Soccer rumors and done deals

[Blue56]

Some interesting rumors, feel free to post rumors or done deals you hear/read.

Vieri has signed with AC Milan a couple of days after being released by AC's rival Inter. With Vieri onboard that meant for someone to go. That someone is Herman Crespo (I loved him with AC) he left to go back to Chelsea.
Crespo back with Chelsea (http://www.worldsoccernews.com/news/2005Jul/20050707_31047_world_soccer.html)

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Figo to Liverpool? (http://www.worldsoccernews.com/news/2005Jul/20050707_31049_world_soccer.html)

Real Madrid's Portugal forward Luis Figo is poised to join European champions Liverpool.

Real were reported to have accepted a 3 million euro (2 million pound) bid from the English Premiership side, the Marca sports daily said Thursday.

Figo, 32, was on the bench for Real's last eight league matches.

He cost Real a then-world record 56 million euros (37 million pounds) when he moved from Barcelona five years ago.

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http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-sissoko&prov=reuters&type=lgns
Liverpool to sign Sissoko

LONDON, July 9 (Reuters) - European champions Liverpool are about to sign Valencia's Mali midfielder Mohamed Lamine Sissoko and hope to land Real Madrid's Luis Figo, the Premier League club said on Saturday.

Sissoko, a 20-year-old Mali international who was born in France and joined Valencia from Ligue 1 club Auxerre in 2003, only needs to pass a medical before completing his move to Anfield, the club said on its website.

"He's got high energy, always working and he's not bad with the ball. I think he can give us balance in midfield," Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez told Sky Sports News after his team's 4-3 friendly win over fourth division Wrexham.
Benitez, who joined Liverpool from Valencia last year, said: "He's had two good years with Valencia where he has won trophies. I know him well and he's a very good player."

As for Liverpool's bid to sign Portuguese midfielder Figo, a former World and European Player of the Year, Benitez said: "At the moment all we can do is wait.

"We have some possibilities and Figo is one of them. We'll have to wait and see."

Wrexham's Racecourse Ground will be hosting Liverpool's Champions League first qualifying round, second leg game against Total Network Solutions on July 19 as the Reds begin the defence of their title.

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Parma's Gillardinio joins AC Milan

MILAN, Italy (AFP) - Parma's Italian international striker Gilardino has reportedly joined AC Milan.

The two clubs have agreed on a transfer fee, believed to be close to 30 million euros, which was the sum wanted by Parma president Guido Angiolini, ANSA news agency reported. The player was expected to sign his contract on Monday, pending a medical.

The 22-year-old centre forward, who finished second in last year's Italian league scorers' list with 23 goals and scored the crucial goal that kept Parma up and condemned Bologna to the second tier in their relegation play-off, was reportedly wanted by several big clubs including English Premiership champions Chelsea, Juventus and Inter Milan.
Gilardino is the second striker signed by AC Milan in the past week as they also secured the services of veteran Italy international Christian Vieri from city rivals Inter - though they had to let Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo return to Chelsea, who refused to let him stay on loan.

Gilardino and Vieri will face competition from Ukrainian hitman Andriy Shevchenko, Filippo Inzaghi and Danish striker Jon Dahl Tomasson.

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Patrick Viera signs with Juventus http://www.worldsoccer.com/news/Vieira_completes_Juventus_transfer_news_66115.html