| F.C. BARCELONA NEWSROOM |

Juventus bid for Barcelona's Iniesta

Juventus have made an offer for Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta.

The Spain international is admired by new Juve coach Claudio Ranieri and a bid has arrived at Barca this week for the playmaker.

Juve are understood to have made their offer during talks between the two club's over David Trezeguet's situation.

Lampard To Invoke FIFA Clause For Barca Move.

Report  Barcelona have made Frank Lampard their number one target, and will ask him to buy out the final two years of his contract if Chelsea refuse to negotiate.

The Blues' recent snub towards Barcelona's approach has convinced the Blaugrana bosses to go for an agreessive buy-out of Lampard's contract.

The Times had reported yesterday that Barca were ready to dish out 22 million euros (£15 million) in order to land the Chelsea midfielder.

Better still, they were hopeful of sending Jose Mourinho's old favourite, Deco, the other way in a swap deal.

However, Chelsea have refused to entertain Barca's interest, and have also told them clearly that they are not keen on the Portuguese international (they would rather sign Florent Malouda).

In latest developments, Sky Sports News quote a Barcelona director as having anonymously told them that the club will be doing all they can to land Frank Lampard.

Barcelona will now not speak with Chelsea given the snub, but instead finance Frank Lampard's £10million buy-out of the final two years of his contract.

Fifa rules allow players over 28 who have spent more than three years at their clubs to buy out the rest of their contract. Contrary to reports last month, he still has time to invoke the clause.

Though clubs have not invoked it much thus far over a gentleman's agreement not to use this rule to poach players, the Catalans will resort to just that unless Chelsea change their minds and come to the negotiating table.

Deco would then most probably move to Inter Milan for around 15 million euros, exactly the money Barcelona will spend on Lampard.

Lampard Admits Chelsea Talks "Up In The Air"

Leave Lampard ALONE please, we don't need his type either.

Mrs Milito: I don't want Gaby joining Real Madrid 

Gaby Milito's Mum admits she'd like to see her son join Barcelona.

Real Zaragoza and Barca are locked in talks over Milito, whose Mum said today: "I would like that he played for Barca, it would be an important step in his career. They're a great club and I like the city, the fans and the team.

"Real Madrid? If it was up to me, Gaby would never play there. And less so with the present medical body."

Mrs Milito was referring to Gaby's failed move to Real almost four years ago when club doctors controversially insisted he couldn't pass a club medical.

Should be great for him next to Puyol...

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Twenty-five new faces by 190 million

The tendency of the Signings of the “Laporta Era” takes towards an experienced player, attacking in most of cases or tanning in France

09/07/07 03:00 h.From the beginning of the “Laporta Era” in June of 2003 and for want of that the present market of summer is closed the Barça it has made 25 signings and invested almost 190 million euros in reinforcements.

The attackers have constituted the main bet - 10, in front of 8 defenses, 6 midfield players and a doorman and have eaten 111.25 million of the euros destined to discharges; peculiarly the only fichado cancerbero arrived free, while Barcelona did not pay crossing by a defense either, three midfielders and two forwards.

The average of age of the reinforcements of the “era Laporta” is of 27.3 years; 11 of the signings(near half) exceeded the 27 when they saturated in “Dog Barça” and 4 of them were 30 years old more or, which constitutes an evident bet by the experience.

With regards to the month par excellence for hirings, it is July, with 16 completed. Three came in January, other 3, in August, and the 3 rest, in June. And as far as clubs of origin of the draftees, 6 are Spanish, 18 of the rest of Europe and one South American: Maxi arrived from River Plate.

The supplying maximum organizations are the Monaco and the Juve, with 3 soccer players each one, and French Liga “prevails” with three selling equipment and 6 transferred players. Deduction: as Monaco and Ligue 1 carve a type of player who fits itself which the present Barça looks for and needs.

More tendencies: the total number of draftees was of 8 and 9 in both first summers; later there were 2 and soon 3 and now there are three formalized and another hot one (Diego Milito); also now dispendio of 2003-04 has been fought already (48.8 “kilos” against 46.45) and could surpass the record of 63 million of 2004-05

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Milito gives Barca steel

Gabriel Milito has proved himself to be a rare breed in the northern summer of 2007.

In an off-season where flair players and centre-forwards have been grabbing all the big moves and headlines, the centre-half's transfer from Real Zaragoza to Barcelona seems something of an anomaly.

His 17million euros ($A27.1million) move to the Nou Camp is by far the most high-profile defensive transfer of the pre-season, but has served as nothing more than a footnote in a window of high spending.

It could, however, prove to be the most important deal of the coming La Liga campaign.

The Catalans had a busy week at the end of June as Thierry Henry, Yaya Toure and Eric Abidal were all unveiled and three weeks later, on July 19, Milito appeared as the final piece of their jigsaw.

Henry's long-anticipated signing provided Barca with the dream forward line, teaming him with Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi and Deco.

It is possible, though, that Milito's partnership with Carlos Puyol, or even Rafael Marquez, will be key in bringing the title back to Barca.

It was a partnership that seemed highly unlikely back in 2003. That year Real Madrid signed David Beckham, and a deal was on the table for the Argentinian defender to join the former England captain at the Bernabeu.

However, complications in the player's medical saw the deal collapse. Real Zaragoza took a gamble on his fitness and four seasons later that move has proved fruitful for both club and player.

Interest in the then 23-year-old had been building for some time and his displays for Independiente earnt him an international debut in 2000 against Mexico.

Things were looking bright for the youngster until, in 2001, he tore cruciate ligaments in his right knee and was limited to just three games in 2001-02 season.

Milito is no quitter though and, after playing 34 games in his comeback season, Europe came calling and the move to Zaragoza made Milito hot property.

In his first season at the club his defensive displays helped them to lift the Copa del Rey, beating the Real Madrid team that had rejected him just months earlier in the final.

Over the following three seasons Milito's consistency was mirrored by the club as finishes of 12th, 11th and sixth last season firmly established them back in the top flight.

The player looked set to join Rafael Benitez's Liverpool revolution in 2005 but the then European Champions GBP7.5million ($A18million) bid was rejected by Zaragoza as they fought to hold on to their prize asset.

In the modern game, however, money and players seem to have more power than clubs and after stating his desire for a move to the Nou Camp a deal was done, much to the delight of Argentina and now Barca team-mate Messi.

"Gaby is going to contribute to the team very important things with his football characteristics, he is going to reinforce the defence of Barcelona," Messi said.

"I am very happy with this signing. He is a great player, a winner."

Winners are something that Barca will need this season to appease the fans after criticism last year over what some viewed as complacency, and sporting director Txiki Begiristain believes Milito will bring the right attitude.

"We hope he continues to demonstrate the commitment and leadership that he has shown in his career until now. Barca need players with his type of character," he said.

"We want players that are leaders on the pitch but also in the dressing room, that can act as an example to the rest of the squad."

Whether the Catalan giants can go on and reclaim La Liga and the UEFA Champions League titles next season remains to be seen but one thing is for sure.

With Milito in their defence they have every chance.

This Barcelona looks very strong and I think they will repeat 2006's championships.

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Johan Cruijff; "Simple football is the most beautiful. But playing simple football is the hardest thing".

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Africans players in the Primera División will no longer be regarded as non-European Union nationals after a change in regulations was ratified by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Green light
The RFEF gave the go-ahead after consulting with FIFA and UEFA following inquiries by Real Madrid CF and Getafe CF as to whether their African players could be treated as European Union workers in accordance with an agreement signed in 2000. The Cotonu accord was signed in Benin by the EU and the 77 members of the Association of African, Caribbean and Pacific states in 2000. The agreement was sanctioned by the Spanish parliament in April last year, who agreed to treat workers from those nations as EU citizens.

Free places
Primera División clubs are currently only permitted to have three non-EU players in their squads, but the change will free up a number of places occupied by African players. The new law will also apply to any future signings from the Caribbean and the Pacific. ”From now on players from these countries that play in Spain will be considered as coming from the European Union as will those that sign in the future," said RFEF spokesman Jorge Carretero.

Affected players
Players affected by the change include Real Madrid's Mali midfielder Mahamadou Diarra, FC Barcelona pair Samuel Eto'o and Yaya Touré, Getafe's Nigerian forward Ikechukwu Uche and Sevilla FC’s Arouna Koné.

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