Latest Transfer Update at 06-07-11

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Ezequiel Lavezzi - on Man City's radar.
CITY KEEN ON LAVEZZI - MANCINI AGENT

Manchester City have been in talks with Napoli for the past few months with a view to signing Ezequiel Lavezzi, according to Blues manager Roberto Mancini's agent.
The Argentina international has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League this summer, with City and Liverpool among the clubs keen to acquire Lavezzi's services.
With City captain Carlos Tevez set to leave the Eastlands club this summer, the 26-year-old Lavezzi is considered by Mancini to be an ideal replacement.
Mancini's agent, Giorgio De Giorgis, spoke about City's pursuit of Lavezzi and even claimed England midfielder Gareth Barry could be a makeweight in the transfer.
He told Radio CRC: "Manchester City's interest in Lavezzi could be a reality.
"(City) has been negotiating for the past few months with Napoli, regardless of Tevez's situation. City has spoken to Napoli about Pocho (Lavezzi).
"But 31million euros for Lavezzi, I think it's excessive.
"However, to find a player who is ready like Pocho is, it's not easy.
"Manchester City could include a player in the deal, but I don't know what player could interest Napoli.
"The only one could be (Gareth) Barry, who is an England international and does not have a high salary."
Lavezzi is under contract with Napoli until June 2015 and has a release clause of 30million euros (£26.8million).
Napoli, like City, will play in next season's Champions League.

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Scott Dann - Stoke target.
STOKE CLOSE ON BIRMINGHAM PAIR

Peter Coates thinks Stoke are close to striking a deal with Birmingham for Scott Dann and Cameron Jerome.
The clubs have spent weeks locked in negotiations over defender Dann and striker Jerome - and Coates believes they are now close to agreeing.
However, the Potters chief warned the club has yet to talk terms with either player and that there was still a chance the moves could fall through.
"We have made an offer and are hoping to do a deal that will satisfy both clubs," said Coates.
"It is my understanding we were very close to a deal, but then you still have to sort things out with the players. These things can take forever.
"You have to have other irons in the fire because so many things can go wrong. Sometimes you think you have a deal and it doesn't happen."

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Charlie Adam - heading for Anfield.
LIVERPOOL STRIKE CHARLIE ADAM DEAL

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's dogged pursuit of midfielder Charlie Adam finally paid off after a new bid was accepted by Blackpool.
The Reds boss twice tried to sign the Scotland international in January only to have an offer of £6.5million rejected as the Seasiders successfully held on to their prized asset.
It was hoped keeping Adam would help safeguard their Barclays Premier League future but when relegation came in May the 25-year-old, with only 12 months left on his contract, told the club Anfield was his preferred destination this summer.
After several weeks of negotiations both parties have settled on an acceptable valuation - Blackpool were reportedly holding out for £9million - and the player just has to pass his medical.
Having already expressed his preference for Liverpool personal terms are unlikely to be a stumbling block on the deal.
As part of the agreement Blackpool are likely to receive at least one fringe player from Anfield.
Adam will be Dalglish's second signing of the summer to strengthen an area of the squad - central midfield - which was already overcrowded following Jordan Henderson's £16million move from Sunderland.
The likes of Alberto Aquilani, who spent last season on loan at Juventus only for the Serie A club to reject the option of signing him permanently, and Christian Poulsen, a fringe figure since Dalglish took charge in January, appear the most vulnerable in any squad cull with forward Milan Jovanovic also on his way out after a disappointing debut season.
With captain Steven Gerrard set to return for the new season after a groin operation, Lucas Leiva and Jay Spearing both having signed long-term contracts in the last few months and last summer's arrival Raul Meireles impressing in spells there is ample competition in Liverpool's engine room.
Where Dalglish needs to strengthen now is down the left-hand side, in particular, with Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing now a primary target.
And defender Emiliano Insua, who was one of those players farmed out on loan with unseemly haste by former boss Roy Hodgson last summer, has expressed his desire to reignite his Liverpool career.
The Argentina international returned to Melwood for pre-season training after spending last season at Galatasaray.
He was one of the players at risk of being offloaded permanently in the coming weeks but the 22-year-old is determined to prove his doubters wrong.
"In Liverpool again. I hope to be here this season and to give something to the team, I am with energy to do it," he wrote on Twitter.
In the absence of Insua and the woeful six-month Liverpool career of Paul Konchesky, loaned out to npower Championship club Nottingham Forest in January, Glen Johnson ended up playing on the left of defence.
That was partly due firstly to the form of Martin Kelly and then, when necessity arose, the promotion of John Flanagan.
The England international put in better performances in that position in the last couple of months of the campaign than he had in his usual right-sided berth at the start of the season under Hodgson, when he looked like a player critically low on confidence.
Those displays and his adaptability were recognised by the management team and the 26-year-old has signed an extension to his existing contract.
"We are absolutely delighted. We were in talks for a few weeks but it was easy to find an agreement because he wanted to stay and we wanted him to stay," said director of football Damien Comolli.
"We are very pleased he wants to commit long term and I think he was pleased we went to him and asked him to commit long term."
The 26-year-old has made 70 appearances for the Reds but Comolli believes the defender has not yet reached his prime.
"His best years are to come. Very often defenders peak between 26 and 31, so he is just entering into those years where a maturity comes in and his knowledge of the game gets better and better," he added.
"It's obvious when you watch him play his technical ability is second to none.
"Towards the end of last season he showed how versatile he is by playing at left-back or right-back - mostly at left-back - and was outstanding.
"For us he is a great asset to have around. As we've always said, we don't want to sell our best players or sell our assets and as long as the players are happy to be here, we're happy to commit to them."

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Aguero - linked with Juventus switch.
ATLETICO HOPE AGUERO WILL STAY

Atletico Madrid remain hopeful Sergio Aguero will still be at the club next season despite the Argentina international's recent declaration he wants to leave.
Aguero announced in a statement on his personal website in May that he wanted to move on after five years with Atletico and the 23-year-old has since been linked with possible moves to Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester City.
However, Atletico are determined not to let their prized asset leave and hope the striker, who has scored over 100 goals for the club, can be convinced to stay once his participation in the Copa America is over.
Atletico are also unwilling to enter into negotiations with other clubs regarding Aguero, who has a buy-out clause of 45 million euros in his contract.
Sporting director Jose Luis Perez Caminero said on Wednesday: "At this moment, Atletico feel Kun Aguero is an asset to our squad and we're not considering him leaving and, therefore, neither are we considering any negotiations for him.
"He's one of the best players we can find and we trust that when the Copa America finishes he will return to Atletico Madrid and be as important a player as he has been in previous seasons."
Regarding the reported interest in Aguero from clubs both home and abroad, Caminero said: "Big teams are always keen on great players and we are fortunate enough to have Kun and at this stage we are not considering anything.
"We are a team who want to have the best players and Kun is one of those. What we want is that the lad finishes the Copa America, comes here and continues to show what a great player he is and helps make this team better."
He added on his club's official website: "He (Aguero) has to realise that the club don't want to lose him, that everyone here hopes he stays and that if we manage to change his mind it would make us all happy.
"There are few players like him in the world and Atletico Madrid have this player. The only thing that we're thinking about is Kun continuing to wear the Rojiblanco shirt next season.
"When he comes we will try to help him stay, because the important thing is that a decision is taken for the good of the club and the player, who knows that he has a buy-out clause of 45 million euros."

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Bruce - hoping for developments in next 24 hours.
BLACK CATS CLOSE IN ON UNITED DUO

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce was on Wednesday night closing in on more transfer success as the club worked to thrash out the details of a double swoop for Manchester United duo Wes Brown and John O'Shea.
England international Brown was due in the north east on Wednesday and could be closely followed by O'Shea with the Black Cats edging towards deals to secure their seventh and eighth summer transfer targets.
The pair and midfielder Darron Gibson were the subject of a joint bid totalling more than £12million which was accepted by the Red Devils last month.
Significant progress has been made with both Brown and O'Shea in recent days, but the Republic of Ireland defender's situation has been complicated by the fact that his wife has given birth in the meantime.
Brown, 31, signed a first professional contract at Old Trafford within four months of joining the club as a trainee in 1996, and made his senior debut as a substitute against Leeds in May 1998.
Injuries have played a significant part in his career, but he formed a formidable central defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand before Nemanja Vidic's arrival limited his opportunities.
Nevertheless, his time at United has been littered with winners' medals, including two in the Champions League.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson's decision to accept Sunderland's bid suggested the time might be right to move on, and although he has also been linked with Everton and Bolton, the Black Cats have put themselves in pole position to push through a deal.
They are confident too of persuading O'Shea that his future lies at the Stadium of Light.
The 30-year-old utility man has made almost 300 starts for United and has five Barclays Premier League titles to his name, while he has become a stalwart of Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland defence.
But while Brown and O'Shea may be close to joining, question marks remain over Gibson, who has also attracted interest from derby rivals Newcastle, with no agreement yet in place.
Bruce will hope for positive developments over the next 24 hours after a busy summer
already, with Ahmed Elmohamady having made his loan move permanent and Connor Wickham, Craig Gardner, Ji Dong-won, Keiren Westwood and Sebastian Larsson having joined the club.
The players were back in pre-season training on Wednesday and Bruce is hoping that his squad will be boosted further by the time they play their first friendly at York next Wednesday evening.
But there was one notable absence with 28-year-old Paraguay international midfielder Cristian Riveros having completed a 12-month loan deal with Turkish club Kayserispor.
Riveros has struggled to make an impression since his free transfer move from Mexican club Cruz Azul, and has made just 14 appearances.
Bruce said: "Cristian wants to play regular football and hopefully he will be able to do so in Turkey. We wish him all the best."