EDIT:
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/eng/noticias/noticias/n06072018.shtml
affanculo
Thuram and Zambrotta sign for Barca
FC Barcelona has reached an agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Lilian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta. Thuram has signed a two-year contract while Zambrotta has committed himself for the next four years.
This Thursday, Thuram and Zambrotta became the latest additions to the Barca squad for the 2006-07 season following on from Eidur Gudjohnsen's move from Chelsea earlier in the summer. The former Juventus stars were two of the outstanding players in the recently finished World Cup and were included in the tournament's best eleven.
Thuram and Zambrotta, together with the rest of the Barca squad who took part in the World Cup, will join up with the team for the tour of Mexico and the United States.
Barcelona took the lead in the race to land Zambrotta and other Juventus players yesterday, as a high-level team landed in Turin and held a summit with Juve, even as Chelsea and Real Madrid continued to use intermediaries and the telephone.
There were discussions over Thuram and Zambrotta, and a casual enquiry about Trezeguet, as Technical Director Txiki Begiristain and Vice-President (Finance) Ferran Soriano met the Juve bosses.
Juventus are reportedly happy with Barca's direct and open approach, and keen to strike a deal.
They also seem to have indicated that all other things being equal, they would prefer Barcelona's offer over letting their players move to rivals Milan, or allowing Capello to "come back to fish in Turin," in the words of president Gigli.
Juve bosses also named their price for the players, asking for 20 million Euros for Thuram and Zambrotta, and the same amount for Trezeguet.
However, Barcelona are keen to land Thuram, 34, on a free transfer, and reportedly put down 15 for the two defenders. They also offered loan deals for Zambrotta and Trezeguet, should Juve want to keep the players on their rolls.
The two sides are set for another meeting today, and Barca have also been allowed to speak with the players' agents, to help facilitate the process.
Real Madrid and Chelsea seem to have been caught off guard by this move, as most of their contact had been through intermediaries so far. Expect some serious acticity on their part over the next couple of days, particularly given their interest in Zambrotta. Real, in particular, are set to send Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic to Turin today.
http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoId=96103
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/eng/noticias/noticias/n06072018.shtml
affanculo
Thuram and Zambrotta sign for Barca
FC Barcelona has reached an agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Lilian Thuram and Gianluca Zambrotta. Thuram has signed a two-year contract while Zambrotta has committed himself for the next four years.
This Thursday, Thuram and Zambrotta became the latest additions to the Barca squad for the 2006-07 season following on from Eidur Gudjohnsen's move from Chelsea earlier in the summer. The former Juventus stars were two of the outstanding players in the recently finished World Cup and were included in the tournament's best eleven.
Thuram and Zambrotta, together with the rest of the Barca squad who took part in the World Cup, will join up with the team for the tour of Mexico and the United States.
Barcelona took the lead in the race to land Zambrotta and other Juventus players yesterday, as a high-level team landed in Turin and held a summit with Juve, even as Chelsea and Real Madrid continued to use intermediaries and the telephone.
There were discussions over Thuram and Zambrotta, and a casual enquiry about Trezeguet, as Technical Director Txiki Begiristain and Vice-President (Finance) Ferran Soriano met the Juve bosses.
Juventus are reportedly happy with Barca's direct and open approach, and keen to strike a deal.
They also seem to have indicated that all other things being equal, they would prefer Barcelona's offer over letting their players move to rivals Milan, or allowing Capello to "come back to fish in Turin," in the words of president Gigli.
Juve bosses also named their price for the players, asking for 20 million Euros for Thuram and Zambrotta, and the same amount for Trezeguet.
However, Barcelona are keen to land Thuram, 34, on a free transfer, and reportedly put down 15 for the two defenders. They also offered loan deals for Zambrotta and Trezeguet, should Juve want to keep the players on their rolls.
The two sides are set for another meeting today, and Barca have also been allowed to speak with the players' agents, to help facilitate the process.
Real Madrid and Chelsea seem to have been caught off guard by this move, as most of their contact had been through intermediaries so far. Expect some serious acticity on their part over the next couple of days, particularly given their interest in Zambrotta. Real, in particular, are set to send Sporting Director Pedja Mijatovic to Turin today.
http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoId=96103
