Rumors are heating up across Europe as the transfer window comes to a close on Friday. First, reports in Spain claim that Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme finally found a home after Villarreal agreed to him to Atletico Madrid. The 29-year-old's asking price was a hefty $20 million, although no fee was reported. Riquelme rejoins former Yellow Submarine teammate Diego Forlan at the Vicente Calderon, along with fellow summer signings Simao Sabrosa, Luis Garcia and Jose Antonio Reyes. Elsewhere in Spain, rumors of unrest at Barcelona have seen playmaker extraordinaire Ronaldinho linked once again with a move to Chelsea. The Brazilian's brother-agent Roberto de Assis was spotted in London last week meeting with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. Barcelona has denied that the former World Player of the Year will leave the club; his buyout clause is understood to be in the neighborhood of $170 million.
West Ham United of the English Premier League is also heavily in the news today, as manager Alan Curbishley is on the lookout for another striker after new signing Kieron Dyer broke his leg in a Carling Cup match on Tuesday. West Ham officials were in Milan on Tuesday negotiating the possible transfer of Inter Milan misfit Adriano, who would cost the London club upward of $30 million with a salary of more than $160,000 per week. West Ham has also lodged a $10 million bid for England and Reading left back Nicky Shorey, but has accepted defeat in the pursuit of both Nicolas Anelka of Bolton and now, Eidur Gudjohnsen of Barcelona, who's suffering from a long-term knee injury.
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