Fantasy European League™ Season 2 - Press Releases

Post any press releases here such as transfer gossip, pre match build up and anything else which springs to mind.

New manager Hodgey has caused uproar in Cataluna by insisting that Messi could leave for the right offer. The Argentinian, who again set a goalscoring record for the club last season, is revered by the Barcelona fans and Hodgey's refusal to rule out his departure has not gone down well.

Hodgey said: "The only players that will not leave the club are Xavi and Iniesta. These midfielders embody the Barcelona philosophy and there are simply none better."

"We are looking into the prospect of acquiring a defensive midfielder, and a new full-back will be a priority. Our financial situation is precarious and thus some players will have to leave."

The media are at fever pitch as Roman Abramovich sits down to call a press conference. He says that following a series of managers with no prior connection to the club he has seen the error of his ways and the new permanent Chelsea manager is none other than Gregers. He then says that Gregers' managerial team contains three bonafide Chelsea legends in Gianfranco Zola, Roberto di Matteo and Gustavo Poyet.

Following a series of questions Gregers says that he will lead Chelsea back to being the best team in the world and promises some huge signings over the next few weeks. He finishes by saying that he will:

"Shake the club from its slumber and remove the dead weights"

The interviewers seem puzzled by this but when pressed Gregers and his team say that they are not at liberty to disclose any further details at this time.

Breaking News from Sky Sports News

"Sky Sports News reports that a leading Chelsea player left training early today following a meeting with the new Chelsea managerial team"

Arsenal Manager Kamran has promised Arsenal fans that he will bring in quality but also be selling some players as well.

Kamran is forced to sell players as new regulations means that the squad needs to be trimmed to 25 players.

"I want to keep the players that are committed to fight for the club and see the vision to progress against the best"

"I have a keen interest in world class players available and we have a healthy budget to compete too"

Barcelona have made their first signing of the window, that of assistant manager Carlos Queiroz, who will join Hodgey's backroom staff this week.

Queiroz, who is renowned for his assistant role under Sir Alex Ferguson, was approached by Barcelona this week after indicating he was ready to leave his post as Iran national team manager.

Hodgey is said to be delighted to have got his first choice assistant at the club.

Breaking News:

As rumoured on SNN yesterday John Terry was the key Chelsea player who stormed out of training yesterday following a meeting with the new Chelsea managerial team. We have learnt that Terry (along with Jose Bosingwa) have moved to London rivals Tottenham Hotspurs with the hugely talented Kyle Walker and the rock at the back Younis Kaboul moving the other way.

We will keep you updated on any more developments that occur at Chelsea although we believe this is the start of Gregers clearing the dead weight.

Amid rumours of a Chelsea clear-out, Barcelona manager Hodgey has reiterated his desire to sign an experienced left back.

Barcelona are understood to be keen in bolstering their defence, as Hodgey deems Adriano surplus to requirements and doubts remain over Abidal's long-term health. Evra, Marcelo and Cole are believed to be among Barcelona's top targets.

Barcelona manager Hodgey has welcomed 3 new players to the Camp Nou after the departures of Sanchez, Busquets and Fabregas to Tottenham and Chelsea respectively.

The Catalan club, who have needed a left back since Abidal's illness, have recruited Welshman Gareth Bale as well as Scott Parker from Tottenham, in exchange for Sanchez and Busquets. Spurs also paid Barcelona £5million for the pair's services. Hodgey said:

"Gareth Bale has always been the left back we've been after. We've had discussions with Bayern and Chelsea about Lahm and Cole, but Bale offers a different dimension to the role and was our preferred choice as he is compatible with our philosophy."

He also said of Fabregas' departure:

"It's a shame he had to leave but Michael Essien is always a player I have admired. This transfer was not about filling a need in our side, although Essien is more than capable of slotting into our midfield, more about the debt crisis we are in. The deal has alleviated concerns somewhat."

Barcelona's transfer frenzy has continued as the club announced the signatures of Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs and Alex Song on long-term contracts. The pair, who have been at the Emirates for the majority of their careers, arrive at the club in a swap deal with Barcelona's Adriano and Parker, whilst the Catalan club also reduce their debt by another £4million. Hodgey said:

"This transfer made perfect sense and we had no option but to accept Arsenal's offer.

"Both of these players are in their early twenties and will add youth and energy to our squad. With the greatest of respect, and although it's a shame to lose Parker and Adriano, they are in the tail-end of their careers and offered the club little in the way of freshness.

"More importantly, our debt is now almost completely cancelled out, which enables us to remain competitive in the transfer market and minimise future depatures, although at least one player will leave this week."

Arsenal Manager Kamran was touted to be a total non-mover in the transfer market by he is proud to announce the signings of Scott Parker and Adriano from Barcelona.

"We have been looking to buy a full back who is experienced and top quality and Adriano fits the bill. We have also acquired Scott Parker who I am delighted as he has been impressive whenever I have seen him play. He gives 100% committment and is a leader of leaders."

"I also want to thank the Barcelona Manager Hodgey who has been patient with negotiations and also acquired the signings of Song and Gibbs. May both of them succeed....not against us though."

Barcelona have shocked the footballing world by announcing the signature of superstar Wayne Rooney.

The England striker, 26, arrived at the Camp Nou tonight after short negotiations between Barcelona and Arsenal. Barcelona are understood to have been interested in the striker during his days at Manchester United, but the Glazers were unwilling to negotiate. However, Hodgey has managed to land his man, as David Villa, Michael Essien and Thiago Alcantara have departed the club to Arsenal.

Rooney is joined by compatriot Michael Carrick at Barcelona, who signed a 2-year contract. Promising youngster Emmanuel Frimpong also arrived at the Catalan club following the deal. Hodgey said:

"It's a fantastic signature for the club and Rooney is just the player we needed.

"It's never easy losing players of Thiago's, Michael's and specifically David's quality, but Rooney is a world-class talent who complements our attack superbly. It was an opportunity we couldn't afford to miss.

"Whilst Rooney is obviously going to get all the headlines, it is also important to remember we have recruited two talented midfielders in Carrick and Frimpong which bolsters our options in that department. We are confident about the season ahead."

Arsenal Manager has proved to world that Arsenal will be a force this season by signing world class players from Barcelona yet again and Man Utd.

Kamran gleamed with you as he spoke. "I told you I will sign top quality players and they don't come bigger than David Villa. He is deadly in front of goal and a team player. We also signed Michael Essien who will be a huge asset to our squad and midfield. We have also negoiated to sign highly talented Thiago who Barca werent keen on selling but we got him in the end."

Kamran also commented on the strength of his defence with the signing of Rio Ferdinand and Chris Smalling. "Rio has natural leader and provides huge experience to my defence and Chris (Smalling) is someone I tried to sign before but finally he is our future."

Kamran also added "I am not finished yet. The jigsaw is still incomplete."

Hodgey has today poured cold water on the rumours Barcelona are poised to land Thiago Silva for £30million.

Barcelona, who have already brought Rooney and Bale to the club, are rumoured to be interested in the Brazilian centre-back, but cannot compete with the high asking price Milan have slapped onto the player. Hodgey said:

"I don't know where the rumours we are set to sign players from abroad have come from.

"We have been exploring a few options but, at this time, we cannot compete financially with other clubs such as Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United for the top players abroad. It would be nice to bolster our defence and Thiago Silva is a top defender, but at the moment it's simply not viable.

"Having said that, we are in no desperate need to spend money to improve our squad, I believe we have one of if not the best squad in the league and, whilst no one can deny it's nice to have a marquee transfer arrive at the club, it's not possible right now."

Bayern Munich are delighted to announce the signing of Italian international centre back Giorgio Chiellini. He will greatly strengthen the squad and add competition in that position. He had many offers from other top clubs but decided to join the growing revolution at Bayern.

Our aim is to win the lot this season. We have brought in new coach Guv who steered his Inter Milan side to the final of the Champions League, only losing out on penalties to Barcelona. His experience at that level will be vital, as will his ability to make the correct decisions in the transfer market.

Welcome Giorgio.

Chelsea's management team have answered questions on the acquisition of Hugo Rodellega, a man who many of their fans do not feel is strong enough to play at this level. Gregers said

"If you look at the form Hugo has shown over the closing part of the season for Wigan Athletic then it is clear that he has that certain something about him"

He went onto add

"Hugo can also play up front, on the left and on the right so he was a perfect signing to offer cover to all of these positions. And as we have snatched him for the bargain price of just £1 million he isn't even a gamble!"

It is expected that the Chelsea fans will be excited by Gregers announcement

Chelsea are delighted to announce a huge transfer which has seen the recently acquired Cesc Fabregas leave Stamford Bridge along with Ashley Cole, David Luiz, Juan Mata, Fernando Torres and Piazon.

Gregers said that whilst the players who left would leave holes he fully believed in the players that they had got in exchange.

David Alaba and Pepe will sure up our defense and we at Chelsea are looking forward to the partnership that these two make with Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic and the also recently acquired Kyle Walker.

The Chelsea boss then smiled before announcing the big three signings of:

Mesut Ozil
Toni Kroos
and
Mario Gomez

With these three Chelsea have got the squad that will hopefully see them to glory, and Mesut inparticular cannot wait to play alongside Marko Marin.

To finish the Chelsea boss merely smiled before adding:

"Chelsea Uber Alles!"

Barcelona manager Hodgey has announced that there will be a spate of departures tomorrow as the club seek to cancel their budget deficit.

It is rumoured that striker Tello, defenders Muniesa and Montoya, and even promising youngster Fontas may be the main players in the exodus from the club. Hodgey did not rule out the possibility of any of these players leaving:

"Our fans know our predicament, we simply have to sell some players and reduce our wage budget and club debt.

"Once some of these younger players are released, we will again be able to be competitive in the transfer market and the debt burden will be relieved from the club's shoulders.

"I must take this time to confirm that it is highly likely Tello and Montoya will be sold tomorrow. These are two fantastic prospects, but are highly sought after and are not part of our plans for the next few years. "

Barcelona also confirmed their interest in Chelsea's Petr Cech.

"We are certainly in the market for Cech. He proved this season with Chelsea in Europe he is still one of the most formidable goalkeepers in the world and I cannot deny he is a player that interests us."

Hodgey has today announced that midfielder Seydou Keita has made a shock exit from Barcelona.

Keita, 32, joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2008 and has quickly become a fan favourite. Yet the Malian discovered he was not in new manager Hodgey's plans early this season, and has been sold for a meagre £4million.

Hodgey had warned of departures, and Keita is joined by Cristian Tello and young defender Henrique. Youth products Marco Muniesa and Jonathan dos Santos have also been shown the door at the club. Hodgey said:

"We didn't expect Seydou to be leaving, but we received an offer this morning which we couldn't refuse in our current financial predicament. We would like to thank him for his time at the club and wish him all the best.

"Tello is destined for greatness in his career and we wish him well, but he is currently surplus to requirements at the club and this is not beneficial for us or for his development, so we have decided to sell him too.

"In spite of this, we can now announce we have cleared the club of its debt and we can now look to generate funds to buy our targets from abroad."

Barcelona manager Hodgey has today declared: "My team is complete."

Having recently been rocked by injuries to major players Gerard Pique and Javier Mascherano, Hodgey announced that the pair have both left the club. The Barcelona manager also told the press that former Barcelona player Sergio Busquets had made a return to Cataluña, suggesting the player should never have been sold:

"Busquets is a top midfielder and exactly what we need. Mascherano is also brilliant, but we firmly believe Busquets has a brighter future and is more suited to this side, hence the decision to repurchase him from Tottenham.

"Whilst we cannot deny that Piqué is one of the best defenders, we faced no alternative but to sell him. Luckily, we have one of the best defenders in the world in return in John Terry, even if he is a dislikeable nob sometimes."

Hodgey also suggested that the club may still be in the market:

"Even though this team is now virtually completed following the addition of Petr Cech in goal, we are always on the lookout for a bargain or a deal that suits the club. Thus, it would be foolish of me to suggest we are finished in the transfer market. Anything can happen in football and we must be prepared for this."

It has been rumoured this week Barcelona are keen on snatching Cristiano Ronaldo from arch rivals Real Madrid.

The press room is buzzing as the Chelsea managerial team enter. Gregers has a huge grin on his face. He starts by stating that the team is almost complete following the signings of Jesus Navas, Yann M'Vila, Diego Forlan, Maicon, Victor Valdes and Alex Song.

Navas and M'Vila inparticular are huge acquisitions to the squad. M'Vila is one of the best young holding midfielders in the world and he will allow our attacking players to express themselves more. Navas offers something different on the right hand side and hopefully will be able to link up well with the well oiled German machine that is Ozil, Kroos, Gomez and Marin. Forlan, Maicon and Song have been bought in to strengthen the squad as a whole which Gregers said was something that was absolutely key to bringing success to the club.

Gregers finished by saying that he is still in the market for the right player, and if rumours are to be believed he flew out to both Munich and Dortmund recently to scout a few targets.

Journalists are also wondering if the rumoured link between Chelsea and Inter Milan is true following eight players moving between the clubs.

Hodgey has today insisted he is optimistic about his side's title chances ahead of a crunch match against Inter Milan at the Camp Nou. Barcelona, who beat Manchester United 3-1 last week, are favourites going into the tie and have no injury worries. Hodgey said:

"We go into this match with a clean bill of health and a fully-fit squad to choose from.

"I'm hopeful that we can win this game and continue our good early-season form, although Inter will be no pushovers given the quality of their squad. In the grand scheme of things, we remain confident of our chances of clinching the title this season, although teams like Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will provide the sternest challenges, whilst Manchester City cannot be ignored."

Barcelona have today confirmed the sale of Welshman Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.

Bale, who was one of Hodgey's first signings as manager, has left the club in exchange for England defender, Ashley Cole. Hodgey added:

"I believed when we signed him that Bale would fit perfectly in our system we want to play. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case.

"There is no denying Bale's ability, but his attacking qualities often left our team unbalanced and for this reason, we feel both parties would be better off with a change."

Hodgey confirmed Ashley Cole's arrival at the Camp Nou:

"Losing Bale was not an easy decision but the arrival of Ashley Cole in the deal made the decision much easier on our part. Bale is a fantastic winger but there can be no disputing Ashley is one of, if not the, best left-back in the world and adds much-needed steel to our defence."