Category: Transfer news

EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

Newcastle United are preparing to hijack Danny Graham’s proposed move to Sunderland, Goal.com understands.

The Swansea City striker is keen on a return to his native north-east this month and has held talks with Sunderland.

The Black Cats and Norwich City have both tabled €4.75 million bids for the centre-forward, who is valued at €5.9m by Swansea.

But Goal.com has learned that Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has also registered his interest in Graham and is ready to make a formal offer this week.

Pardew is keen to bolster his strikeforce after losing Demba Ba to Chelsea earlier this month and missing out on the signing of Loic Remy, who spurned a move to Newcastle to join QPR.

Sunderland remain the frontrunners for Graham’s signature but he is believed to be biding his time while he waits for Newcastle’s interest to materialise.

Martin O’Neill has targeted the striker to take some of the goalscoring pressure off Steven Fletcher at the Stadium of Light.

Graham has been pushed down the Swans’ pecking order following the arrival of Michu last summer, who has made a huge impact at the club.

Although the former Watford forward has scored four goals in his last seven games, he is understood to have a poor relationship with Michael Laudrup and wants to leave the club.

Swansea have targeted Kenwyne Jones of Stoke City as a replacement for Graham.

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Inter president Massimo Moratti has expressed his happiness with the transfer of playmaker Wesley Sneijder to Galatasaray.

The Netherlands international agreed terms with the Istanbul giants on Sunday over a move in the region of €7.5 million, and the 67-year-old is delighted with the way the deal played out.

“Yes [I am happy], without a doubt. Galatasaray did everything properly, their president, their vice-president,” he was quoted as saying on the club’s official website.

“They’re very good people. I think the player is happy too, otherwise he wouldn’t have gone there.”

However, Moratti noted that the possible signing of Corinthians midfielder Paulinho depends on his price tag and wanred the club are in a rush to replace Oranje star.

“One step at a time. We’ve just done this, let’s now see what we need to do. A player like that, with his attributes, is always useful. But the cost does come into it,” he continued.

“I don’t know [if Inter will sign new players], it depends if it’s worth it. Everything’s so expensive in Italy, so I don’t think anything will happen.”

Wesley Sneijder moved to Inter from Real Madrid in 2009 and won the Champions League with the club in his first season.

Inter president Massimo Moratti has expressed his happiness with the transfer of playmaker Wesley Sneijder to Galatasaray.

The Netherlands international agreed terms with the Istanbul giants on Sunday over a move in the region of €7.5 million, and the 67-year-old is delighted with the way the deal played out.

“Yes [I am happy], without a doubt. Galatasaray did everything properly, their president, their vice-president,” he was quoted as saying on the club’s official website.

“They’re very good people. I think the player is happy too, otherwise he wouldn’t have gone there.”

However, Moratti noted that the possible signing of Corinthians midfielder Paulinho depends on his price tag and wanred the club are in a rush to replace Oranje star.

“One step at a time. We’ve just done this, let’s now see what we need to do. A player like that, with his attributes, is always useful. But the cost does come into it,” he continued.

“I don’t know [if Inter will sign new players], it depends if it’s worth it. Everything’s so expensive in Italy, so I don’t think anything will happen.”

Wesley Sneijder moved to Inter from Real Madrid in 2009 and won the Champions League with the club in his first season.

Manchester United striker Robin van Persie believes he chose the right stage of his career to leave Arsenal and join the Red Devils.

The Dutchman, who currently leads the Premier League scoring charts with 17 goals, sealed a €30.5 million move to Old Trafford over the summer after eight years in north London.

And the 29-year-old has now stated that he felt he had reached a point where he required a “new challenge” away from the Gunners.

“Arsenal are a great club and I always had a good feeling but after eight years, sometimes you feel that you need a new challenge,” Van Persie told Sky Sports.

“I found that challenge at Manchester United. I do feel that I am surrounded by champions.

“I do feel that this is exactly the right time to be here. I don’t think it would have been better to come here earlier. Everything has gone this way for a reason.

“When I extended my deal a couple of years ago at Arsenal, I felt that was the right move for me – to stay and play because I wasn’t finished there. Now, since last summer, I wanted to go for a big challenge, and this was the biggest challenge for me.

“I think every day tells me that I made the right move. It’s nothing bad about Arsenal. No player is bigger than the club, Arsenal will always challenge for trophies and be up there. It was just that after eight years I was ready to move on and try something else.”

The Rotterdam-born forward also spoke of the ease with which he has settled in at United and revealed the exciting nature of training with his new team-mates.

“On and off the pitch, everyone has been helpful. I have settled in well,” he continued.

“The main thing is that from day one everyone gave me the feeling that I was welcome and that they were happy for me to be here. I was happy to be here, it was a new challenge for me and I was ready for that challenge. I am having fun.

“I am seeing things again which I haven’t seen for a long time. When I first went to Arsenal years ago I saw things from [Dennis] Bergkamp and [Thierry] Henry that I had never seen in my life before. Now I am seeing those things again and that makes me happy.

“It’s like being a kid in a sweet shop. This is having fun, enjoying myself. That’s what I am doing, I’m just having fun.”

Van Persie went on to insist that his previous struggles with injury were down to bad luck rather than any long-term physical problems.

“If you go back to my injuries, people just look at stats and for a couple of years those stats weren’t great. But most of those injuries were impact injuries, they can happen. It was mostly unlucky,” he added.

“I don’t think it was me to blame, or the club medical staff to blame. I was just unlucky.”

Juventus sporting director Giuseppe Marotta is confident of signing Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente.

Goal.com exclusively revealed that the Bianconeri had a January bid for the Spain international turned down last week, but the 57-year-old is certain that he will represent the club next season nonetheless.

“I do not beat around the bush, we told Athletic Bilbao that we are interested in the player and I’m optimistic about his contract. He will play for Juventus from July 1,” the 57-year-old told Radio24.

Marotta went on to say the club are always monitoring the transfer market, but claimed that a move for Napoli star Edinson Cavani would be incredibly unlikely.

“We watch the market carefully, if there are possibilities of improving the group will try to catch them. [Cavani] is not only elusive for Juve, but for all the Italian teams,” he added.

Juventus currently top the table of Serie A with a five-point lead over second-placed Napoli.