Davids ponders Barca move, says agent

[Jager]

Definite dutch link... :hey:


MADRID, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Barcelona have started talks with Italian champions Juventus with a view to signing their Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids, the Catalan club have confirmed.

'We have been in contact with Juventus to talk over the possibility of signing the player (Davids),' Barcelona president Joan Laporta told Spanish state television.

'But we are still at a very early stage of negotiations and nothing concrete has been decided at the moment.'

Spanish television said Barca were looking to sign Davids, who is out of favour at Juve, on loan until the end of the season.

Meanwhile Davids' agent Robert Geerlings said he was aware of the discussions and said the player would be interested in the move.

'I know that the two clubs are talking about it. I spoke with Juventus's directors last week and they alerted me to this possibility,' Geerlings was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday.

'They don't want Edgar to end up in another Italian team. They'd rather he went abroad.'

Dutchman Davids, 30, has fallen out with the Serie A champions after failing to renew his contract which expires at the end of this season. His battling qualities are well known to Barca's coach, former Dutch international Frank Rijkaard.

DUTCH LINK

'Edgar would have liked to continue playing with Juve until the end of his contract,' added Geerlings.

'Unfortunately, he hasn't had much space and Barcelona is an excellent option for him.

'He likes the club, knows Rijkaard well, and several of his international team mates are there already.

'It (Barcelona) needs a midfielder with his mentality. Above all it would offer him the chance to play during the six months leading up to the European Championship.'

Barcelona are a disappointing 12th in the Spanish Primera Liga, 18 points behind leaders and bitter rivals Real Madrid. But they are only four adrift of Osasuna who occupy the final Champions League berth.

Laporta said he agreed with Rijkaard who told a news conference on Wednesday that the team lacked and needed strengthening in certain positions.

'The coaching staff have our complete confidence and if they believe the team is unbalanced then we will try to meet their requests and do something to rectify the problem.'