***European Soccer Thread***

[Street Novelist]

Real Madrid Make First Signing For Next Year; Snag Sergio Canales

 

The midfielder from Racing Santander says he does not know if he will play at the Bernabeu next season or be loaned out. He also plans to work very hard in the offseason and praised the signing of new head coach Jose Mourinho.

[Street Novelist]

Real Madrid To Hold Press Conference To Announce Pellegrini's Future At 7:30 P.M. Local Time

 

Marca is reporting Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has called a meeting with the Board of Directors where he will inform them of his decision to dismiss head coach Manuel Pellegrini.

 

In addition, he will also tell them Jose Mourinho has agreed to be the next coach for Los Blancos, but they are still negotiating the termination of his contract with Inter Milan.

[Street Novelist]

Florentino Perez Fires Pelligrini and Hires Mourinho

 

However, Real Madrid still have to work out Mourinho's buyout from Inter Milan, so nothing is official yet.

[Street Novelist]

Inter Block Mourinho's Exit; Introduction To Real Madrid Postponed To Next Week

 

According to Marca.com, the two sides still have not reached an agreement over Jose Mourinho's exit clause. Meetings took place all day between Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, Real Madrid's representative, José Angel Sánchez, Inter's Vice President of Financial Affairs and Economics, Rinaldo Ghelfi, and Inter's Sporting Director, Marco Branca.

 

Both sides continue to maintain their original position. Inter wants to be paid the amount stated in Mourinho's contract (16 million Euros) and Mourinho's agent reiterates what Massimo Moratti (Inter's President) told Mourinho (he would let him leave for free if he won the treble).

 

Branca says the negotiations are far from over, and Inter has all the time in the world, claiming Inter will not budge on the money owed them in Mourinho's exit clause.

[Street Novelist]

France To Host Euro 2016

 

ESPN: France has been chosen as the host nation for Euro 2016, beating rivals Italy and Turkey to the honour at a ceremony in Geneva on Friday afternoon....France will host its first major finals since the 1998 World Cup, which Les Bleus won when beating Brazil in the final. France also hosted the 1938 World Cup and the 1984 European Championships.

 

Italy, which had its bid championed by former AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini, hosted the European Championship in 1968 and the World Cup in 1934 and 1990. Turkey has never hosted a major championship.

[Street Novelist]

Inter and Real Madrid Reach Agreement; Madrid To Pay $8 Million

 

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Florentino Pérez has come to an agreement with Massimo Moratti to pay Inter $8 million to buy out Mourinho's contract. Mourinho will be presented as the new coach of Real Madrid on Monday at 1:00 local time. Mourinho is signed for 4 seasons with a salary of $10 million per season.

[Street Novelist]

Barcelona In Talks With Manchester City Over The Transfer Of Yaya Toure

 

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, both clubs met this morning to negotiate the transfer of midfielder Yaya Toure. Toure wishes to play for a club where he will start every game instead of sitting on the deep bench of Barcelona.

[Street Novelist]

Yaya Toure Favors Move To Chelsea Despite Interest From Man City

 

According to the Daily Mail, the Ivorian refuses to sit on the bench for Barcelona and would rather play for Chelsea instead of Manchester City (where his brother, Kolo, plays). It is rumored Chelsea already offered a $17 million bid for the midfielder but were turned down by Barca. Just last week, officials from Man City met with Toure and discussed the option of transferring for a price also around $17 million.

[Street Novelist]

Real Madrid Extend Higuain's Contract Through 2016

 

An agreement in principle has been reached between Real Madrid and Jorge Higuain (Gonzalo's father and agent) to extend Gonzalo's contract through 2016. The existing contract was set to run out in 2013.

[Street Novelist]

Benitez, Guardiola Favorites To Coach Inter Next Year

 

According to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Guardiola is Massimo Moratti's favorite to replace Mourinho, with Rafa Benitez also an option. Also, Corriere della Sera (another Italian publication) is reporting Benitez is one of the favorites at the moment but Moratti is not in any hurry to make a decision.

 

I don't see Guardiola leaving Barcelona. He has some of the greatest players in the world and is loved by the city. Benitez, on the other hand, has had a dreadful spell at Liverpool. Considering the huge debt Liverpool find themselves in and the inability to play in the Champions League next year, I wouldn't be surprised if he left.

[Street Novelist]

Arsenal Reject Formal Proposal For Transfer Of Fabregas

 

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Joan Oliver, CEO of Barcelona, confirmed he officially sent the offer in writing to Arsenal Tuesday (the first day of the summer transfer window). The offer was estimated to be $45 million.

[Street Novelist]

Rafael Benitez Agrees To Leave Liverpool; Ends 6 Year Run With Club

 

According to Goal.com, Benitez decided to leave Liverpool after Chairman Martin Broughton refused to give assurances over the amount of money available for summer transfers. Several sources say Benitez is on the verge of signing with Inter Milan.

[bbeerma2]

So you Soccer fanatics know, I live about 10 minutes walk from one of the stadiums being used in Euro 2012.

 

On another note, I was in Krakow when Poland played the U.S. 2-3 years back in March and went to a bar to get a few beers by myself. Turns out, I was about 3 miles from the stadium and the tickets were something like 10-15 bucks a piece but it had already started by the time I found out.

[Street Novelist]

Liverpool Release Statement On Website Confirming Departure Of Benitez

 

"Liverpool FC today confirmed that Rafael Benitez is to leave the club by mutual consent.

 

Mr Benitez relinquishes his position as team manager after six years and the Board of Directors would like to place on record their grateful thanks for his services and wish him all the best in his future career.

 

The Board has now asked Managing Director Christian Purslow, with the assistance of Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish, to begin a formal search to identify and assess potential candidates for the managerial position."

 

From Benitez: "It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts.

 

I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager.

 

Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."

[RockyMountainOySker]

Intere$ting. I wonder where he'll go and who liverpool gets.....?