Barcelona lodge big bid for David Villa

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Barcelona president Joan Laporta says the Spanish treble winners have made a significant offer for Valencia striker David Villa.

The former Sporting Gijon star - who netted 28 league goals last season - appeared set to become the third mega-money Real Madrid signing in a week following the Bernabeu outfit's bids for Kaka (£56 million) and Cristiano Ronaldo (£80 million).

However, that move failed to materialise, with English big hitters Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United also hopeful of landing the Euro 2008 Golden Boot winner - nicknamed El Guaje (The Kid) - as well as the Catalans.

And speaking to Spanish TV programme 59 Segundos, Laporta revealed the European Cup winners' plans for both Villa and Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery, who is being linked with Barca, Real and Chelsea.

“He's [Villa] a player we're interested in, and we made a good bid for him, closer to €40 million than €50 million," he said.

"He's [Ribery] a player we are interested in at a logical price. But Bayern don't want to sell. Although if they are interested in selling, we are interested.

"We need small adjustments, a left back, a central defender, a midfielder and a forward."

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Gregg Davies
Gregg Davies

Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.