Senderos to Juve, Mourinho gears up, Sheva plays golf
Friday 22 August 2008 12:00
On Wednesday it was 'Sheva back to Milan!' and by Friday it’s 'Sheva back playing golf!'
That’s the way the Italian press summed up the sorry summer saga of Andriy Shevchenko’s on-off return to AC Milan.
In fact, La Gazzetta dello Sport created a full-page spread on the Ukrainian’s exploits on the greens of Wentworth – “very British where tradition is everything” was their glowing review, no doubt cobbled together from the venerable golfing establishment’s PR spiel.
At least “The Sheva hoax” as the ‘Pink’un’ put it, can now finally be laid to rest. Or can it?
Chelsea want to sell the failing forward outright for €15 million while Milan, as usual, are looking for the cut-price offer of a season-long loan with an option to buy.
A fine strike from Shevchenko... makes a change
'No way,' say the Londoners. And waiting in the wings, according to Corriere dello Sport, are AS Roma.
The filthy lucre remains a sticking point but following president Franco Sensi’s death, the club from the capital are a fresh picking for a speculator and may have some bargaining leverage in doing a deal with another Roman.
In the meantime, as Sheva practises his swing, Milan’s concerns are focused on filling the gaping hole in the heart of the defence.
Step forward Arsenal’s Philippe Senderos who even the Juventus-centric Tuttosport believe will be on his way to the San Siro. Gazzetta and Corriere expect the same outcome and around €8 million should be enough to prise the 23-year-old away from north London.
Being Swiss, Big Phil speaks Italian so he'd have no problems settling in and more importantly, at an imposing 1.90m, he’s just the sort of muscle-man Carlo Ancelotti has been dreaming about since Jaap Stam left the club.
Senderos: Juventus want me?
Over at Juventus, the fans are revolting. If it was up to them then, in the words of Tuttosport, “Alberto Aquilani would be wearing the black and white of Juve.”
Vecchiosignora.com have been mobilising the masses to sign an online petition demanding that the Turin giants make due haste to Roma and sign the midfielder.
But the Giallorossi's forza-roma.com could not let such audacity go unanswered and have been gathering their own virtual signatures in reprisal – although no one has been demanding Roma buy Tiago.
Thank goodness then that the new season is only a week away. We'll get a little taster of the real thing on Sunday when Inter and Roma meet in the Italian Supercup.
It’s Jose Mourinho’s first big test and with the Luciano Spalletti’s men out to honour the departed Sensi, it’s set to be a sweaty old evening at the San Siro.
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About Richard Whittle
Despite the name,
Richard Whittle is so at home in Italy that some call him Riccardo Rossi. He has lived and worked in Italy for the last 15 years as a football journalist and works as Italian soccer commentator for the English-speaking world covering Serie A, Champions League, Europa League and Italian Cup matches as well as Italy internationals. With Paul Visca, Richard concocts the regular
Calcio & Coffee podcast.