MICHEAL ESSIEN WILL BE FOLLOWING JOSE MOURINHO BACK TO STAMFORD BRIDGE.
The Ghana midfielder, 30, is on a season-long loan at Real but has one more
year to run on his Chelsea contract. Essien, who scored only one goal in 28 appearances for Real, was signed by
then Blues boss Mourinho in 2005 and sees him as a father figure, even
calling him ‘Daddy’.He said: “We have a very good relationship. I understand him very well. Daddy
knows I can play in any position he wants me to, except goalkeeper.”
ATSU TO LEAVE FC PORTO AND MAKE A MOVE TO ENGLAND.
Premier League clubs have been put on alert
after Porto winger Christian Atsu reiterated his desire to move to
England this summer.Atsu, who is entering the final year of his
contract at Estadio do Dragao, is likely to leave Porto after turning
down the club's offer of a new deal.The 21-year-old has snubbed fresh terms because Porto are trying to
increase his release clause to €30m (£24million) and he found himself
out of favour in the second half of this season as a result of his
contract wrangle.
The likes of Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton and Arsenal have all been
linked with a move for Atsu and the Ghana international admits it would
be a dream to play in England. Atsu, who is away on international duty with Ghana for their upcoming
World Cup qualifiers, hopes there will be a resolution over his future
soon. He said:"The club have made their feelings clear to me after I refused to sign a new deal and I hope we can reach a resolution soon and "It has always been my dream to play in England and it is flattering to be linked with some big Premier League clubs.
VICTOR VALDES TO STAY AT BARCELONA FOR ONE MORE SEASON TILL HIS CONTRACT EXPIRATION IN 2014.
Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has revealed
he will see out his contract with the Spanish champions and spend
another season at Camp Nou.The 31-year-old Spain international,
who has been in the Barcelona first team for 12 years and recently made
his 500th appearance, had been linked with a summer move to big-spending
Monaco.
However, he has confirmed he will be staying put for the time being before moving on after the 2013/14 campaign. Valdes said: "I consider that my cycle as a Barcelona player will come to an end when my current contract expires in 2014."I understand that with 18 months' warning there should be sufficient
time to find the best solution for the club and for the player, so that
Barca keep on winning and so do I.
CHELSEA'S DAVID LUIZ AND RAMIRES WONT BE LEAVING FOR NAPOLI
David Luiz and Ramires are unlikely to follow Rafael Benitez to Napoli, according to their agent Giuliano Bertolucci.Rafael Benitez was appointed Napoli coach last week and has been linked with a number of players from former club Chelsea. However, it seems that Luiz and Ramires will not be joining him Italy
after speculation linking the duo with moves away from Chelsea was
played down.It's very unlikely that David Luiz and Ramires can
go to Napoli because Chelsea don't want to lose them, they are two key
players. Last summer barcelona was also interested in ramires but no contact has been made with him till now this time.
One of Benitez's first jobs will be to try and keep Edinson Cavani.The striker has been linked to Manchester City and Chelsea in recent weeks.
VAN PERSI'S SECRET WEAPON IN FIRING UNITED TO THE TITLE.
His sensational haul of 26 goals
powered Manchester United to the Premier League title, but almost as
remarkable was that Robin van Persie made it through the season
injury-free.A notoriously
injury-prone player, Van Persie missed almost an entire year of action
in his final five years at Arsenal with a succession of knee and ankle
problems. But in the
last two seasons, the Dutchman has stayed fit and healthy, allowing him
to concentrate on what he does best - scoring goals.
Robin van Persie has been wearing the hamstring support at Manchester United.His secret weapon in his fight to stay fit - an
American-made elastic 'compression sleeve' product called the BodyHelix. He started wearing the fabric on his thighs and calves during
training and matches in February 2012 - and has not suffered an injury
since despite playing back-to-back seasons of 48 club matches. The
29-year-old also recommended the BodyHelix to strike partner Wayne
Rooney after he suffered a gruesome gash to his thigh against Fulham
back in August. Despite the severity of the injury, Rooney returned to the United side within a month.Nani and Anderson also wear the
product to help their bodies cope with the rigorous demands of top level
football, as do a number of van Persie's former team-mates at Arsenal.
ERIC ABIDAL WILL LEAVE BARCELONA AFTER 6 YEAR FOLLOWING CANCER FIGHT.
Eric Abidal has confirmed he is to leave Barcelona after six years at the club.The
French defender, who fought back from liver cancer and a subsequent
transplant to play again, had hoped for a new deal after making his
long-awaited comeback.But he told a news conference on Thursday that his time at Camp Nou would end when his current contract expires next month."I would have liked to have stayed and played on at Barcelona but the
club saw it differently and I have to respect their decision," an
emotional Abidal, who won 15 titles during his spell in Catalonia, said.
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell opened the door for Abidal to return as a coach once his playing career is over.Abidal returned to first-team action as a substitute against Real
Mallorca on 6 April, before playing 90 minutes for the first time two
weeks later against Levante.He was diagnosed with a tumour in March 2011 but needed a transplant after initial surgery failed to restore him to full health.
Fabio Coentrao has opened the door on a move to Chelsea by revealing
that he is set to quit Real Madrid this summer.The 25-year-old has
failed to establish himself at the Bernabeu
following his big-money move from Benfica, and has managed just 16
league appearances this term.And with compatriot Jose Mourinho now set
to depart Madrid, fed up
Coentrao is considering his future and suggests he is looking to move
on.The news will delight Chelsea, who were piped to Coentrao’s signature
by Madrid despite having appeared to be in the driving seat to land the
player.And when asked by reporters if Coentrao would like to link up
with
Mourinho again, this time at Chelsea, he refused to rule it out.‘When I
leave, I do not close the door to anyone,’ he added.Madrid would want up
to £8million for the full-back who can also play in midfield.
PLAYING FOR MADRID OR BARCA WOULD BE A DREAM BUT AT PRESENT JUST WANT TO THINK ABOUT NAPOLI: SAYS CAVANI.
Edinson Cavani has dented Manchester City and Chelsea’s hopes of signing him by claiming he dreams of playing in La Liga.Napoli striker Cavani
is one of the summer’s hottest transfer targets and says it has always
been his ambition to play for either Barcelona or Real Madrid.Napoli striker Edinson Cavani continues to read little into the ongoing speculation regarding his future.With
the summer transfer window soon to throw open its doors, rumours are
intensifying as to where Cavani will be come the end of August.
The Uruguay international is among the most sought-after frontmen in
European football - having taken in productive spells in Serie A with
Palermo and Napoli.He has become accustomed to fending off endless rounds of gossip,
with each passing window bringing fresh reports of big-money bids.Cavani insists he is paying no attention to the latest rumours, with his focus locked on events at Napoli until told otherwise.
ISCO MAY MOVE TO CITY,TO CONTINUE PLAYING UNDER MANUEL PELLIGRINI.
Highly-rated
Malaga playmaker Isco admits he would relish the chance to continue
playing under departing coach Manuel Pellegrini.Pellegrini will
leave Malaga following this weekend's final round of Primera Division
matches and has been closely linked with the vacant post at Manchester
City.There has also been plenty of speculation about Isco's future at the
Andalusian club, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and several
English clubs, including City, thought to be coveting the 21-year-old.Isco insists he will not be rushed into a decision about where he
will play his trade next season, but admits he would be happy to still be
under the orders of Pellegrini.
On the subject of which club he might move to, Isco says the key thing for him is the amount of time he gets on the pitch.I'm not closing my door to anyone but my priority is to
play and I don't want to be on the bench"he says,but with the quality players in the city squad like De Silva, Tevez, Nasri, Aguero,he may end up as spending a considerable amount of time on bench and thus it will be a tough decision for him.
MANCHESTER CITY SERGIO AUGERO AGREES TO STAY UNTIL 2017 AND EXTENDS HIS CONTRACT BY ONE YEAR
Sergio Agüero has underlined his commitment to Man City by signing a one-year contract extension.The
24-year-old Argentina striker is now tied to the 2012 Premier League
champions until 2017. Agüero joined City from Atlético Madrid in 2011
for £38m and ensured his place in the club's history books when he
scored the injury-time winning goal against QPR to seal the 2011-12
Premier League title and end the Blues' 44-year wait for the title.
Agüero
recently played down talks of a move away from the Etihad Stadium in
the summer, saying: "I'm very happy at City and I feel very appreciated.
It's been barely two years since I've arrived and sometimes I feel like
I've been here for all my life. Agüero had been linked with a move back to Spain, with Real Madrid believed to have been interested to replace Higuain who has refused for a contract extention with real madrid.
ADNAN JANUZAG WILLING TO SIGN A NEW CONTRACT AT MANU AMIDST JUVENTUS AND BARCA INTEREST.
Manchester United reserve player Adnan Januzaj is expected to sign a new contract with the club, according to his agent.Juventus
and Barcelona are said to be interested in the highly-rated youngster
but he is likely to sign a new
contract at Old Trafford.Adnan is on the list of
many clubs and was also voted reserve team player of the year and
was one of the star players on a few big youth tournaments.Sir Alex
Ferguson has told Adnan a few weeks ago that he can play in three
positions in the midfield. They have worked hard on his weak points.Talks about a new contract will be made in a month - his one is expiring in
2014. The retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson has delayed the negotiations,
but if everything goes well, Adnan will stay a few years longer at Old
Trafford.
LIVERPOOL TO SIGN TOURE WHEN HIS CONTRACT EXPIRES WITH CITY.
The 32-year-old, who made 18 appearances for City this season, has
been brought in by Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers as a replacement
for recently retired Jamie Carragher."The powerful defender will be registered as a Reds player when his current deal with Manchester City expires."Toure will arrive at Anfield with a wealth of experience having
represented City and Arsenal in the Premier League after arriving in
England 11 years ago. During his four years with City he made over 100 appearances and tasted glory in the Premier League and FA Cup.
As a stop-gap for two seasons, this signing is considered to be good because it hasn't cost
a fortune. Without Carragher, youngsters such as Wisdom and Kelly need
an experienced player around to help them develop and replace Toure in
2015-2016 season.
BARCELONA MIDFIELDER THIAGO ALCANTARA HAS TURNED DOWN THE SPECULATION FOR A SUMMER MOVE TO MANCHESTER UNITED.
The Red Devils have been linked with a swoop for the 22-year-old, but
he has insisted that he will not consider his future until after the
upcoming Under-21 European Championship.Thiago's buy-out clause at Camp Nou is understood to have dropped
from €90million to €18million after he failed to play 30 minutes or more
in 60 per cent of Barca's games this season.United's interest prompted goalkeeper David de Gea to state that he
would like his Spain Under-21 team-mate to join him at Old Trafford, but
Thiago brushed off the comments.
BARCELONA PREPARE £17m PLUS PLAYER SWAP FOR CHELSEA PLAYMAKER MATA..!!
Catalan giants plotting ambitious move for Chelsea attacker. La Liga champions Barcelona could make a shock move to try and sign Juan Mata from Chelsea.Mata,
formerly of Spanish side Valencia, has been a superb signing for
Chelsea since he joined the club for £23.5million in 2011, and has shown
he would fit Barcelona’s style of play perfectly.The 25-year-old can operate either as a winger, or as a deep-lying
central midfield playmaker, and is very much in the Xavi and Andres
Iniesta mould, though arguably with more of an end product, scoring 20
goals and providing a phenomenal 35 assists for the Blues this season.
With
Barcelona undergoing a summer clear-out this year, a number of
under-performers such as Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas could leave,
making space in the team for Mata, whom the Catalans feel would combine
perfectly with Lionel Messi.Real
Madrid have also been linked with Mata, considering him as a possible
alternative if they miss out on their first choice summer signing Gareth
Bale.
Barcelona’s failure in the Champions League this season exposed a
need to have a player capable of providing a cutting edge when Messi is
either off top form or being crowded out by opponents. It will now be
hoped that Neymar’s technique and exciting dribbling skills can provide
that. Yet, their struggles also highlighted the club’s failure to sign a
top-class central defender last summer.With the team's stalwart Carles Puyol reaching the age of 34 and yet
again battling injury, Eric Abidal’s recovery from surgeries taking a toll on his body and Marc
Bartra still a few years away from cementing a permanent spot in the
heart of the defence, the need of the hour is to strengthen the backline, Barca's lack of depth at the position has become
quite clear. After all, it was one of the only weak points in the squad
last season.
Thiago Silva,was targeted last summer but they could not get hold of him but now he has been priced out of
a move by Paris Saint-Germain. Yet, Tito Vilanova has another Brazilian
defender in mind, in Roma’s Marquinhos.The 19-year-old has just completed his first season in Italy
following a move from Corinthians. Though, the asking price could
be a stumbling block, with Barcelona said only to be prepared to offer
€20 million and Roma holding out for €30 million. And the cost is
unlikely to be any lower for another reported target Vincent Kompany.
The Belgian is one of Manchester City’s key performers and captained the
club to their first league title in 44 years in 2012.With money largely no object to City, there appears little chance of
the 27-year-old leaving unless he pushes for a move. And his comments on
Twitter this past weekend appear to rule out that possibility.
DAVID MOYES GETS INTO ACTION WITH EXTENDING FERDINAND'S CONTRACT AT OLD TRAFFORD.
Ferdinand, 34, signed a one-year contract extension with theRed Devils which
will take him into his 12th season at Old Trafford.Incoming manager Moyes approved Alex Ferguson’s recommendation that the
veteran defender deserved a new deal for playing a key role in the club’s
Premier League title triumph.Moyes, who does not officially replace the retiring Fergie at United until
July 1, said: “It is clear for everyone to see that Rio has had one of his
best seasons with the club.
Ferdinand made 34 appearances for United this season, including 28 in the
Premier League,more than any of the club’s other central defenders. He was
also named in the PFA’s Premier League Team of the Year.The new deal comes just a week after Ferdinand announced he was retiring from
international football to concentrate on prolonging his Old Trafford career.
AUGERO SIGNED A CONTRACT EXTENTION TO KEEP HIM AT ETHIAD UNTIL 2017 AND DISMISSES REAL LINK..!!
Sergio
Aguero is happy to have signed a new contract with Manchester City and
says that reports suggesting he was set for Real Madrid were untrue.The
24-year old striker netted 12 Premier League goals this season but
endured a frustrating campaign as City failed to retain the title and
were beaten finalists in the FA Cup.Aguero signed a contract extension last week to keep him at the
Etihad Stadium until 2017 and he was quick to dismiss the Real link.
"They were only rumours. I have a commitment at Manchester City,
which is a great club," the Argentine told the media in his homeland.
REAL MADRID SET TO COMPETE WITH MANCITY FOR "ISCO" DEAL.
The Blues thought they were in pole position to land the attacking midfielder Manuel Pellegrini’s decision to
leave the Spanish club and succeed Roberto Mancini but now with real madrid coming into picture things have changed slightly.
Malaga's key playmaker Isco is still listing his options and he wants to take a decision that will be best for his future.He has indicated before that he would be open to join manchester city if Manuel Pellegrini was appointed as their new manager but now with real madrid showing interest in him,he is very much flattered with it.
He says: "I'm not closing my door to anyone but my priority is to play
and I don't want to be on the bench. We'll see what happens in the
summer."
WILFRIED ZAHA CAN ADD DEPTH TO MANCHESTER UNITED SQUAD.
Why United would want to loan out such an effective player who is ready
to contribute in the Premier League immediately is anyone's guess. And
if he is, as you would assume, aware of Zaha's immense quality, he
certainly hasn't been watching United or their wingers.
Broadly speaking, United have
four true options for their wide positions, and none of them will give
much hope for the following season. First, there is Antonio Valencia,
a shadow of his former self throughout an almost entirely ineffectual
campaign, only slightly picking up in the handful of dead rubbers after
the title had been secured.Then there is Nani, whose every
bit of skill and goal seems to come at precisely the time when all
patience has been exhausted, prolonging a poor career at United long
past what it ought to have been. With his potential sale providing a
tempting chunk of funds to perhaps reinvest elsewhere, his time is
almost certainly up. Add to this Ashley Young, who had a mediocre debut campaign and a worse second one, and Ryan Giggs, who is approaching his 40th birthday, and the picture looks grim.
Even if United sign a
new midfield and take a step towards a more integrated approach, they
cannot risk another season with such a lack of productivity from their
wide players.Zaha, it would seem, is an
ideal player to address this problem. Whether the defence is open or
compact, pushed up or dropped deep, his pace and trickery can unlock it
and create space for others as doubling-up becomes a necessity.Zaha is unlikely to change the
way United play, but he can aid them simply by being a more viable
option than anything they have now. The individualism that has been
oddly sniffed at in recent weeks will not be a hindrance to his success
-- if anything, it's the reason that should keep him firmly in David Moyes' thoughts when he thinks of his most effective team.
Will fellaini be first signing for Moyes at Manchester United??
David Moyes wants to make everton star Marouane Fellaini his first signing at manchester united.Moyes will raid former employers Everton to land the Belgium star in a £24million deal.The Belgium midfielder has a £24million buy-out clause in his contract and that will not be a problem to the champions. In case this deal does not cracks,Moyes also has his eyes on former Gunner fabregas and real madrid's Lukas modric.
New Manchester United manager David Moyes could spring a huge surprise by bolstering the Red Devils’ midfield with Cesc Fabregas.
The former Arsenal midfielder, now back at boyhood club Barcelona, is attracting interest and a possible £25m bid is in the offring.26-year-old Fabregas has ‘struggled to impose himself’ at the
Nou Camp and while he has occasionally been deployed in
a striker’s role, the arrival of Neymar will only limit those opportunities.Arsenal would surely move to bring back
their hugely popular former captain, should the opportunity arise.
But speculations are that Fabregas is more inclined to follow his old team-mate Robin Van Persie to Old Trafford in search of a new challenge. Fabregas’ arrival would be a statement of intent from Moyes, who
is looking to reinforce a midfield shorn of the retired Paul Scholes and the ill Darren Fletcher. But if he cannot pull off that move, he is also believed to be keen to move for Luka Modric, who is attracting interest from Chelsea, or equally to raid former club Everton for Marouane Fellaini.
Real Madrid set to test Liverpool resolve with preliminary bid for superstar at €40
Real Madrid have joined the super long list of admirers of Uruguayan
striker Luis Suarez, and are keen to test Liverpool’s resolve in holding
on to their star man with a preliminary bid for the 26 year old
forward.
Suarez has had a controversial stay at Liverpool, and despite the
club backing him to the hilt publicly, it is widely believed that they
will be happy to sell the trouble maker should they receive a good
enough offer as he is tarnishing the club’s image.Bayern Munich and Juventus were believed to be the two sides serious
about signing Suarez this summer with the former having a decided edge
in the negotiating stakes, but it appears that Real have now also thrown
their hat in the ring as they look to replace Argentine striker Gonzalo
Higuain, who is expected to leave the club this summer.
France
winger Franck Ribery has agreed to extend his contract with Bayern
Munich, according to football website Kicker on Monday.The
30-year-old has apparently agreed a two-year extension with the
Champions League winners that will keep him in Bavaria until 2017.Both Ribery and the German champions had said in early May they wanted to extend his current deal, due to end in 2015. Ribery
joined the club in 2007 from French giants Marseille and has gone on to
win three German titles, the German Cup twice and on Saturday the
Champions League as well.
Phil Neville is reportedly among four Evertonians that will form part of David Moyes’ backroom staff at Manchester United.Rene Meulensteen, who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s first-team coach at Old
Trafford, will leave the club after turning down a role as head of
United’s youth set-up. And the Guardian claims Moyes wants Neville to return to the club
where he made almost 400 appearances under Ferguson and replace the
Dutchman.The 36-year-old Neville ended his playing career with the Toffees
this season but had been mooted as a possible replacement for Moyes at
Goodison Park. Fergie’s No.2 Mike Phelan, goalkeeping coach Eric Steele and chief
scout Martin Ferguson – Sir Alex’s brother – have also left Untied.Moyes will again raid his former employers, with Steve Round,
Chris Woods and Robbie Cooke all coming in as the departing trio’s
respective replacements. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/27/phil-neville-everton-moyes-manchester-united
Robert Lewandowski set to join Bayern Munich, claims agent
Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski is likely to join German rivals and newly crowned champions league winner Bayern Munich, the Pole's agent said on Monday. However, Cezary Kucharski said that Bayern had yet to agree terms for Dortmund's top scorer. After the Champions League win over Dortmund on Saturday, Bayern's outgoing coach Jupp Heynckes hinted at Lewandowski's possible transfer. With Mario Götze joining bayern ,Lewandowski
will also not be hanging about too much either," Heynckes said at the post-match
press conference. The 24-year-old striker said after
Saturday's game that he was only thinking of resting for a few days and
then joining Polish team-mates for their World Cup qualifier against
Moldova on 7 June. "I'll be back in Dortmund a little after that,"
Lewandowski said. "I'll go to the national team and then we'll see what
happens."
NEYMAR WAS IN TEARS BEFORE HIS FINAL GAME AT SANTOS ALTHOUGH HE IS VERY EXCITED TO PLAY FOR BARCA.
An emotional Neymar bid farewell to Santos fans on Sunday night,
while saying he was looking forward to fulfilling his dream of playing
with Leo Messi, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta at Barcelona.Barca announced on Sunday morning that their
complex and lengthy pursuit of the Brazilian starlet, 21, was finally at
a close, and he is now expected to travel to Catalonia on June 3 or 4
to be formally presented as a Blaugrana jersey.Speaking after his last game in a Santos shirt - a
goalless draw against Flamengo on the opening day of the Brazilian
season - the player himself said the reality of the move had yet to sink
in.“The meaning of signing for the best team in the
world has not dropped yet,” Neymar said. “It will be an honour to play
there. To be able to play with Messi will be a dream ... with him, Xavi,
Iniesta, them all.”The attacker also thanked Santos fans for their
support in his four years as a senior player, during which he played 230
games and scored 138 goals, and suggested he would return later in his
career.
ZIDANE IS A MAN WITH A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY EVEN AFTER RETIRING.
One of the greatest players in Real
Madrid’s star-studded history has been tasked with bringing the Premier
League’s star to the Bernabeu this summer. Zinedine Zidane has been
given the job of luring Tottenham’s Gareth Bale to the Spanish capital,
even if it costs £65millions.Zidane is reported to be the key adviser in the
deal and he is trying to convince Real Madrid president Florentino Perez
that Bale’s signature is the only one that matters. Zidane is a long-time admirer of the
Welshman. He said: ‘I’ve been watching Tottenham because Gareth Bale has
been playing there. Aside from Ronaldo and Messi ,he is the player who
has impressed me the most in the world. He is outstanding.‘What has particularly impressed me is that he is consistent. It’s not just been in one or two matches.‘He is consistently scoring spectacular goals and very important goals. He is very quick, skilful and exciting.‘Of
course all the talented players like that can come to Real Madrid. Is
he good enough for Real Madrid? Of course. He is more than good enough
to play for Real Madrid.’Zidane
has
been a key player in Madrid’s transfer business since he retired in
2006. He played a key part in convincing Raphael Varane to
the Bernabeu and will hope to groom Bale in a similar way.
Real Madrid in negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur for a €60m bid for Gareth Bale.
Real Madrid are ready to test Tottenham’s
resolve with a £60million bid for Gareth Bale.The Spanish giants have
been tracking Bale for over a year and new coach Carlo Ancelotti is a
big fan of the winger. Real are desperate for silverware next
season having not won a major trophy this year and the club’s president
Florentino Perez has promised Ancelotti that a bid will be made for Bale.Ancelotti is set to replace
Chelsea-bound Jose Mourinho at Madrid after the Italian reiterated his
desire to leave Paris Saint-Germain.Spurs are determined to keep hold of Bale and are confident of doing so despite not qualifying for next year’s Champions League.Bale will hold talks with the club before the summer transfer window opens to discuss his future.
France
winger Franck Ribery has agreed to extend his contract with Bayern
Munich, according to football website Kicker on Monday.The
30-year-old has apparently agreed a two-year extension with the
Champions League winners that will keep him in Bavaria until 2017.Both Ribery and the German champions had said in early May they wanted to extend his current deal, due to end in 2015.
Phil Neville is reportedly among four Evertonians that will form part of David Moyes’ backroom staff at Manchester United.Rene Meulensteen, who was Sir Alex Ferguson’s first-team coach at Old
Trafford, will leave the club after turning down a role as head of
United’s youth set-up.
