iBet: Expect goals at both ends in South American clash
Brazil are not a team to be putting your mortgage on in friendlies, but the level of Uruguay's task ...
26 June 2013 02:01 AM
Thursday, 27 June 2013
Cristiano Ronaldo 'to meet Manchester United officials' ahead of Premier ... - The Independent
iBet: Expect goals at both ends in South American clash
Brazil are not a team to be putting your mortgage on in friendlies, but the level of Uruguay's task ...
26 June 2013 02:01 AM
Chelsea 'agree' £49.3 million deal for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani to see ... - Telegraph.co.uk
Cavani was the top goalscorer in Serie A last season and the 26-year-old says he wants to hold face-to-face talks with De Laurentiis after the Napoli president spoke of a quick resolution to any transfer.
Speaking to Italian radio station Radio Rai, De Laurentiis said: "I don't think Cavani will leave on August 10. I'm confident in him because I consider him a real man. He won't make a joke of me.
"Should Cavani want to leave, he will decide it after a long period of reflection. We will know everything by July 20. If not, I'll smack him!"
(Edited by Ben Bloom)
Juan Mata: I am not leaving Chelsea - Telegraph.co.uk
Mata was raised at Real Madrid's academy before establishing himself at Valencia, and was coy on the subject of a possible return to the Bernabeu in the future.
Asked if a return to the Spanish giants was a challenge he had set himself, he said: "I only have good words for Real Madrid. I was there for four years and they brought me up, both as a player and a person.
"I have many friends there and I'm very grateful to the club. But I've spent two great years in London and the only thing I'm thinking about now is continuing to enjoy this league and this city that I love."
(Edited by Giles Mole)
Manchester City striker Carlos Tévez closes in on £10m Juventus switch - Telegraph.co.uk
City's only significant disappointment has been the failure to recruit Malaga midfielder Isco, who is poised to join Real Madrid, although Pellegrini is hoping that Samir Nasri can thrive in a similar role.
The prospective departure of Tévez will still raise questions about whether City have sufficient firepower to regain the Premier League title from Manchester United.
Tévez scored 73 goals in 138 games during four seasons at City which also included one Premier League title and one FA Cup win. His time at City, however, will also be remembered for his very public fallout with former manager Roberto Mancini amid accusations – denied by Tévez – that he refused to come on as a substitute during a Champions League game against Bayern Munich in 2011.
He also put in a transfer request during the previous season and there would be irony in him finally leaving City only after Mancini – with whom he had such a strained relationship – has already left.
Tévez's two seasons at Manchester United also contained a mixture of on-field success and off-field unrest, but did peak with him helping the team win both the Champions League and World Club Cup.
His achievement in helping to keep West Ham United in the Premier League during the 2006-7 season came to be overshadowed by further off-field controversies. West Ham were found to have breached Premier League rules relating to third party influence and acting in good faith towards other clubs over the signings of Tévez and Javier Mascherano. They avoided a points deduction, however, and it was hugely controversial that Tévez should be permitted to play in the concluding matches of the 2006-7 season.
City also have to hold talks with England internationals Joleon Lescott and Gareth Barry, who, like Tévez, have only a year left on their present contracts. With Fernandinho signing, Barry's future at City would appear to be in some doubt while defender Lescott lost his place last season to Matija Nastasic.
Carlos Tevez: Manchester City & Juventus agree £12m deal - BBC News
Manchester City and Juventus have agreed a deal for striker Carlos Tevez to join the Italian side in a transfer worth up to £12m.
City accepted an offer of £10m that could rise by £2m with add-ons.
Tevez's City troubles
27 September, 2011: City lose 2-0 to Bayern Munich with Tevez accused of refusing to warm up to go on as substitute
27 September: Roberto Mancini says Tevez is finished with Manchester City
28 October: Fined two weeks' wages for breach of contract related to Bayern game (£400,000)
7 November: Tevez flies to Argentina without the club's permission
22 December: City charge Tevez with gross misconduct for his actions since 7 November. (Six weeks' fine: £1.2m). Given until 7 January to appeal
11 January, 2012: Appeal heard by directors and dismissed
3 February: Mancini admits Tevez could play again
14 February: Tevez returns from Argentina
21 March: Tevez returns for City as substitute in the 2-1 win against Chelsea
The Argentina international, 29, is expected in Italy on Wednesday for a medical and to discuss personal terms over a proposed three-year contract.
When the fee is combined with wages and bonuses due to Tevez in the final year of his contract, City could save £27m.
The two clubs reached an agreement at a meeting in London on Tuesday.
Tevez signed a five-year contract when he joined the Sky Blues in 2009 after previously playing for Manchester United.
City paid his advisors - who owned his contract - a reported £25.5m fee, although some have claimed the figure was £47m.
He has made 148 appearances for the club, scoring 74 goals, but the relationship with former manager Roberto Mancini soured in 2011 when he was fined and suspended following an incident in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich.
City must now search for a replacement but have said they will not pay the £53m asking price for Napoli forward Edinson Cavani.
Arsenal hope to push through Gonzalo Higuain signing after Carlo Ancelotti ... - Telegraph.co.uk
"Real are one of the best clubs in the world, but there is no deal yet. When you're a kid, you dream about playing at a team like Madrid. If I leave one day, I'll be ready to move to a bigger club."
Radio Marte, a Napoli radio station, yesterday reported that Chelsea had already made an acceptable offer.
"We have received news in the office from a very reliable source that Napoli have sealed a deal with Chelsea for Cavani's sale," it said. "Rafa Benitez also gave the all-clear but before making the move official Napoli want to secure the striker who will replace Il Matador."
Chelsea have not commented on this report but there is a sense that Napoli are now attempting to create an auction and pressurise Real into coming forward with an offer.
Chelsea did yesterday formally announce the £18 million signing of Bayer Leverkusen forward Andre Schurrle.
The arrival of Ancelotti at Real will contribute to a general escalation in transfer activity across Europe over the next fortnight, with many of the main deals interlinked and dependent on the key managerial appointments. There will also be a push to get transfers completed before players return from their holidays during the next month. It was also significant yesterday that Laurent Blanc replaced Ancelotti at Paris St-Germain on a one-year deal, with the further option of a second season.
This again points very clearly towards PSG's desire to recruit Wenger once his Arsenal contract expires at the end of next season. Arsenal remain confident that Wenger will agree to extend his contract and oversee a significant escalation in the club's spending power.
As well as Higuain, Wenger is evaluating his options in central midfield, central defence and among his goalkeepers. Arsenal failed with a January deadline-day bid for Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue but have been monitoring other alternatives, including Celtic's Victor Wanywama.
Southampton had a £12 million bid accepted for Wanywama but that deal has collapsed due to the personal terms and agent fees that were being demanded. Liverpool are also interested.
"Their offer was way below Victor's expectations," said Ivan Modia, Wanyama's representative. "There is no chance of him signing the deal on offer and, in fact, both Celtic and Southampton were informed of this some time ago.
"We know there is interest from elsewhere and Victor is obviously open to those prospects. Nobody at Celtic can question his attitude and he is hopeful he can leave on good terms with the club."
Manchester City set to lose out to Real Madrid in race to sign Isco - The Guardian
Manuel Pellegrini's first official day as Manchester City manager ended in disappointment with Isco set to reject the chance to join his former Málaga coach and sign for Real Madrid.
City are relaxed about the midfielder's decision, which has yet to become official, after the 21-year-old said that Madrid "excite".
Pellegrini is also unconcerned that the prospect of landing Napoli's Edinson Cavani is receding. City have kept watch on the striker after he was identified as a target by Roberto Mancini but Pellegrini does not hold the Uruguayan in the same regard.
If Isco is signed by Madrid, Pellegrini is content with the resources at his disposal, which include Yaya Touré, David Silva, Jesus Navas, Fernandinho, Samir Nasri and James Milner.
City's plan to play 4-3-3 as their main formation next season puts in further context their content with the current midfield and attacking personnel. As Carlos Tevez and Sergio Agüero, the forwards, can play anywhere across the attacking line, the need to bring in Isco and Cavani is not being viewed as vital.
Pellegrini spoke for the first time about Navas and Fernandinho. He told mcfc.co.uk: "Jesus is a player I know well from La Liga. He is quick, has excellent technique and City fans will enjoy watching him. He will provide a variety of attacking options for us and can also score goals as well as create them."
Of the Brazilian, Pellegrini said: "I made Fernandinho one of the top priorities. He has impressed me on a number of occasions over the past few years and is another player I've taken a keen interest in. He is an experienced international who will further strengthen our midfield and I think he will be well suited to the Premier League. He is a superb athlete with a wide range of passing, can score goals and most importantly, can quickly turn defence into attack.
"I am looking forward to working with both our new signings and with the players who have already won a Premier League title together. We have a very strong pool and together we aim to achieve great things."
The future of Joleon Lescott remains in the balance, though with Kolo Touré having departed for Liverpool the central defender could yet remain at City.
Joe Kinnear attempts to salvage relationship with Newcastle fans - The Guardian
Joe Kinnear has attempted to build bridges with the Newcastle fans he last week claimed he was more intelligent than. The 66-year-old has embarked upon a charm offensive of sorts after a difficult first few days in his role as the club's new director of football.
Despite rounding on Newcastle's record goalscorer, Alan Shearer, over the weekend, he has attempted to establish a relationship with supporters angered by his appointment.
He told the Chronicle: "They are like me up there – they appreciate hard work. I am from a council estate and I have been taught the values of hard work. A lot of the fans up there have that attitude. They want to see their team do as well as possible.
"When things are not going right, they stamp their feet – and so they should. It is part of the culture up there and you have to take the criticism when you do not do well."
Indeed, Kinnear insisted he still retains a huge affection for the club's fans from his brief spell as manager at St James' Park during the 2008-09 season, and reiterated his belief that he was doing a good job until health problems struck. However, he once again hit out at the north-east media, who he famously blasted in a foul-mouthed tirade.
Kinnear said: "When I was there as manager, I was doing a great job. The team was away from the relegation area but the media were on my back. At the end of the day I love the fans up there. I fell in love with them.
"None of the media liked what I said to them. But I tell you, I did not say one bad word about the fans. You have to remember you are representing the fans up here. That is what I have to do – work hard to get the club going forward again."
Newcastle won five of the 26 games they played with Kinnear in charge, and Shearer was unable to prevent them from slipping out of the Premier League after being drafted in for the final eight games of the campaign.
Meanwhile, the club announced on Monday morning that the team will travel to Scotland and Portugal as they prepare for the new season. Alan Pardew's squad will head for Motherwell on Tuesday, 16 July before jetting off to Portugal for a training camp which will include fixtures against Primeira Liga duo Rio Ave and Pacos de Ferreira on 20 and 23 July respectively.
Blackpool will host the Magpies at Bloomfield Road on Sunday, 28 July, and a Newcastle XI will play at St Mirren two days later. In their only home fixture of the pre-season campaign, they will welcome Braga to St James' Park on Saturday, 10 August – a week before the new campaign gets under way, although they hope to arrange a further away game before the Portuguese outfit head for Tyneside.
Football transfer rumours: Robert Lewandowski to Manchester City? - The Guardian
From cigar-smuggling goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora to cheroot-sucking trickster Johan Cruyff, Barcelona have employed one or two smokers in their time. Presumably having not changed their club doctor since 1922, Barça are now thinking about spending £25m on Wayne Rooney who, emboldened by an upgrade to his weave and increasingly independent of mind, has demanded transfers from Manchester United for both himself and his little pal Rug 2.0. Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Arsenal are keeping tabs on the situation, as it were.
Also taking his leave of Manchester in search of glamour is Micah Richards, who may sign a new deal with Manchester City before heading off to Internazionale on loan. No, we don't understand it either, but then it's none of our business. City have meanwhile already agreed to let Carlos Tevez join Juventus, and want to replace him with Robert Lewandowski, who really does need to sign for Bayern Munich or get off the pot.
But City are no longer interested in Edinson Cavani, having been spooked by the Napoli striker's £300,000-a-week wage demand. Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid have all long taken leave of their senses, and are still considering it.
Everton haven't worked themselves into a froth over a player from a major international tournament since Daniel Amokachi at the 1994 World Cup. It's about that time, and so they're in for CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda, who put in a decent shift for Japan at the Confederations Cup.
Honda will arrive at Goodison alongside Arouna Koné. That's more good news for Everton fans: not only have they seen off Swansea City and Norwich City for the Ivory Coast striker, it also stands to reason that Roberto Martínez can only plunder old club Wigan for so many players, and this means there's now statistically less chance of him going back for Gary Caldwell.
The west of Scotland to the East Riding. It's a route once traversed by Daniel Cousin, so you'd assume Gary Hooper is not taking Hull boss Steve Bruce's calls.
Newcastle United are after André-Pierre Gignac. The £12m Marseille striker ticks all the boxes for Newcastle: he's French, he's a powerful unit in the Shearer-Carroll mould, and they won't have to compete with cash-rich Anzhi Makhachkala for him, which is what's putting them off Vitesse Arnhem's Wilfried Bony.
And Paris Saint-Germain, who have just appointed Laurent Blanc as coach, are after Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger as coach. Yes, we have copied that one down correctly.
André Schürrle confident of trophies after completing Chelsea move - The Guardian
Schürlle ? Chelsea
André Schürrle believes Chelsea can compete for honours at home and abroad under José Mourinho's stewardship next season after the Germany forward was formally confirmed as the first signing of the manager's second spell at Stamford Bridge. The 22-year-old, who will wear the No14 shirt, has signed a five-year contract after Chelsea reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month at a fee of around £18.7m. The paperwork has now been completed on the deal, with Schurrle eager to make an impact at his new club. "I think we have a great team with some very talented young players," he said. "We can all improve ourselves, and under José Mourinho I'm confident we can have a really great season.
"For this club, winning titles is always the main objective. We have a great young team with so much quality. We are capable of doing well in the Premier League, Champions League and the cup competitions as well, and I hope to play a big part."
Schürrle, who was speaking to Chelsea's official website, admitted that he had spoken with the former Leverkusen and Chelsea player Michael Ballack before opting to move to London, the former Germany captain having urged him to join. He could be joined at Stamford Bridge by the promising Holland midfielder Marco van Ginkel, 20, from Vitesse Arnhem this summer. The London side enjoy a close working relationship with the Dutch club, who have taken a number of players on loan from Chelsea in recent years, and would appear to be his likeliest destination if, indeed, the player is permitted to depart the GelreDome ahead of the new campaign.
Bilic ? Besiktas
Slaven Bilic is set to become the manager of Besiktas on a two-year contract worth a reported €800,000 (£680,500) per season. The Turkish club released a statement on the Istanbul Stock Exchange confirming they are in talks with the former West Ham defender. The statement read: "We are in talks with Slaven Bilic for the Besiktas managerial role." The Besiktas director of football Onder Ozen and the board member Ahmet Nur Cebi reportedly travelled to Zagreb to secure the deal after the Croatian was sacked by Lokomotiv Moscow last week. Bilic, 44, took charge of Lokomotiv last summer but could only guide the club to a ninth-placed finish in the 16-team Premier League, the club's worst finish since 1991. Staff
Wanyama ? Southampton
Victor Wanyama will not be moving from Celtic to Southampton, according to the player's agent. The midfielder, 21, looks set to leave the Scottish champions after Celtic accepted a fee believed to be in excess of £12m. However, Wanyama's representative, Ivan Modia, maintains there are no longer any talks with Southampton, and the player, who scored in Celtic's Champions League win over Barcelona last season, is likely to look elsewhere. PA
Forster ? Rangers
Richard Foster has sealed his return to Rangers after agreeing a two-year-deal. The full-back has been released from his contract with Bristol City and will be registered on 1 September. PA
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Manchester City on brink of selling striker Carlos Tevez to Juventus for £10m - The Independent
The transfer of Tevez on a three-year deal - agreed on the second day of Manuel Pellegrini's reign as City manager - will deliver the club a base transfer fee of 9m euros (£7.6m), though the sum will reach the £10m mark with some of the add-ons Juve have agreed to, which include 1m euros (£848,000) for every year the Italians qualify for the Champions League. But it is the wages and bonuses which they must lose, as an already a summer in which they have laid out £45m on Jesus Navas and Fernandinho will become more of a drain on their resources, with a replacement striker critical after Tevez's departure. City have made an verbal enquiry in the last month about the Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, though they face a battle in their attempts to sign him. Attempts to sign Napoli's Edison Cavani have failed.
The lack of agreement on personal terms means the deal is not complete and Tevez may not immediately fly to Turin for a medical today because of that. But he is understood to be happy with the highly incentivised package on the table and negotiations are understood to be 90 per cent complete.
Sources in Italy last night suggested that Tevez, 29, would earn 5.5m euros (£4.6m) a year in Italy with substantial bonuses based on appearances and goals, which represents a near halving of the terms which saw him brought to City from Old Trafford. Yet he has always hankered after playing in Serie A. He feels he will join a strong, young side and a club which is some ways is still bigger than City, if less well resourced.
City moved rapidly to agreed terms. Chief executive Ferran Soriano and director of football Txiki Begiristain met Juve officials in London late this morning and within a few hours were ready to call the player's representative, Kia Joorabchian, and ask him if he was prepared to talk to the Italians. Despite rumours in Italy, as of Monday night the Tevez camp were in the dark about the club's intentions and still seeking a conversation with them.
The club wanted to be rid of the Tevez wages, as the strive to comply with the strictures of Uefa's Financial Fair Play regime. The club stressed last night that they were saving themselves £17m for the remaining year of the Argentine' contract - £10.6m in basic wages and a further £6.4m in unspecified bonuses. Though that adds up to a gain of £27m, the cost in wages and bonuses of the player's would offset that figure in real terms.
The add-ons to the transfer fee for City will include one million euros (£848,000) for each year that the Italian side win the Italian title or Champions League, as well as the same figure for Champions League qualification. If the transfer is agreed, it will leave City with just two experienced strikers - Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero, who has recently signed an extension to his deal.
Tevez's departure would mean the departure from English football of one of the most controversial figures of modern times who, despite his high profile row with Pellegrini's predecessor Roberto Mancini, has played a key part in the club's development into a side who represent a genuine challenge to his former club.
Tevez has been in English football for seven years and though he never fully adapted to life in the country and struggled to grasp the language, he has been a rich addition to the Premier League. Though he fell out spectacularly with Mancini by refusing to go onto the field of lay in a Champions League tie at Bayern Munich the season before last, the club's Abu Dhabi ownership have never forgotten the way he disappeared to Argentina in November 2011 - effectively going on strike - when his transfer request was not granted. The strike cost Tevez £9.3m in fines, docked wages and sacrificed loyalty bonuses.
Inter Milan are monitoring Micah Richards' contract negotiations at Manchester City, with an eye to taking the 25-year-old on loan if he fails to reach an agreement with the club.
The full-back opened talks with City last week and though the two sides have yet to reach agreement on a new four-year deal, there is no suggestion of any impasse. Inter feel that they be an attractive alternative for Richards, since he has played relatively little football in the last year during which he was plagued by a long- running knee injury. City do not want to lose the player, one of their few home grown talents.
Gibbs frustrated by England snub but insists his aim is to end Arsenal's ... - Daily Mail
By Jim Van Wijk, Press Association
|
Left back Kieran Gibbs will not let his own World Cup dreams get in the way of helping Arsenal's quest to end their long trophy drought next season.
Despite again being hampered by some injury problems and Arsenal also signing Spain defender Nacho Monreal in an 8.5million deal from Malaga during the January transfer window, Gibbs enjoyed a decent campaign for the Gunners, making 29 starts.
The 23-year-old, however, was not part of Roy Hodgson's squad for the end-of-season friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.
Left back at home: Kieran Gibbs has said that he is disappointed he wasn't part of the England squad
After a superb 10-match unbeaten Barclays Premier League run saw Arsenal finish fourth and secure a place in the Champions League qualifiers, hopes are high that next season can finally bring Arsene Wenger's men a first piece of silverware since the 2005 FA Cup.
Gibbs maintains that even though all the international players will have one eye on the summer of 2014, that must go hand in hand with consistent performances at club level.
Speaking in the July edition of the official Arsenal magazine, Gibbs said: 'It has been my best season so far. It is a stepping stone for me and now I just need to build and stay fit. I am sure I can do more for the (Arsenal) team.
'I was hopeful of getting into the England squad (this summer), but I was not called up.
Famous faces: Gibbs has been spotted in Ibiza along with fellow Arsenal player Alex Oxlade-Chameberlain
'I will just relax now and make sure I prepare myself physically for next season, ensuring that I go into it with a clear head.
'I am really looking forward to it and hopefully we can all make it a special one.'
Arsenal staged a remarkable recovery to overhaul Tottenham, having slumped as low as 10th following a home defeat by Swansea at the start of December.
Gibbs believes Wenger's side must use their momentum from the run-in to get off to a flying start when the new campaign opens, which will see the north London club face a crucial two-legged European tie in August.
'The dramatic finale to the season made us even stronger, and we will be going into the new one head on,' said former England under-21 international Gibbs, who was capped twice for the senior side under former manager Fabio Capello in the Autumn of 2010.
Bench: Gibbs may be struggling to keep his place in the Arsenal team due to the arrival of Nacho Monreal
'We are aware that we need to produce next season and have to make sure we are confident about dealing with that expectation.'
Arsenal are to be busy in the summer transfer window, with the confirmation of the free transfer of France under-21 attacker Yaya Sanogo set to be confirmed when his contract with Auxerre expires on July 1.
Juventus' purchase of Carlos Tevez from Manchester City is expected to leave Arsenal as the frontrunners for Real Madrid's 25million-rated forward Gonzalo Higuain provided the sale is sanctioned by new manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini is another said to be on Wenger's radar, although both the 20million-plus transfer fee and 100,000-per-week club wage package could prove a stumbling block, even though Arsenal have plenty of cash reserves to bolster the squad.
Additional funds will, though, be freed up by the departure of more fringe players.
Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner is reportedly in talks with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt while Hannover are keen to make Johan Djourou's transfer permanent after a loan spell last season.
Morocco forward Marouane Chamakh, who failed to make an impact at West Ham, will also depart, with Spanish side Levante and former club Bordeaux both possible destinations.
Arsenal had already confirmed Andrey Arshavin, Denilson and Sebastien Squillaci will all leave when their contracts expire at the end of this month.
André Schürrle confident of trophies after completing Chelsea move - The Guardian
Schürlle ? Chelsea
André Schürrle believes Chelsea can compete for honours at home and abroad under José Mourinho's stewardship next season after the Germany forward was formally confirmed as the first signing of the manager's second spell at Stamford Bridge. The 22-year-old, who will wear the No14 shirt, has signed a five-year contract after Chelsea reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month at a fee of around £18.7m. The paperwork has now been completed on the deal, with Schurrle eager to make an impact at his new club. "I think we have a great team with some very talented young players," he said. "We can all improve ourselves, and under José Mourinho I'm confident we can have a really great season.
"For this club, winning titles is always the main objective. We have a great young team with so much quality. We are capable of doing well in the Premier League, Champions League and the cup competitions as well, and I hope to play a big part."
Schürrle, who was speaking to Chelsea's official website, admitted that he had spoken with the former Leverkusen and Chelsea player Michael Ballack before opting to move to London, the former Germany captain having urged him to join. He could be joined at Stamford Bridge by the promising Holland midfielder Marco van Ginkel, 20, from Vitesse Arnhem this summer. The London side enjoy a close working relationship with the Dutch club, who have taken a number of players on loan from Chelsea in recent years, and would appear to be his likeliest destination if, indeed, the player is permitted to depart the GelreDome ahead of the new campaign.
Bilic ? Besiktas
Slaven Bilic is set to become the manager of Besiktas on a two-year contract worth a reported €800,000 (£680,500) per season. The Turkish club released a statement on the Istanbul Stock Exchange confirming they are in talks with the former West Ham defender. The statement read: "We are in talks with Slaven Bilic for the Besiktas managerial role." The Besiktas director of football Onder Ozen and the board member Ahmet Nur Cebi reportedly travelled to Zagreb to secure the deal after the Croatian was sacked by Lokomotiv Moscow last week. Bilic, 44, took charge of Lokomotiv last summer but could only guide the club to a ninth-placed finish in the 16-team Premier League, the club's worst finish since 1991. Staff
Wanyama ? Southampton
Victor Wanyama will not be moving from Celtic to Southampton, according to the player's agent. The midfielder, 21, looks set to leave the Scottish champions after Celtic accepted a fee believed to be in excess of £12m. However, Wanyama's representative, Ivan Modia, maintains there are no longer any talks with Southampton, and the player, who scored in Celtic's Champions League win over Barcelona last season, is likely to look elsewhere. PA
Forster ? Rangers
Richard Foster has sealed his return to Rangers after agreeing a two-year-deal. The full-back has been released from his contract with Bristol City and will be registered on 1 September. PA
Manchester City and Juventus agree deal for Carlos Tevez - The Guardian
Manchester City and Juventus have agreed a €9m (£7.6m) deal for Carlos Tevez that could be worth up to £27m to the former Premier League champions when saved wages and bonuses are included.
Tevez has still to agree personal terms and talks will take place between the player's representatives and Juventus on Wednesday, with negotiations possibly taking longer than 24 hours. The 29-year-old earns a base rate of £198,000 a week on a contract that has 12 months remaining and faces having to accept a pay cut if he is to sign for Juventus.
Ferran Soriano, the City chief executive, and the director of football, Txiki Begiristain, met the Juventus hierarchy in London on Tuesday to finalise a deal that has been worked on for some time and has been approved by the new manager, Manuel Pellegrini, whose first official day in charge was Monday.
Although the base fee is €9m for Tevez, this should rise to a minimum of €12m as a clause in the contract awards City an extra €1m a year for three years should Juventus qualify for the Champions League in each of those seasons. A further clause awards City €1m for every season Juventus win either the Champions League or Serie A over the course of Tevez's contract, meaning the total transfer fee could end as high as €15m.
City will recoup a further total of £17m in saved wages and bonuses, meaning that, if Tevez does agree to the move, they will make a saving of about £27m which they can reinvest in the squad.
Although Tevez is expected to fly to Italy on Wednesday to undergo a medical, the transfer has not yet been confirmed and, given his chequered career at City, there may yet be a hitch.
Whereas Yaya Touré was offered – and signed – a new contract as early as April to indicate his status at the club, City made no similar move to extend Tevez's stay, allowing him to end the season with his future uncertain.
Tevez is still regarded as a fine footballer at City – when on form he remains arguably their best and most effective striker – yet, given the series of disputes he has had since joining the club from Manchester United in July 2009, his status has fallen.
On three occasions Tevez appeared certain to leave, having handed in two transfer requests – in December 2010 and July 2011 – before he fell out spectacularly with Roberto Mancini the following September during a Champions League group game at Bayern Munich.
However, last season Tevez had appeared more settled in Manchester, having spoken of a new-found stability both at City and in his domestic life. Yet, with the Argentinian having cost at least £25m when he moved from United, City, also mindful of the demands of Uefa's financial fair play rules, were keen to recoup a chunk of their outlay.
Their strategy to wait until the close season to see if any offer would be made worked out well when Juventus began negotiations. If this had not occurred, City might have had to adopt the differing approach of offering the former Corinthians and West Ham player a one- or two-year extension so that his value did not decrease as it would have done if he was allowed to enter the final 12 months of his contract. City would then have been able to listen to any offers knowing the buying club would have to make a credible bid.
Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid move sparks Premier League domino effect - The Guardian
Carlo Ancelotti has been formally confirmed as Real Madrid's manager after signing a three-year contract, an appointment that will impact on elite Premier League clubs as Madrid kickstart their squad strengthening for the new season.
The Italian will be presented to the media in the Bernabéu's Royal Box on Wednesday having been replaced at Parc des Princes by the former France World Cup winner Laurent Blanc. Ancelotti's task will be to convince Cristiano Ronaldo to remain with Madrid and even, potentially, commit to a long-term deal, though the manager's desire to revitalise the squad will have implications for Chelsea, Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.
Madrid are confident of deflecting City's interest in the Málaga playmaker, Isco, who has already admitted that a move to Madrid would "excite".
The Napoli forward Edinson Cavani is also wanted by the Spanish club and Madrid appear his likeliest destination if he departs Italy, despite City and, more recently, Chelsea having expressed interest in bringing him to the Premier League. The Europa League winners are understood to have discussed using players in part-exchange for a player who scored 29 goals last season and whose release clause is set at €63m (£52.5m), a fee Madrid would apparently be willing to meet.
The Uruguay striker intends to speak with the Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis, next month on his return from the Confederations Cup before determining where his future lies. "Real is one of the best clubs in the world but there is no deal yet," Cavani told the Spanish newspaper, Marca. "When we're kids, we dream about playing at a team like Madrid or Barça but, right now, I'm at Napoli and I'm very proud to be there. If I leave one day, I'll be ready to move to a bigger club. We'll see." The forward's parents have each been quoted over recent weeks suggesting a move to Spain was likely, though Cavani stressed that he had asked his family "thousands of times to please not talk any more because it harms me".
Tottenham, too, may yet be frustrated by Ancelotti's appointment after it emerged Madrid could also be willing to offer the Brazilian club Corinthians €20m (£16.7m) for the midfielder Paulinho in a straight cash payment. The 24-year-old's economic rights are owned by a third party, an issue that has dissuaded other suitors from pursuing the player, but Spurs believed they were close to securing his services with any deal to be concluded after the tournament in Brazil. It remains to be seen whether Madrid will now trump them at the last.
Ancelotti's arrival at the Bernabéu should have a more positive effect on Arsenal whose long-standing target, the Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuaín, will now meet the Italian and is expected to be given the green light to depart the club. Arsenal and Juventus, who have each agreed personal terms in principle with the striker, will then bid formally for him. Arsenal are confident they will secure the 25-year-old on a four-year contract for what would be a club record fee likely to total £22m.
Ancelotti, 54, will cost Madrid around £3.3m in compensation and is expected to be joined by his English assistant from Chelsea and PSG, Paul Clement, with Zinedine Zidane and the former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo to be handed roles in his backroom staff.
The Italian will be replaced at PSG by Blanc, who has signed a two-year contract – a one-year arrangement with an option for a further 12 months – with the French champions, whose Qatari owners had attempted to lure a number of candidates, from José Mourinho to Fabio Capello, and André Villas-Boas to Frank Rijkaard, before finally opting for the former France defender.
The 47-year-old has been out of a job since leaving his role with the French national team after Euro 2012 and will start work on Monday, when his players return for pre-season training.
"The mission Paris St Germain's management has assigned Laurent Blanc is to continue the work initiated last year and lead the team towards the heights of European competition," read a statement issued by the PSG hierarchy. They, too, boast significant clout in the transfer market having also had designs on Cavani, and could test Chelsea's resolve to keep the defender David Luiz at Stamford Bridge.
Premier League - Paper Round: Manchester United line up record bid for Cavani - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
The 26-year-old could be one of the most expensive acquisitions in this summer's transfer window – and indeed, if United land him for the £50m quoted by the Daily Mirror, he would become their record signing.
The key rivals for his signature at this stage are Real Madrid and Chelsea, the paper adds, and although Cavani has a £54m release clause, since no club has yet matched that Napoli may be prepared to let him go for slightly less than that.
Now Paper Round is naturally a cynical sort, so whether United will spend twice their previous record in the Glazer era on a single player remains to be seen – especially if the man asking for the money is Moyes, rather than Sir Alex Ferguson.
Whether they need another striker rather than a midfielder is also a factor.
But the report suggests that Wayne Rooney's sale this summer would offset at least some of the Cavani fee on one hand, and on the other the deal for Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara would not be affected.
Speaking of Rooney, The Sun picks up on a link with the forward and a move to Barcelona.
First of all, the 27-year-old will have showdown talks with Moyes over his future – but if those end with him being surplus to requirements, the Catalans would reportedly pounce, seeing his versatility and work rate as useful additions to the squad.
A £25m deal for Rooney, as well as offloading his £250,000-a-week wages from the accounts, would certainly help the Red Devils commit to the Cavani move.
The Daily Mail has also got word of United's bid for Cavani, but cites reports from Italian radio that Chelsea have agreed a £49.3m deal for his sale.
The player's agent, Claudio Anelucci denies that line, however, saying: "There is nothing closed with Chelsea ."
In an interesting line in the same paper, Arsenal appear to be getting cold feet at the prospect of signing Marouane Fellaini.
It is believed that the Everton man favours the move to London, but wants his wages increased to £100,000 a week, and with a release clause of £22m, a long-term deal for the 25-year-old could commit the Gunners to around £50m worth of expenditure on his deal.
There's a bit of doubt across the back pages, meanwhile, about the future of Isco. The Sun say that Manchester City have missed out on his signature, with Real Madrid set to confirm his arrival imminently.
But the Daily Star say all is not done yet – and that manager Manuel Pellegrini has made a personal plea in a last-ditch bid to sign him.
Their spell working together at Malaga was believed to give City the edge in the £30m bid, but reports in Spain suggest Isco will be unveiled at the Bernabeu this week.
The Mirror says a midfield ace is on the way to the Premier League, however, with Paulinho reportedly set to join Tottenham in a £17m transfer.
The Brazil international is expected to link up with Spurs after the Confederations Cup, with the following quotes from the player taken as proof of his intent:
The 24-year-old said: "It is a pleasure to be linked to such a great club like Tottenham. They have a reputation as one of the great clubs in England who play exciting, attacking football which suits my style.
"I couldn't turn them down if they made me an offer. It would be a fantastic opportunity to play for Tottenham.
"I feel I am ready to experience football at the highest level in Europe and the opportunity to play in England is a dream."
Sticking with the Mirror, Paolo di Canio is clearing the decks at Sunderland for a summer spending spree.
Simon Mignolet is on his way to Liverpool for a reported £11m, Stephane Sessegnon is available for £8m, and even skipper Lee Cattermole could be sold, with both Stoke City and Hull City interested.
The paper reckons that Di Canio will use the money for as many as 10 new players and the team will be unrecognisable from last season's.
One face could be familiar to Premier League followers, however – Jozy Altidore, the former Hull striker now at AZ Alkmaar, is a key target.
The Daily Express, meanwhile, carry reports that Nathan Redmond could be a Swansea player after Birmingham accepted a £2.5m bid – but Norwich have also had an offer accepted.
And also in the same edition are reports that Liverpool target Henrikh Mkhitaryan has rubbished reports linking him to Anfield.
The Reds were optimistic of tying up a £22m deal for the midfielder, but he took to his Facebook page to say he was focused on life at Shakhtar Donetsk.
"I am happy to see that people show keen interest in my career," the Armenian said, "but I would like to ask all not only to refrain from making comments but also to prevent the spread of unverified and false information.
"I am not meddling with these affairs. If have a contract with a club, I just fulfil it."
Koscielny hints at Arsenal stay as Bayern Munich and Barcelona lurk - Daily Mail
By Jim Van Wijk, Press Association
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Laurent Koscielny has again reaffirmed his commitment to Arsenal - and believes the Gunners can use their superb end to last season as a springboard for success this term.
Koscielny, 27, impressed alongside Per Mertesacker at the heart of the Arsenal defence over a 10-match unbeaten run in the Barclays Premier League which saw them overall rivals Tottenham to snatch fourth place and secure another shot at the Champions League.
Case for the defence: Laurent Koscielny became an integral fixture in the Arsenal backline last season
The France international has found himself linked with a summer move away from the Emirates Stadium, with European champions Bayern Munich touted as a possible destination.
However, the defender maintains his current focus is completely with the Gunners.
Speaking to French regional newspaper La Montagne, Koscielny said: 'I have four-year contract. For now, I am still at Arsenal.'
The Gunners recorded a memorable victory over Bayern in the Allianz Arena in March, where Koscielny scored the second goal of a 2-0 win in their Champions League last 16 second-leg clash.
Although it was not enough to secure qualification, it restored belief and kickstarted Arsenal's brilliant end to the campaign, with eight out of 10 victories.
Koscielny hopes his team can take that confidence into the new campaign, which will see them play a crucial Champions League qualifier in August.
'The second leg of the Champions League against Bayern Munich was a trigger for us,' he added.
'In the process, we almost won everything.
'The most important thing is that Arsenal is in the Champions League. It is super exciting to play against the best teams in Europe.'
Newcastle line - up £ 12m Gignac swoop ( yes , another Frenchman ) - Daily Mail
By Simon Jones
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Nwecastle United are making a 12million move for Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac.
The powerful 27-year-old has been described as 'a British style centre forward in the Alan Shearer mould' and is ready to make the move to St James' Park.
The France international has been a target for Everton, Fulham, Arsenal and Manchester United in the past and is well known to chief scout Graham Carr.
Call me: Andre-Pierre Gignac is being lined up by Newcastle in a 12m deal
Newcastle had been linked with Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony but he is the subject of an offer from Swansea and the Dutch side want up to 15million. Sources close to new director of football Joe Kinnear said there had been no bid lodged by Newcastle for Bony and they are pursuing other targets.
Gignac played for France in the 2010 World Cup and has scored four goals in 13 internationals. He joined Marseille in 2010 for 15million but struggled to settle initially and Fulham made a bid to sign him only for Marseille to change their mind on transfer deadline day in August 2011.
He struggled the season after but rediscovered his fitness and form last year with 18 goals in 37 games. Now Newcastle believe he can carry that form into the Premier League and give their attack some extra power and cutting edge.
Target: Vitesse Arnhem's Ivorian striker Wilfired Bony has been linked with a move to the Premier League
Instead, Bony is the subject of an offer from Swansea as they struggle to finalise a move for Lyon's Bafetimbi Gomis.
The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international has also been linked with Newcastle, Everton, Benfica and Russian side Anzhi.
Bony was targeted by West Ham and Stoke earlier this year but they have moved on to other targets after being put off by the price.
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If you want to play for England I suggest you leave Arsenal
- David , London, United Kingdom, 26/6/2013 18:54
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