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Francesco Toldo
Birth Date: December 2 1971
Birth Place: Padova
Birth Nation: Italy
Height: 195cm
Weight: 88kg
Nationality: Italian
Position: Goalkeeper
Francesco Toldo Rumours and Transfers 28 07 2007 Valencia eased to a 2-0 triumph over Inter in the opening game of the Emirates Cup.
First half goals from Jaime Gavilan and David Villa were enough to give Valencia a morale-boosting win.
Valencia looked the livelier side throughout and it was no surprise when they had taken the lead after 13 minutes with Gavilan volleying Ruben Baraja's pass past Francesco Toldo from an acute angle.
Inter went close to equalising on 37 minutes when Maxwell smashed a shot against the post with Santiago Canizares well beaten.
Valencia doubled their lead 2 minutes later when Villa curled home a free kick from the edge of the box.
Inter enhanced in the 2nd half and Canizares was called into the action to save from Cruz and substitute David Suazo.
Valencia will face Paris St. Germain in their 2nd game of the tournament Sunday, whilst Inter will take on hosts Arsenal.
30 06 2007 Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic said that the Spanish champions have already "closed deals" for some new summer signings, however says no-one will be presented before the team's new coach.
Madrid are currently without a manager following Thursday's dismissal of title winning coach Fabio Capello, however reports in Spain say Getafe manager Bernd Schuster will be named in the near future.
Until the new manager is in place though, Mijatovic has assured that Real will not be presenting any new players, even German centre back Christoph Metzelder for whom a deal has already been arranged.
"First we must present the coach, whilst respecting the one who only left and the one who is coming in. Then the players will arrive," mentioned Mijatovic on Saturday.
"We have already closed some deals and others are in the works, however I am realising that we are building a team that will win."
Madrid splashed out big money on a number on new faces last summer, such as Ruud van Nistelrooy, Fabio Cannavaro and Mahamadou Diarra, whilst they also drafted in young South American trio Gonzalo Higuain, Fernando Gago and Marcelo during the winter break.
Mijatovic admitted that he would prefer to sign players who are closer to the start of their careers than the end, however says he does not want to make radical overhauls all the time.
"We would like young people. If it comes to 30 year old veterans and a 24 year old, I'd stick with the latter. I am not planning on seeing 10 players come and 8 leave every year," he said.
Among those players Real were linked with in the summer are Kaka, Arjen Robben, Daniel Alves, Javier Saviola and, most recently, rising Dutch player Royston Drenthe.
Mijatovic commented on his side's supposed interest in all of those players, whilst also admitting they had looked at the likes of Gabriel Milito, Cristian Chivu and Francesco Toldo.
The player who was most closely associated with Madrid in recent times is AC Milan playmaker Kaka, however Mijatovic admitted that it will be tricky to bring the Brazilian superstar to Spain.
"It is not impossible because nothing is impossible, however we cannot plan the future of Real Madrid around Kaka because getting him out of (Italy) is difficult," mentioned the former Real striker, who said the deal to draft in Metzelder has already been signed and sealed.
"Metzelder is signed. He's a good player with lots of experience and he will be an important reinforcement for the defence."
On Chelsea winger Robben, Mijatovic called the Dutchman "out of this world", adding, "He's a footballer that we have had our eye on since last year. He's a very interesting, top notch player."
Mijatovic admitted that Alves was another player that impresses him, however that they had not yet made a decision on whether to go for the flying Sevilla defender.
"I like him a lot, however we must determine whether he's a priority or not," the Montenegrin mentioned on realmadrid.com.
Regarding Drenthe, the Feyenoord wing back who recently helped Holland's U21 side retain their European Championship title
Mijatovic also said that on-loan winger Jose Antonio Reyes might yet have a future at the club.
There was doubts that Reyes, whose 2 goals on the final day of the Primera Liga season helped Real beat Real Mallorca 3-1 and become Spanish champions for the 1st time since 2003, would remain at the Bernabeu when his season long loan from Arsenal ran out.
However, Mijatovic has said that a probable deal could be in the pipeline for the Spanish international.
"(Reyes) helped us win the League. He's an excellent player and there is a chance he will stay with us," he said.
29 06 2007 Christian Abbiati will be replaced at Torino by Lazio benchwarmer Matteo Sereni, as the Biancocelesti battle The Hammers for Juan Pablo Carrizo.
Earlier this week the Granata were left without a goalie after Milan-owned Abbiati opted to join Atletico Madrid on loan for a much better wage deal.
They were linked with several candidates, that included current AEK Athens shot stopper Stefano Sorrentino and Inter reserve Francesco Toldo.
However, it was said this evening that an agreement with Sereni was struck for a 2 year contract. He was a free agent after the end of his deal with Lazio.
It is an important move for the 32 year old, who has not been a 1st team player since his time at Brescia in 2002-03, and even then he only made 23 appearances.
Sereni started his career at Sampdoria in 1993, followed by spells at Crevalcore, Piacenza, Empoli and Ipswich Town.
So with Angelo Peruzzi hanging up his gloves and Sereni moving to Turin, Lazio need to go on the hunt for at least one reliable 1st choice goalkeeper.
The prime objective is Argentine star Carrizo, currently plying his trade for River Plate, the only club he has ever played for.
Still only 23, he is considered one for the future and is also of interest to The Hammers.
'It is true, we like Carrizo and Independiente's Oscar Ustari, and also Agustin Orion of San Lorenzo and Mariano Gonzalo Andujar from Estudiantes,' said director of sport Walter Sabatini.
'These are all excellent players, however we have not yet really begun negotiations with the clubs. We are still deciding.'
The transfer guru also denied reports that Lazio had already signed Boca Juniors man Matias Silvestre. 'He is a good player, however no longer of interest to us.'
12 06 2007 Veteran Italian goalie Gianluca Pagliuca said that that he would like to end his career at former club Inter.
'I think I deserve another chance and I hope this is with Inter,' noted the 41 year old shot stopper Monday.
'I would happily be a reserve to [1st choice] Julio Cesar with the Nerazzurri. There are lots of reasons for me to go back. I would find [President Massimo] Moratti again and an environment which I really enjoyed. I would also team up with [boss Roberto] Mancini for a 2nd time and I still have lots of friends in the city of Milan.'
Pagliuca, who won a Scudetto alongside Mancini at Sampdoria, initially joined the San Siro club in 1994 and stayed there until he was replaced by Francesco Toldo in 1999.
However, Pagliuca could now come in for the latter at the club with rumours saying that Toldo would move on in search of 1st team football.
Pagliuca, who played for Italy in the 1994 and 1998 World Cup Finals, is available for transfer after spending the last campaign at relegated Ascoli.
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