Your Daily Cicinho Update:
Nothing new here. Rosella is holding out for a loan move with an option to buy while Real wants big money right away, because apparently they need about €50m more to throw at Dani Alves and then another €75m more to throw at Cristian Zaccardo. (anybody else remember when Ajax was holding out for €12-15m for Wesley Sneijder like, oh, a month ago. Real got absolutely hosed - again.) The rumor has it pegged at Rosella willing to pay or the loan plus a buyout option of €8m, making the total investment €10m (trust me here). Or, she's willing to hand over €7m immediately for a full purchase.
In this instance, I agree with Rosella's thrifty ways. Cicinho has done nothing to show he has tripled his value in the last two years - even if Rafa Benitez really thinks he's worth €12m (that figure is being thrown around in the media so much that I'm starting to think Mijatovic & Co. may have accidentally on purpose leaked that "info" in an effort to drive their bargaining stance and price up). Roma has two fullbacks to buy most likely, in the event that Marco Cassetti is not called in to fill in on the left, and every euro saved will go towards the other guy. So if she needs to procrastinate and pinch pennies to up the quality of the squad, then by all means, do so.
Ole Bronzy balls will be meeting with Madrid and Milan regarding that dirty @#$%ing scumbag Emerson and then move onto negotiations with Mijatovic regarding Roma and Cicinho. Whether or not it's today I'm not sure, but nobody seems to be running around like the world will end if this doesn't get done by 2053, so I'd guess tomorrow. Bronzetti has seemed to work out well for Roma so far this summer with the Ludovic Giuly deal and the completed Chivu to Real negotiations, at least until he decided to eschew life in Madrid for a fatter paycheck in Milan. The deal will get done, it's just a matter of when and how much.
An enjoyable Cici video to brighten up the mundane Monday:
News, Notes and All Around Bosh:
I) Valencia decided to get serious about this whole Alberto Aquilani thing and offered up 16m. To which Rosella immediately replied, "No soup for you!" Actually, the reply: "Untouchable." And somebody start printing out generic offer denials for when Real Madrid and Chelsea come a calling in a year or two (Chelsea has already been knocking on the door).
II) August the 19th will be the deciding day for the status of Matteo Brighi. Which I suppose means The Grand Imperial Poobah & Co. will decide based on his performance against Inter whether or not they want to sell him to Napoli. I suppose this takes the phrase "trial by fire" quite literally; because if he doesn't perform up to snuff, he's out it seems. Even if I doubt it's that simple.
As far as letting Brighi go, I don't get it. The central midfield is not exactly bustling with depth, and all 3 starters missed the last preseason game due to supposed injuries. Moving Matteo leaves Roma with Aquilani and Ahmed Barusso as the two backups, with a few Primavera players in the mix. Aquilani will be fine (if he stays healthy), but the rest are really a toss up. Even Barusso; as much as I like him and his physicality, has never player above Serie B. I suppose now would be the time to cry out for that Euginio Corini-like Token Old Guy On A Free. But I don't think he gets moved. We know Spalletti likes him and they aren't exactly dealing from a position of supreme depth.
III) Guess who one Milan fan - the only one that matters here - is predicting to win the Scudetto. Just guess.
And while I may not have the fortitude to make a bold statement like that, if this squad can gel and show some consistency (meaning, not dropping points against teams like Siena, Torino and Craptastic FC), I can totally see Roma winning it. If they can weather that Week 4-10 storm they have two things irreplaceable in Serie A: Francesco Totti and Luciano Spalletti.
IV) In honor of Antonio Cassano's likely return to the boot - as well as the fact that there is nothing going on today - just thought I'd give you a little reminder of what was and what should have been. A Roma squad with Antonio would have an entirely different identity and would no longer be considered a second-tier squad. Goddamnit Antonio, get your act together and get your ass back here.
And Cassano is probably going to make his Italian return to the Olimpico December 23rd. What a nice Christmas present.