The Transfer Cauldron is Boiling Once Again

By: Sam | August 8th, 2007

08/08/08 is one year away, but some clubs decided 08/08/07 was lucky enough to go ahead and make some substantial transfers. What’s more, today there was a surprisingly high ratio of actual signings to unfounded rumours. I like these kinds of days.

+ First off, it seems as though Italian defender Manuele Blasi is going to join AS Monaco in the next forty-eight hours. The prince’s club, still in need of a dominant center-back after the departure of Gaël Givet, have found an agreement with the player and his agent. Blasi’s agent, Davide Lippi said that Monaco offers the Juventus player more playing time, and that it’s only a matter of time until the deed is done.

+ Just north of the principality is Saint-Étienne, claiming they’re a hair away from acquiring 25-year old Swede Lasse Nilsson from Heerenveen. The neo-international stated that he’s very interested by the prospect of playing in the French league. As if Sainté needed another striker, really. Watch out though, because a Dutch periodical wrote that the boy was headed for Real Betis instead.

+ After a hefty and suspenseful bidding battle with Charlton, it’s in fact Bordeaux who appear to have won the services of Senegalese defender Souleymane Diawara. His loan to the Addicks apparently didn’t cut it for him, and a four-year contract now awaits him with Laurent Blanc’s club. 5 million euros is the approximate amount paid to Sochaux.

+ Now, an unfounded brief for the rumour-happy Marseille. According to footmercato.net, they could be losing their young defender Ronald Zubar to Lille, in desperate need of a decent center-back. If this deal were to come together, it would most likely be in the form of a loan, but don’t even count on that. Diouf is as stubborn as a mule.

+ However, it is written in stone that Marseille have extended keeper Cédric Carrasso’s contract through 2011. The arrival of Steve Mandanda had many people thinking that was the end of Carrass’, but I guess not.

+ Charles Itandje to Manchester United? Really, that’s just strange. If he does that, he’s dumb.

+ Daniel Cousin, of Lens, will join Glasgow Rangers tomorrow. The source? Jean-Claude Darcheville, formerly of Bordeaux, who got the info from the horse’s mouth, aka the president of the club himself.