TRANSFER RUMOURS: Chelsea captain to Monaco, Manchester City striker to Liverpool, Hulk to Chelsea
John Terry to Monaco
3/6/13 – Jose Mourinho appointed manager of Chelsea, who Claude Makelele was sacked after John Terry threatened to hand in a transfer request after the manager claimed he would drop him.
6/6/13 – Jose Mourinho, Chelsea manager: “I am a coach who looks for a meritocracy. Whoever I think is best must play – without looking at status or the past. You play as you train. It is a normal situation. As it was normal for me to leave Materazzi, a mythical player at Inter Milan, on the bench. Or like Benitez this year at Chelsea with Terry.”
7/6/13 – John Terry linked with a big money move to Monaco.
Carlos Tevez to Liverpool
21/1/13 – Tevez: “I’ve got a year left on my contract at Manchester City and they want me to sign for two more seasons. I would prefer to return home, but it is very difficult because City won’t let me leave for nothing. I will stay in Europe for another two years and then go back. Boca’s president always says the door is open for me to re-join them and I am dying to pull on their shirt once more. I want to end my career with them. It is my dream and the dream of my family as well. But I am under contract and have to be here in England.”
19/5/13 – Tevez: “For me, Monaco is one of the largest French clubs, and any player would go there. I have a one-year contract left at City and I am happy, and I love playing in the Premier League – but a project like Monaco I really like. I know Ranieri [Monaco coach] and he has proven he is a great coach so for me this would be great.”
7/6/13 – Reports emerge linking Tevez, with just one year remaining on his current deal, to Liverpool as a replacement for Luis Suarez, who has confirmed he wants to leave the club.
Hulk to Chelsea
12/8/12 – Hulk: “I have left a door open for being transferred to another league. I have preference for playing in the Premier League or the Spanish Liga, because they are the two leagues that are the most seen all over the world.”
3/9/12 – Hulk signs for Zenit Saint Petersburg from Porto for €60m.
26/9/12 – Hulk: “I think I’ll adapt eventually, but no doubt the fact they speak a different language in Russia creates some difficulties. Still, I feel the atmosphere is great at the team. I’m happy for playing for Zenit, absolutely everyone supports me. I’m trying to adapt to the team and to Zenit in general as soon as possible.”
5/12/12 – Hulk: “I feel well in St Petersburg, my family is happy and my son, too. But if the situation with Luciano Spalletti doesn’t improve, I might leave in January. I don’t know if Italy will be my destination, but anything can happen.”
30/5/12 – Teodoro Fonseca, Hulk’s agent: “There are two great teams of the Premier League to have made their interest known. It is normal that such news would arise because it was with Andre Villas-Boas and Porto where Hulk had his best time. The future of Hulk is with Zenit, but I have never made such statements [about Monaco], I have not spoken to anyone from France.”
6/6/13 – Reports that Chelsea have made a £35m offer for Hulk
7/6/13 – “If I said there wasn’t anything in it [Chelsea link], I would be lying. But that is not for now. At the moment, I am 100 per cent focused on the Selecao (Brazil team), and I hope to be a Confederations Cup winner with my country. It is a matter of great pride for me to be playing in the yellow jersey, so near to my family. Other matters will have to wait until afterwards.”