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At long last Liverpool fans can rejoice. Sort of.
In what seems like a mini-me version of the Cristiano Ronaldo debacle, word has come that Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neil will grant Gareth Barry’s wish to leave Villa Park. The catch? O’Neil isn’t going to budge on price. After rejecting Liverpool’s last bid of £15 million for the 27-year-old central mid, it is believed O’Neil is holding out for closer to his £18 million valuation.
What do I think? Gerrard and Barry have looked awful good when playing together for England and I think Rafa Benitez wants Barry too much to let him slip through his fingers. It’s still a stare-down between O’Neil and Benitez and £18 million is a slightly exaggerated price but I wouldn’t be surprised if Rafa blinks first.
Adebayor linked to Barca move
Which way is Emmanuel Adebayor going today? After reportedly asking for Thierry Henry-type money to stay at Arsenal, the latest news in the Adebayor merry-go-round has the Togolese striker linked with a possible move to Barcelona, where he would be reunited with the French captain.
After being strongly linked to AC Milan recently, news that Barcelona shares that interest and that Adebayor is interested in return doesn’t bode well for Arsenal fans.
By all accounts, it looks like Adebayor is embracing a move away from the Emirates, but the way this story has been going, you can’t rule out another flip-flop from the 24-year-old.
Thigh injury rules out Nihat up to four months
We’re all fans of the Yellow Submarines these days, right? Well, bad news for Villarreal supporters hoping to repeat last season’s shock second-place finish in La Liga as Turkish striker Nihat Kahveci has been ruled out for up to four months with a thigh injury.
The 28-year-old Nihat scored 23 goals in all competitions for Villarreal last season and had two crucial goals for the Turks in the final minutes of their 3-2 win over the Czech Republic, but injured the thigh in Turkey’s penalty-kick win over Croatia in the Euro 2008 quarterfinal.
What do you guys think? Will Rafa break the bank for Barry or will Martin O’Neil compromise on his price? Is Adebayor is a good fit on Pep Guardiola’s rebuilt Barca squad? How does Nihat’s injury affect Jozy Altidore’s situation, if at all?
Share your thoughts below…