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Barclays Premier League Season 2011/2012

David Luiz

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Juventus send legend Nedved to persuade Van Persie to join Serie A champions

By SPORTSMAIL REPORTERPUBLISHED: 05:38 GMT, 13 June 2012 | UPDATED: 07:58 GMT, 13 June 2012

Juventus believe they can tempt Robin van Persie to leave Arsenal after talks with the striker.

The Italian side sent Juve legend Pavel Nedved, now a director with the Turn club, to meet the Arsenal striker at the Holland training camp during Euro 2012, according to reports in Italy.

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Rest up: Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder take a break during a Dutch training session

Juventus are battling it out with Manchester City to try and sign van Persie this summer.

The Serie A champions want van Persie to be their major stellar signing this summer and have put together a £75m package including a £25m transfer fee and £180,000-a-week contract.

Manchester City are also keen but need to offload the likes of Edin Dzeko and Carlos Tevez to meet UEFA financial fair play rules.

Van Persie will make a decision on his future after the European Championship after Arsenal offered a three-year offer of £130,000-a-week and a £5m signing-on fee.
 

David Luiz

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Harry's had it: No new deal for Spurs boss Redknapp as Levy attempts to force him out


By SAMI MOKBEL PUBLISHED: 22:51 GMT, 12 June 2012 | UPDATED: 12:44 GMT, 13 June 2012

Harry Redknapp's reign as Tottenham manager is likely to come to an end today, with the club refusing to offer him a new contract in a tactic to try to force him out.

A tense relationship between Redknapp and chairman Daniel Levy has reached breaking point and a severance package is likely to be discussed when they meet alone for the first time this summer.

Levy will try to avoid paying the last year of his contract, worth around £3million.

On Monday night Redknapp said it is 'scandalous' to suggest he has resigned already.

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Is that the way to the exit: Harry Redknapp has denied he's quit Tottenham, but his future looks uncertain with the club set to ignore his wish of a new deal


'No, I haven’t resigned and I have no idea why it is being suggested that I have,' he said. 'This is an outrage. There is not a chance I will resign. Why should I? I have a year left on my contract.'

In a controversial move, Redknapp will leave the meeting in the knowledge he has no long-term future at the club.Last week he said: 'The simple situation is, I've got a year left on my contract. It's up to Tottenham whether they want to extend that contract or not,' he said earlier.

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Strained: Redknapp's relationship with chairman Daniel Levy is at breaking point

'If they don't extend it and I go into my last year, it's not an easy one when players know you've only got a year left. and knowing that it doesn't work, basically. 'I think it's a situation of, "well, he might not be here next year".

'You don't let players run into the last year of their contract if you think they're any good, and you don't let managers run into the last year of their contract if you think they're any good.'It's up to Tottenham. If they think I'm okay and I've done a decent job and deserve an extension, they'll give it to me.

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High times: Tottenham thrilled Europe during their one season in the Champions League


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and lows: Spurs' season took a horrible turn after Christmas culminating in a double dose of disappointment from Chelsea, in the FA Cup and then Europe


'If Daniel doesn't think I'm worth it, that's up to him, that's up to the club. There's nothing I can do about it.'Last night, a source close to the manager said he had 'no idea' what would happen at the meeting and was going in with an open mind.

Failing to qualify for the Champions League last season is believed to have been be the final straw, but there had been issues between Levy and his manager for some time. Spurs believe Redknapp courted the England job, although he did not speak to the FA.
 

David Luiz

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Laurens: Arsenal bargain Giroud should learn from Van Persie, not replace him
The Gunners are closing on one of the most sought-after French forwards, but he should be seen as the team's future star striker, not merely as a substitute for the Dutchman


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Podolski: I have nothing to prove to Wenger
The Arsenal manager is covering Euro 2012 for French television but the Germany international insists that has not placed any extra pressure on him to perform


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Harry Redknapp sacked as Tottenham manager
Despite dismissing speculation surrounding his future on Tuesday, the manager's exit has been confirmed by the club after irreconcilable differences with Daniel Levy


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Wenger: I won't say anything about Giroud - even under torture!
Arsenal are rumoured to have agreed a €14.8 million fee with Montpellier for the striker but the Gunners boss is refusing to talk about the deal, which should be finalised soon


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BSkyB and BT win the battle for Premier League rights in £3 billion deal
ESPN lose out on the right to show top-flight matches between 2013 and 2016 to the phone giant as the number of games continues to rise, along with the record-breaking price


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Di Matteo deservedly gets two-year Chelsea deal to prove he's not just a stop-gap for Guardiola
The Italian has rightly been handed a two-year deal as the club's permanent manager, ending immediate discussion over a future role for the ex-Barcelona boss


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Chelsea appoint Di Matteo on two-year deal
After his heroics in both the Champions League and the FA Cup while in a temporary capacity, the Blues have handed the Italian a position as full-time manager of the club


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Manchester United confirm pre-season tour of South Africa
The Red Devils have announced that they will start their preparations for the new campaign with a training camp and friendly matches in Durban and Cape Town in July


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Giroud set to complete €14.9 million Arsenal move
The striker's switch to north London is close to completion after he told Montpellier that he wanted to make a move which is expected to treble his wages to €60,000-a-week

 

David Luiz

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Rodgers wants £6m Juve winger Krasic to join his Liverpool revolution


By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 08:25 GMT, 14 June 2012 | UPDATED: 08:27 GMT, 14 June 2012

Liverpool have become the latest club to enter discussions with Milos Krasic over a £6million move.

The Serbian forward in destined to leave Juventus this summer having fallen out of favour with the Serie A champions, playing just seven times last season.

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Wanted: Juventus are keen to offload Milos Krasic, with Liverpool interested


Manchester United and Tottenham have both previously been linked with Krasic - the latter in January - who is one of a number of players expect to quit the newly-crowned title winners this summer.

Juve are desperate to bring in a world class striker and have ear-marked Robin van Persie and Luis Suarez as potential purchases.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has visited Italy personally to try and convince another Juve winger, Eljero Elia, of a temporary switch to Upton Park. However, Schalke, Benfica and Feyenoord are also interested.

The Hammers manager is also looking a striking options and has discussed with Inter Milan the Dutch forward Luc Castaignos.
 

David Luiz

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Di Matteo handed two-year deal as Chelsea boss after finally convincing Abramovich

PUBLISHED: 16:22 GMT, 13 June 2012 | UPDATED: 18:21 GMT, 13 June 2012

Roman Abramovich has handed Roberto Di Matteo as two-year deal to stay as Chelsea manager.

The Italian guided the team to Champions League and FA Cup glory after taking over Andre Villas-Boas in March.And he has finally been confirmed as the permanent boss on a contract that suggests Abramovich has dismissed Pep Guardiola - for now.

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Finally: Roberto Di Matteo helped Chelsea to Champions League glory


Oddly, Di Matteo has also taken the title of 'first-team coach' as well as manager.

Di Matteo said: 'I'm obviously delighted to have been appointed as manager and first-team coach. We all achieved incredible success last season that made history for this great club.

'Our aim is to continue building on that and I'm already planning and looking forward to the squad's return for pre-season.'Abramovich considered an ambitious move to lure former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, who has started a one-year break from the game.But the club insist they are delighted to have Di Matteo on board for the next two seasons.

Chief executive Ron Gourlay says: 'Roberto's quality was clear for all to see when he galvanised the squad last season and helped the club make history, and the owner and board are very pleased he will be continuing his good work.

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backing: Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich has finally acted


'We all believed he was a young coach with much to offer when we first asked him to take charge of team affairs in March and the manner in which he worked with us, the players and all the staff, and the success that followed, made him the clear choice when it came to selecting the person to take us forward in the seasons to come.

'We will be working closely with Roberto in the weeks ahead, some exciting signings have already been made and Roberto has had input into those.

'Although he has set the bar very high in the short time he has been in charge, we know that Roberto is the right man to lead Chelsea on to further success.'Di Matteo was sacked by West Bromwich Albion in February 2011 before returning to the game at Stamford Bridge.

Former Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins, who left the club shortly before Di Matteo filled the same role, believes the decision to hire the 42-year-old full-time will bring much-needed stability to the Stamford Bridge club.

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Big name: One of Di Matteo's tasks will be to revive Fernando Torres


'I'm delighted for him. It'll be nice to see that interim manager title now taken away,' he said.'I think Mr Abramovich was hanging on to see if Pep Guardiola wanted to come out from his year-long retirement. I think it's no secret he sees him as the man to take Chelsea forward.

'I don't think he has to change too much but I think there will be a few changes - with new players coming in whether it's the summer or in the December/January transfer window.

'Roberto in his wisdom selected older lads towards the latter stages of the season and it was fruitful. You need the senior players - your club is only as good as the senior players in it.

'They were playing with smiles on their faces and they got away with things (against Barcelona and Bayern Munich) through sheer persistence and endeavour.

'Roberto put a smile back in the dressing room. The confidence was pretty evident towards the end of the season.

'It's very important they bring a bit of stability back into the club and I think it'll go well for him.

'He's a former Chelsea player so the fans can relate to him as player and manager. It's not often you get a manager come in and within six months win the FA Cup and the Champions League.

But now it's extremely difficult to surpass what you've already done. It's going to be a very tough season for him.'
 

David Luiz

Alfrescian (Inf)
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Ljungberg: Arsenal need to sign a couple of top class players to persuade Van Persie to stay
Freddie Ljungberg believes that the Gunners need to sign top quality players in order to persuade the Netherlands international to sign a new deal at the Emirates


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Hargreaves concedes England career is over
The former Manchester City midfielder has exclusively told Goal.com he hopes to still have future at a top club, and wished Roy Hodgson's men well at the European Championship


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Guti confirms talks with West Ham over sensational move
The former Real Madrid midfielder has revealed he could join the Londoners in the Premier League next season, having been a without a club since leaving Besiktas late last year


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Swansea City appoint Michael Laudrup as new manager
The 46-year-old has signed a two-year contract at the Liberty Stadium, replacing the departed Brendan Rodgers, and his style is thought to be in keeping with the Swans' philosophy


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Di Matteo eyes return to Premier League title contention
Despite winning the Champions League, Chelsea finished 25 points behind champions Manchester City and the new boss has made domestic improvement a priority for next season


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Schweinsteiger: Abramovich did not make me an offer
The Chelsea owner visited the German training camp earlier this week and had a brief encounter with the Bayern Munich midfielder


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Joe Cole to be given fresh start at Liverpool, says Rodgers
The former England international spent last season on loan at Lille, scoring nine goals and assisting three, but is eager to prove himself at the Reds after a poor first year


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Redknapp claims 'there was no laughter at Tottenham' before his arrival
The recently-sacked manager maintained that Spurs were "transformed in every respect" under his guidance, and thanked the fans for their support during his four-year tenure


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Rodgers confirms interest in bringing Sigurdsson to Liverpool
The Northern Irishman has insisted that the Reds will not make an approach for the Hoffenheim midfielder until he has spoken to the Swans' new boss and decided his future


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Chelsea striker Drogba closes in on Shanghai Shenhua switch - report
The Blues forward is nearing the end of "months of negotations" over a big-money switch to the Chinese Super League side, as his Stamford Bridge love affair comes to an end


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'Kagawa is the complete package' - Meulensteen hails new Manchester United signing
The Red Devils first team coach has admitted he is excited by the Japan playmaker's pending summer arrival at Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund and expects him to fit in well
 

David Luiz

Alfrescian (Inf)
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City to show FOUR strikers the door as Mancini makes space for Van Persie bid

By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 07:55 GMT, 15 June 2012 | UPDATED: 13:19 GMT, 15 June 2012

Manchester City are embarking on a major summer clear-out as they attempt to make way for Robin van Persie.

Most likely out the Etihad door is Edin Dzeko, a £25million target for Bayern Munich, while Carlos Tevez, Roque Santa Cruz and Emmanuel Adebayor will all be ushered towards the exit.

City's pursuit of Van Persie is set to be the big transfer saga of the summer, with the Arsenal captain having put contact talks with his club on hold until after the European Championships.

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In demand: Robin van Persie is wanted by Manchester City and Juventus


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Heading out: Edin Dzeko


The Dutchman, who has endured a difficult start to the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, has one year left on his Gunners deal and is attracting interest from all over Europe.

Juventus are leading the way on the continent having worked out a package worth £180,000-a-week, but know it will take an astronomical offer to convince Arsenal to part with their captain.

Despite City's desire to add the Premier League's top scorer to their ranks, the money-no-object attitude of the past must be reined in to keep the club on the right side of UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules.

Roberto Mancini will not entertain the idea of selling Sergio Aguero, the hero of the final day of the Premier League season, but sees no future for the rest of his forward line, according to The Mirror.

Dzeko, a £27m signing from German side Wolfsburg only 18 months ago, has failed to have the impact many had hoped and a return to Germany seems inevitable.

Meanwhile, both Santa Cruz and Adebayor, who have spent the last year away on loan, will be sold for minimal fee just to get them off the wage bill.
 

David Luiz

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United eye Barcelona starlet Thiago as Modric hunt continues


By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 21:00 GMT, 15 June 2012 | UPDATED: 23:53 GMT, 15 June 2012

Manchester United are watching Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara and remain keen on Tottenham's Luka Modric.

Thiago has grown frustrated with his limited first-team opportunities behind the likes of Xavi and Cesc Fabregas.

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United interest: Thiago Alcantara


And the departure of manager Pep Guardiola has prompted the 21-year-old to consider his future at the Nou Camp.

Italian giants AC Milan have already revealed their interest in the £21m-rated midfielder.

AC Milan have turned down a world record offer for a defender of £37.5m from Paris St-Germain for Thiago Silva..

 

David Luiz

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Tottenham talk to AVB as Levy widens search for Redknapp replacement


By SAMI MOKBEL PUBLISHED: 21:00 GMT, 18 June 2012 | UPDATED: 21:00 GMT, 18 June 2012

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In talks: Villas-Boas as Chelsea manager


Tottenham have held a second round of talks with Andre Villas-Boas as the Portuguese emerges as a serious contender to replace Harry Redknapp.

The former Chelsea manager’s representatives were in England on Monday, meeting with Spurs as the White Hart Lane club continue their search for a new boss.

France coach Laurent Blanc is also understood to be high on their list of candidates.

Villas-Boas’s agent held informal discussions with chairman Daniel Levy towards the end of last week to alert Spurs to the 34-year-old’s interest in taking over, and Monday’s development underlines Villas-Boas as a leading contender to take the vacant role.

However, Sportsmail understands Levy remains determined not to rush the appointment of Spurs’ next manager.

Despite discussing the possibility of appointing Villas-Boas twice in under a week, the north London club remain open-minded in their search for a new leader.

Former Bordeaux coach Blanc remains fully committed to Les Bleus’ Euro 2012 campaign but it has not gone unnoticed by Spurs that his contract with the French Football Federation expires at the end of the tournament, meaning the club would not be required to spend millions on a compensation package.

The ex-Manchester United defender is the preferred candidate of a number of Spurs officials but it remains to be seen whether he is prepared to leave his current job.

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In contention: Laurent Blanc is also being considered by the Spurs hierarchy


It is believed Blanc is aware of Tottenham’s interest but would prefer to focus on France’s attempts to win Euro 2012. Nevertheless, Spurs will look to speak to Blanc’s representatives to gauge whether the Frenchman would be prepared to move to London.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is also a candidate, but Everton boss David Moyes’ chances have dwindled in the last few days.

Whoever takes over at White Hart Lane will have to include the highly rated Tim Sherwood within his set-up. The former Tottenham midfielder was used as a first-team coach under Redknapp’s regime but the 43-year-old can expect a promotion now.

Sherwood was retained by the club despite last week’s axing of Redknapp, Joe Jordan, Kevin Bond and Clive Allen, pointing to the fact Tottenham are keen he is to be utilised by the new regime.
However, the backroom cull is not completely over, with Levy planning an overview of the training set-up as the club prepare to move into their new Enfield HQ.
 

David Luiz

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Chelsea hopes of landing Hulk could be scuppered by £43m PSG bid

By ASHLEY GRAY
PUBLISHED: 09:04 GMT, 19 June 2012 | UPDATED: 09:04 GMT, 19 June 2012


Chelsea have been warned that Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to pay almost £43million for Hulk.The European champions have struggled to agree a fee with Porto for the Brazil striker after initially registering interest around the £30m mark.

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Target: Brazil's Hulk (left)


Hulk is keen to move to Stamford Bridge, but his price tag has shifted only upwards after a good run of games on international duty this summer.

Chelsea are looking at other options - such as Fiorentina's Stevan Jovetic - in case they cannot agree a deal and claims of PSG's interest may be seen as trying to force Roman Abramovich to up his bid.

Portuguese media claim the ambitious French side have been in touch with Hulk's agent Teodoro Fonseca about developments as they look to sign a big striker.

PSG have so far failed in bids to sign Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Alexandre Pato and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Newspaper A Bola claims Tottenham will be contenders to sign Hulk if Andre Villas-Boas is appointed the new boss at White Hart Lane, though the price tag appears to be prohibitive.

Meanwhile, another Portuguese newspaper, Diario Noticias, says the biggest stumbling block to his move to Chelsea is a dispute about who should pay Fonseca for his five per cent stake in Hulk, and Uruguayan club Atletico Rentistas, who own 10 per cent.
 

David Luiz

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Arsenal's £12.8m deal for Giroud is done, now to tie up Van Persie

By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 21:00 GMT, 18 June 2012 | UPDATED: 21:00 GMT, 18 June 2012


Arsenal will step up efforts to nail Robin van Persie to a new contract despite the imminent £12.8million signing of Olivier Giroud from Montpellier - a deal Sportsmail exclusively revealed on June 12.

The France forward, 25, is expected to sign a four-year contract worth £45,000 a week and is viewed as a replacement for out-of-favour Marouane Chamakh, who is likely to be sold, rather than Van Persie.

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Double deal: Giroud (left) is set to join Arsenal while Van Persie (right) will be offered a new contract

Arsenal remain determined to get their skipper to sign a three-year deal worth £130,000 a week with a £5m loyalty bonus.

Van Persie’s representatives have held two rounds of talks with Arsenal, when the 28-year-old said he was not ready to sign new terms.
 

David Luiz

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Manchester United eye Porto winger Rodriguez amid doubts over Nani


By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER PUBLISHED: 08:31 GMT, 19 June 2012 | UPDATED: 08:31 GMT, 19 June 2012


Manchester United are lining up Porto winger James Rodriguez as a potential replacement for unsettled Nani.Juventus target Nani is increasingly worried over his future and has admitted to friends that he is upset not to have heard anything about a new deal while he has been at Euro 2012.

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Eye-catching: United are tracking Colombia's James Rodriguez (centre)


The Portugal winger, aged 25, wants £120,000 a week but no agreement has been reached. And United's interest in Colombian starlet Rodriguze will cast further doubt on Nani's future at Old Trafford.Rodriguez, aged 20, scored 13 goals in 20 appearances in the Portuguese Primeira Liga last season.

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Highly-rated: Porto have slapped a £25m price tag on Rodriguez


Porto have slapped a £25million price tag on Rodriguez, who has already admitted a dream of playing for United. Nani has two years left on his United contract but faces competition from Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia and new signing Shinji Kagawa.
 
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