***European Soccer Thread***

Mino Raiola Confirms Mario Balotelli Will Leave Inter

In an interview with Sky Sports, Balotelli's agent said: "His future won't be decided today, we are moving calmly...I don't really want to say more on Balotelli, but all the doors remain open. My job is to listen to offers. Which club is most interested? I cannot say this, it's not down to me to reveal who is interested. All the roads are open."

Manchester City is thought to be the favorite to land the Italian's services.

 
Manuel Pellegrini To Become New Head Coach Of Mexico

According to his agent Jesus Martinez, the 56 year old has been offered the job to coach Mexico's national team for the next 4 years after the resignation of Javier Aguirre. Pellegrini coached los Blancos last season where he saw a Madrid side rack up the largest amount of points ever in the team's history.

 
Barcelona Interested In Ozil

According to El Mundo Deportivo, Barca is monitoring the situation of the 22 year old who has 1 year left on his contract with Werder Bremen. If Sandro Rosell cannot convince Arsenal to sell Cesc Fabregas, it is believed he will turn to Ozil, who had a breakout performance in the World Cup for Germany.

 
Barca's Rafael Marquez To Join New York Red Bulls

A source close to the deal told Goal.com: "Marquez has signed for a four-year contract with the New York Red Bulls and will join up with Thierry Henry," they said.

"Marquez has gained his contract release from Barcelona and will get a salary of £2 million per season. The official announcement of the deal will be next week."

The 31 year old defender had served mainly as a backup to Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol.

 
Drogba Undergoes Surgery On Groin

"Didier Drogba successfully underwent minimally invasive surgery yesterday [Friday] on the groin injury that had troubled him for some of last season," a club statement read.

"The decision to perform the procedure after his return from the World Cup was made to optimise his rehabilitation, and he is expected to return to full training in approximately three weeks."

Drogba will likely miss the start of the Premier League.

 
Jim Rome had a simultaneously sad and hilarious segment the other day on the poor quality of an interview done with Thierry Henry in New York. Doesn't bode well for the immediate future of MLS when the interviewer's first question to an international superstar is, "So you just signed with the Red Bulls, right? They're our soccer team, right?"

 
Guti Leaves Real Madrid After 24 Years

In a press conference today, the 33 year old midfielder announced he will be leaving los Blancos after spending 24 years with the club. Guti is expected to sign with Besiktas where he will be reunited with former Real coach Bernd Schuster.

 
Rio Ferdinand Ruled Out Until September

The Manchester United defender will be out until September while recovering from an injured knee ligament. Ferdinand originally injured his knee while preparing for the World Cup with England.

 
Hodgson Says Torres Has "Beef" With Club

Speaking to the News of the World, Hodgson said: "Unfortunately, I cannot do much more. His beef is with the club and not me. Fernando's situation has nothing to do with me, he made that perfectly clear over the phone during the World Cup and when I met him face-to-face.

He knows what I would like to do with the club. He knows how much I value him. But his issues are with what has gone on in the past rather than the future. If he has problems with the club for things in the past, it is difficult for me to dismiss that."

don't know if this is just a PR move or if Hodgson is actually being serious. If he is, this might be the last of Torres at Anfield.

 
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Van der Vaart Ready To Leave Real Madrid

Van der Vaart told the Daily Star Sunday: "I have heard of the interest from Liverpool and Chelsea - and that is very flattering. If either of them were willing to offer me first-team football, I will be honest that it would be very hard for me to not listen to what they had to say.

I think I have the relationship with Madrid where they understand my position and would let me hold talks. I expect the majority of transfers to be concluded in the next two weeks, and if Chelsea or Liverpool wanted to talk with me I would at the very least listen to what they have to say.

They are both giants, and if they could offer first-team football it may prove impossible to turn down. Real Madrid is the most prestigious club in the world and I am happy here and also in Spain, but I am at the age where I have to be playing first-team football.

I am getting to the point where I will be hitting my peak years and I need to spend those years at a club where I will be playing regularly. The boss knows how much he plans to use me, and if he is willing to listen to offers for me. I wouldn't be willing to play for any clubs in Spain out of respect for Madrid, so in my eyes the only other place to go would be the Premier League."

 
Spanish Legend Raul To Leave Real Madrid

Real Madrid confirmed today Spanish legend Raul will leave the club and will hold a press conference on Monday. Raul has played his entire career at Madrid, joining their youth team in 1992. He is the club's all-time leading goalscorer. It is believed the German club Schalke will offer him a contract.

 
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Manchester City Still After Torres

Roberto Mancini told The Mirror: "There are two or three strikers that we could go for. But it's the same situation as it is with Milner. First there is the price, then it depends if the player wants to change teams. Up until now, Liverpool haven't bought many players. Torres is one of the best strikers in Europe and has been playing in the Premier League for three years now, so he knows it very well. But it all depends on his situation, his price and whether he wants to come."

 
Besiktas Sign Guti To 2 Year Deal

Besiktas confirmed on their official website Spanish midfielder José María Gutiérrez Hernández (Guti) has signed a 2 year deal with an annual salary of $2.7 million. He will go undergo a physical Tuesday before officially signing a contract.

 
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Mascherano To Leave Liverpool

A source close to Mascherano told ESPN the Argentine talked with Hodgson on Monday and was told Liverpool would let him go if an adequate financial arrangement could be reached.

"The talks were extremely amicable. It was all done in a very nice way. Javier made it clear that he wanted to leave a year ago when he had the chance to go to Barcelona...

He was asked to stay on for one more year, he agreed, so now it is time for him to go. It was all very pleasant and it is now a question of the two clubs who are interested in him making an acceptable offer to Liverpool."

It is believed the Argentine captain will reunite with his old coach Rafael Benitez at Inter Milan.

 
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For anyone who's interesting, Manchester United is supposed to play the MLS Allstars Wednesday night (28th). I don't know if all their best players will be in attendance, but it should be an interesting match.

 
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