Ben Alnwick - Barnsley (free transfer)
Confirmed transfers 2012/13
- Thread starter King Binny
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Ben Alnwick - Barnsley (free transfer)
He looks nothing like Berger now, what happened?
Astrit Ajdarevic to Standard Liege (approx £1.3 Million)
The player admits that "I've realised my dream" of becoming a FC Barcelona player
"I want to adapt as quickly as possible; I know the philosophy of the Club and most of my new teammates"
On his departure in 2005: "I left with a clear conscience and with my head held high"
Sporting a giant smile across his face, Jordi Alba simply couldn’t hide his joy throughout his first press conference as an Azulgrana. “I’m happy to come home, with my family and my people. I’ve realised my dream,” he said to the press with vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu and football director Andoni Zubizarreta at his side.
Bartomeu said that that the Club had been after the Jordi Alba all year and Zubizarreta added that Jordi Alba is “dynamic, deep, intense and he has excellent technical ability. He’s good with both feet, he can play in different positions and he’s enormously competitive.”
Jordi Alba couldn’t hide his emotion when he talked about his time he spent in FC Barcelona’s youth academy. He was visibly touched when a video of him playing on the field next to the Miniestadi played on the large screens behind the press table. The player talked about his exit from the Club in 2005 and his willpower to make a name for himself in the world of football: “no one likes to hear that they have to leave, but my conscience was clear and I left with my head held hi. I believed in myself.”
“Before I was a striker, now I’m a left back”
Seven years later, sitting in the Sala París, he knows that he’s returning to a home that he knows very well: “I’m going to play for the best team in the world and I want to adapt as quickly as possible. I know the philosophy and most of the players. I’ve changed the way I play, before I was a striker and now I’m a left back or an attacking midfielder.”
“It will be phenomenal with Vilanova”
The player said that Tito Vilanova called him after the Euro 2012 final. “When the tournament was over I talked with Tito and he congratulated me for agreeing to come to Barça. They have told me marvelous things about him and Guardiola. Vilanova is very capable, I’m sure we’ll have a phenomenal run with him.”
Alba also talked about the relationship he has with the Barça players that play for the national team: “I get along great with the Barça players. I’ve known some of them for a long time. When we were on international duty I could tell they wanted me to come to Barça.”
The player, who will play with the number 18 on his back, praised David Villa, his ex-Valencia teammate: “we were together at Valencia. He was already a star and I had just arrived and he helped me a lot. When I made my debut with the national team he was among the first to call me, and now, with my signing, he was one of the first to write me and congratulate me.”
Reading Football Club are delighted to confirm that the deal to sign striker Pavel Pogrebnyak has been completed, after the Russian international was granted a work permit.
The sought after 28-year-old joins the Royals on a free transfer and has agreed a four year contract at Madejski Stadium.
Director of Football Nick Hammond said: "We were always hopeful that a permit would be secured but it's still great to get the deal done.
"It'll be nice get him in and working with the lads - he's a great individual, and will fit really well into group."
Manager Brian McDermott added, "We're delighted. It's been a long process to get Pavel to the club and now he's officially a Reading player and everyone is looking forward to working with him.
"Having met Pavel, he is a top guy, his work ethic is excellent and I'm sure he will be very important to our group in the coming years."
Pogrebnyak will take a break to recuperate from his involvement in Euro 2012 before arriving at Hogwood Park for the first time.
There were a number of clubs across Europe interested in the experienced forward, and this signing is a major coup for the club - and simultaneously a signature of intent, especially given a summer that has already seen the arrivals of Garath McCleary and Danny Guthrie.
The frontman had a successful loan spell at Fulham at the tail end of the 2011/12 campaign - scoring six goals in 12 games for the Cottagers.
He had previously made a name for himself in the Russian Premier League, notably with Zenit St. Petersburg - whom he helped steer to victory in the 2008 UEFA Cup - finishing as the tournament's joint top scorer.
The following season he found the net in his club's 2-1 European Super Cup victory over Manchester United, before experiencing Champions League Football against the likes of Juventus and Real Madrid.
Pogrebnyak arrives on a Bosman following the expiration of his contract with Bundesliga outfit Vfb Stuttgart - for whom he scored 19 goals in 56 (+25) appearances.
Jon Otsemobor - MK Dons (free transfer)
Lucio - Juventus (free transfer)
Lucio looks about 67 years old in this photo.
I love how the team is still better than England's actual team.
Didn't he get shot in the arse once?
I thought that was James Ellison?
Not sure who James Ellison is TBF but it defo happened to Otsemobor.
He was an academy player for us. He got stabbed in the back in a nightclub in town, wrong weapon and place.
In the arse.
Ellison got stabbed in the back didn't he?
He was indeed stabbed in the arse, it was covered in the echo last week as the fella that did it was up for something else as well in court.
Gael Bigirimana - Newcastle (undisclosed, reportedly £1 million)
Junior Fernandes - Bayer Leverkusen (undisclosed fee, reportedly €3 million)
Wayne Bridge - Brighton (loan)
Another lower league signing by Lambert
Matthew Lowton - Aston Villa (undisclosed fee, reportedly £3 million)
Matthew Lowton - Aston Villa (undisclosed fee, reportedly £3 million)
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