Transfer Rumours Thread 2013/2014 Season

[RagingBull]

in the Midol paper today (in frence but tried to translate it.

Bai For two years Leicester Double champion France with Clermont and Castres, Seremaia Bai (35, 57 selections) will raise a last challenege has Leicester. Fiji center is committed for two years with the club Leicester. This signature is a little more accredit the arrival of his compatriot Vereniki Goneva. currently in tigers, whose signature could CO unless purchased his pre-contract - be quickly confirmed and formalized once the market officially opened mutations

[Tigerbeat]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/26972083


Leicester Tigers are "very close" to signing Italy flanker Robert Barbieri, says chief executive Simon Cohen.
He told BBC Radio Leicester's Leicester Tigers Rugby Show fellow Treviso men Michele Rizzo, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Christian Loamanu are also shortlisted.
Castres' Seremaia Bai and Rotherham's Laurence Pearce are further targets.
"I'd like to think that when we're done people will look at it and think it's a slightly stronger squad than last year, if the same size," said Cohen.
Robert Barbieri factfile

Born: Toronto, Canada, 5 June 1984
Height: 1.85m (6ft 1ins)
Weight: 108kg (17st 0lb)
Clubs: Yeomen, Crociati and Treviso
Capped 35 times by Italy, scoring 10 points
"I think it's well documented that we're talking to a couple of Treviso players - we clearly have to find a replacement for Thomas Waldrom, who's indicated he's going, and we know Toby [Flood] is going.
"Barbieri plays eight for Treviso and seven for Italy and would give us some flexibility and a little bit more coverage. That would be a good deal to get across the line and that deal is very close."
However, Cohen has ruled out signing another Treviso player and Italy international, Lorenzo Cittadini.
But, after seeing the Tigers lose 22-16 to Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup quarter-final last weekend, he confirmed negotiations are ongoing for Gloucester and England fly-half Freddie Burns.
Deals are on the table for current Tigers players Niki Goneva, Rob Hawkins and Dan Bowden, with all three understood to also be considering other offers.
Cohen indicated head coach Richard Cockerill is still weighing up the future of Pablo Matera.
He said: "We are trying everything we can do to keep Niki - we made him a really good offer and have given him time to think about it.
"But obviously it can't go on forever. He hasn't accepted that offer and we won't change our offer, so he has to change his mind for that to happen.
"Rob and Dan have done a really good job for the club and it would be a shame if they went, but I understand are looking at other options."

[tigerben]

Goneva's signed an extension to his current contract according to Radio Leicester this morning

[trendylfj]

Goneva's signed an extension to his current contract according to Radio Leicester this morning

absolutely brilliant news if RL have got it right and they usually have. Still would like confirmation by the club.

[Bundy]

Great news!!

[tigerben]

Goneva's signed an extension to his current contract according to Radio Leicester this morning

absolutely brilliant news if RL have got it right and they usually have. Still would like confirmation by the club.

Agreed - although they are reporting him as Tongan!

[Rykard]

on the offy site now
http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/192 ... 0jt4vldV9g

[tigertone]

now confirmed on the tigers site!!

[FrontRowUnionMember]

If the Goneva story is true, and Rizzo, Ghiraldini, Barbieri, Pearce, Burns, Bai and Loamanu have been signed, that's a quality bit of retention/recruitment.
All that remains is the futures of Bowden, Matera and Schuster. Rumours suggest all three are off. Not sure who, if any, will be directly replaced, though Cockerill has suggested another TH was being looked for. We have to be careful, as Cole's injury has highlighted our lack of cover, but at the same time we have some real prospects in Balmain etc who we don't want to hamper their development. Bowden going could well be covered by Allen, Bai, Hepetema and Pohe. Matera loss still leaves us covered at 7 by Salvi, Gibson and Barbieri, shame though as I thought he was a real up and coming prospect who could have been mentored by Salvi as his longer term replacement.

[trendylfj]

The only one left as far as I am concerned which I desperately want to keep is Matera. Don't want Dan Bowden to go but if he does then best wishes to him but I will be very very disappointed to see Matera go as I do believe he is a natural replacement for Salvi as well as competition for Gibson and we haven't see the best of him yet by a long way.

[RWA]

The Matera thing is driven I'm sure by how much we will see him in a Tigers shirt. With the Rugby Championship, AIs etc we won't see him before Christmas. Good prospect but I don't see us keeping him.

[FrontRowUnionMember]

The only one left as far as I am concerned which I desperately want to keep is Matera. Don't want Dan Bowden to go but if he does then best wishes to him but I will be very very disappointed to see Matera go as I do believe he is a natural replacement for Salvi as well as competition for Gibson and we haven't see the best of him yet by a long way.

Exactly my thinking. If weren't going to keep all 3, (Goneva, Matera & Bowden), then unfortunately Bowden is the one I'd sacrifice first. I'd like to see Matera stay, but I'm not confident. The one plus is with Camacho staying, he has stated how much he's help him settle in.
Ideal works for me now, keep Matera, resolve the prop situation. Arguably I'd let Schuster stay if we feel we can rediscover the player who played for France.

[Hinckley Bob]

Excellent news that Goneva is staying and if most of the rumoured signing are confirmed, we will be looking strong next year.

I would also like to see Matera stay but, reading between the lines, it seems unlikely because of his Argentina commitments. Rather like the Agulla situation but probably an even bigger loss, given his age and potential. I would hate to see him turning out for Bath, Saracens or Northampton in the future.

[jgriffin]

I would've thought that Tigers could make Matera a development offer, a year or two say, at a rate commensurate with his absences - medical cover and development with Salvi as mentor would IMO tempt a young player, knowing his subsequent market value would be sky-high.

[kpj tiger]

I dont think the problem with Matera is the fact he is away else we would have just re-signed comacho who will be away for the same time, its the money it costs to keep him, It was well documented that the likes of Toulon were after him when we signed him so his value is probably quiet high already, that problem is compounded by the fact he is only here for 50% of the season