Monday, 13 April 2009

Transfers - Gossip Shop: Chelsea eye Pav


With David Villa's apparent lack of interest in a summer move to Chelsea, the Blues could instead turn their attentions to Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.
At least that is what Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink would do, job situation permitting, of course.

Hiddink knows the Russian well from coaching him at international level - where Pavlyuchenko actually plays regularly - and simply cannot believe a man of his talents has not been given a decent run in the team by Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.

"It's a pity he's left in reserve," Hiddink said in The Sun. "I'd never do that. A talented player like Roman must play, play and play again. He would prove useful to Chelsea."

But before Nicolas Anelka loses too much sleep over the prospect of demotion in the Stamford Bridge pecking order, let us not forget that as things stand, the official line remains that Hiddink is only with Chelsea until the summer.

So the Dutchman can say what he likes now, but once the transfer window opens, he will hold no sway whatsoever on Chelsea's transfer policy and his words will count for nothing.

That's not to say that Pavlyuchenko will not leave for somewhere else anyway, as it becomes increasingly apparent that Redknapp is looking to trim his squad by offloading several fringe players.

Along with Pavlyuchenko, Tom Huddlestone and Gareth Bale seem to be prime candidates to try their luck elsewhere.

Neither has started a game since Spurs were knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Shakhtar Donetsk six weeks ago and as everybody knows, if a footballer wants just one thing, it is to play football.

Unless, of course, his name is Adriano, in which case he just wants to laze about on a beach during the day and party all night long. But that's another story.

Fulham are interested in both Huddlestone and Bale, and Redknapp could be tempted to part with the pair of them, despite having compared the former to the once great Glenn Hoddle.

"I understand his frustration," Redknapp said. "Tom has fantastic playing ability like Glenn Hoddle and the ability to be a top player.

"But he needs to take the game by the scruff of the neck more, to boss a game. He has to keep getting the ball and sometimes he does not demand the ball enough. I have told him that."

And Fraizer Campbell will leave White Hart Lane with his parent club Manchester United indicating they want to secure his long-term future at Old Trafford.

Campbell has impressed since arriving in north London on loan as part of the deal that took Dimitar Berbatov to United, prompting interest from Hull City and Wigan.

But Alex Ferguson is a big fan of the England U21 striker - whose current contract with the champions expires at the end of next season - and wants to tie him down with a new improved deal.

And finally, having finally proved that young Brazilians can prosper at United, Ferguson is keen on bringing another youngster, Douglas Costa, to Old Trafford.

While the signing of Kleberson was a misjudgement and the jury remains out on Anderson's worth, the signing of Rafael Da Silva (and possibly his brother Fabio and Rodrigo Possebon too) has vindicated Fergie's dabblings in Brazil.

Midfielder Costa, 18, has unfortunately already been dubbed 'the new Ronaldinho' but while that has undoubtedly added a few noughts on his price tag, United's South American scout Jaap Stam has been suitably impressed.

Villarreal recently had an £8m bid turned down by Costa's club Gremio, allowing United, Liverpool, Internazionale, Real Madrid and any other club that should care to enter a bidding war fight it out for the youngster's services.
Eurosport

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