Spanish Cash Splash

July 19th, 2007

Newly-crowned Spanish champions Real Madrid and runners-up Barcelona are spending up large this summer – a cool 100 million euros (130m dollars) between them – to secure dominance of the La Liga next season.

Valencia have not been far behind them as they too seek to be a force to be reckoned with.

Real’s shopping List:

Real have acquired German international defender Christoph Metzelder (ex Dortmund) and Pepe from Porto. Javier Saviola also joins Real but on a free transfer from Barca. Spanish international forward Roberto Soldado is recalled having been on to Osasuna.

New coach Bernd Schuster is also trying to secure a transfer for Jose Antonio Reyes, who was on loan last season from Arsenal, as well as bag winger Arjen Robben from Chelsea.

Michel Salgado and Ivan Helguera are likely to leave Real as Fabio Cannavaro, Sergio Ramos, Metzelder and Pepe in the central defensive positions mean they will gain little if any time on pitch.

Alvaro Mejia is already set to join promoted Murcia for two million euros, and the club are as yet without bidders for misfit Italian striker Antonio Cassano.

Barca’s additions:

Barca have signed four players to date after agreeing to sign Argentine international Gabriel Milito from Zaragoza for a reported 20 million euros.

Barca also spent 24 million euros on Thierry Henry, though it remains to be seen if he can fit into a forward line already comprising Samuel Eto’o, Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho.

French defender Eric Abidal from Lyon was signed for 15 million euros and Ivory Coast youngster Yaya Toure also joins.

Barca sporting director Txiki Begiristain explained: “We have fulfilled our objective of strengthening the team and now we have to work on who is leaving so we can end up with the desired squad on August 31 (season starts).”

French midfielder Ludovic Giuly, who won the Champions League with Barca in 2006, has agreed to join AS Roma for an initial 3.2 million euros, rather than the six million the Catalan club hoped for, though another 1.2 million could come if he helps the club qualify for the Champions League.

Barca also wish to sell Santi Ezquerro to former club Athletic Bilbao, along with Brazilian Thiago Motta and Maxi Lopez, a striker who spent last season on loan with Mallorca.

Valencia signings:

Valencia have gone with youth in signing 21-year-old defender Alexis and 23-year-old striker Javier Arizmendi along with German keeper Timo Hildebrand, 28, from Stuttgart, with 37-year-old Santiago Canizares now in the twilight of his career.

Coach Quique Sanchez Flores is set to offload defenders David Navarro, Asier del Horno, formerly of Chelsea and Curro Torres as he plots an improvement on last year’s third place.

UEFA Cup winners Seville have signed up Mali midfielder Seydou Keita from French side Lens and taken Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz on a year loan from Chelsea.

 

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Entry Filed under: European Football,Sports News & Results

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