Transfer rumours

Hi folks, our transfer rumours page is back at last! It's summer again and young men's thoughts turn to football transfers. The new market is upon us again, with many clubs getting their managers on board first before they start to think about their squads for next season. The big question of course is at Real Madrid, where Capello's fate hangs in the balance. Winning the league was a bit of a nuisance for club president Ramón Calderón as he had already found Fabio's replacement, and now he has a difficult call to make. If local press reports can be believed though, Calderón has already decided that Schuster will be the new coach, and he is only waiting until the first of July (when Capello's contract enters the second year), so he can pay him less severance money. Capello himself apparently said goodbye to the players after the league title celebrations.

Elsewhere Caparrós decided to leave Deportivo, and ex Real Sociedad boss Lotina has taken over. Betis's major shareholder Don Manuel Ruiz de Lopera is playing his usual games and as a result has lost Recreativo coach Marcelino, but now it seems he will be paying out more money to sign on Héctor Cúper! Meanwhile Marcelino is close to joining Racing, who need a new manager after Portugal returned to Real Madrid's technical staff. Laudrup turned down an offer from Recre to take over from Marcelino, and he could go to Getafe if Schuster's appointment is confirmed. And Athletic Bilbao are also in need of a new manager to replace Mané, although that will probably depend on the upcoming presidential elections. Del Bosque will not be available though as he has taken up an offer from Cádiz's new owner to become their technical director.

Barcelona do not have any such problems though having confirmed Frank Rijkaard in the post, and they have already made what will probably be the signing of the summer, Arsenal's Thierry Henry. They are expected to make a couple more big name signings, but have already tied up Yaya Touré (or Touré Yaya as he now likes to be called) to do the dirty work . "Henry and Touré, the beauty and the beast" said the headlines in the local press! Chivu and Abidal could follow soon, and Van Bronckhorst has announced that he will be leaving the club to return to Feyenoord. (27.06.07)