Middlesbrough signs Internazionale striker Goran Slavkovski on loan
January 31, 2008
Reports are surfacing that English side Middlesbrough FC are on the verge of signing Internazionale striker Goran Slavkovski on loan for the rest of the season.
The 18-year-old has been compared with clubmate and compatriot Zlatan Ibrahimovic as both have Balkan roots although Slavkovski’s family hails from Macedonia and Ibrahimovic’s from Bosnia. It is also been said that both players boast impressive physical stature and a silky touch.
Slavkovski’s agent Jozo Palac confirmed that he would undergo his medical on Wednesday, adding that both club has agreed on the transfer and that the papers have been signed.
Slavkovski is the youngest player ever to feature for the Serie A champions, having broken Giuseppe Bergomi’s record in 2006 and he has also represented Sweden at every age group up to Under-19.
BIO
Full name: Goran Slavkovski
Date of birth April 8, 1989
Place of birth: Skrävlinge, Sweden
Height: 191 cm
Playing position: Striker
Current club: Inter Milan
Number: 49
Previous Clubs
2004-2005: Malmö FF
2005-2006: Inter Milan
Popularity: 2% [?]
Tottenham signs right-back Alan Hutton from Rangers
January 31, 2008
Tottenham Hotspur has confirmed the arrival of Alan Hutton from Rangers and the player is expected to make his Premier League debut against Manchester United at the weekend.
After the capture of Jonathan Woodgate and Chris Gunter, the 23-year-old Scotland right-back is the third signing at White Hart Lane in the January transfer window in order to bolster Juande Ramos’ defence.
The fee for Hutton is undisclosed but has been reported to eventually come close to the £9million Sunderland agreed for Craig Gordon, which made the goalkeeper the most expensive Scottish player in history.
The availability of Hutton gives Ramos more options in defence as Chimbonda has been relied upon at right-back, even moving inside to centre-back when Ledley King and Michael Dawson have been injured or Younes Kaboul has been dropped.
It is also reported that Brazil left-back Gilberto is also set to arrive from Hertha Berlin, before the transfer window closes.
I personally believe that Manchester United should have signed this player as they are in desperate need for a proper right back in the current team. I don’t think Wes Brown should be playing at right back for United and with Gary Neville struggling to get fit, United should sign a proper right back before the transfer window closes.
BIO
Full name: Alan Hutton
Date of birth: November 30, 1984
Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position: Right-back
Current club: Tottenham Hotspur
Number:
Former Club: Rangers
Popularity: 2% [?]
Patrice Evra demands £120,000 a week salary.
January 29, 2008
Reports are out that Patrice Evra has stunned Manchester United by his new £120,000-a-week contract demands.
Media report says that the United full-back Evra is demanding parity with the top earners at the club like Rio Ferdinand before he commits himself to stay at Old Trafford. Evra, who joined United two years ago from Monaco for £5.5million, is currently on £36,000 a week and has just started talks about a new deal.
But the 26-year-old’s demands have caused a major stand-off with the club after his representatives insisted he deserves to be among their top earners.
BIO
Full Name: Patrice Evra
Date of birth: 15 May 1981
Place of birth: Dakar, Senegal
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position: Left back, Left wingback
Current club: Manchester United
Number: 3
Previous Clubs
1998–1999: Marsala
1999–2000: Monza
2000–2002: OGC Nice
2002–2006: AS Monaco
2006– Manchester United
Popularity: 3% [?]
Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea’s new Serbian defender.
January 29, 2008
Branislav Ivanovic was born on 22nd of February 1984 and is a Serbian football player. He is currently playing for Chelsea F.C. in the English Premier League. Branislav is a versatile defensive player who is able to play at right-back, centre-back and in central defensive midfield role.
Ivanovic began his footballing career in his home town in FC SREM Sremska Mitrovica, before transferring to OFK Beograd in 2003. After three years of playing in the Serbian Superliga, the first division of football in Serbia and previously Montenegro, Ivanovic was signed by FC Lokomotiv Moscow in 2006. He became a member of national Serbian team during his Russian career.
On January 15, 2008, English football giants Chelsea confirmed that the club had agreed terms with Lokomotiv for Ivanovic’s £9 million transfer subject to the agreement of personal terms and the passing of a medical after overcoming competition from the likes of AC Milan, Juventus, Internazionale and Manchester United for his signature.
BIO
Full name: Branislav “Bane” Ivanovic
Date of birth: 22 February 1984
Place of birth: Sremska Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position: Defender
Current club: Chelsea
Number: 2
Previous Clubs
2002-2003: SREM Sremska Mitrovica
2003-2006: OFK Beograd
2006-2008: FC Lokomotiv Moscow
2008-Chelsea
Popularity: 3% [?]
Introducing Liverpool FC’s new defender, Martin Skrtel
January 29, 2008
Škrtel began playing football at the age of six; while a competent ice hockey player, he followed his father’s career and chose to play football for F.C. Prievidza, before signing for FK AS Tren?ín.
Škrtel made his debut for Zenit in a Russian Cup match on 31 July 2004 and he said that the presence of Slovak and Czech players essentially helped him to adjust to the new team. He has played 113 times and scored five goals for the Russian club. Big teams such as Valencia, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Newcastle United were all been reported to be interested in his services, but he opted to sign for Liverpool in the January 2008 transfer window.
Škrtel signed for Liverpool on 11 January 2008 on a four-and-a-half year contract that is worth around £6.5 million. After completing the deal, Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez said of Škrtel, that he is aggressive, quick, is good in the air and Benitez think he’s a very good player for the future and also for the present. Benitez also added that he is very competitive, but his mentality for is very good. He also compared Škrtel to present Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher. He made his league debut against Aston Villa and wears the number 37 for Liverpool.
On 26 January 2008 Martin was given his full Liverpool debut in Liverpool’s 4th Round FA Cup tie against non-league Havant & Waterlooville.
BIO
Full name: Martin Škrtel
Date of birth: December 15, 1984
Place of birth: Handlová, Slovakia
Height: 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position: Defender
Current club: Liverpool
Number: 37
Popularity: 2% [?]
