Official Olympic Squad List

Burdisso will anchor the backline in the Olympics.

U-23 manager Sergio Batista presented the official list of 18 players that will represent Argentina in the upcoming Olympic Games. It still remains to be seen if Gago and Messi will make the trip to China. Both of their club teams have been pressuring the players into not participating in the Olympics.

Argentina Olympic Team:

GK - Oscar Ustari (Getafe)
GK - Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar)

D - Pablo Zabaleta (Deportivo Espanyol)
D - Ezequiel Garay (Real Madrid)
D - Federico Fazio (Sevilla)
D - Nicolás Burdisso (Inter Milan)
D - Luciano Monzón (Boca Juniors)

M - Fernando Gago (Real Madrid)
M - Ever Banega (Valencia)
M - Javier Mascherano (Liverpool)
M - Juan Román Riquelme (Boca Juniors)
M - Angel Di María (Benfica)
M - José Sosa (Bayern Munich)
M - Diego Buonanotte (River Plate)

F - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
F - Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli)
F - Lautaro Acosta (Sevilla)
F - Sergio Aguero (Atlético Madrid)

Newcastle signs Jonás Gutiérrez

guardian.co.uk

Argentina winger agrees five-year contract for undisclosed fee

Kevin Keegan today made his first significant signing since returning to the manager's office at Newcastle United last January when Jonas Gutierrez, an Argentina international winger, exchanged Real Mallorca for Tyneside.

Although Newcastle declined to disclose the fee, Manchester City lodged a £7m bid for Gutierrez last season while Portsmouth are said to have been prepared to pay around £8m for a primarily right-sided wide man who will be 25 on Saturday.

Keegan seems simply delighted to have finally reinforced a worryingly shallow squad and today said: "Jonas is a wonderful signing for us. I know lots of other clubs were interested in him but he's a terrific addition to our squad. He's an exciting player and I am sure our fans will enjoy watching him."

Although Gutierrez, who has agreed a five-year contract at St James' Park, was identified as a transfer target and then recruited by Dennis Wise, Newcastle's executive director (football), and his sidekick, Tony Jiminez, Keegan's enthusiasm for a player who won his first senior cap for Argentina against France in February this year appears entirely sincere.

Having subsequently appeared for Argentina against Brazil this summer, Gutierrez has been granted an extended holiday and will not join the rest of Keegan's squad when they reconvene for pre-season training on Monday. However the impending arrival of a player who traditionally celebrates scoring - and he claimed five goals in 95 appearances for Real Mallorca after his move from Velez Sarsfield of Argentina - by pulling a spiderman mask over his face, could well influence James Milner's future on Tyneside.

While Newcastle sources insist Keegan is determined to keep Milner, the England Under-21 international right winger is widely admired and may yet depart St James' Park before the end of August.

"I cannot tell you how delighted I am to be signing for Newcastle," said Gutierrez. "The Premier League is the place to play and I cannot wait to meet my new team-mates. I want to prove myself to my team-mates this season."

Deportivo Espanyol interested in Buonanotte

Deportivo Espanyol has set its sights on River Plate's talented 20 year old midfielder Diego Buonanotte who has just completed an outstanding first full season in Argentina and was widely considered the best player in the league as he helped River Plate win the league title.

No official offer has been made yet by Deportivo Espanyol.

elmundodeportivo.es

Buonanotte o Augusto Fernández se postulan como refuerzos para la medular

Aquiles Furlone - 02/07/2008 03:00

El fichaje del mediocentro ofensivo se ha convertido en el objetivo prioritario de la secretaría técnica del Espanyol. Entre los nombres que han entrado en el 'baile' de posibilidades, el mercado argentino no podía quedar al margen y el club donde podría 'pescar' el Espanyol es River Plate, el último campeón de la Liga argentina.

De allí han surgido como opciones dos jóvenes promesas, Diego Buonanotte y Augusto Fernández, ambos con notables cualidades pero de características y condiciones de mercado actuales bien diferentes. El 'enano' Buonanotte, la última gran aparición de la cantera 'millonaria', explotó en la temporada que acaba de finalizar y resultó vital para que el equipo de Diego Simeone acabara dando la vuelta olímpica.

Rápido, hábil, encarador y con buen olfato de gol (fue el 'pichichi' de River en el Torneo Clausura), este talento grande en envase pequeño (mide 1,60 metros y pesa 59 kilos), de sólo 20 años y que disputará junto a Zabaleta y Messi los Juegos Olímpicos, reúne todas las condiciones del prototipo de jugador que busca el Espanyol para la medular.

Sin embargo, su contratación suena a misión imposible. En primer lugar, porque en River no quieren saber nada con desprenderse tan pronto de la última joya. Y luego, porque el dinero con el que cuenta el Espanyol no parece suficiente como para convencer al club argentino de que venda.

El caso de Augusto es totalmente diferente. Después de un par de temporadas en el primer equipo, jugador y directiva coinciden en que ha llegado el momento de saltar a Europa. Y el futbolista está acelerando los trámites para obtener el pasaporte comunitario, lo que facilitaría un traspaso.

Aquí no habría problemas en cuanto a lo que puede ofrecer el Espanyol, ya que con cinco millones sobre la mesa River se desprendería del futbolista. Lo que en cierto modo juega en contra de la operación es que 'el nuevo Lucho González' -así lo llaman por el parecido con su antecesor en River y actual jugador del Porto- no es exactamente el perfil de centrocampista que buscan en Montjuïc.

Aunque se trata de un muy buen futbolista, que además de un gran presente tiene mucho potencial para seguir creciendo, si bien tiene un perfil ofensivo, no es el típico creador que puede asumir la conducción de un equipo.

Las cartas 'argentinas' parecen estar echadas por el lado de River. Será cuestión de tiempo saber si Buonanotte o Augusto Fernández se acaban convirtiendo en el fichaje 'bomba' del Espanyol.

Argentina no longer first in FIFA ranking

The national team has dropped out of first place in the latest FIFA rankings. Argentina is now ranked the 6th best team in the world. Spain has taken the top spot, at least for now.

The current list is, as usual, very Eurocentric.

It seems absurd to me that Paraguay, who is in first place in the South American WC Qualifying standings, is not even listed in the FIFA rankings. Paraguay is surely a better team than at least 50 percent of the teams that made the ranking.

Also, Brasil is the highest ranked South American team even though they are currently in 5th place in WC Qualifying behind both Paraguay and Argentina.


FIFA Rankings - July 2008

1. Spain
2. Italy
3. Germany
4. Brasil
5. Holland
6. Argentina
7. Croatia
8. Czech Republic
9. Portugal
10. France
11. Russia
12. Romania
13. Cameroon
14. Turkey
15. England
16. Scotland
17. Bulgaria
18. Greece
19. Mexico
20. Ghana

Heinze out of Olympic squad

It appears that Gabriel Heinze will be the second player, after Demichelis, to opt out of joining the Argentina Olympic squad for the games this Summer. According to Madrid newspaper AS,
Real Madrid officials have convinced Heinze to stay home so that he may begin the pre-season preparations with the team and so that he can play in the first two official games of the season (the Super Cup) which will take place in August.

as.com

El Madrid convence a Heinze y no irá a los Juegos Olímpicos

Estará en el Algarve el 14 de julio

Quique Rubio | 02/07/2008

Finalmente Heinze no acudirá a los Juegos Olímpicos. El Madrid ha convencido al argentino para que falte a la cita de Pekín, por lo que podrá comenzar la pretemporada con el resto el próximo 14 de julio en El Algarve. La lesión de Cannavaro ha sido vital en las negociaciones. Heinze es consciente del problema que tiene el conjunto blanco por la recuperación del italiano en el arranque de la temporada y ha decidido centrarse en el Madrid, que disputará sus dos primeros partidos oficiales (la Supercopa) en agosto.

Aimar to sign with Benfica

It appears that Pablo Aimar will not be playing in Spain's Second Division next season. According to Portugal's A Bola newspaper, Aimar has reached an agreement with Benfica. The contract will be for 3 years. All that remains now is for the transfer to be finalized between his new team and Real Zaragoza.