Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard out of any list of the world's top players over the past season. Strength and skill personified, Gerrard is the engine room of a hard working Liverpool side that has now made it's way to a second European Cup final in three years and stand on the verge of bringing a 6th European Cup back to Anfield. If one player espouses all that is good about English football over the years, it is Steven Gerrard.

4. Ronaldinho
Unarguably one of the major disappointments at last summer's World Cup was the lacklustre performance of Barcelona's Brazilian star Ronaldinho. Long touted as the world's finest player he seemed slow and tired when given the chance to prove his worth on the biggest international soccer stage after a gruelling season winning La Liga and the Champion's League with Barcelona. 2006/2007 again saw his detractors aim digs at his weight and apparent disinterest in the game but 24 goals in 53 games tells a different story as the puppet master again has lit up world soccer at the most vital of moments.

5. Lionel Messi
It's been a tough year for Argentinian wonderkid Lionel Messi as injury robbed him of a lot of the 2006 part of the season for both club and country as he tries to establish himself in one of club football's most entertaining strikeforces at Barcelona and take on the international mantle of legend Diego Maradona, which is no small feat in itself! Messi has responded by firing in an average of a goal every other game for Barcelona and Argentina this season and with an unending bag of tricks is really my number one young player to watch over the next few years. "The new Maradona"-maybe not but then who ever could be?

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BEST GOALS OF THE WORLD CUP 2006 IN GERMANY

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Tevez In Demand For Europe's Big Guns

It may have been his controversial transfer to Upton Park which sparked as many back page newspaper headlines as his goal-grabbing antics which saved West Ham United from relegation but Carlos Tevez now looks certain to be packing his bags for a second successive summer and making the move to a real European giant that we thought had passed him by twelve months ago.

A shaky start to his Premiership career exploded into a final couple of months of goals which helped the Hammers keep their Premiership status and rebuilt the career status of the little Argentinian who had left Brazilian club Corinthians under an ownership cloud and, quite unbelievably, landed in the East End of London pledging to push West Ham United onto European qualification alongside international teammate Javier Mascherano.

English football watchers will know that it didn't quite work out as planned on that front but with Inter Milan weighing up a massive £34m move which completely eclipses the proposed £12m offer from Manchester United and interest lingering from Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid, Tevez looks set for a chance to shine at a club with real aspirations of silverware rather than another season long brush with relegation in the bottom tier of the English Premiership.

I'm ready for Barca challenge, says Toure

Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure said he was ready for the challenge ahead after the new Barcelona signing was presented to the press on Tuesday.

Toure, who cost the Spanish giants nine million euros (12 million dollars) from Monaco, became Barca's second summer signing following that of former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry.

The 24-year-old, the younger brother of Arsenal centre-back Kolo Toure, signed for four years and is reported to be earning around 1.8 million euros a year.

"I feel ready for the challenge. I really wanted to play in a club like this and I'm going to give it my all," said Toure.

Barca president Joan Laporta was delighted with his latest acquisition.

"He is one of those players that are vital to have," said Laporta. "He has got a great future, he's strong physically, good technically. He has eveything to become a talisman for Barca."

Barcelona had wrapped up the signing on Monday night, after earlier showing off new star capture Henry in front of more than 20,000 fans.

Toure joined Monaco in August 2006 having previously played for Greek side Olympiakos.

source: World Soccer

West Ham Not To Blame For Premiership Wage Inflation...Says West Ham

West Ham owner Eggert Magnusson moved swiftly to deny the figures involved in the proposed deal and with Darren Bent turning the move down this evening we can only assume that the true figures will never really be announced but having given similar deals to Lucas Neill last January when he moved to West Ham from Blackburn Rovers and Scott Parker only a week or so ago when he moved from Newcastle United, it is hard to absolve the cash rich Hammers from pushing the boundaries higher and higher salary-wise as they try to attract top players to the club. Just avoiding relegation last season and the prospect of facing further Premier League sanctions for the Carlos Tevez affair have left West Ham as not the most desirable destination for Europe's top players on a purely footballing basis and in the tradition of unglamorous destinations such as Middlesbrough and Newcastle before them, the club are finding that the only way to get their chosen targets is to bump up the weekly wage and completely gazump any potential rivals.

The latest Premiership TV deal has given all top flight clubs vast amounts of money and it's no surprise to see both transfer valuations and wages offered on the rise. Chelsea's spendthrift ways over the past few years on both types of expenditure may be calmed through a policy of signing only Bosman free transfers this summer but they still command a massive wage bill including at leats two players (Shevchenko and Ballack) on a reputed £120,000 a week each and captain John Terry and England colleague Frank Lampard are reputed to want similar amounts to sign new contracts.

The ordinary fan in the stands can only look on with mounting disgust as the people they shell out their hard earned cash to watch move even further and further away from them in terms of salary and lifestyle but it's really not a situation we can blame on just one club or even on the players and their so-called greedy agents, it's simply market forces at work and without a major initiative from UEFA or FIFA on salary capping we are unlikely to see an end to it any time soon. Provided the TV money keeps it's own upward spiral over the next few Premiership TV deals, the SKY really is the limit for the Premiership's chosen few.

Klose completes move to Bayern Munich

German international striker Miroslav Klose has completed his transfer from Werder Bremen to Bayern Munich, both Bundesliga clubs said on Tuesday.

Klose, 29, will have a medical on Thursday before signing a four-year contract. He is due to start training with Bayern on Friday.

He will form a striking partnership with Italian international Luca Toni, and Bayern have also signed French midfielder Franck Ribery to bolster a team that finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season and failed to qualify for the Champions League.

Klose scored five goals at last year's World Cup and has scored 33 goals for Germany in 69 appearances.

source: World Soccer

Beckham Ends Reign In Spain With La Liga Title

He may be heading for a league more than just physical miles from Spain's La Liga Primera Division but David Beckham will always remember his last season as a Real Madrid player for his personal resurrection and ultimately Real Madrid's first La Liga title for four years.

A recurrence of his ankle injury sustained playing for England may have kept the former England captain off the pitch at the end of the title winning season finale game against RCD Mallorca but Beckham was one of the first jumping for joy with his teammates after two goals from on-loan Arsenal striker Jose Antonio Reyes helped Madrid over the La Liga finishing line.

Reigning champions Barcelona may have beaten Gimnastic convincingly by five goals to one in their last game but it wasn't enough as Real Madrid came from behind to beat Mallorca 3-1 and give the club the title on a head-to-head victories basis over their old Catalan rivals.

The future of coach Fabio Capello may not even now be secured though and with old guard players like Beckham and Brazilian fullback Roberto Carlos moving on there may yet be more additions to the Madrid revolution at a joyous Santiago Bernabeu stadium this summer.

Real Madrid Looking To Keep Beckham In Spain?

The upside down world of David Beckham and Real Madrid looks to have taken yet another unpredictable twist with news coming out of Spain that the club are looking to exercise a clause in Beckham's LA Galaxy contract which could mean him staying at the Bernabeu after all.

Beckham's representatives have moved swiftly to deny any such possibility and have made it clear that the player is looking forward to making his much derided move to Los Angeles and beginning his quest to both win trophies for the Galaxy franchise and help promote
Major League Soccer outside of North America.

The U-turn by the Madrid hierarchy has came on the back of Beckham's superb late season form where he has helped Real Madrid to within a whisker of recording their first La Liga title success since the beginning of the Galactico era and a resumption of their own quest to become the top club in Spanish domestic football.

Beckham has been in scintillating form in recent months which has helped earn him a recall not only to the Madrid starting eleven but also a recall to the England national squad for the recent games against Brazil and Estonia where he demonstrated once again how potent a weapon his well-renowned right foot is when crossing the ball for team-mates to convert into precious goals.

Madrid or Los Angeles though? Let's hope it's not a question left to each club's lawyers to sort out as both Real Madrid and Los Angeles Galaxy would be all the poorer for not having David Beckham in their lineups for next season.

source: World Soccer

Barcelona - Such A Beautiful Horizon For Henry

It may have taken a year but this weekend has seen the long drawn out conclusion of Barcelona's chase for Arsenal and France star Thierry Henry as he jets into Catalonia for a medical ahead of a reputed £16m deal.

While Arsenal fans have spent the past few days in a state of frantic grief and disbelief, there have sighs of relief from fans of all other Premiership clubs now that the last on-field architect of Arsenal's "Invincibles" has finally left the English stage. Henry may be 29 years of age but that hasn't meant any diminishing of his powers and despite a final season at Arsenal spent more on the treatment table and in the Emirates Stadium stands than on the pitch, Henry leaves a gap in Arsene Wenger's lineup so huge as to completely unpluggable with Arsenal's current resources.

The writing has been on the proverbial wall since Arsenal's defeat in the 2006 Champion's League Final when it was widely believed that Henry would make his excuses and leave for Champion's League conquerors Barcelona but strangely he signed a new four deal instead and pledged his future to the club. His move to Barcelona a year on makes that pledge completely worthless and makes me wonder personally whether he didn't realise shortly after signing last summer's new contract what a huge mistake he had made.

I don't doubt that Thierry Henry holds Arsenal close to his heart but he has achieved all he can with the club and following the loss of David Dein, Arsene Wenger's inability to commit his own future to Arsenal and a palpable lack of transfer funds to reinvigorate a threadbare squad it seems like reality has finally dawned on one of the most sought after players in European football.

So it's onwards to the Nou Camp to test himself in another new league and, more tellingly, to give himself a genuine chance of winning the one major trophy that has eluded Henry so far in his career, the Champion's League.

source: World Soccer