by JC_81 » Thu May 22, 2008 5:36 pm
Sounds like Alves is on his way to Barce. At least United won't get him. (from SSN)
Daniel Alves has admitted that he has been waiting for two years for his chance to move to a major club and is desperate to sign for Barcelona as soon as possible.
The Brazilian full-back has made no secret of his desire to move to Camp Nou and heaped praise on incoming coach Pep Guardiola and the players that he hopes to be lining up with next term.
Sevilla are thought to have rejected a bid of €25m for Alves, but he is determined to move on this summer and has set his sights on joining Barcelona over any other club.
An honour
"As I have said more than once it would be an honour and a pleasure to be able to play for Barca," he told Catalan daily Sport. "I am just waiting for concrete news and hope that things can move as quickly as possible.
"The truth is that it is a bit more complicated than it seemed. It does not depend on me and when that happens things are more difficult.
"I think that I am ready to join a major club. I have been here for five-and-a-half years and a lot of things have happened. I have matured a lot and I have been waiting for this moment for two years now."
Last summer, Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido rejected an offer of €36m from Chelsea for Alves, but the player himself is not concerned about similar amounts that are being talked about again.
"It is difficult to put a price on my work. It is the president who must do that. Where I go is what I decide. I will say where I go. My future is down to me and nobody else. But the price is down to him," he continued.
"Last year he rejected an offer that was far too much. But I cannot do anything about that if someone wants to pay that."
Step-up
Alves is expecting that the step up from Sevilla to Barcelona will be the equivalent of him going to play international football.
"I think it will be like the Brazilian national team. There will be very different players there like in every great club. It will be like the national side," he explained.
"I have not spoken to anyone there because I have not had enough confidence to do that yet. But I know Sylvinho, he is a model professional and Ronaldinho also."
Alves was asked about Guardiola and he did not hold back in his praise for the former Blaugrana playmaker who is due to officially take over from Frank Rijkaard in June.
Pep praised
"He is spectacular. I love football and I always watched Barca against Madrid when I was younger. In Brazil he was considered to be one of the best in his position. He was a great player and I have no doubt that he will be a great coach," he added.
Finally, Alves was asked whether he had been learning Catalan in preparation for his move to Barcelona and he joked that he was still trying to understand people at his current club.
"I think it will be very difficult. I was told the same when I was studying English though. At the moment I have perfect Spanish. I do not understand people in Seville though, they swallow their words," he said.