Cassano Headed for Samp?

By: Martha | August 7th, 2007

The good old days. When he was loved. Apart from that wishful thinking about a partnership with Craig Bellamy at West Ham, things have been fairly quiet on the Antonio Cassano front for the past couple of weeks — one imagines the boy stomping around a side pitch at the Real Madrid training ground, kick balls in anger while he looks around, desperately hoping someone is watching him pout (no one is). Now, though, he’s back in the news, and reports in Italy are suggesting he’s Serie A-bound.

Last we heard, Real were dangling a Special, Cheap-o Cassano Price in front of a quartet of Italian clubs: Inter, Milan, Fiorentina and Sampdoria. Under terms of the rumored offer, Cassano would join the Italian club on loan, with Real paying the bulk of his salary — they’re just that desperate to get rid of him, apparently. And now, just has he’s apparently fallen off of Fiorentina’s radar (and probably never was on that of either Milan club), Sampdoria are popping up with interest for the first time in months.

According to Corriere dello Sport (and Google translate, so take this with a grain of salt), Cassano’s agent — who had been on his way to England to speak with West Ham and Bolton — is now in Madrid to negotiate a move. Reports suggest Sampdoria will pay no more than €1.5 million of the player’s salary, an offer that, if the previous stories were true, could actually be accepted by Real, despite the fact that they’d have to pay the rest of Cassano’s €4 million-plus wages. Like I said, they really want to get rid of him.

If this deal does in fact go through (a big if, given the swirl of rumors that have surrounded the striker this summer), Cassano will re-team with Vincenzo Montella, his on-loan former Roma teammate. Unbelievably, Montella is eight years older than Cassano, who is still only 25; if Cassano can ever get his head right and rediscover his form, he’ll be a huge help to somebody. Similarly, if rain were beer, it would be freaking awesome.

Edit: Samp say this is all a big lie. Shocking, I know.

Some Related Serie A Posts:

Category: Roma, Rumors & News, Serie A

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Martha

Heh. Well, at least he can't blame a bad translation.
Lisa

I'm going to be charitable and say he didn't consider his words carefully.
Martha

The new challenge stuff, sure, but the bit about losing his edge, that seems pretty classless to me, it sounds like he's saying the league wasn't challenging him, or something. Which is crap, because it wasn't as if he dominated last season, or something.
Lisa

Sounds like what just about any player says when they change leagues, to be honest. "New/fresh/insert adjective here challenge(s)." And it's not like Bresciano's the only Palermo player wanting to move on to bigger and better things. I seriously doubt Zaccardo or Barzagli see themselves staying with Palermo for the rest of their careers.
Martha

He didn't use exactly those words, but check out the quotes in this article -- he'd definitely put his foot very far into his mouth, the moron. No wonder Palermo didn't want him.
Lisa

"I'm too good for this league"? What did I miss while I was running around trying to get my papers in order?
Martha

God only knows, Lisa -- the latest is that Man City suddenly won't pay up-front as was originally agreed, so Palermo pulled out. Which means VERY uncomfortable training for Mr. "I'm too good for this league" Bresciano in the coming weeks.

And you've totally convinced me to pull for the West Ham thing, too. We'll see what the papers say tomorrow ....
Lisa

Wait, what? Bresciano is staying in Palermo now? I'm so confused. (I'm still holding out for Bellamy and Cassano on the same squad. Just imagine the drama.)
Martha

Robben is the king of the divers, no argument here on that, Tina. On my my least favorite players, after watching him spend all of Euro 2004 crying his eyes out about getting "fouled."

Thanks, Francesco -- I love when directly contradictory stories come out within hours of one another (right now, for example, Mark Bresciano both is and isn't a Mac City player).
Francesco

well, looks like Samp is trying to get Cassano. They'll make a decision within 48 hours...

http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com...
tina

Cassano's a joke. He just causes a bunch of trouble every club he goes, nobody wants him he should just quit. He deserves it too for messing with Francesco Totti.

& about Ballack: Well they have been going after him for a while, since 2003 i think, but he wants to stay at Chelsea probably because Real Madrid wont pay 121K a week for him.

I thought they wanted that dutch guy, Arjen i think, who dives like theirs no tommorow.
Martha

Is the Ballack stuff all a lie, Corey? Man, am I sucker. I've only been paying half-attention, but I was totally assuming it would happen eventually. Do they even really want him?
Corey

Alot of bullshit is flying out of Real Madrid camp, like the Ballack stuff.
Martha

La Gazzetta are also reporting that Emerson's agent is negotiating with Inter, mere hours after making a stern denial yesterday. Does anyone know what the hell is going on over there?
Francesco

Mazzarri just refuted the claims on the Gazzetta website. He said Cassano would be no use to the squad right now. 2 days ago TMW reported that Real was offering the same kind of loan deal to Torino.