Brazil international striker Leandro Damiao has insisted that he is happy at Internacional, with Inter Milan, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly keen on the highly-rated 23-year-old, Sky Sports understands.
According to reports, Tottenham made several advances for the Brazilian striker during the summer, but failed on all attempts, with Internacional supposedly seeking a transfer fee close to the buy-out clause in Damiao’s contract, which is rumoured to be in the region of £40 million.
Damiao remains close friends with Chelsea ace Oscar, who used to play for Internacional before making a lucrative move to the English Premier League.
“Oscar is a big friend and our wives are friends, too,” Damiao told UOL. “He is happy there, but of course misses Brazil as a lot of people helped him there.
“Of course all players have the dream of going (to Europe). That will happen one day. He asks me when I’ll go there, I say I can’t answer that yet.
“I’m happy at Internacional, I have a long contract. All players dream of going to Europe and that will happy one day, but I’m happy here.”
You get the feeling that Damiao would welcome a move to Europe in the near future. Perhaps he will change his mind in the summer and finally make his highly-anticipated move overseas.
Of course, the £40 million release clause in his current contract might put off some teams, and, to be perfectly honest, rightfully so.
Fernandinho wants EPL move in January
Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fernandinho has revealed that he wants to move to the Premier League in January, Sky Sports reports.
Fernandinho, 27, bagged the winner for the Ukrainian Premier League giants against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League on 23 October.
As a result, Shakhtar are currently in first place in Group E, three points clear of the defending European champions from West London, while all members of the group — Shakhtar, Chelsea, Juventus and FC Nordsjælland — have three matches left on schedule.
Fernandinho joined Shakhtar Donetsk from Clube Atlético Paranaense for a reported fee of £7 million in 2005.
Since arriving at the Donbass Arena, the Brazilian midfielder has played in over 250 competitive matches for the Ukrainian giants, while simultaneously earning five international caps for Brazil, the first of which came in 2011.
He’s a big-time player, playing at a pretty big European club at the moment. Nonetheless, he still wants to move to the Premier League, and understandably so.
“If I had the opportunity to play in the Premier League I think that my qualities would improve even further,” said Fernandinho.
“I believe that the tactical roles of the players are very important, as well as its defensive responsibilities.
“However, these last years we have seen new, more aggressive players with very diverse styles, which make the games even more interesting.
“If I could combine all these roles, I could give considerable value to the Premier League.
“I like England a lot. It is a beautiful country and if I had the opportunity to live here, it would be very good for me and my family.”
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