Milan To Sign Sampdoria Striker Antonio Cassano

The Rossoneri are the latest club to be linked with Cassano...

Jan 2, 2010 8:50:29 AM

Milan's transfer market is about to explode into action as the club track Sampdoria ace Antonio Cassano.

Il Corriere Dello Sport reports the Rossoneri are eager to return on 'Il Talentino's' trail as Leonardo searches for attacking reinforcements.

It is believed that Klass-Jan Huntelaar's struggle to grasp the Italian game has prompted Adriano Galliani to have a rethink, and resubscribe to the Cassano idea having flirted with it in the past. The club chief admitted that the Samp forward had been an option, but the deal never took flight.

"When he was at Real Madrid I had thought about him, but then nothing happened. I really like Cassano, but we need a centre-forward above all as we already have Ronaldinho in that role," Galliani said last summer.

However, plenty has changed since then. Leonardo is looking for alternatives, while it was not long ago when Cassano himself threatened to walk out on his side after fans jeered him following a negative period.

It is said the Rossoneri want another playmaker as an alternative to Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato. Milan have Champions League and Scudetto ambitions this term, and having Cassano could be the key to unlocking the trophy vault. A problem could be the player's €25 million price tag given Milan's recent hints at curbing spending.

Salvatore Landolina, Goal.com

Dias Felipe Joins Fiorentina On Loan From Udinese

The stopper has joined the Viola until the end of term...

Jan 2, 2010 10:18:42 AM

Dias Felipe has completed his loan transfer from Udinese to Fiorentina, the Tuscan club have announced.

The move had been in the pipeline with Felipe joining the Viola in anticipation for training last week. He has now officially completed the switch after penning a loan agreement.

A stament on Fiorentina's official website read:

"Fiorentina would like to communicate that Da Silva Dalbelo Felipe has been acquired on a loan basis from Udinese with the option to sign him permanently.

"The player will be presented at 12:00 CET on Monday at the Stadio Franchi."

Felipe thus becomes Fiorentina's first transfer of the winter period.

Salvatore Landolina, Goal.com

Juventus Defender Lorenzo Ariaudo Joins Cagliari On Loan

The 20-year-old has moved to the island outfit...

Jan 2, 2010 5:23:35 PM

Juventus defender Lorenzo Ariaudo has joined Cagliari on loan until the end of the season, the Sardinian club have confirmed.

Ariaudo has been tipped to leave the Old Lady so he could obtain regular first team football. He is expected to remain with the Isolani until the end of term when they will have the option to exercise their right to sign him on a permanent basis.

A statement on their official website reads:

"Cagliari Calcio and Juventus F.C have reached an agreement for the loan transfer with the option to sign permanently for Lorenzo Ariaudo.

"The player has received permission to take part in Cagliari's training sessions starting from Sunday."

Salvatore Landolina, Goal.com

Cristian Molinaro Set To Join Atletico Madrid

The Italian will arrive on loan, with an option to buy...

Cristian Molinaro is set to be Atletico Madrid's first signing of the transfer window, after their president confirmed his impending arrival.

The Italian defender has been linked with an exit from Juventus for some time, and Atleti look set to be his new destination. Speaking to Marca, club president Enrique Cerezo said, "He will join us on Monday or Tuesday next week."

"We will have an option to purchase him in June, when we will decide whether we want him or not."

The 26-year-old defender has lost his place in the Juve line-up to Fabio Grosso this season, and is desperate to secure regular playing time ahead of the World Cup. However, with Antonio Lopez and Mariano Pernia also at the club, competition for the left back spot will be fierce.

Molinaro has only played five times for Juventus this season.

Arjun Miglani, Goal.com

Milito scores winner as Inter edge Al Hilal

Saturday, 02 January 2010 20:16:49

RIYADH (Saudi Arabia) - Over 60,000 fans packed the splendid King Fahd International Stadium as Inter kicked off 2010 with a 1-0 victory over Al Hilal in a friendly match to celebration the retirement from football of Asian football star Nawaf Al-Temyat.

José Mourinho, who met his fellow countryman and Saudi Arabia national team coach José Peseiro before kick-off, named a 4-3-3 formation to face the Saudi Arabian side, with Julio Cesar in goal; Giulio Donati, Lucio, Marco Materazzi and Davide Santon in defence; Patrick Vieira, Rene Krhin and Dejan Stankovic in midfield; and Mancini, Samuel Eto'o, and Alan Stevanovic in attack.

Star of the show Nawaf Al-Temyat, who saw a powerful left-footed shot fly just wide of Julio Cesar's post before half time, came off to a standing ovation in the 54th minute, receiving the compliments of Al Hilal tactician Eric Gerets and Inter coach José Mourinho.

Diego Milito came off the bench to net Inter's winner five minutes from time. Taking advantage of a double error by the Al Hilal defence, Il Principe created space for a right-footed shot and fired past Alotaibi from the edge of the box.

Al Hilal 0-1 Inter

Scorer: Milito 85.

Inter: 12 Julio Cesar (1 Toldo 46; 21 Orlandoni 75); 28 Donati (13 Maicon 46), 6 Lucio (2 Cordoba 46), 23 Materazzi, 39 Santon (26 Chivu 46); 14 Vieira (4 Zanetti 46), 15 Khrin (19 Cambiasso 46), 5 Stankovic (10 Sneijder 75); 29 Stevanovic (22 Milito 74), 9 Eto'o (31 Alibec 46), 30 Mancini (45 Balotelli 46).


Coach: José Mourinho.

Toni: "I wanna be like Batigol".

Luca Toni wanted to take advantage of a six-month joint company of Roma with neat notes. Yes, Tonigol will display as Gabriel Batistuta performance while still in uniform Il lupi.

Batistuta is the hero as Fiorentina strengthened from 1991 to 2000 and no doubt if he is a symbol of the club with a goal of 168 donations 269 appearances. Batistuta had even made a statue at the Artemio Franchi stadium in honor of his services.

And Toni who played for La Viola in the year 2005 was directly a goal machine mainstay though only two seasons there and then move to Bayern Munich.

Looks like Tony is destined to follow the path where the first Batistuta former Argentine national team players were playing in Rome for three seasons from 2000. Degree scudetto 2000/2001 season is the best offering striker nicknamed 'Batigol' it. 30 goals and 60 times printed from yellow red uniforms.

And now that no longer feel at home in the German club, Toni decided to move to Rome with the status of the loan until the middle of this year.

"Batistuta is a great striker and when I was at Fiorentina many people who compare him. I broke the record goal in Florence, so I took his place there," Toni said as reported by Football Italia.

Toni at Fiorentina clad first season appeared to be directly Cappocanonieri Serie A 2005/2006 with 31 goals and defeated on accomplishments musm Batistuta 1994/1995 with 26 goals. Toni is now apparently prepared to do the same thing when he was believed to Rome to fill a place in the front lines.

"He proved himself a true champion in Rome and won the title there. But I have not played my first game and scored first. I had six months in Rome and I'm very excited," he continued.

In addition to his personal goal to go back to being like Batistuta and have a place in the Italy squad at the 2010 World Cup later, Toni had promised to look good wherever possible lifting performance 'Capital Wolves Army' that had stumbled through this season and coach turnover of Luciano Spalletti to Claudio Ranieri.

Rome is currently in fourth position with 28 points from 17 games. Opportunity to reach the Premier League title at the end of the season is still wide open even though the difference 11 points with Inter Milan in Serie A standings.

"When I got the chance to join the Roman, I do not think about it anymore and wanted to come here immediately," explained the player's age of 32 years.

"Ever since I got in trouble at my old club (Bayern), I want to always be in Rome. I'm ready to become a mainstay of the coach to get the main target this season," the attacker was familiar nickname Tonigol.