Because I just cant stand to obsess about the derby for a full week. Besides, there are so many hair-brained rumors going around... you have no idea what's been coming over my twitter stream. Let's start at the beginning though, with one Carlos Tevez.
I think I have been pretty clear that I just dont see the point in this move. He causes havoc wherever he goes, and, should he get up to his old shenanigans at Inter, all it will do is drive his price down even more. Plus, remember this guy hasn't played any football for three months and he is cup tied. Seems to me, this guy is a nightmare. Anyway, if we are to believe the news, Inter made an offer of some 25 million euro with another 2 or 3 in bonuses to Man City for Tevez. This is after it came out that Galliani (of Milan) had already met with Carlos and his agent and hammered out a deal. Rumors say this (and the leaked photos of the meeting) pissed off Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan (City's owner), leading some to believe that Inter had an actual shot at closing the deal.
This is what Carlos Tevez has been doing for the last three months. While adorable, it isn't all that conducive to winning football games.
As the days have progressed, though, this is looking less and less likely. It now appears that Inter's interest in Tevez has really only driven up the price a bit and probably angered some of the brass at Milan. Now the latest is that Galliani is on his way to Manchester to meat with City with a new deal in hand, one very similar to the one Inter made a couple days ago. According to my twitter stream, Pato may be put up for sale (PSG are lurking), but, if that doesn't work, Milan will get the extra cash they need from Genoa as sort of a pre-payment for future Primavera players (it sounds very fishy to me, very fishy indeed).
So what has Inter accomplished by all this? By my book, not a whole lot. Sure, now Milan will have to fork out some cash (the first offer was for a straight loan with an option to buy. This new one is a manditory buy), but that does't change the fact that Tevez will still play for Milan. As for Pato, they probably would have sold him anyway. Meh. Of course, it could be worse, Man City could have taken our deal. It just seems to me there are better players to spend 25 some odd million Euro on.
Kolarov is on the list, again. He turned us down once, should he get a second bite at the apple?
Of course, there is more to talk about than Tevez and Man City. It seems that attention has been turned away from the Apache to Kolarov. You will remember, that Mou was quite keen on signing him and I think we had a sort of handshake deal for him a couple years ago. Then the Sheik and all his cash stepped in and it was all sky blue from there. He would make an adequate replacement for poor Chivu who seems on the way out, but this seems more like a summer move to me. Plus, seems to me, he already had a chance to be an Inter player and he turned us down for Manchester and all that cash.
Oh, and speaking of pre-derby Inter v Milan drama, rumor is that Muntari has a deal to go across town this Summer when his contract is up. For those of you who didn't notice, Sulley is on international duty with Ghana for the ACN. Look, I am all for him moving on, but the fact that he refused all offers this last summer only to bugger off to Milan when he is free... that sort of pisses me off a bit. If this is true and he actually has a deal with our cousins, I hope he never sees the pitch again for Inter. But before we condemn him too quickly, though, there are also rumors he is in talks with Lazio and Genoa. Rumors rumors rumors
Our new baby Luc Castaignos has been linked with a loan to several clubs (Bologna, Cesena, Liverpool, Everton, Fulham, and Wigan). Rumor is that Liverpool want him as a replacement for banned Luis Suarez. This seems an unlikely destination, though, as even with Suarez out, I wouldn't think there would be a whole lot of room for Luc. Seems to me, if the boy is to go on loan it should be to an Italian club where he can really get a feel for league and a whole lot of playing time. Cesena, maybe.
Viviano is all better and looking to play. Off to Palermo it is!
It looks like Viviano has gone on loan to Palermo. Originally, they wanted a straight loan but Preziosi (who owns half of Viviano) wouldn't have it. Instead, Genoa has sold their half of the keeper to Palermo. I think this is the first time Inter and Palermo will co-own a player. Anyway, I think this is a good deal - good for Inter and Viviano at least. I have always maintained that Sirigu is a better keeper than Viviano and it just boggles the mind that Palermo sold him for 3.5 million to PSG and are now paying over 5 for half of Viviano. Oh well.
Speaking of PSG, Ancelotti and Leo are drooling all over our team. They want Thiago Motta and Maicon. TM needs a renewal and, while he would like to stay at Inter, his agent says it will up to the club to choose. As for Maicon, his fellow Brazilian, Bastos, announced on French TV that Douglas is moving to PSG. How he knows this, who can say... perhaps there is some hive mind Brazilian football players can tap into so they instantly know what the other are thinking. Now, I can see Maic leaving in June, but not mid-season. No matter what Michel Bastos says.
92 million buy-out clause. 92!
Incoming, there isn't really all that much going on (outside of Tevez, that is). There is the Kolorov deal, although that seems like a summer thing to me. There are other names on Branca's list, but they all seem to have some complication or another. Inter made an offer of 20 million to San Paolo for Lucas, but it was rejected. It seems he has an enormous buy you clause (92 million!!!) so no go.
Everyone has the hots for this kid. Can Inter fight off the competition? And do we have the cash?
Internacional striker Leandro Damiao has also been on Inter's radar, but then again, PSG, Tottenham and Liverpool are also interested (oh, and maybe Porto and Juventus as well). Oh, and he may cost as much as 30 million euros. Troppo caro, if you ask me. Oh, and then there is this kid Dybala. I guess he plays for a second division Argentinian team, but, bonus! he has an EU passport (his mother is Polish) so I guess that makes his lack of experience ok. Well, he does play for the Argentina U20 team, but come on, that is so not playing in the top league let alone a team who wants to win a Champions League again.
Poor kid. All set to come play for Inter but no EU passport.
And then there is poor Juan Jesus. We apparently had a deal with him, he was just about on the plane to Milan, and now he isn't. I guess the hold up is that pesky non-EU player quota and Moratti sudden interest in Tevez. Now that Milan has upped the ante I hope that the Jesus thing is all cleared up as well.
Ok, so I am sure I missed someone, the rumors are a constantly shifting, swirling mass of conjecture that only someone with no job, thumbs of steel, and the twitter stream of the gods can keep up with them. I am not that person.
Derby - 4
I am already beginning to feel a bit queasy.
FORZA INTER