The big money-go-round before the start of the European soccer season next month is in full swing, with the main focus on the stars of the Euro 2000 tournament.
Portugal's Luis Figo, who helped take his country all the way to the championship semifinals before losing to eventual champions France, has been at the centre of the biggest scramble.
The Barcelona star stoked speculation in Spain last week by refusing to comment on reports he had signed a pre-contract deal with arch-rivals Real Madrid for a $US115 million ($233 million) fee.
But Figo broke his silence at the weekend, firmly denying any deal with Real Madrid presidential candidate Florentino Perez.
He told Barcelona-based Sport newspaper he had had offers from Perez and other clubs, including Italy's Lazio, but his future lay at Barcelona's Nou Camp base.
"I want to reassure fans that Luis Figo, with all the certainty in the world, will be at the Nou Camp on July 24 to start the season," he said.
The midfield playmaker, whose scorching goal against England paved the way for Portugal's 3-2 win and set them up on their Euro 2000 run, blamed the situation on outgoing Barcelona president Josep Lluis Nunez.
He said he had told Nunez that other clubs were interested in him.
"They were offers that, as a father and a human being and a professional footballer, I had to take into account thinking about my future.
"Nunez always refused to talk about my contract. I never asked for what they are offering to pay me elsewhere, only that we should talk. Nunez knew I was prepared to sign for less."
Barcelona and Lazio, who won the Italian league in the last game of last season, have also been linked over the future of Dutch Euro 2000 star Boudewijn Zenden.
Italian newspapers reported Zenden had been offered $25 million to move from Barcelona to the Italian champions.
He would be a valuable replacement if, as expected, Lazio's Portuguese midfielder Sergio Conceicao moves to Parma.
Lazio are reported to be "99 per cent" sure of signing Parma's Argentine striker Hernan Crespo.
Another hot property, Portuguese international Rui Costa, has extended his contract with Fiorentina until 2004 after netting a reported $5 million-a- year deal.
Italian goalkeeper Francesco Toldo is also staying at the club that lost striker Gabriel Batistuta to AS Roma in the close season.
Turkish striker Hakan Sukur has completed his move from Galatasary to Inter Milan for around $12 million. He heads an impressive strikeforce including Christian Vieri, Ivan Zamorano and injured Brazilian Ronaldo.
In Britain, French international midfielder Christian Karembeu has signed for premier league Middlesbrough from Real Madrid for $6.3 million. He joins eight members of the triumphant French squad in the premiership.
Arsenal have Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit, and recently Robert Pires; Chelsea have Marcel Desailly, Franck Leboeuf and Didier Deschamps and Manchester United have Fabien Barthez.
Media reports have also linked Girondins Bordeaux striker Sylvain Wiltord, scorer of the dramatic French equaliser against Italy in the Euro final, to Arsenal.
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