With the transfer season winding down Barca are set to complete Pep Guardiola's squad with one last signing. A left-sided striker as a direct replacement for Ronaldinho.

The three names shortlisted are Robin Van Persie of Arsenal, Andrei Arshavin of Zenit St. Petersburg and Rodrigo Palacio of Boca Juniors.

Of the three Palacio's name has been mentioned quite often in the last couple of seasons even before Ronaldinho left the club. In the case of Arshavin, Tottenham Hotspur has left the race to sign him, as a deal collapsed due to Zenit's high price tag. Barca could now swoop for the talented Russian but it will cost them. Robin Van Persie is the least likely to arrive at the Nou Camp as he is one of Arsene Wenger's key players.

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In other reports Robinho has made his intentions clear about where he wants to play this coming season.

In an interview with EFE news agency, Robinho said,

"I dream of playing in the Premier League. Chelsea have a great squad, a great team, and they've made an offer that's great for both me and Real Madrid.

"I have nothing against my current team, to whom I'm very grateful, but at this point my goal is to leave here and I hope that everything will be resolved as soon as possible."

I have to say, I really don't blame Robinho for his comments, I know he said he has nothing against his current club but really and truly I believe he wants to leave due to Madrid's treatment of him over the summer, with the whole Cristino Ronaldo saga.

I don't understand how Real Madrid could not have their key player on the top of their priority list. Any wise team would secure the services of their best and then seek to sign others, but Madrid is a club who constantly makes stupid mistakes and they will pay for it this season, especially if Robinho leaves Madrid.

With all this said I tip Barca to win the Liga due to Madrid's incompetence over the summer and also because of Barca's wonderful overhaul. FORCA BARCA!!!!

If Robinho does go to Chelsea, I predict Chelsea to win the Premier League title, HANDS DOWN!!!

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Brazilian superstar Robinho has made his feelings know to Real Madrid president, Roman Calderon and coach Bernd Schuster during negotiations.

Robinho apparently is disappointed with the club's delaying tactics over a new contract, and also the offer which is well below the 6 million euros on offer at Chelsea. Madrid are said to have only offered the player 4 million euros per year.

Marca quotes Robinho as saying "Let me go to Chelsea," "I want to go to Chelsea in the same wat that Ronaldo wants to come to Madrid. It is the same thing."

Madrid coach Bernd Schuster has openly expressed his desire to keep the former Santos player, having said that Robinho is a key part of his plans.

I understand Robinho's feelings and if I were him I would do the same. Robinho has been a key part of Madrid's success in winning the the La Liga title in the last two season and deserves more. His thinking is probably, if they are going to pay Cristiano Ronaldo that much, why can't they pay me the same. He is far more important to Madrid than Ronlado will be as he is a better player. Madrid in my opinion needs stop stalling and pay up because if they loose Robinho they will regret it, even if they get Cristiano Ronaldo. Like I said before Robinho will be a bigger hit at Chelsea than Ronaldo at Madrid.

The longest transfer saga of the summer is apparently in its closing stages.

Crisitiano Ronaldo has blatantly said that he is going to join Real Madrid this summer. Spainish newspaper 'AS' has quoted Ronaldo as saying, "Everything is fine. Next week I will return to England and tell them [Manchester United] that my only desire is to play for Real Madrid and that I will not negotiate."

Ronaldo is currently recuperating in Portugal after having undergone a surgery.

According to reports the talented winger will hold a meeting with Sir Alex and the owners of Manchester United next Tuesday, to tell them he wants out.

Should he arrive at the Bernabéu, it will be interesting to see how he will be received, it is said that the players are tired of rumors of his arrival. Some players like Gago and Higuain have reportedly said they have no problem with Ronaldo's arrival, while others like Sneijder aren't really too keen.

So what do you think? Will Ronaldo be a help or a hindrance to Madrid? I personally am of the opinion that he is by far more important to Manchester United than he will be for Real Madrid.

Samuel Eto'o having been told that he is not in new coach, Pep Guardiola's plans is finding it difficult to exit from the Nou Camp.

Due to Eto'o's high wage demands to interested parties, said to be in the region 8.5 to 10 million euros, and Barca's valuation of the star of about 30 million euros, Eto'o is finding it very difficult to move on.

Questions have been arising about how serious Barca really is about letting the Cameroon international go, because of their high asking price for the player.

Eto'o has made it no secret that his preference is to stay at the Catalan club, and really is making no effort to leave for any club which he has no interest in joining.

Pep too has also recently said that finding a new striker is not an urgent matter because of the options available too him, including Eto'o.

Now Real Madrid, who Eto'o played for during his youth years is being once again linked with the versatile striker. Madrid coach Bernd Schuster, is said to be keen on brining Eto'o to the capital as a backup should Van Nistelroy or Raul get injured.

However due to Eto'o being very pro-Barca, and his high profile as a striker I personally don't see him playing as backup to anyone, therefore I deem this move as highly unlikely.

I, like many Barca fans, am clinging on to hope, and praying for an Eto'o stay.

Julio Baptista, who has been told that he is not in coach Bernd Schuster's plans, is apparently close to a Roma switch.
The club has been in the hunt for a top class striker, one who could possibly partner Francesco Totti upfront. The likes of Adrian Mutu, Vincenzo Iaquinta, Roman Pavluchenko, and Baptista were all mentioned, but it appears Baptista is the most realistic choice.
Former Roma stars Aldair and Toninho Cerezo, and the player's, agent have encouraged the move, and recent reports in the Italian press indicate that the transfer is soon to take place, as both parties want each other.
Baptista’s agent, Herminio Menendez is currently on business in China, and as soon as he returns, the transfer should take place swiftly. Reports earlier this week suggested that Roma made a bid of around 15 million euros for "The Beast".

Fresh off me having so much praise for Robinho in my last post, reports have suggested that Barcelona are ready to bring in the unsettled Madrid player.

Joan Laporta is desperate to get the fans back on his side after loosing the popular vote in the recent vote of no confidence against him and his board. Laporta and his team are now willing to spend big on a high profile player with the funds they have just received from Ronaldinho's move to Milan.

The names they have shortlisted include David Villa, Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Frédéric Kanouté, Carlos Tévez and Robinho. Of all these names, Barcelona seems to be most interested in Robinho as Pep Guardiola has made it know to Laporta, that if he could sign anyone right now it would be Robinho.

However they are questions as to how unsettled Robinho is, Calderon, Madrid's president, recently declared that Robinho is happy at the club and they will start giving the player the affection that he deserves. Calderon also went on to value the player well above 47.5 million pounds.

As a Barca fan I would love to see Robinho in a Barcelona jersey, but how willing would Madrid be to sell one of their stars to their direct rival. Though it has happened in the past, I find it highly unlikely.

This rumor is particularly nothing new, it has been said that Madrid are willing to include Robinho in the deal to sign Cristiano Ronaldo.
My view on this rumor, is that Real Madrid is stupid for wanting to bring Ronaldo to the La Liga in the first place. Although they can make a great deal of money from the player, Ronaldo in my opinion is not a good player. I apologize to all you Ronaldo fans out there but this guy is all lip and no action.
Ronaldo has been boastful, making stupid comments like "I'm the best", and even though he had a great season at Manchester, in which he scored a total of 31 league goals, he still fails to show up in big matches, and the Champions League semi-final and final where he missed penalties in both games is proof enough.
If Madrid were to swap Robinho for Ronaldo it would be a great lost to them. Robinho is a better player than Ronaldo, Yes! I said it. When Robinho first started playing at Madrid he was a lot like Ronaldo, selfish! He liked to keep the ball too much and not pass to open teammates which in tern hurt his team, just like Ronaldo with Portugal at Euro 2008. Robinho however changed his game using his speed and skill to find space for his teammates and of course he bangs in his chances when they come. Robinho is one of the main reasons Madrid are current La Liga champions, especially for his performances in the first half of the season.
I guess my biggest problem with Cristiano Ronaldo, is that he's not a team player, his selfishness hurts his team, and the style of play in Spain entails critical passes and technical finishing, the likes of which I haven't seen Ronaldo do. How often have you seen Ronaldo pass a ball that splits the defense in two?
Robinho wants to remain at Mardid, but he has stated that if the club wants to include him in a swap deal, he will buy out the remainder of his contract and move elsewhere, possibly Chelsea. Believe me guys Robinho would be a bigger hit at Chelsea than Ronaldo would be at Madrid, I would put money on it. So with all this said, my opinion on the matter is, Madrid should not swap Robinho for Ronaldo, as Robinho is the better player.

With brilliant performances in the La Liga and Euro 2008, Iker Casillas has emerged as the favorite to win this year's Ballon D’Or.
Casillas won the award for top Liga goalkeeper this season, having conceded 32 goals in 36 matches with Real Madrid. Also with his key role in seeing Spain win Euro 2008, after he put in a breathtaking performances, with special notice to the quarterfinal penalty shootout against Italy, in which he stopped spot kicks from both De Rossi and Di Natale, Casillas has outdone himself.
Cristiano Ronaldo was thought to be the favorite for the award, after having scored 42 goals in all competitions this season with Manchester United. However due to his inability to perform in big matches and his poor Euro 2008 form, he has dropped somewhat down the list.
If you ask me I believe Casillas deserves the award, he showed that he is the best goalkeeper in Europe, if not the world right now, and he has been for sometime now. So what do you think? Does he deserve the award?

Following reports of Fifa President, Sepp Blatter's comments of Manchester United practicing modern day slavery in the case of Cristiano Ronaldo, who wants to leave Old Trafford this summer for Real Madrid. Ronald has been said to have agreed with Blatter's comments.
Blatter's comments were made because United are said to be so keen to keep the player, that they would even drop him to the reserves rather than sell him for his disloyalty.
The interview in which Ronaldo stated these comments, are set to be aired this evening at 2000 BST on Portuguese station TVI.
Blatter is right and Ronaldo is right, I'm a fan of neither of these teams but United is being rather unreasonable. If a player has a desire to leave a club, which he has won practically every competition there is to win and given all that he can, why not respect his wishes to move on. After all he's given Manchester United everything. Don't you think?

I don't get it why Javier Saviola can't find a permanent club. Is it his small stature? And the desire of clubs these days to buy tall center forwards like the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Adriano, Adebayor, and Roman Pavlyuchenko, because it definitely can't be his attitude.
Saviola is one of those strikers who although small, is very gifted and he finds the back of the net almost every time he's given the opportunity to play. Arguably his best performances in recent times, was when he was on loan with Sevilla in the 2005-2006 season, as he was a key figure in their Uefa Cup triumph. Maybe Saviola should have taken a pay cut and signed for Sevilla, his career probably would be in better shape than it is now.
However now a Real Madrid player, after being sold by Barcelona last season as he did not fit into Frank Rijkarrd's plans, he still finds it difficult to to hold down a secure position, and now Madrid's coach Bernd Schuster has instructed the board to find Saviola a new club.
Juventus, Fiorentina and Napoli are all said to be interested in the player, however they may be discouraged by his high wage demands as he is payed €3m-per-season at Madrid.
Saviola apparently is only prepared to spend one more season on the bench at Madrid and refuses to lower his wage demands, thus forcing the club to find him potential buyers. So with that said maybe it is the player's attitude, but I doubt it.