Transfer rumours

Almost all clubs are back in training, but many are still missing players for key positions and are expected to be active in the transfer market right up until the league starts at the end of August. As well as a forward or two and another defender, Real Madrid are still trying to find a defensive midfielder to fill the spot left by Makelele twelve months ago. Once again the name of Arsenal's Patrick Vieira came up, and after deals with Xabi Alonso, Emerson and Costinha have already been on and off all summer, this one could run on for weeks. Barcelona have also been filling the sporting press recently, and their search for a "number nine" and a "pit-bull" to replace Kluivert and Davids is another of this summer's long-running sagas. Baros and Pablo García are current favourites, but tomorrow it could be somebody else (Eto'o, Mista.....). Meanwhile Claudio Ranieri is carrying on his campaign to turn Valencia into a "little Italy", and having already signed Fiore and Corradi and virtually tied up Moretti, he is now thinking of Di Vaio as a possible replacement for Mista if he does decide to move on. And finally this week saw the return of controversial Ukrain-American businessman Dmitri Piterman, who has taken over Alavés after failing to make his mark at Racing Santander. The fun is just beginning....... (17.07.04)