Chivugate:
After Daniele De Rossi's minor faux-pas yesterday, which opened the gates for the mass media to exclaim Chivu was ready to run naked all the way to Milan just to get away from Trigoria, Chivu's girlfriend decided to join the fun. Here's what her enlightened self had to say:
"Cristian wil join Massimo Moratti’s club for £10m. His will was decisive, he even agreed to lower his wage demands. He will earn £3.2m rather than £3.9m per season, but he will sign a five-year deal rather than a four-year one. As for myself, I hope to travel to Milan tomorrow to see him soon."
I'm glad the Chivu situation has come down to getting our breaking news from his woman, because I don't know what I'd do if we didn't have singificant others shoo. Of course, apparently she hasn't been talking to Rosella, who still maintains no deal has been finalised and Roma is still demanding €18m for the guy who obviously does not want to be here. The lunacy didn't stop there, not only is Roma still demanding their original €18m, but if he isn't moved by tomorrow morning he'll sign an extension. Bullshit.
Wait, more developments. Apparently Massimo Moratti is now in Rome to discuss the move with the hierarchy, and is reportedly offering €14.5m plus half of Marco Andreolli. I like the value of that deal, but half of Andreolli worries me. Not so much half of Andreolli, but more having to deal with Inter again next summer. It may be moot though, if Andreolli leaves Inter he's said to want to play for a club where he'll get significant playing time. I might be wrong here, but didn't he turn down a move to Cagliari in the David Suazo situation? He must be BFF with Franco Semioli.
At this point, it looks like the media is just tossing crap up against the wall and seeing how much of it will stick. I think his woman friend might know something, but she doesn't know the full story and she decided to spout her mouth off - which makes me think she's related to Massimo Cellini. Typical. It is strange that Roma spent so long turning down players in Chivu proposals from other clubs and, at least in Ludovic Giuly's case, then going after them afterwards. Why Andreolli is being introduced at this point is strange.
I would expect to now something concrete before tomorrow evening. Then again, how many times has that been promised before.
* - A couple spots are reporting an accord has been reached with Inter to sell Chivu. I'm going to need to see him nailed to the goal posts at the San Siro to believe it. Actually, someone want to nail him to the posts at the San Siro anyway? Awesome.
Fluffernutter:
I) If Chivu gets moved, about 12.5 seconds immediately afterwards there will be an announcement regarding the arrival of Francesco Modesto, who has spent the last few weeks writing mean things about CC in his diary. Rumored to be on a co-ownership worth roughly €2.25m. Could you even imagine what would happen if Lega Calcio decided to do away with co-ownerships? Rosella would probably wind up in a rubber room in an asylum banging her head against the wall because she couldn't fathom a straight-up sale. The tifosi would be happy.
II) Monaco is looking to make a practice of poaching unwanted Roma defenders, because those Marco Cassetti rumors are looking like they have some serious legs. In fact, he may soon be doing French things like wearing a beret and head-butting people. So, from two days ago, here was my take:
Monaco wants Marco Cassetti, eh? He seems like he would do well in Ligue 1, but how much he wants to move from a CL Serie A squad to a mid-table French club is another question. Unless they pick someone up, he’s going to play quite a bit. This seems like one of those Fabio Grosso situations to me though. Everybody wrote it off as stupid speculation, then a week later he’s inking a contract with Lyon. Just food for thought.
* - Maybe they’re a bit closer to one of their coveted RBs than we think (ahem, Cicinho)
and.....
Arriva da Sky l'indiscrezione secondo cui il laterale della Roma Marco Cassetti sarebbe in trattative molto avanzate per trasferirsi al Monaco: la Roma andrebbe così sul brasiliano Cicinho per coprire il buco sulla fascia destra difensiva.
Which says Marco to Monaco is in advanced negotiations and Roma want Cicinho to replace him.
III) Everybody and their sister seems to think Roma has earmarked €8m of that Chivu scrilla to offer to Real, which is more than he should be worth but it's become quite obvious Spalletti has no problem grossly overpaying for players who are lucky enough to be the recipient of one of his illustrious man crushes (see: David Pizarro).
So, does Bernd Schuster let him go? It's possible. Even though Real Madrid has never been considered a club fraught with logic, that €8m would represent nearly double what they paid for him a few years ago, and after two years of doing nothing to set Madrid alight, they would turn a profit. Let's call that the G14 tax (see: Pizarro).
The whole Dani Alves situation is confusing as well, as those Chelsea rumors seem to have died down, unless I missed something over the last few days. Cici's availability is supposed to hinge directly on the acquisition of a fullback like Alves, so maybe this means Real is close with Sevilla? Who knows. It really is a coin flip at this point.
* - For those with Real knowledge, what is that back line going to look like next year? They obviously aren't done shopping, but I can't imagine Real keeping their €30m Pepe as a 4th central defender. Canna is staying by all accounts, Chrisoph Metzelder was just brought in and Sergio Ramos is still hanging around. Are they planning on playing Ramos on the right now? Or in front of the back four? With Miguel Torres and Marcelo on the left?
IV) The new Kappa kits should be revealed tomorrow in a ceremony fit for the emperor's new clothes. I know it's a pipe dream, but I'm really hoping they plant a big S.P.Q.R. somewhere on the kits. Or maybe even the bust of Julius Caesar. Or one of those little kid bumper stickers that seem to be everywhere these days with that kid who looks like Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes fame and has him pissing on Lazio and Inter. I'm sure they could work that one in for me.
V) Spalletti wants Matteo Brighi to stay. I can guarantee there isn't a player in Europe who wants to see September 1st more than Matteo.