A Quick News Roundup As We Await the Return of Real Football

By: Martha | January 7th, 2008

An unfortunate-looking young man. •Last year, Chelsea were among the clubs tracking Marek Hamsik, but they weren’t willing to pay Brescia price and the Slovak went to Napoli for €5.5 million, where he’s turned in a stellar first half. The 20-year-old has been so impressive, in fact, that Roman Abramovich is supposedly readying a bid of €16 million for his services, just in time to help fill the giant hole being left in Chelsea by the African Cup of Nations.

•Claudio Ranieri (still) thinks Mohamed Sissoko is pretty hot. He is not, however, interested in discussing Sergio Almiron’s future, so don’t ask him about it, alright?

•Word on the entirely unreliable street is that Maniche is having showdown talks with Athletico Madrid today, and that all he wants from life is to join his aging Portuguese friend in Inter’s midfield. We shall see.

•Or, if Inter want someone way younger and less fat, there’s 21-year-old Argie Diego Valeri, who La Gazzetta reported over the weekend is being pimped to the club by none other than Javier Zanetti. He’d cost about €9 million and, if we’re to believe the press, a bid may already be underway. (Thanks to JOHNNY for remind me about this rumor.)

•Goran Pandev is “a Lazio player and money is not all that important.” Not only that, but he’s not had any talks with Bayern (despite copious quotes last week to the contrary), and Lazio say they’ve not talked to anyone about him. Aw! Now, if only there was any truth to this semi-love-fest, and Lazio was actually willing to pay him.

•Here’s a new one: Gianluca Zambrotta is heading back to Italy, but to Juve, not Milan.

•18-year-old Edgar Cani — currently with Serie C1 side Pescara — is being associated with a move to either Inter or Sampdoria. I can’t find out anything about this kid, apart from the fact that he’s a Slovak striker on the verge of securing Italian citizenship, but there you go. Anyone know anything, learn us in the comments. (Given how little he’s played this season, it’s likely any buy would be followed by an immediate loan, but who knows.)

•According to the French press, goal-poor Torino are after one Guillaume Hoarau, Ligue 2’s leading scorer. Go, Toro!

•If Sven Goran-Eriksson is really willing to pay £16 million plus £8.8 million-valued Rolando Bianchi for Mancini, is it save to assume Roma would take the deal?

•Even without oldboy Pato, Porto Alegre managed to beat Inter 2-1 today in the final of the Dubai Cup. (Inter’s goal was scored by Luis Jimenez, who is in such ridiculous form right now that he can even score while lying on his back. Minds out of the gutter, please.)