Sky Sports is reporting that Marcelo Mattos says he is unaware of reported interest in him from Portsmouth Football Club and two other Premier League clubs.
Marcelo Mattos – 24 year-old Brazilian midfielder
But the 24-year-old’s agent Pini Zahavi has now confirmed the Fratton Park interest – and that there are two other Premier League clubs interested in the player.
Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Wigan are understood to be keeping close tabs on the player, and we expect the other two clubs are any two out of these three.
Apparently all 3 Premier clubs have already bid for the player, who will become a European citizen at the end of this month, when he collects his Italian passport.
Mattos looked good last season at Panathinaikos, according to the Brazilian midfielder’s agent. (surprise, surprise).
Pini Zahavi told Greek newspaper Goal:
“At this moment we are considering offers from English clubs, one is from Portsmouth and there are two more.”
“But it is possible for Mattos to stay at Panathinaikos, the player is very happy with the working conditions there and he loves the fans.”
“He is also very satisfied with the attitude of the people at the club, we will have to wait a few weeks as the transfer market does not officially open until July.”
We have had dealings before with football agent Zahavi, and of course all agents try to drum up interest in their players, so it’s hard to believe everything they say.
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp went after the 24-year-old last month when he learned there is a release clause in Mattos’ contract of £5.9M.
This means the Greek club must agree to any offer the receive for the player, that is equal to or greater than that.
Mattos says he knows absolutely nothing of Portsmouth’s interest as he told Greece’s SportDay:
“I don’t know anything about Portsmouth,”
“At this moment I play for Panathinaikos and that is the only club on my mind.”
“About the Premier League, I can say that it is the best championship in the world and every player wishes to play there some day.”
“All the best players in the world play there.”
Mattos played for Corinthians in Brazil from 2004 until last year, when he signed for Panathinaikos. He played 134 times for the Brazilian club and scored 17 goals.
He has so far played 32 times for the Greek club scoring 3 goals, but the 6ft tall midfielder has never been capped by Brazil.
While at Corinthians, Marcelo established himself in the team and excelled alongside Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano, and they were dubbed the team of the year after the trio won the Championship.
Of course since then Tevez has moved to Manchester United and Mascherano to Liverpool, and both have played extremely well in the Premiership, after initially joining West Ham United a couple of years ago.
It may well be speculation that Newcastle are interested in this defensive midfield player, but we’ll keep reporting on these possibilities, and some of these may actually have solid bids behind them.
We are bound to be falsely linked with many players this summer (what’s new?), but as we report these stories we’ll try to say how truthful they look to be – well as best as we can.
At least we’ll know a lot more about all the players we are linked with during the summer, if nothing else.
Comments welcome.
115 comments so far
THELONGSHANKS
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Comment #1Neva heard of him?
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Comment #2Lets hope so 🙂
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Comment #3I seen him play few times, but he didnt really stand out.
robertsa
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:31 PM
Comment #4mattos is nout compared to gomis
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Comment #5I wouldnt expect a DM like Mattos to stand out. Barry and Butt dont really stand out in a match do they.
broon ale
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Comment #6one more to the list of players not joinining newcastle
broon ale
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Comment #7tom- toon.
i would say barry stands out!
Ben_BKK
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:39 PM
Comment #8If he’s good enough (down to the scouts to decide, I know nothing about him), I’d say get him, Turan, Gomis, and an experienced, but not too old, centre-back, and that would be our team sorted really… Of course we’d need a few more players since we’ve got rid of about 5-6 already and so our small squad is even further depleted, though if we got those 3 in, it would form the basis of a rejuvenated team for us.
Ben_BKK
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Comment #9Barry’s more of a central midfielder, rather than an out and out DM, which is what Butt is really. You often see Barry going up and into more attacking positions.
chuck
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Comment #10A good DM is badly needed to replace an ageing
Butt and Geremi.
Does he fit the requirement ?
Leo
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Comment #11nah toms right you dont want a defencive midfielder to stand out you want them go go unoticed because it means that are doing their job well
HeronMag
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Comment #12Dunno like. David Batty stood out and he was definitely a defensive midfielder.
Eric
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Comment #13Not good enough – cannot be because Portsmouth want him. Must be a heft it up field player.
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:49 PM
Comment #14Well fair play, I would like a defensive midfielder to stand out from makeing great tackles, good solid passes, someone who stands out for being constant and solid, I not saying I am correct, but I dont think this guy offer what we need.
Bobby Choung
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Comment #15can we just get a solid “NEWCASTLE BIDS ON XXX PLAYER”.
so far its been .. newcastle shows interest … newcastle’s target …
la di da
Kash2
Jun 9, 2008 at 4:51 PM
Comment #16We need at least 4 midfielders, one for DM to give cover, at least one winger type player, at least one playmaker and then a mobile player to replace the jail bird!
sirjasontoon
Jun 9, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Comment #17He sounds shit to me,
Big Names Please Mr Ashley not kids and Peruvian No marks from the San Miguel Lge…
“While at Corinthians, Marcelo established himself in the team and excelled alongside Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano”
I imagine a donkey could be made to look good playing alongside Tevez and Masherano.
scottish mag
Jun 9, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Comment #18mattos had a very good season for pana, and for 4-6m i think would be a very good transfer. he is the sort of player that knows what his job is and then does it, like wot frings was doing yesterday for germany.
Kash2
Jun 9, 2008 at 5:19 PM
Comment #19Frings was class yesterday. I think he’s a top midfielder!
euanpolo
Jun 9, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Comment #20Yeah, if we could get any DM in the world it should be Frings. He was the best player on the pitch last night.
petworth (DC) magpie
Jun 9, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Comment #21Toon Tom, Barry kinda does stand out now but I get your point. Another reason to keep Milner is I liken him to Barry in many ways I think we could see a massive step up in quality in 4-5 years time.
Off but… I was at Giants stadium last night for the USA Argentina game(amazing atmosphere) great game to watch, had everything but goals. I put my scouting hat on and the player who caught my eye, other than Messi of course ;), was Messi’s half-time replacement José Ernesto Sosa. He played with a lot of skill and had a couple of amazing touches. I know he’s at Bayern but is he considered indispensable there? (Tom? ha)
Wisey? ‘av a look…
stelios
Jun 9, 2008 at 5:57 PM
Comment #22panathinaikos is my greek team.im from cyprus..watched matos play over a dozen ..by far the best player of panathinaikos..
he really stood out in the greek league..class above in DM
hes only 25% owned by panathinaikos..other percentage owned by agent, previous team etc.
Kash2
Jun 9, 2008 at 6:10 PM
Comment #23The only players who would be in contention for first team football:
Given, Jose Enrique, Martins, Owen, Harper, N’Zogbia, Milner, Beye, Butt, Faye, Taylor, Edgar, Viduka, oh and Geremi (if we really had to play him)
Which is 2 GK, 1 LB, 1RB, 3 CB, 1 RB/ RM/ CM (basically in a position where he doesn’t have to run – Geremi), 1 DM, 1 LM, 1 RM, 3 ST.
It’s obvious we need at least 1 LB, 1 CB, 1 DM, 2 CM, 1 LM/RM/Wing and possibly 1 ST.
With midfielders the priority and bedding in time at minimum, then we shoudl really get on the case!
Depressing!
51times
Jun 9, 2008 at 6:14 PM
Comment #24petworth (DC) magpie – You got to see Messi play in person? I would love to be able to watch him play.
Dirk
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:03 PM
Comment #25kash i disagree, watchin the youngsters we hav i think that carrol lua lua krul forster could easily play first team theyv all shown that they have passion and drive when they play, and krul did play well in his only first team match against palermo as i recall he was outstanding.
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:05 PM
Comment #26Petworth – When he isnt injured Sosa starts every game for Bayern he is pretty immense dont think we have a chance in getting him.
Nick C
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:28 PM
Comment #27I want the Swedish dude from yesterday to tell us more about Larrsson coming to the Toon….
Nick C
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:31 PM
Comment #28His name is “Eric”
Eric where are you????
toon4lyf
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:41 PM
Comment #29i think smith deserves another chance he was a good player
we should go for aimar,d’allseendro,zigic or doyle,aurelio,
maybe sum squad players like rat,arango,servet,savage
and get rid of butt geremi milner rozenal
………………….given……………………
beye…..taylor….faye/servet…..enrique/rat
…………………aurelio/savage………………
……….d’alsendro…………..nzogbia………..
…………………….aimar/arango……………….
………..martins/owen……zigic or doyle/smith
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Comment #30Savage, ahahahaha, please stop, im dying here.
grey man
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:50 PM
Comment #31Ah you lot give me a headache. Newcastle interested in -?
Looking at -? We should be buying -?
I’m interested in angelina jolie.never gonna happen tho. We are a club in transition with top 6 asperations and no european football next season. Who do you think we are gonna get? Talk sense and get real. We will sign some youngsters or solid workmen and try to build a solid team that might and I mean might get us into europe next season. After that we can hope for some big names. All this is smoke and mirrors.
toon4lyf
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Comment #32tom toon aye that is hilarius isn it a herd that one at a comedy show last night put an average player as a sub for a mid table team
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Comment #33I think De Jong would be class, on Fifa he has always been good, and I know that means nothing, be I notice he is starting for Holland today… Worth a punt?
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Comment #34Oh, and I have seen him play 5 or 6 times, not just from fifa 🙂
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 7:58 PM
Comment #35Yep De Jong is a very good DM as is De Zeeuw who is on their bench.
Dont know why Engelaar is playing DM, he is an AM.
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:01 PM
Comment #36I think he is playing DM for his height?
Also you think De Jong within out range?
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:11 PM
Comment #371-0 Holland!!!!
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:14 PM
Comment #38Scandolous goal.
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Comment #39Almost as offside as kalou goal against us lol
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:16 PM
Comment #402-0 brilliant goal this time