2014 Summer Transfer Rumours Mk. II

Wolfsburg have confirmed their interest in signing Hannover striker Mame Biram Diouf this summer.

Diouf is out of contract at the end of the season and he has so far turned down a new deal to extend his stay at Hannover.

The former Manchester United forward was linked with a move to Stoke during the January transfer window and several Premier League sides are reported to be monitoring his situation.

Wolfsburg general manager Klaus Allofs has revealed they have spoken to Diouf and he hopes to be able to keep the Senegal international in the Bundesliga.

"We have met (with Mame Biram Diouf) to discuss if we would have any chance to sign him for VfL Wolfsburg," Allofs told kicker-Sportmagazin.

"He (Mame Biram Diouf) is a very dangerous hitman. And he is able to imagine staying on in Bundesliga 1."

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is looking for a way to sign on loan Valencia defender Adil Rami at a discounted price from the Spanish side.

The 28 year old French defender had a verbal agreement to join Milan on loan from Valencia in October, however he only started playing for the club in January when the transfer window opened.

According to Tuttosport, Galliani has formulated a plan to lower the €7 million buy out clause Milan would have to pay to buy the defender from Valencia.

It is believed Galliani will seek to use the players “undesired” status at his former club to the Rossoneri’s advantage.

The defender fell out with the Spanish side in September after he criticised their transfer strategy, his fellow players and then coach Miroslav Djukic early in the season. This earned Rami a fine, a suspension and eventually a loan stay at Milan.

Since Rami wants no part of a return to Valencia, Galliani will use this to his advantage as the Spanish side will have no other option than to allow Milan to purchase the Frenchman at a discounted rate, which Galliani hopes is in the region of €4 million.

Roma are reportedly close to securing Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Paulinho on loan for next season.

The 25-year-old, who has been doing well for Spurs despite their struggles this term, may be open for a move away from the London side even though he only arrived at the club before the start of the current campaign.

According to Brazilian website Uol Esporte the Giallorossi are close to finalising an agreement with Tottenham that would see the Brazilian international join the Italian side on loan at the start of the 2014-15 season.

Roma are also thought to be interested in the former Corinthians man due to the rumours surrounding Miralem Pjanic’s possible departure form the Lupi in the near future, which would leave them in need of a replacement for him in the midfield.

Ivica Olic has admitted he is struggling to decide whether he should stay at Wolfsburg or take the opportunity to join Stoke City.

Olic stated last week that he was planning to sign a new deal with Wolfsburg, but now says that he has been changing his mind on a daily basis and remains torn over what to do.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes has insisted that he remains interested in Olic, and the Croatian striker concedes that he finds the idea of playing in the Premier League very appealing.

However, he has also been happy in Germany and maintains that the two clubs are offering similar deals so there is little to choose between them.

"I have not signed anything yet and I have not decided also," he told Croatian paper Jutarnji list.

"Every day I think: Tomorrow I will decide, but there was still no tomorrow. All options are still open as I really do not know what to do.

"So one day I wake up and say to myself: I will stay in Wolfsburg. And when I'm driving in the car I'm sure that I will sign a new contract. But then I come to the club and I do not sign it.

"So the second day I wake up again and say to myself: Now I'm going to Stoke. I'm in doubt, I think. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages.

"I know Wolfsburg and the Bundesliga but the Premiership would offer me something new, different.

"There I would find a different type of football, there I would be able to play against Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool.

"But it is not about money. Both clubs are offering me a two-year contract and the wages are virtually the same."

Juventus reportedly want to sign goalkeeper Simone Scuffet from Udinese to be the long term heir of Gigi Buffon.

The 17-year-old has excelled for Francesco Guidolin’s side since being called into first team action in the midst of an injury crisis at the club.

Such has been the level of his performances that the rookie is now a contender to make Cesare Prandelli’s Italy World Cup squad.

As reported by Sportmediaset.it, any deal struck between the clubs would see Scuffet join the Old Lady in the summer of 2015, after he has another season of development under his belt in Friuli-Venezia-Giulia.

Sergio Aguero is Real Madrid’s first choice to reinforce the forward line in the summer transfer market, according to Spanish digital newspaper El Confidencial.

Despite rumours suggesting Los Blancos will make a bid for Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, El Confidencial claims Florentino Perez has put Aguero in the first place of his whish list.

The Argentinian would be a cheaper option than Suarez. The Uruguayan would demand at least a salary of ten million euros a year, and Liverpool would not accept less than 75 million euros for the transfer.

Manchester City would be willing to let Aguero leave for much less than that, El Confidencial has stated.

The Spanish website claims Suarez would be the first option for the striker role in case Los Merengues sold Karim Benzema, as they would have around 50 million euros to cheapen the Uruguayan’s signing. However, the Frenchman’s great performance so far this season has quiet the rumours about his exit.

The signing of any striker next summer would open the door for youngster Alvaro Morata to leave either on loan or in a permanent deal. The club’s technical directors could be seeking a team for the Spaniard to get more minutes of play and improve his game.

Corriere della Sera are reporting that there are three clubs known to be interested in signing Lazio’s Miroslav Klose.

The German is out of contract at Stadio Olimpico this summer and has yet to sign an extension, though both he and the club seemingly want an agreement to be reached.

The continuing uncertainty has apparently put Swiss side Sion, MLS outfit LA Galaxy and Germans Bayer Leverkusen on alert as to how the situation develops.

Klose has scored 34 goals since signing for the Biancocelesti from Bayern Munich in 2011 and said not long ago that he feels he has another one or two years left at the highest level.

Mauro Icardi says he wants to stay at Inter Milan as transfer gossip links him with Madrid rivals Atletico and Real.

As one of European football's hottest prospects, Icardi has seen interest in his services mount steadily since bursting onto the scene at Sampdoria.

Various clubs were said to be willing to pay big money for his services last summer, with Inter eventually putting together a deal worth well over €10million (£8.2m).

Icardi has handled the step up to a continental heavyweight with ease - netting eight times this season in 18 Serie A appearances.

It is now being suggested that he could be on the move again when the window re-opens.

Real Madrid are continuously on the lookout for players of promise, and are said to have noted Icardi's talents, while Atletico are eyeing up potential replacements for Diego Costa - with their top goalscorer also being heavily linked with a summer switch.

Icardi has welcomed the reported interest, but maintains that he is in no hurry to leave the San Siro.

The 21-year-old Argentina international told Sky Sport Italia: "I want to stay at Inter and continue to grow as I am doing this season.

"If Atletico and Real Madrid want me, they have to talk with Inter.

"I only think about playing and I don't look at what's happening around me and what people are saying."

AS Roma are putting together a summer transfer budget of €35 million.

With Champions League football now secured, Corriere dello Sport says Roma directors met in Boston to discuss their summer market strategy.

Roma president James Pallotta has given the green light to the new transfer warchest.

There are also priorities over new deals for coach Rudi Garcia and midfielder Miralem Pjanic.

The club FC Barcelona has lodged an appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee against the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee that sanctioned the club for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18. Together with the appeal, the club requested that its appeal be granted suspensive effect.

In this respect, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee, Larry Mussenden, took into consideration the sanctions imposed against the club, the complexity of the matter, the start date of the next registration period – 1 July 2014 – and the fact that the FIFA Appeal Committee does not seem in a position to take a decision on the main issue early enough so that an eventual appeal of the club against its decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport would still be decided before the beginning of the next registration period. Consequently, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee considered that the appeal lodged by the club is to be granted suspensive effect.

In view of the foregoing, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee assures that proper and adequate appeal proceedings will take place and, at the same time, that all rights of the club will be respected.

The transfer of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen to Barcelona is back on after FIFA suspended the club’s transfer ban pending an appeal.

Barca asked that the ban be suspended while their appeal is heard and it was confirmed today that the governing body have agreed to the request.

Mundo Deportivo has since reported that the suspension of the ban means Ter Stegen’s move from Borussia Monchengladbach will now be completed.

Ter Stegen was targeted as the replacement for Victor Valdes, who announced he was leaving Camp Nou this summer but has since suffered a serious knee injury.

The deal is not yet ready to be confirmed but a fee of €12m has been agreed between the clubs and Gladbach have signed a replacement for next season.

Alen Halilovic can also complete his move to Barca B, with the deal to go through this summer.

Lionel Messi and Barcelona have almost agreed terms on a renewed contract for the Argentina forward, reports in Spain have said.

Mundo Deportivo claims the sides are 85% of the way to an agreement with the details to be finalised before Messi can be made the highest paid player in the world.

Barca are said to be willing and eager to elevate Messi to such a position but are keen to install clauses in the contract that will come into effect depending on the club’s success. Messi’s salary will be fixed but should Barca be successful, Messi will be in line to earn more.

Messi could also extend his contract until 2019, tying him to Barca for an extra year. It was originally said that the talks were only about an upgrade in terms, rather than an extension.

The intention is to conclude negotiations before the start of the World Cup, although it is said there has never been any serious thought to ending the relationship between Messi and Barca from either side.

Paris Saint-Germain were said to be watching developments closely but Mundo Deportivo rejects the interest from the club as a reason for Messi’s perceived drop in form.

Messi is said to have always wanted to stay at Camp Nou while Barca are preparing to rebuild the side around Messi after this disappointing season comes to a close.