Scholes, who retired from action for a second time in May, added on Sky Sports News: ''I don't think there's that much pressure.
''He's got a quality squad there, with already 18-20 quality players
''Even if Sir Alex Ferguson was there he would want to sign two or three players. That's the norm every season - to improve the year after, even if you've won the league.
''I'm sure David Moyes is trying to get players - and hopefully he'll get the ones he wants.''
(Edited by Cameron Macphail)
Atletico's most significant signings this summer have been Leo Baptistao, who joined for around €7m (£6m) from Rayo Vallecano, and David Villa, who arrived from Barcelona for an initial €2.1m (£1.8m).
Although Cazorla stressed he was not about to link up with his Spain team-mate Villa at the Calderon, he said he was pleased for him.
"I'm very happy for Villa, because he had a difficult year with Barcelona due to his injury [a broken leg he suffered in December 2011], but now he's got another chance to shine again," he said.
And he declared to work extra hard this year for Arsenal so he can be guaranteed a place in Spain's squad for next year's World Cup in Brazil, after missing his country's triumph in South Africa due to a back injury.
He said: "I still have unfinished business in the World Cup after missing the last one because of my back. I really want to experience a World Cup, so I have to have a great year with Arsenal. I hope this year is even better than the last."
(Edited by Giles Mole)
Sky sources unsderstand that Newcastle have made an increased offer of £6.9m for Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis.
And the Magpies have also asked QPR about the possibility of taking Loic Remy on a season-long loan deal.
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is eager to increase his attacking options and has set his sights on the 27-year-old Gomis, who scored 18 goals for Lyon last season.
The forward, who is nicknamed 'Baby Drogba', began his career with Saint-Etienne and has been capped 10 times by France.
He has reportedly been given permission to leave Lyon and has been linked with Marseille and a string of other Premier League clubs besides Newcastle.
However, Lyon chairman and co-owner Michel Aulas says Gomis failed to turn up to a meeting last week which had been scheduled about his future.
"We gave him a letter by hand but he did not come," Aulas told L'Equipe.
Remy is another Frenchman who would strengthen Newcastle's attacking options, having impressed for QPR during the second half of last season, despite their ultimate relegation.
The 26-year-old joined the Rs in January, having looked set to sign for Newcastle at one point, and scored six times for the London side.
With a World Cup looming next summer, Remy may not be keen to spend the season in the second tier of English football and Pardew has admitted previously that he is one of the players Newcastle are interested in.
The England winger blazed over with only the goalkeeper to beat and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, fed by Per Mertesacker after a corner, went closer when his dipping shot clipped the bar.
At the other end, Urawa's Tomoya Ugajin had Arsenal goalkeeper Lucasz Fabianski at full stretch with a curling shot as the tourists finished the the half goalless for the first time on tour.
Wenger rang the changes at half-time and the second period was just four minutes old when two of the newcomers helped break the deadlock.
Aaron Ramsey's ball into the box was teed up by Walcott and lashed home by German international Podolski with a picture-book strike to put the visitors ahead.
Walcott passed up two more golden chances when he shot harmlessly at Norihiro Yamagishi, and then failed to round the Urawa goalkeeper with the goal at his mercy.
And Urawa made Arsenal pay when the ball fell to Abe from a corner and the midfielder swept home an unstoppable shot from inside the box.
Urawa were in the ascendancy with Arsenal's defence suddenly under threat from the home team, who lie fourth in the table midway through the J-League season.
Arsenal then steadied and Podolski should have put them back in front with 15 minutes remaining. But he slightly mistimed his shot after being picked out by Ignasi Miquel.
Shinya Yajima had a hopeful penalty shout 10 minutes from time but Urawa were then left to rue a defender's howler which cost them what would have been a credible draw.
Mitsuru Nagata's header back to Yamagishi under pressure could only be palmed away by the Urawa 'keeper, and Akpom was on hand to cooly slot his fourth goal of the tour.
(Edited by Ben Bloom)
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas, while praising the efforts and repair work of White Hart Lane groundsman Darren Baldwin for ensuring that the tournament could be played on Saturday, urged the organisers to "prepare for more than a month" the next time they stage a competition of this nature.
But with the competing Premier League clubs understood to each receive a fee of £1.2 million for playing in the tournament, the likelihood of similar competitions being staged in Hong Kong – the Asia Trophy has been staged on the peninsular twice before – is likely to remain strong.
United manager David Moyes watched Spurs' 6-0 win against South China before City's victory against Sunderland, courtesy of Edin Dzeko's ninth-minute goal, and the Scot will be involved in discussions on Sunday as to whether Monday's fixture will go ahead.
The Premier League champions are due to earn in the region of £2 million for facing Kitchee – a figure protected by insurance against such eventualities as postponement due to adverse weather conditions – but the state of the pitch has led to the cancellation of training on Sunday in order to give the surface the best opportunity to recover in time for the game, despite the forecast of more heavy rain.
"Manchester United, Kitchee FC and the Hong Kong Football Association have reluctantly made the decision to cancel the open training session planned for tomorrow [Sunday] evening at the Hong Kong Stadium," said a joint statement issued by all parties.
"The pitch has suffered from torrential rainfall in the last week and has staged a number of games in a very short space of time. Wednesday's matches [Sunderland vs Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City vs South China] had their kick-offs delayed, only proceeding after being shortened to 40-minute halves.
"The weather has continued to present problems for the pitch and the first consideration of both the HKFA and Manchester United has to be the safety of the players in such conditions."
Meanwhile, with Gareth Bale missing with a buttock strain, Jermain Defoe scored a hat-trick as Spurs took third place in the Barclays Asia Trophy.
"The prospect of more strikers being brought in doesn't bother me," Defoe said. "In fact I would welcome in because we need one last season. It is the start of a big year because I feel I have a chance of going to the World Cup. That will definitel y be a target for this year."
City's victory secured the first trophy of Pellegrini's reign, prompting the Chilean to respond to the club's demand for five trophies in five years by joking: "Now I have this one, I only need four more."
Traoré is in England on a student visa and, while he did also have a trial with Chelsea's academy last year, there were reports in 2010 that he was set to join the club despite competing interest from Manchester United. It is understood that he first came to the attention of Chelsea scouts for his performances in the Under-17 World Cup of 2009. He made his international debut in 2011 when he was just 15 in against Equatorial Guinea and, also that year, he was quoted saying that Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou had treated him like "a younger brother".
Mourinho believes that he is now ready to join the senior members of his Chelsea family. "Traoré we would like to keep," he said. "Those are the rules in England and we have to accept them. We'll have to wait until he becomes 18 to try to get the permit for him to stay in England. If it's not possible we have to let him go on loan somewhere.
"For a 17-year-old boy, sooner or later, the committee has to give him a permit to play in England. If he's playing for his country at the same time – one of the most important countries in African football – he'll get his deserved permit. So no dramas with it. It's fantastic for him to come here and play well for Chelsea."
Gary Cahill, the Chelsea defender, said that Traoré had also made a big impression in training. "I know the quality of the training we do and lads like Traoré have come into the games and not looked out of place, which is great," he said. "He's been working well with the manager for two weeks and scored a fantastic goal. He's composed on the ball and has great confidence for such a young lad."
Asked if he would now like to see Traoré join Chelsea, Cahill said: "I don't know the ins and outs of the situation, but he's certainly done himself no harm in the two weeks we've been away. We don't want to get carried away, but he's certainly not looked out of place in training alongside some top international players. He's a young lad, but I'm sure he's got a bright future at Chelsea."
Cahill also believes that Romelu Lukaku, who has scored four goals in three games during this Asia tour, is ready for first-team football at Chelsea next season.
"He has been flying in training," said Cahill. "I play against him in training a lot and he's a handful just with his pace and power. His finishing is great too. It's exciting times for him and I'm sure he's looking forward to the season."
The mission for André Villa-Boas was not third place in the Asia Trophy for his Tottenham Hotspur side – achieved with this easy 6-0 win – but to emerge from the sticky-looking pitch on which Jan Vertonghen suffered sprained ankle ligaments on Wednesday evening with his team still healthy.
This appeared to be accomplished as Spurs walked off in the torrential rain that hit the latter stages of the contest, with Jermain Defoe's hat-trick, a South China own goal, Clint Dempsey's finish and Andros Towsend's late free-kick dispatching Hong Kong's champions with ease.
The injury to Gareth Bale's right buttock kept football's most wanted man from participating in this tournament, although he may be fit for the 3 August trip to Monaco, Spurs next outing.
By half-time Tottenham and the result were out of sight, Defoe's strike taking his team into a 3-0 lead over South China as the players strolled off.
In their 4-2-3-1 formation Moussa Dembélé ran the first period, ambling around on a surface that after a rare day of almost no rain was sand-heavy, with swathes of straw-coloured turf evidence of the frantic effort to make sure it was playable after Wednesday's semi-finals were nearly called off.
The Belgian created Spurs opener. A slick pass to Dempsey preceded the ball being relayed onto Danny Rose down the left. The fullback aimed a cross at Gylfi Sigurdsson only for Tse Sean Ka Keung to turn beyond Zhang Chunhui for the own goal.
The pace of Aaron Lennon and Kyle Walker continually spun South China down their right hand side, demonstrated when the latter was played in by the former, although when the ball came to Defoe his touch was heavy.
Dempsey provided Spurs second of the evening. A powerful Steven Caulker header from halfway became a defence-splitting ball that Defoe ran onto. He beat a man, then turned possession inside to the American, who allowed Chunhui no chance.
Before this a Defoe header hit the left post and he also had a close range effort saved by Chunhui. His opening goal finally came when Walker's 25-yard free-kick from the left took a deflection to the forward, and Defoe made no mistake.
Before 10 minutes of the second half were played, the unfortunate Chunhui felt the derision of the crowd after an attempted clearance was fluffed and Defoe wandered forward to place the ball into the empty goal.
Defoe might have filled his boots to end with at least a double hat-trick. He had to settle for half that count, securing his third with an 80th-minute finish. Townsend completed the rout.
Luis Suarez: Liverpool striker is wanted by Premier League rivals Arsenal
Arsene Wenger has revealed he is prepared to wait for his transfer targets as he claims Arsenal can win the Premier League title with or without new signings.
The Gunners have already put in a £40,000,001 bid for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez but Wenger is relaxed about the lack of progress on the deal and is not expecting transfer activity ahead of the Emirates Cup next weekend.
"We are ready to do quick deals but all the transfers do not depend only on us," said Wenger, quoted in the Daily Mirror. "But we are prepared to wait. It looks unlikely before the Emirates Cup.
"We still have a strong squad but we are there on the market to try to strengthen our team. With or without additions we can be title challengers next season."
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has publicly questioned the wisdom of Suarez leaving Anfield to join Arsenal as he insists it would be a sideways step - but Wenger would not be drawn on the matter.
"We are there on the market to try to strengthen our team. With or without additions we can be title challengers next season."
Arsene Wenger
"He must explain that," added the Arsenal boss. "I don't know. We are not close to signing Suarez or anybody else so there's no reason why I should talk about it.
"There is nothing to say. I have been away now for two or the weeks and it's hard to see how things are advanced because everyone is on tour at the moment and it's very difficult to get in touch with people.
"What has changed recently is that in Europe some countries like France suddenly have bought some very talented players who two or three years ago would all have come to England. It makes the chase for talent very difficult.
"What we want is not a name but a good player. The name is less important. What is more important is the quality of the player. At the moment I must tell you we are not close to signing anybody.
"We try to do the job and we will try to do it well. But that is in front of us. We have worked a lot but nothing has been concluded with anybody.
"Of course we want to do as many top players as we can. But we also have to focus on the players we have and develop them."
After a couple of eye-catching performances earlier in United's pre-season tour, Zaha got the goal he craved in Osaka last night.
It was an important one too given it earned the Red Devils a draw against local J.League outfit Cerezo, staving off a third defeat in four games on their trek around Australia and the Far East, hardly the start new manager David Moyes would have wanted.
Zaha is playing down his impact, insisting he would be happy just featuring on a few occasions this term as he gets used to his new surroundings.
However, if the man who was loaned back to Crystal Palace and helped steer the Selhurst Park outfit back into the Premier League after becoming Sir Alex Ferguson's final signing as United boss in January maintains his present progress, he will be involved far more than that.
Ferdinand is wary of passing judgement too soon but the 34-year-old has been impressed so far.
"Wilfried is a fantastic talent. That is why you pay £15million for a kid," said Ferdinand.
"He is raw, with great individual skills and the early indications are that he is a hard worker.
"He wants to be a top footballer and he wants to improve. With those attributes, that desire and the influences he will have at this club, hopefully we will have a top player on our hands."
Zaha shows an impressive directness in his play, which defenders are always fearful of.
Occasionally he does take the wrong option, yet so did Cristiano Ronaldo at a similar age.
"Wilfried can take people on from a standing start," said Ferdinand.
"He is quick and direct but what has surprised me more is that he gets his shots off.
"I have not watched him loads but obviously he is a winger who has a hunger to get inside and drive into the opponents' box. That is a good thing to have."
Coming in the last dregs of injury-time, the goal was proof that despite Ferguson's retirement, United remain capable of hauling themselves out of trouble even when a cause seems lost.
That attitude must survive into the Moyes era if United are to stand any chance of retaining their place at the head of English football.
"We never know when we are beaten," said Ferdinand.
"That Wilfried came on and scored a late goal like that shows what the Manchester United spirit is like. It is still there and it is still roaring strong."
Yet some fans are worried.
The firm insistance from Barcelona that Cesc Fabregas is going nowhere has left United with a problem.
If they continue a pursuit that could end in failure, United risk missing out on alternative targets.
Yet if they abandon the chase - as Moyes threatened last week - they miss out on a player who would seem to be exactly what the Red Devils are missing.
"I always have confidence in the players around me," said Ferdinand.
"I look at our dressing room and I am confident with what we have.
"If the manager wants to add to that, great.
"But as players, we are here to play football.
"The manager is the one who picks the team and buys the players so no matter what my opinions are, they have no bearing.
"But we did win the title last year. What more do you want?"
Of equal concern as they landed in Hong Kong was the terrible weather.
United are due to face Kitchee FC before flying back to Manchester but the heavy rain which made conditions so bad on the first day of the Premier League Asia Cup have continued.
And Moyes will want a report on how the playing surface has stood up to a second double-header in four days before he will be prepared to risk any of his key men.
PA
Brendan Rodgers has told Luis Suárez he would be making a big mistake by leaving Liverpool for Arsenal this summer.
Liverpool remain adamant that the Uruguay international will not be sold unless their valuation of more than £50m is met, despite a belief in the player's camp that Arsenal's latest offer of £40,000,001 should trigger talks over a move to the Emirates Stadium. Suárez and his agent, Pere Guardiola, have told Liverpool he wants to join a club in the Champions League but, in the absence of a firm offer so far from Real Madrid, Rodgers claims to be mystified at why his leading striker would consider teaming up with Arsène Wenger's side.
"I know what we are trying to build and grow, so why would you swap Liverpool to go to Arsenal?" the Liverpool manager said. "I am not sure that it adds up, to be honest. Arsenal has a wonderful history in its own right but Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world. OK, we might not be in the Champions League and haven't been for a while now but our competitors have grown around us and we have to step up to the challenge now."
Arsenal qualified for the Champions League for a 14th season in succession last term whereas Liverpool are approaching a fourth consecutive campaign outside the European elite. But Rodgers insisted his debut season in charge at Anfield, which yielded 30 goals for Suárez, demonstrates why the striker would be wrong to move to north London.
He added: "Would it be a mistake for Luis to leave? 100%. The team was built around Luis last season. I made some big calls to get the team to work in a way to suit his strengths and it is no coincidence he had a great season apart from the end bit. We would love to have him to continue the next phase.
"It is difficult for Luis, I understand that. If a team wants you, it can be difficult. But I am not sure many teams will have done what we have done in the last couple of games [play to crowds of over 80,000 and 90,000 in Indonesia and Australia respectively]. I am sure Luis will have seen the sheer size and status of the club, so we'll just see how it goes. It is not something we want to run on too long."
Asked if the stand-off would change should Suárez submit a transfer request, the Liverpool manager responded: "Luis is under contract so I haven't even thought about that."
Arsenal are preparing to raise their offer once again for the Liverpool striker Luis Suárez as they seek to capitalise on perceived tensions between the player and his employer.
Suárez held talks over his future with the Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and the chief executive Ian Ayre on Thursday. The club's refusal to discuss how the meeting went has been interpreted by Arsenal as a positive sign for them. If Suárez had indicated any willingness to stay at Anfield, then Liverpool would have been expected to publicise it.
Arsenal's strategy when they made their second offer for Suárez of one pound over £40m on Tuesday was to put pressure on a clause in the Uruguayan's contract, which they were led to believe would permit him to open negotiations with them and, effectively, force the player's hand. They would love to see him agitate for the move, although a written transfer request may be too much for them to hope for.
Liverpool have refused to confirm whether Suárez asked to speak to Arsenal in the talks with Rodgers and Ayre since the £40,000,001 offer was received and rejected. However, they remain adamant that the disputed clause in Suárez's contract does not allow him to meet or open negotiations with Arsenal now that a bid of more than £40m has been made.
Liverpool have not granted Suárez permission to speak to Arsenal officials. The clause in the contract he signed last August, they insist, entitles Suárez to be informed of any bid over £40m and for Liverpool to enter into discussions over his transfer should they wish to do so.
Arsenal, whose opening offer for Suárez was worth £30m plus £5m in add-ons, are now ready to go higher, as they seek what would be a stunning coup. They have never previously paid more than £15m for a player. They are aware, though, that Liverpool will not countenance Suárez's sale unless there is a bid of more than £50m. Suárez scored 30 goals in Rodgers' debut season in charge and Liverpool's hopes of returning to the Champions League rest on him.
Real Madrid continue to lurk in the background, and they have indicated to Suárez's representatives that they have an interest in signing him. Their bank balance has been boosted by the £32m that they received from Napoli for the striker Gonzalo Higuaín, who was previously a target for Arsenal.
Arsenal, though, believe that they are in the driving seat for Suárez as Real are preoccupied by their pursuit of the Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale. Tottenham maintain that Bale is not for sale. Suárez is expected to play some part in Liverpool's friendly against Thailand in Bangkok on Sunday.
Manuel Pellegrini admits Manchester City cannot afford a slow start to the season if they are to win the title, writes David McDonnell in Hong Kong.
The new City boss knows how vital it is to get his reign off to a flier and ensure they are not playing catch-up from early on in the season.
Chelsea flew out of the blocks in their back-to-back title-winning seasons under Jose Mourinho, with former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson acknowledging they had made it impossible to recover from a slow start.
With Mourinho back at Chelsea determined to make another quick start to his second spell in charge, Pellegrini believes City cannot afford to falter early on and concede vital ground in the title race.
"It's important to make a quick start and to win the first league game, because if you lose ground it's difficult to recover," said Pellegrini.
"The English Premier League is a different league than I have worked with before, but I'm not concerned about that.
"Of course it's always good to have more time but I hope the team will be prepared for the season ahead."
City have served notice of their intent to reclaim the title this season, having already spent £92.3million – with the promise of more to come.
Despite such a significant outlay, Pellegrini, 59, does not think City are favourites for the title, even though he is happy with his players.
"I think City has a very good squad," said Pellegrini. "And I'm very pleased with it.
"But Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham also have very good squads.
"Four or five teams have exactly the same chance of winning. I don't think any club has an advantage – it's very equal.
"The only way I can explain how Manchester City will play is the way my teams have always played.
"I have been managing in Europe for nine years and in South America before that, and my teams always play the same way."
City take on Sunderland today in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy in
Hong Kong, with Pellegrini keen to use as many of his squad as possible.
"I don't know who will start the final," said the City boss. "But I will try to play all the players and give them a similar number of minutes on the pitch.
"I will speak with many of those who have just arrived with the squad, like Stevan Jovetic, Jesus Navas and David Silva. Then we can see who can play."
Jovetic, a £22m signing from Fiorentina, is likely to come off the bench for his City debut and is happy to play anywhere he is told to.
"I like to play behind the striker or on the left," he said. "But it is the coach who decides and what he thinks is best for me, I will do."
Jovetic said Matija Nastasic, his Montenegro international colleague and new City team-mate, played a big role in his move to England.
"He told me all the good things about the Premier League when we spoke every week," said Jovetic.
"He called me last season to tell me to come here and I hope I can repeat the success he has had here.
"I have watched all of City's games and he has played really well, especially for a guy who was just 19 years old when he signed for the club."
By Ian Ladyman
|
Manchester United's relentless pursuit of Cesc Fabregas will continue into next week, despite Barcelona's insistence that the midfielder is not for sale.
As Sportsmail revealed, Fabregas is keen on a move to Old Trafford and wants to be part of David Moyes's Barclays Premier League squad by the time the summer transfer window closes on September 2.
New Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino on Friday reiterated his club's recent assertions that Fabregas will not be sold. The new coach at the Nou Camp said: 'Man United want Cesc? If the club rejected two offers, I will reject it a third time. Cesc will be here.'
Keen: Cesc Fabregas wants to sign for Manchester United before the transfer deadline closes in September
Told about Martino's comments minutes after United's 2-2 draw with Cerezo Osaka here on Friday, United manager Moyes said: 'We will look at what's been said and we will consider what to do. We will consider our options.'
However, it is understood that United, who have had bids of 25million and 31m turned down, have no intention of giving up on the transfer.
Fabregas is United's main target and the Barclays Premier League champions are aware that he fancies a crack at the title with them.
The next seven days will make or break the deal for United, who know that Barcelona do not want to lose face by saying that Fabregas can leave, which means that the 26-year-old Spain midfielder may have to request a transfer. United do not know if he is prepared to do that.
Refusal: New Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino insists Fabregas will not be sold
They travel to Hong Kong today for their final tour game, still optimistic that they can pull off the transfer coup of the summer but some fans at home are growing concerned about the lack of transfer activity, especially given that the start of the Premier League season is just four weeks away.
That sense of unease has not been helped by some modest pre-season results. Only Wilfried Zaha's injury-time equaliser against Cerezo Osaka saved United from their third defeat in four games yesterday but Moyes was happy with the performance on a night when heat and humidity was so high defender Rio Ferdinand revealed he lost more than 8lb during the game.
Moyes said: 'I am very happy actually. I thought we played well.
'I thought it was our best performance since we have been on tour.'
Happy: David Moyes was pleased with United's performance against Cerezo Osaka
United fell behind after a mistake from Chris Smalling in the first half yesterday and equalised early in the second period when local hero Shinji Kagawa atoned for a missed penalty by scoring from a Ryan Giggs cross.
Moyes's team subsequently went 2-1 down before Zaha side-footed in the equaliser.
'Zaha has done well,' said Moyes. 'He has played well in the games. He has been quiet off the pitch, as he is still getting to know everybody. But he has had an impact in games and we are trying to bring him along nicely.
'Tonight will help him as he showed the players he can makes things happen. He has come up with an important goal in the last minute.'
Dream come true: Wilfried Zaha, pictured celebrating with Anderson, was delighted to score his first goal for Manchester United
Zaha has been one of the more impressive players on this United tour but was clearly relieved to score. 'I have had so many chances during the previous games that I am just happy I managed to get a goal today,' he said. 'I have dreamed about that. I just wanted to score for Manchester United. I finally did it today so I am happy.
'It was a good workout. They were much better than I thought they would be. It was such hard work running around and the weather doesn't help either. I enjoyed it though.'
It remains possible that Moyes may send Zaha out on loan this season, possibly back to the Championship where he was playing with Crystal Palace last time round.
But the young winger clearly wants to be part of the first-team picture at Old Trafford and added: 'Playing alongside these types of players is bound to help me. I just keep my head down and play.
Starstruck: Zaha admits he was in awe of the players around him when he first arrived at Old Trafford
'I was awestruck when I first came. But just being around them makes me know they are down-to-earth players. They are just like me really. It is nice being around them. My own target is to be able to get minutes during the season.
'For my first season in Manchester, I don't want to go out on loan or anything. I just want to play when I get the chance. Leaving Palace was the gamble I had to take. I am prepared to take that gamble.
'I enjoyed my time at Palace but I am at Manchester United now. There are bigger players than me here, so getting minutes will just do me fine.'
Moyes revealed yesterday that Kagawa will stay in Japan and work on his fitness while the rest of the United squad play Kinchee on Monday night.
"But when you are interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise.
"I will hope things will continue to move forward.
"At this moment in time I can only tell you Ed Woodward is working hard to try and make the deals happen. We hope some of them will fall into place shortly."
In addition to Fabregas, Moyes has also been linked with marquee signings Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale, plus Everton duo Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini.
So far though, there has been no reinforcements.
And Moyes admitted he can understand why some fans are nervous.
"I can understand that feeling," he said.
"But there have been quite a few changes. Other managers have changed their clubs too and everybody thought this might be the summer when transfers are done later in the month.
"That was always the thought I had when I came into the club.
"You have to remember I only started on July 1, so in truth I have only been in the job three weeks at this present time."
(Edited by Nick Pearce)
Chelsea forward Kevin de Bruyne is to return to London for a scan after injuring his knee during Sunday's 4-1 win over a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur.
After creating the first goal, the Belgian was injured while scoring the second at the Shah Alam Stadium.
De Bruyne, 22, fired in a fine volley but fell awkwardly and immediately called for medical assistance.
However, after the match manager Jose Mourinho said he is optimistic that the problem is only minor.
Kevin de Bruyne's mother was born in Ealing, west London, making him eligible to play internationally for England. However, he opted for the country of his birth, making his debut for Belgium in August 2010 while still a teenager
"When he was on the floor and asking for a change, we thought the worst," said Mourinho.
"But the first assessment by the doctor was that it was not the ligaments for sure, and if it is something in the meniscus then it has to be a very small injury.
"So we believe it is not an important injury and hopefully it isn't because the kid is a fantastic player. He's showing to me in training that he is going to be a key man on the pitch."
De Bruyne will miss Thursday's game against Indonesia All Stars but Chelsea are confident he will rejoin the squad when they travel to the United States for the concluding games of their pre-season tour.
The Blues play Inter Milan in Indianapolis on Thursday, 1 August in the first of four scheduled games in America.
De Bruyne joined from Belgian side Genk for £7m in January 2012 but has yet to play a competitive match for Chelsea.
However, an impressive season on loan at German side Werder Bremen enhanced his reputation and his return to Stamford Bridge has been keenly anticipated ahead of the new season.
David Moyes has said that Manchester United could give up on signing Barcelona's Cesc Fábregas if the deal drags on after making a second bid of £30m for the midfielder.
United had an opening £26m offer rejected and despite Barça claiming Fábregas is not for sale at any price, United remain hopeful that the former Arsenal captain can still be prised away.
The United manager, speaking in Tokyo on United's pre-season tour, said that Ed Woodward, the club's executive vice-president, is dealing with negotiations. "My understanding is that Ed's had a response and he's spoken with them and again we've made a second offer," he said." But Ed's dealing with that, rather than me personally here."
Asked if a point is reached in every deal where it becomes fruitless to continue, Moyes said: "I think a point does come but I think when you are interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise. And I'll do that. I'll hope that things can continue to try to move forward. At this moment I can only tell you that Ed Woodward is working hard to make the deals happen and we're hoping some of them will fall into place shortly."
Moyes accepted that the longer United go on without making any major signings the more anxious fans become. "I can understand that but there isn't any real update I can give you. But I can understand why that might be the feeling," he said.
"But I think everybody had thought this might be the summer – with there being quite a few changes, my new position, other managers at other clubs – that the transfers are later in the month. I think that was always the thought I had when I came into the job. And you've got to remember I only started on 1 July as well, so in truth I've only been in this job for three weeks."
United's party have been joined by Shinji Kagawa, Chris Smalling and Ashley Young in Tokyo as his squad begin to approach full strength. Only Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic, who are injured, plus the resting Javier Hernández, are now still at home.
Mick Harford has rejected an invitation from Joe Kinnear to become Newcastle United's deputy director of football and has instead accepted a position as Millwall's assistant manager.
Harford held lengthy discussions with Kinnear, Newcastle's director of football, and the club's owner, Mike Ashley, at the weekend but the 54-year-old eventually turned down a return to the club where he briefly played as a striker during the early 1980s.
"I have declined an offer to be Joe Kinnear's assistant," said Harford, who previously worked with Kinnear at Wimbledon, Luton and Nottingham Forest.
"After meeting with Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear I made the decision that it's not the right time for me to take up this role. It was an honour to be asked to work at a fantastic club."
Shortly after making that announcement Harford was promoted from a coaching role to No2 at Millwall. He is understood to have harboured concerns that his proposed Newcastle job description – trawling the lower divisions for domestic talent while also monitoring young players sent out from St James' Park on loan – would remove him from day-to-day coaching.
Harford's installation alongside Kinnear would have intensified speculation that a ready-made management team was waiting in the wings should results go awry for Alan Pardew, Newcastle's manager.
Kinnear, though, seems to have enough on his plate, attempting to secure Newcatle's first signing of the summer. A club who have allowed Steve Harper, Danny Simpson and James Perch to depart – and are on the verge of transferring Dan Gosling to Crystal Palace – have still to recruit a senior player this close season.
Pardew is anxious to see at least two new strikers arrive and Kinnear has tabled a bid for Lyon's France forward Bafetimbi Gomis while continuing to pursue Aston Villa's Darren Bent.
The striker hunt is imbued with added urgency as Papiss Cissé is training alone in north-east England after being left out of Newcastle's training camp in northern Portugal after refusing to wear the Wonga-branded kit advertising the club's controversial new sponsor.
A clearly frustrated Pardew said on Monday: "I'm focusing on the team out here, and Joe, Lee Charnley [the club secretary] and Graham Carr [the chief scout] are looking to get someone over the line. At the minute, especially with no Papiss out here, we're a little bit light for a Premier League team. I spoke to Joe on Friday and he has some important meetings this week."
Manchester United are considering shattering their record transfer fee to sign Cesc Fábregas after Barcelona rejected their second bid of £30m for the Spain midfielder.
United, who made the offer before Tito Vilanova resigned as coach owing to ill health on Friday, were privately given the same response as before – that the 26-year-old is "completely nontransferable".
The champions are weighing up whether to make what could be their final play for their No1 target in the region of £35m – surpassing the £30.75m they paid to sign Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur in 2008.
Barcelona have reached an agreement with Gerardo Martino for the Argentinian to take over from Vilanova and much may depend on whether the 50-year-old, whose coaching jobs have included Paraguay and, in his native country, Newell's Old Boys, will want Fábregas to remain at the Camp Nou and become a pivotal part of his plans.
David Moyes said that United could walk away if the deal drags on. Speaking in Tokyo on United's pre-season tour, the manager said that Ed Woodward, the club's executive vice-president, was dealing with negotiations. "My understanding is that Ed's had a response and he's spoken with them and again we've made a second offer," he said. "But Ed's dealing with that, rather than me personally here."
Asked if a stage can be reached where it becomes fruitless to continue, Moyes said: "I think a point does come but I think when you are interested in good players you want to give it every opportunity to materialise. And I'll do that. I'll hope that things can continue to move forward. At this moment I can only tell you that Ed Woodward is working hard to make the deals happen and we're hoping some of them will fall into place shortly."
Moyes accepted that the longer United go on without making any major signings this summer the more anxious fans become. "I can understand that but there isn't any real update I can give you. But I can understand why that might be the feeling," he said. "But I think everybody had thought this might be the summer – with there being quite a few changes, my new position, other managers at other clubs – that it might be that the transfers are later in the month. I think that was always the thought I had when I came into the job. And you've got to remember I only started the job on 1 July as well, so I've only been in this job for three weeks."
Moyes, who has been joined by Shinji Kagawa, Chris Smalling and Ashley Young in Tokyo, is clear that United must move on from Sir Alex Ferguson and enter the "David Moyes era". While always respectful of Ferguson, the manager is intent on writing his own history as he prepares United for their title defence.
That is why he brought in Steve Round, Phil Neville, Jimmy Lumsden and Chris Woods from Everton to join his backroom staff, he said, while embracing Ryan Giggs as player-coach. "I needed it to be the David Moyes era now and I had to take David Moyes' era and David Moyes' time so that meant me taking some of my own people," he said. "But I couldn't do it without the help of Ryan Giggs. Phil Neville had known a little bit at both clubs. But more importantly he probably knew how I worked at Everton more than Manchester United." He was young – him and Ryan are young, its really important in this job that you also keep young, open-minded thoughts because you don't want to get too old in your ways."
Moyes underlined his desire to succeed when it was put to him that he may need six months or even a season for the side to become his. "It is my team now. I have taken over, I'm in charge," he said. "As I have said, I will use the ex-manager as much as I can because of his knowledge but it is my team now and I have to take responsibility for that. From day one, it is my team and I have to get on and show that."
José Mourinho has been impressed by Romelu Lukaku over the early weeks of his second stint in charge of Chelsea and has suggested he would be happy to start the young Belgium striker in the first team when the Premier League campaign begins next month.
Lukaku, who spent last season on loan at West Bromwich Albion, scoring 17 goals, followed up his match-winning penalty in last week's victory over Singha All Stars in Bangkok with another reward and assist in the 4-1 win over a Malaysian XI on Sunday. The 19-year-old had initially envisaged spending the forthcoming campaign gaining experience via regular football elsewhere in the division but Mourinho has since made it clear he wishes to retain the forward in spite of his on-going pursuit of Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.
The teenager has started each of the pre-season games to date – Demba Ba will begin against an Indonesian XI in Jakarta on Thursday – with Mourinho encouraged by his desire to learn. "Lukaku had a fantastic manager last season but Steve [Clarke] is Steve, I am me and West Brom is not Chelsea," said the Portuguese. "It's up to the kid but he's open and intelligent to learn the kind of movement we want.
"The role he played tonight was the right movement. We don't want the striker just aiming between the central defenders but making movements, sometimes between the midfield or moving wide. People compare him to Didier Drogba but we have to respect Didier, because he is unique in Chelsea's history, and we have to respect Lukaku. The best way to do that is not compare him to a legend in Chelsea's history. Leave Didier where he is, at the top of Chelsea's history, and leave Lukaku to work hard. The kid is good."
Chelsea's interest in Rooney is maintained and an improved offer is to be lodged at around £25m, though there is an acceptance they may have to be patient to secure the player, particularly with Chelsea due to play at United on 26 August. Asked if Lukaku could challenge Fernando Torres for a starting place, regardless of the Rooney situation, Mourinho merely added: "Of course."
Another Belgian hoping to be in contention against Hull on 18 August is the midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who hurt his right knee while volleying Chelsea's second goal against the Malaysians.
The £8m signing from Genk left the field on a stretcher with the club doctor in close attendance but he was able to hobble back to the dug-out in the second half. He will be assessed again on Monday – the team travel to Jakarta 24 hours later – but will remain with the touring party and expects to return to training later in the week.
"When he was on the floor and asking for a change, everyone on the bench thought the worst," said Mourinho. "The first assessment by the doctor is that it's not ligaments, that's for sure, and if it's something in the meniscus it has to be a very small injury. So we believe it's not an important injury. Hopefully it isn't because the kid is a fantastic player and showing match after match, and in training, that he's going to be a key man on the pitch."
Chelsea's other goals were scored by Victor Moses and Bertrand Traoré, the latter a 17-year-old triallist who will sign a professional deal at the club when he turns 18. Chelsea have been unable to secure the eight-time Burkina Faso international on a professional deal up to now because he holds only a student visa, despite spending a similar six-week period on trial at Cobham last season. He will most likely then be loaned out to a club in Europe with Chelsea unlikely to be granted a work permit to continue his footballing education in England.
"Those are the rules in England and we have to accept them," Mourinho said. "They have justification. Now we want to keep him. We'll have to wait until he becomes 18 to try to get the permit for him to stay in England. If it's not possible we have to let him go on loan somewhere but we have the guarantee that he plays for his national team.
"For a 17-year-old boy, sooner or later, the committee has to give him a permit to play in England. If he goes on loan somewhere, he has to go but, if he's playing for his country at the same time – one of the most important countries in African football – he'll get his deserved permit. So no dramas with it. It's fantastic for him to come here and play well for Chelsea."
José Mourinho is resigned to being without his Spanish trio Juan Mata, Fernando Torres and César Azpilicueta when Chelsea start their Premier League campaign at home to Hull City on 18 August. The trio are due back in London only 24 hours before the opener after Spain's friendly in Ecuador.
The World Cup and European Championship winners will play in Guayaquil on 14 August, the night England host Scotland at Wembley, with all three of Chelsea's Spanish contingent expected to be included in Vicente del Bosque's squad. Mourinho is already planning his team for the visit of promoted Hull on the following Sunday and, while the extra 24 hours granted by television coverage means the trio could be included on the bench, the Chelsea manager does not anticipate starting with any of the three.
"My lineup will depend a lot on which players go away with their national teams two days before the opening of the Premier League," Mourinho said. "If one has to go to Ecuador and comes back and arrives in London on Saturday without having slept after a 15-hour flight, coming in to train on Saturday morning, I don't think he is going to play on Sunday. If a player plays for England on Wednesday against Scotland, let's say plays for 45 minutes at Wembley and then an hour after the game he is at home in Cobham sleeping, he is in a better condition to play. The team will be decided game after game and week after week.
"What happens before the Hull City game has an impact. Also, if we have to play against Aston Villa two or three days later – we still don't know when that will be [the game is still to be rescheduled, having been set for the weekend Chelsea play in the European Super Cup in Prague on 30 August] – I will have to think about two or three matches at the same time. If the game is postponed until two months later and I have only one match in a week, I will think differently. It depends on the situation."
Chelsea arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday to prepare for their game against an Indonesia All Star XI on Thursday, with the manager still assessing his options and his players attempting to impress. While youngsters such as Kevin De Bruyne, who is fling back to London for a scan on the knee he injured in Malaysia, and Romelu Lukaku are expected to stay at the club, Mourinho has already decided to loan out Nathaniel Chalobah, Lucas Piazón and Josh McEachran for the season to gain further senior experience. Chelsea are assessing whether they can be placed at Premier League or Championship clubs.
Chalobah played in central midfield for Watford last term, Piazón had six months with Málaga, while McEachran spent the season under Tony Mowbray at Middlesbrough.
"We are thinking of letting Nathaniel go on loan for a last season," Mourinho said. "That is our intention and he knows. We have discussed that with him. He is a very, very good player. I like him very much and am very impressed. For sure, he is a Chelsea player. We will see whether or not it is a Premier League club but he would have to play every weekend for the last year of his loan period. He could be in our squad already but we think one more season will help and then he will come back for 2014-15. It will be his last one out on loan. He is very, very good.
"Josh will also go on loan, Lucas Piazón too. Wallace will go on loan – he has no work permit and will go on loan in Europe, not in South America, to make the transfer easier for him. Islam Feruz will stay in our under-21s."
Mourinho has already confirmed that Bertrand Traoré, the promising 17-year-old Burkina Faso international, will sign professional terms on his 18th birthday and, should he fail to secure a work permit, will be loaned to a European club in the hope that he will earn the necessary clearance.
Another promising youngster, the Czech centre-half Tomas Kalas, will be a part of the senior setup for the campaign ahead. The defender, 20, a £5.2m signing from Sigma Olomouc in 2010, has spent the past two years on loan at Vitesse Arnhem but will offer Mourinho valuable cover across his back line.
"It was the first day of training when Mr Mourinho came to me and asked me if I would accept the challenge to be a first-team player and give it everything and, of course, I accepted," said Kalas, who played last season largely at right-back. "I hope I am ready but now I have to prove myself.
"I have no doubts. I played 63 games in Holland and another season maybe would be worse than better. I learned a lot of technical and tactical skills playing in the Eredivisie, where everybody plays football from the goalkeeper to the central defender. To play 10 or 20 games for Chelsea would be brilliant."
David Moyes answers instantly when asked what advice stands out from the barrage he received on becoming Manchester United manager: "'You'll do it easy.' But I'm not saying who it was. I don't take that as a given, because I know it's going to be really hard at Manchester United. I know that."
Moyes is two months into succeeding Sir Alex Ferguson but is already intent on turning United into his club. The respect for the domestic game's greatest manager will always be deep but Moyes knows it is time to look forward. To explain why he brought in Steve Round, Phil Neville, Jimmy Lumsden and Chris Woods from Everton on his backroom staff, and made Ryan Giggs player-coach, he says: "I needed it to be David Moyes's era now, so that meant me taking some of my own people.
"I couldn't do it without the help of Ryan Giggs. Phil Neville had known a little bit at both clubs. But more importantly he probably knew how I worked at Everton more than Manchester United. Phil and Ryan are young, it's really important in this job that you also keep young, open-minded thoughts because you don't want to get too old in your ways."
An illustration of Moyes's desire to succeed comes when it is put to him whether he will require six months or even a season for United to become his side. "It is my team now. I have taken over, I'm in charge," he says. "As I have said, I will use the ex-manager as much as I can because of his knowledge but it is my team now and I have to take responsibility for that. From day one, it is my team and I have to get on and show that."
Moyes is speaking in a Sydney harbour restaurant during a four-hour dinner of fine Shiraz and rare Wagyu beef. He is relaxed and assured. Yet only eight days into the club's three-week tour of Thailand, Australia, Japan and China, Moyes has already been introduced to the United whirlwind.
The unhappy Wayne Rooney flew back on the opening day owing to a hamstring problem and is still determined to leave Old Trafford. Barcelona's Thiago Alcântara plumped for Bayern Munich rather than join the champions. And Moyes is considering a third, club-record bid for Cesc Fábregas after a £30m offer was rejected.
The fanatical welcome in Asia and Australia has left Moyes in no doubt as to United's global appeal and the expectation focused on him. But none of this, nor following Ferguson, has caused doubt to creep in. "There's not that," Moyes says, "but there has to be an element of fear that comes with managing a club like Manchester United. It keeps you working, it keeps you focused and helps you try not to take your eye off the ball."
In his endearingly frank manner, Moyes is happy to admit to butterflies. "Yeah, that comes with the excitement of the job. It's more to do with the magnitude of Manchester United and following arguably the greatest manager that football has ever known," he says. "I don't want to mention Sir Alex in every conversation I have but in the same breath I would hate to think in any way that I was disrespecting someone of his level. But I will always respect him and Manchester United will always do so too.
"It has to be a new era. Whatever we say, my job now is to make my history. I'm going to be following someone who has made incredible history. I think about Matt Busby's history and then Alex Ferguson's history – they could do a film about it. I have to make sure now that my history and my time is something which the fans and people in the future talk about."
Moyes knows that United remain the biggest scalp in English football. "Yeah I've seen that already, even the feel about the place, I see a different situation and it's going to be new to me and something I'm going to have to come to terms with," the 50-year-old says. "But I feel comfortable in my position, I feel as if I can be in the job, not saying it's all going to be right because I don't think [there] is any manager who always gets it right.
"But I do feel that I'm in a position I think I can deal with it. I've got to say I feel it's the right job for me, at the right time. Hopefully I'll make it work."
In leading a changing room of A-list players headed by Robin van Persie, Giggs, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, Moyes understands he will be scrutinised. "I think every footballer who I've worked with judged the manager. They want to see if he can earn his stripes, they want to see if they can coach, if they can make decisions. So I think the players will soon look at that and look to see if they think you can do it. I'm looking at players who are winners, who have been an incredibly successful team over the years, so I've got to make sure I learn from them. I don't know it all."
On 17 August the real business starts with the trip to Swansea City in the first of a five-match start to the season that could define United's title defence. Chelsea follow in Moyes's first home game, before a visit to Liverpool – during which a feisty reception beckons for a former Everton manager of United – Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, then the derby at Manchester City.
Moyes says: "It could map out our whole season, which is why we are trying to get ourselves right for the opening games. It is going to be an interesting start, but however the start goes, you play each team twice. We just have to play some of the better ones at the early stage, so we have to make sure we are in good in form, but the same applies to them."
Of José Mourinho's return to Chelsea and Manuel Pellegrini replacing Roberto Mancini at City, Moyes says: "They're new managers coming into new clubs so things can change. I think the Premier League is going to be a little bit more unpredictable than it's been in the past. I just hope the predictability about it is that Manchester United are beating everybody you expect them to beat. But Arsène Wenger is now the longest-serving manager in the league and there is the chance that this could be a different kind of year."
Moyes talks of being United's manager for 10 or 15 years, and building his own dynasty as did Busby and Ferguson. "I'd really like that, not just because of the history of Scottish managers, but I think there has been a succession of Scottish managers – Bill Shankly, Jock Stein, Sir Matt, George Graham – you could go on and on. I've probably missed a few out. If I could in some way be tagged on to the end of that list, because I'd been successful at Manchester United, then I'd be delighted."
Moyes will steep himself in the club's rich past. "I will need to get the history books on, because I wouldn't be the first person to be able to turn around and tell you every cup final or every game we've been involved in or all the players," he admits. "But I wanted to get myself as knowledgeable as I can. Looking at the history of the club, it's incredible, so I'm really looking forward to getting myself up to speed. Hopefully 25 years might give me the chance to get up to speed."
He may have been joking about lasting a quarter of a century but it demonstrates his determination to succeed.
Rooney's price tag all but agreed: A fee of £30 million will clinch the 'deal of the summer', according to the Daily Mirror, which reports that Manchester United will agree to sell Wayne Rooney to Chelsea. But, crucially perhaps (or not), the sensational transfer will not go through in time for the forward to make what would have been a dramatic return to Old Trafford in a blue shirt on August 26.
"The Stamford Bridge club will table a second bid of £24 million this week and feel they can get their man for around the £30m mark – despite Manchester United's insistence the England man is not for sale," the paper reports.
"While Chelsea feel the champions have no option but to sell before the transfer window shuts on September 2, they are willing to have to wait until the final days to get their man.
"The Blues are resigned to not landing Rooney in time for him to return to Old Trafford in a Blues shirt on August 26. If the Reds are successful in their ongoing quest to land Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona, Chelsea expect United will be able to 'sell' his arrival as an 'upgrade' to justify the departure of Rooney to SW6."
Paper round's view: It's realistic now. As much as it now appears very likely that the deal will go through, there is no sign that it will be done at all quickly. While the fee remains guesswork from every paper at the moment, £30m is the most consistent figure doing the rounds. As for Rooney not moving in time for the two teams' clash on August 26 – well, that suits just about everyone involved in the deal and will only help it to go through.
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Manchester City eye £22m Real Madrid defender: If you thought City's summer spending was over, you were very much mistaken, that's the message from the Daily Star this morning. Manuel Pellegrini will make yet another move for a Spain-based player as he lines up the transfer of Real Madrid defender Pepe. The deal would see City's outlay this summer move to a whopping £114m.
"The Portugal defender is available at £30m but City will not pay that for the defender, 30. The Premier League's biggest spenders in this transfer window are prepared to pay £22m," reports the paper.
"New boss Manuel Pellegrini wants more Champions League know-how in his squad after City's failure in the competition in the last two seasons.
"If the deal goes through Real could use the cash to make a bid for Liverpool's Luis Suarez. It would help them get nearer to Liverpool's valuation of £40m – though they have indicated they are not prepared to pay more than £25m."
Paper round's view: The future of City centre-back Joleon Lescott remains unclear with Pellegrini reportedly no more convinced by the defender's ability than Roberto Mancini before him last season. As a result, it makes sense for Pellegrini to dip back into the transfer market to shore up his defence ahead of the club's title-tilt, with Pepe understood to be keen for a final big-money move.
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Newcastle to swoop for two more French stars: Alan Pardew is to make yet another move for stars recommended to him by chief scout Graham Carr as a '£15 million-plus' deal is on the table for Andre-Pierre Gignac and Bafetimbi Gomis, according to the Daily Star.
"Toon's twin striker search has added urgency as fears grow that Papiss Cisse could be on his way out of St James' Park. And Benfica's £10m-rated Paraguay frontman Oscar Cardozo has been lined up as the Magpies face a battle to lure Gignac away from Marseille," reports the paper.
"Manager Alan Pardew has also admitted his interest in Aston Villa's Darren Bent, 29, and QPR's Loic Remy, 26. Now he has confirmed a move for Lyon star Gomis, while French sources claim a bid in excess of £10m has been made for France team-mate Gignac.
"Gomis, 27, is also a Villa target but the chance to join the Geordies' French legion is said to be his 'preferred move'. With Gomis in the final year of his contract, Newcastle are looking to pay a cut-price fee of around £5m."
Paper round's view: Gignac has been repeatedly linked with Newcastle, but reports are now growing that there could be substance to it with a fee of around £15m touted around. The classic '£15m-plus' line often leads to doubts about a story's credibility, but it would not be the first time that Newcastle have turned to French targets after losing patience with the players previously at the top of their wish list with Bent and Remy frustrating Pardew if reports are to be believed.
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Higuain stalls to give Arsenal one final chance: Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain is reported to be taking his time to complete a deal to Napoli in a last bid to give Arsenal the chance to resurrect a move for him, according to the Daily Mirror. The Argentine is keen to move to London and is stalling as Arsenal weigh up moving back in for the striker.
"Higuain asked for 48 hours to think over whether to join Napoli after Rafa Benitez's new club had a £30 million bid accepted for the Argentine World Cup star," reports the paper.
"It is believed Higuain would still prefer moving to Arsenal but his potential switch to the Emirates went cold after Real Madrid suddenly "moved the goalposts" and increased the price from £24m to £32m.
"Arsenal had agreed personal terms with Higuain but are not willing to increase on their valuation and have now made Liverpool striker Suarez their number one target. But if Real Madrid can sell Higuain - and the Spanish club have yet to confirm they have accepted Napoli's bid as reported in the Italian media - then it may give them the cash to launch a full scale bid for Suarez."
Paper round's view: This is classic agent-inspired tittle-tattle. It sounds like Higuain's agent could well be feeding out these reports as he negotiates a bumper deal for his client at Napoli. Rather than this giving Arsenal 'another chance', it's more like using the Premier League club to get a slightly better package at the Italian club. Plus, Arsenal have missed their chance with this one. Anyway, why does every transfer story always come back to Suarez?
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Arsenal to finally make move for Swansea defender: Arsene Wenger, it is reported in the Metro, is finally ready to make a move for Ashley Williams after conceding that he needs a new centre back. An injury to Laurent Koscielny in Japan has left Wenger needing reinforcements, and Williams is believed to be his target for a meagre fee of just £10 million.
"With Sebastien Squillaci released, Johan Djourou off on a season-long loan to Hamburg and club captain Thomas Vermaelen out for three months with a back injury, Per Mertesacker is the only experienced centre-half at manager Wenger's disposal," reports the paper.
"Arsenal have previously been linked with a move for Swansea central defender Ashley Williams, and a serious injury to Koscielny could hasten any bid for the Wales international.
"Williams is valued at around £10 million by the Swans."
Paper round's view: Wenger may be an 'admirer' of the Swansea defender, but then he has said that about a lot of Premier League players he has been repeatedly linked with. This rumour has been trudging along wearily for far too long now and, as indecisive as Wenger and Arsenal appear to be, if he seriously wanted Williams then he would have made a move by now. The Gunners do need defensive reinforcements, but expect Wenger to look elsewhere.
By Neil Ashton
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The shadow of Sir Alex Ferguson is the reason behind Wayne Rooney's determination to quit Manchester United.
From boardroom to bootroom, Ferguson's presence is still being felt all over Old Trafford. As a director of the club, he is entitled to attend board meetings and will remain an influential voice at Old Trafford.
Like many distinguished former members of staff, there will be times when he pops into United's Carrington training centre to catch up with some old faces.
Parting gift: Wayne Rooney with Sir Alex Ferguson on the day United were presented with title medals
Then, in his role as a club ambassador, he will inevitably be asked about his prickly relationship with the England international at corporate events.
Rooney's understandable fear is that Ferguson will open up some old wounds with another throw-away comment.
When he recovers from a hip operation scheduled for this month, Sir Alex will also be watching the progress of David Moyes' team from a cushioned seat in the directors' box.
So the United striker wants a fresh start, a new challenge with Chelsea as Jose Mourinho prepares to make a renewed bid.
Chelsea's players are openly talking to each other about Rooney's potential arrival at Stamford Bridge and the idea of him playing for Mourinho has been met with universal dressing room approval.
They recognise a player who needs a new challenge, a chance to revitalise his career at another club after nine incredibly successful years at Old Trafford.
It is something Rooney has re-iterated during the telephone conversations that have taken place between him, Moyes and vice-chairman Ed Woodward in the past few days.
United flatly rejected Chelsea's opening offer — 23million plus 2.5m in various performance-related clauses — submitted by chief executive Ron Gourlay last week.
They will match his 240,000-a-week wages at Old Trafford and give him a five-year contract if United finally agree to his sale.
Despite the instant rejection of their opening offer last week, Chelsea are undeterred. Their financial ceiling is around 30m all-in for a player they believe has five years left at the very highest level. Rooney shares the same view, convinced that he will still be a top player in the Champions League and Barclays Premier League even when he reaches the age of 32.
He was angry last season when Ferguson became obsessed with 'the numbers' — the statistical analysis based on every player's fitness and conditioning.
History: Rooney was brought to the club by Ferguson in 2004 and developed under him
Shake on it: Rooney with Jose Mourinho
Rooney's wife Coleen shops in Waitrose near their home in Alderley Edge virtually every day, filling the family's trolley with fresh fruit, lean meat and brown pasta. Rooney maintains that he is near the top group, something Moyes appeared to confirm at the start of pre-season when he claimed 'the team tell me it's the best shape they have seen him for five years'.
And during his meeting with Ferguson before the end of last season, Rooney reminded the former United manager of his record at the club.
He is sixth in the list of all-time goalscorers in the Premier League behind Alan Shearer, Andy Cole, Thierry Henry, Robbie Fowler and Frank Lampard.
Rooney has scored 141 goals for United in 278 Premier League appearances since his move from Everton in 2004 — as good as a goal every other game.
In the Champions League he has also scored more goals (27) than Robin van Persie (21), the man who Ferguson admitted was his 'No 1 striker' at United before their clash with Real Madrid in the Bernabeu last February.
Rooney was used in seven different positions — six outfield and one as substitute — last season. In Ferguson's final two games, against Swansea and West Bromwich Albion, he was left out of the matchday squad completely.
That humiliation added to his resentment and Rooney's position remains unchanged: he wants to leave Old Trafford.
Main man: Rooney (right) grew into the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo and spearheaded United's side
Shadow: But now Rooney wants a fresh start, away from Sir Alex
He yearns for the days when he was the main man, looking back to his first season up front for United after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo after defeat in the 2009 Champions League final.
Rooney assumed responsibility, leading the line for United, scoring 26 goals in the Premier League and 34 in all competitions.
He was so crucial to Ferguson that he played on one leg against Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-final in April 2010 after damaging ankle ligaments in a clash with Mario Gomez in the Allianz Arena.
Those days are long gone, even though Moyes has told Rooney he can immortalise himself in United's history if he stays at Old Trafford.
He has won five Premier League titles and the Champions League since signing in 2004, but his ambitions stretch beyond Old Trafford now.
Born again: The prospect of Rooney under Jose Mourinho has excited Chelsea's stars
Rooney wants to work with Mourinho, believing him to be a manager who will cherish his ability and build a new Chelsea team around him. There are many who sense a player who has lost his love for the game, but he is still the last off the training pitches when he is with United or England.
He has been working solidly at United's Carrington training ground since his return from the club's pre-season tour, but his future remains uncertain.
His relationship with Moyes is cordial, certainly better than one could expect after their acrimonious libel case, involving comments in a Rooney autobigraphy, was resolved in 2008.
Moyes is willing to work with Rooney and has urged him to reconsider his options before United return to England from their pre-season tour.
Rooney has listened... but he can still hear Ferguson's voice in the corridors of power.
We should consider other options because I don't think Fab would join us.
- Karan Miglani , New Delhi, India, 27/7/2013 06:47
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