Transfer Talk: Mark Viduka Singing a New Toon; $32 Million Price Tag for Gila

By: Bob | June 5th, 2007

It is still early in the summer transfer season of silliness, but that doesn’t mean players aren’t already being linked with teams here, there and everywhere. Half the time the rumors you hear are nonsense. The other half are ridiculous. And the other half are absurd. Here is just a sample of the transfer chatter being heard around the football world today.

All that is left is for the two sides to dot the i’s and cross the t’s and the rotund one from Australia Mark Viduka will be trading in his Middlesbrough kit for one belonging to Newcastle. At 31, Viduka would appear to be on the decline but he did knock in 19 goals last year for Boro. He could have company at the Toon if they can outbid West Ham for none other than Joey Barton.

It is always fun when players are described as being “out of favor”. That label has been placed upon striker Alberto Gilardino who scored 12 goals for AC Milan in Serie A last season. Milan have slapped a $32 million price tag on his head, meaning that only clubs with deep pockets are going to be able to afford him, but will any of them want him?

Meanwhile, as fond as they are of Andriy Shevchenko, Milan say that they won’t be able to bring the striker back because of that pesky thing known as his Chelsea contract. “Sheva is part of the history of Milan and he is saddened to have left. Has he (Shevchenko) told me that he regrets it? I will not answer that,” said AC Milan VP Adriano Galliani. I can answer that. Yes, he regrets it but somehow he’ll survive in his batcave in London.

One last word about AC Mila: Eto’o.

You know who wants Sevilla’s Daniel Alves? Just about everyone. Liverpool have been particularly interested in the Brazilian right back, but now Chelsea and Real Madrid have entered the fray and that can only mean crazy money talk. I like him a lot, but is he really the second coming?

Staying in Spain, Real Zaragoza striker Sergio Garcia has agreed to stay on until 2011. Please join me in congratulating him. The young Brazilian back Marcelo is likely to be loaned from Real Madrid to Espanyol, especially if Madrid land Gabriel Heinze from Manchester United. Marcello is going to be good. He just needs seasoning, but so does my lunch and I have no plans of shipping it to Espanyol.

After presumably kissing good-bye to Franck Ribery, Marseille are eager to welcome Barcelona midfielder Ludovic Giuly into the fold. I remember last year when everyone thought it was a big mistake to leave Giuly off the France national team and then Ribery made us all forget about him.

Celtic midfielder Jiri Jaroksi would like nothing more than to return to the Premiership and/or Russia, but isn’t so keen on going to Moldova, Georgia or San Marino.

One of my favorite World Cup players has resurfaced. Angola’s talisman Akwa will lead domestic club Petro de Luanda to glory. Anyone know whatever happened to Angola’s keeper João Ricardo who was awesome but didn’t have a club? According to Wikipedia he is also with Petro de Luanda, my new favorite team in Angola.

Want even more? More rumors and speculation:

AS Roma Offside
Borussia Dortmund Offside
Palermo Offside