Transfer target: Javi Martínez

Javier Martínez Aguinaga is a 19-year-old midfielder currently plying his trade with La Liga outfit Athletic Bilbao. Born in Pamplona, Spain, Martinez attended the youth academy at Osasuna where he eventually earned 32 starts for the B team, scoring a pair of goals. In 2006, the young Spaniard was bought by Los Leones for €6m and has since become a first-team regular. He has been compared to Patrick Vieira for their similar size and style of play. In 48 matches, he's scored 3 goals.

Here's a video of him scoring a brace against Deportivo. The second one is a nice display of his speed, ball control, and determination:


Here's a compilation of the 'best' goals from La Liga and 2006/07. Martinez is number 9 with a great curling lob from right outside the box. The music is awesome as usual by the way:

Today's Banter: Bellamy named Welsh FOY, BBC half-ass apologizes, Injury update, & more

Congratulations to Craig Bellamy who was named Footballer of the Year for Wales, beating out the likes of Ryan Giggs and Gareth Bale. Anytime a Liverpool player, former or not, beats out a Man U player for something, the sun seems to shine a little brighter. It was the first time the 28-year-old striker has won the award. The always humble Bells was surprised to win, but thought he was more deserving in previous years. I sometimes wonder if he was still with our side, what kind of contribution he'd make. Outside of leading the club in offside calls that is.

The BBC just doesn't get it. In their apology for an Eastenders character making remarks about Heysel, Hillsborough, and hooliganism, they claim it was 'misinterpreted.' Any chance of such a notion should be avoided when referencing such a sensitive subject. The causes and the consequences of those events are much too complicated for a television show to handle in just a matter of a couple of lines. Stick to the lame-ass imaginary story lines and stop trying to mix in reality where real people were/are killed and other real people were/are traumatized because of it. Moving on...

There's a good chance that Daniel Agger will be back for the Newcastle match at St. James Park. The 22-year-old Dane is expected to return to full training next week. Since Hyypiä will probably play for Finland next Tuesday, the young centre back's return couldn't come at a better time. Yossi Benayoun could be back in action for the Tyneside tie as well, but Xabi Alonso will be at least an additional week if not more.

In transfer market news, Rafa is ready to sell Scott Carson to Villa if the club are prepared to meet his valuation. It is thought that Benitez wants at least £9m for him. I wonder if we waited until the summer, we could get a bit more for him, especially since Arsene Wenger is an admirer and is in need of a better goalie. Of course, if we could use that money to sign Masche on a permanent, there's no question we should sell.

Sticking to transfers, we are apparently interested in Juventus defender Jonathan Zebina. The 29-year-old Frenchman has apparently fallen out of favor with Claudio Reyna at the Old Lady and could be available in the January transfer window. He can play both right-back and central defense. I say if the price is right, why not? The more the merrier, as long as he doesn't mind not playing every match.

In the laughable news category, apparently Hamburg SV stole the next greatest striker in the world, Macauley Chrisantus, out from under us and every other big club in the world. Let's see here, a youth player has a great U17 World Cup, gets hyped up and apparently everyone wants him. Well, that always works out... *cough* Anthony LeTallec *cough* *cough* Florent Sinama-Pongolle *cough*... We've learned our lesson there.

Finally, in the pot -> kettle -> black category, Real Madrid youth coach Michel took a cheap shot at us for 'stealing' 16-year-old Argentine Gerardo Bruna after the young forward had spent the three previous seasons with the Spanish club. Michel goes on to say, “How many young players taken by Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have played for their first team? They sign the boy to a contract, make all sorts of promises and then put him in their reserves and never give him a competitive game.” Ha ha ha... is he kidding? Two words: Alvaro Arbeloa. Cheers.

Transfer target: Ezequiel Garay

Ezequiel Marcelo Garay is a Argentine centre/right back currently playing for Racing Santander. The 21-year-old signed with the La Liga club from Newell's Old Boys two years ago and has made quite an impact. Adept with his head on set pieces and solid on penalty kicks, Garay has amassed 9 goals in 38 league matches for the Spanish side. He has received multiple call-ups to the Argentina National team, but has had to reject all but one due to injury. He was also a regular for his country's youth side that won the 2005 U20 World Cup in the Netherlands. Manchester United are among the other clubs in pursuit of his services and his valuation is set at £10m. I think he'd be quite the pairing with Agger. Here's some videos of his work.

A header goal for Newell's Old Boys from a free kick. It begins about 40 seconds in:


Another sensational header goal, this time for Racing:


A six-minute interview which includes a bit about the anchovies of Santander: