Its a funny old life

[stevico1]

A friend sent me this, I remember Marius telling me how he turned down Arsenal and decided to join Milan but then he got a bad injury, strange how life turns out one minute the San Siro next TCS!!

Niculae snubs Arsenal for Milan

18.11 || webmaster

Sporting Lisbon forward Marius Niculae has turned down offers from Hertha Berlin and Arsenal after admitting he expects to sign for AC Milan at the end of the season. "I want to thank the clubs for their interest in me, but I will only go and play in Italy," he said.

The Romania forward, who scored a crucial goal in his country's World Cup play-off defeat in Slovenia last weekend, has been linked with a move away from Portugal after an impressive start to his career in Lisbon, in which he has scored seven goals in his first eleven league games.

And he admitted that international team-mate and Milan wing-back Cosmin Contra has been trying to persuade the young star to move to the San Siro when the Italian transfer window re-opens in January.

"If Milan really want me, then they must wait until the summer. I don't like to leave a team in the middle of the season. I came to Portugal for Boloni and I know that my next destination will be Italy. I also know that the interest of the Rossoneri is not new.

"My friend Contra said that I must hurry, but I replied that I would stay calm, because I never took decisions in a hurry."

Contra added: "I use every moment to tell Marius to come to Milan, to play in a great club. But he is very difficult to convince."

Niculae, whose buy-out clause is ?12 million, continued: "I never said that I intended to finish my career in Sporting. I respect the coach Boloni very much. He helped me a lot, by naming me for the first time in Romanian senior squad, and I really want to return the favour by winning some trophies with my club.

"But my dream is to play one day in my favourite championships, in Italy or Spain. With all respect to the other clubs from Germany or England, I am not attracted by playing there.

"I received offers from Germany and from England, but like I said, from when I was a child I dreamed of playing in Italy. I want to thank Hertha Berlin and also Arsenal for their interest in me – I am really very honoured – but I will only go and play in Italy. And only if something spoils that dream, my second choice will be Spain."

AC Milan face Sporting in next week's Uefa Cup tie and the Italians are set to ask their opponents to release sell them Niculae during the winter. But Sporting, who snapped up the international in a cut-price ?2 million deal in August from Dinamo Bucharest, want to hold on to their prized asset until the end of the season.

The Milan board may settle on a compromise which will see Niculae sign a pre-contract agreement committing to a San Siro switch in the summer.

Earlier this sesason, Niculae, whose contract runs out in 2004, dismissed speculation linking him with Real Madrid. "One thing is certain, I feel good at Sporting and I want to respect the contract which I have at the club."

Niculae famously turned down the chance to sign for Manchester United when he refused to travel to Old Trafford for a trial last season

Edited November 25, 2009 by stevico1

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

B)

[ICTFCkev]

B) :lol:

[FortressICT]

Such a lie. At no stage in his career would he ever be good enough for them.

[stevico1]

Such a lie. At no stage in his career would he ever be good enough for them.

Just because you don't agree with something doesn't make it a lie!!

I take it from that you studied Niculae's career closely in 2004 and consider yourself a better judge of a footballer that Wenger or whoever was manager of Milan at the time as the fact of the matter was he was 3 weeks away from signing a pre-contract with them when his cruciate ligament went for the first time.

I lived in Romania when he first burst onto the scene in Romania and when he signed for Sporting there was huge hype about him, he was 15 and a half when he made his Dinamo debut.

Edited November 26, 2009 by stevico1

[Yngwie]

he was 15 and a half stone when he made his ICT debut.

Fixed it! :tonguecheek:

[stevico1]

he was 15 and a half stone when he made his ICT debut.

Fixed it! :tonguecheek:

:lol:

[Scarlet Pimple]

Stone the crows.!!

What will they think of next?