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
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:16 PM
Comment #41great 2nd goal. we will never ever get VDV
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:18 PM
Comment #42GREAT VISION TO PICK OUT VAN BRONKHORST,
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:18 PM
Comment #43Anything can happen with NUFC, cmon VDV!!!!
petworth (DC) magpie
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:19 PM
Comment #4451times I did and he was awesome. He looks a real humble guy. During pre-game, I was standing near the corner flag with a mix of US and Argie fans dressed in paints and flags and he came up within about 20 feet in his warm-ups just to wave to everyone. {i’ll try to post some video}
He was on such a level above everyone else on the field it was incredible. He makes everything look so easy and does it all in the most nonchalant manner possible. Disappointed by Aguero, Cruz and others. Tim Howard was a beast keeping them out and the US almost nicked it. Though for a sec I thought Adu was gonna nick it.
82,000 people in a packed stadium, 100 degrees and raining, we even got lighting. Just an unbelievable experience. If only the US could come up with a better chant! USA, USA, USA is so tired it’s unbearable…
Shame about Sosa, thought I’d found another gem…. I was at RFK (DC) stadium in 2003 when AC Milan played Barcelona, all the big names were there but for me the best player on the pitch was Quaresma, this was before Barca let him join Porto…Wisey if you’re reading this and need a US based scout you know where to find me 🙂
Punk Skunk
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:19 PM
Comment #45At last, a real football match!..
…Phew, i was beginning to wonder!..
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:19 PM
Comment #46It was kuyt who headed to sneidjer i think m8, but VDV gr8 ball 🙂
brad
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:20 PM
Comment #47get on caught offside on newsnow. the headline linking us with marion. some bloke is slaughtering newcastle on there. by the way gomis looked shite tonight
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:28 PM
Comment #48OMG VDV pass, a beaut, Van Nistelrooy should have finished for 3-0, but its still 2-0
Owen_10
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:30 PM
Comment #49beauty of a ball from VDV that Van nistelrooy just missed from- anyone see it?
Punk Skunk
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:33 PM
Comment #50Should be all over!..
…Italy are shell-shocked!..
…Holland may rue that miss!..
geordiegraham
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:33 PM
Comment #51i would like 2 see maybe 2 cb as taylor sumtimes doesnt look the part but obviously hes 1 for the future. If he had a better and an experienced defender like Richard Dunne around him or Sol Campbell maybe fair enough. Turan is a player who I would love 2 see sign 4 the toon aswell as Gomis. We need a playmaker last season there wasnt much creativity and i really dont like geremi no pace nd gives the ball away.Dont sell Milner or Given. Zog maybe let him go he comes across as a nob but hes a talented player just up his own arse. I wud sign V. Kompany nd Velosa 2 replace Butt.
Mac
Jun 9, 2008 at 8:51 PM
Comment #52I have seen the fella play a few times and to me he looks good. Not a world beater but better than we have. I magine for a minute if you will,Imagine if we can attract some of the players mentioned. Who here wouldn’t be happy with VDV Aimar,Gomis(even though he looked poo tonight)Larsson,Metzelder,,Tura,Mattos and a few youngsters like Giles Barnes come on dare we believe,or is tight arse ashley gonna sell everyone and turn us into Gateshead
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:15 PM
Comment #53ANYONE ELSE AGREE IT WILL BE HOLLAND AND ROMANIA THAT GO THROUGH, FRANCE AND ITALY LOOK VERY POO
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:18 PM
Comment #543 PLAYERS I WANT VDV ENGELAAR AND KHALID BOULHAROUZ
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Comment #55pirlo 2-1?
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Comment #56woooooooohhhhhhhhh what a save
toonoot
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #57Get in!
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #58another great goal
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #593-0 brilliant goal
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:21 PM
Comment #60im defo loving holland
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:22 PM
Comment #61even dirk looks qaulity tonight
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:23 PM
Comment #623-1 del piero?
toonoot
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:24 PM
Comment #63hard lines Jenas 🙂
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Comment #64I think it will be a portugal holland final, the two most impressive 🙂 teams so far.
Punk Skunk
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:27 PM
Comment #65Goodnight Vienna, er, i mean Bern!..
Punk Skunk
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Comment #66germany/holland?..
…We ain’t seen spain yet!..
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Comment #67germany v holland final for defo, said it from the begining
toonoot
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Comment #68mmmm …. sausages and advocaat or spaghetti and paella
Geordie Gerrard7
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Comment #69where is huntelaar? injured?
toonoot
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:33 PM
Comment #70I still wouldn’t bank on Italy going out!
Punk Skunk
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Comment #71This adds a nice twist to the france/italy game does it not?..
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:34 PM
Comment #72Tom_Toon, my qu from earlier, think we could get De Jong?
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:38 PM
Comment #73Yep we could.
Romania and Holland to get through form this group.
Germany won but didnt look too impressive to me, they wil not win, Spain will not get out of their group. Portugal v Hollnd with portugal winning it.
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Comment #74I pit 20 quid on Holland and Romania last week 🙂
Midjew
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Comment #75Def NOT Portugal.
Holland v Spain
Tom_Toon
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:44 PM
Comment #76Portugal and Holland have been easily the most impressive so far. Spain are crap, ho gives a crap what the pundits say, they normally get everything wrong.
Spain wll faulter, nderachieving scummy bull wrestling mugs.
Geordie Nick
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Comment #77portugal got no chance winning it, holland/germany, holland most impressive team BY A MILE so far
Tom4Nufc
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Comment #78Tom_Toon, 10mil euros for De Jong?
rob1892
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Comment #79holland may have peaked to soon
Punk Skunk
Jun 9, 2008 at 9:51 PM
Comment #80germany are cack, but that never stopped ’em before!..