i think this story basically goes back to a quote made last month by the real madrid prez calderon. this was what he said
quote from calderon (november 28th):
Quote:
"You want headlines and I'm going to give you them," club president Ramon Calderon told Radio Marca.
"We are going to make two good signings in the month of December. I don't know their names because that is (sporting director Predrag) Mijatovic's domain, but I know they are going to be young, quick, and will be able to play in the Champions League.
"We want them to be players who will stay for a long time, similar to Marcelo, Fernando Gago and Gonzalo Higuain."
The statement appeared to end the media speculation that had surrounded Real's reported interest in Inter Milan's 33-year-old striker Hernan Crespo. "I don't think he is going to come," Calderon added.
Madrid newspapers Marca and AS have reported Real are interested in Lazio striker Mauro Zarate and Ajax's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar among others.
Real have been hit by a string of injuries to key players, the worst being to leading striker Ruud van Nistelrooy who has been ruled out for the rest of the season after knee surgery.
They have also looked short of options on the wing with Royston Drenthe struggling to provide effective cover for the injury-prone Arjen Robben.
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so basically at that time, they needed a new striker and a winger. but then (on december 8th), mahamadou diarra was ruled out for the rest of the season so they had to sign lassana diarra to replace him. now it turns out that because of uefa rules, they won't be able to register both huntelaar and diarra in the CL. the rules state that a maximum of 3 new players can be registered for the CL and only 1 of the 3 is allowed to have played for another club in a uefa club competition in the same season (as long as its not the same competition).
information from uefa.com:
Quote:
Madrid have been drawn against Liverpool FC in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round on 25 February and 10 March but are only able to register one of Diarra and fellow new signing Klaas Jan Huntelaar from AFC Ajax for the competition as both have appeared in this season's UEFA Cup. For the relevant regulation click here and go to article 17.18.
17.17 For all matches from the start of the round of 32, a club may register a maximum of three new eligible players for the remaining matches in the current competition. Such registration must be completed by 1 February 2009 at the latest. This deadline cannot be extended.
17.18 One player from the above quota of three who has played UEFA club competition matches for another competing club in the current season may exceptionally be registered provided that the player has not been fielded:
- in the same competition for another club,
- for another club that is currently in the same competition.
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since both huntelaar and diarra have played for their previous clubs in the uefa cup this season, it means they can only register 1 of them for the CL. yet they still need a new winger, and ramos said he wants a right-winger, so that player needs to be CL and uefa cup free for calderon to keep his promise of 2 new signings who could both play in the CL.
so basically the winger can't have played in uefa club competitions this season for his current club which rules out the likes of aaron lennon, ashley young, arshavin, di maria or krasic who were all being linked to real. and explains why they're now being linked with a £3.5m bid for pennant who hasn't played for liverpool in europe at all this season, but whether he is really good enough for a club like Real is another matter, you'd think not. the only other possibility from the epl would be antonio valencia of wigan and they want £15m for him.
real madrid got £34m for robinho from man city and have spent around the same on the signings of huntelaar and diarra. now i think if they signed pennant it would indicate he is just a short term solution winger and come summer when they have their elections they will again try to sign ronaldo from man utd and possibly benzema from lyon too. ferguson confirmed Real made a bid for ronaldo in the summer and most reports said it was over £70m.