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Benzema will not go to Arsenal, says Real Madrid striker's agent
By Chris Davie78
Aug 24, 2013 6:39:00 PM
The French striker will not leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer to join Arsene Wenger's side, according to the player's representative
Karim Benzema's agent insists the striker will not leave Real Madrid for Arsenal this summer.
Goal exclusively revealed on Friday that Arsene Wenger is considering a move for the France international, although any potential deal hinges on whether Madrid will launch an offer for Liverpool forward Luis Suarez before the close of the transfer window.
But the 25-year-old's agent claims the player does not want to leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer despite the speculation surrounding his future.
"We can not fight against the rumours, but I assure you Karim will not go to Arsenal," Karim Djaziri told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.
"There has never been any discussions and no contact has been established."
The Gunners, yet to make a major summer signing, have also been in talks with Real Madrid over Benzema's team-mate Angel Di Maria.
The Argentine will be allowed to leave the club as they prepare to announce the world-record transfer of Tottenham's Gareth Bale to the Spanish capital.
Pellegrini promised €58m transfer kitty if Manchester City make Champions League knockout stage
Aug 24, 2013 11:06:00 PM
The new Etihad Stadium boss has been tasked with improving the club's poor recent record on the continent, and will be rewarded a significant transfer kitty if he succeeds
By Paul Clennam
Manuel Pellegrini has been promised a €58 million January transfer kitty if Manchester City progress from the Champions League group stage this season, Goal understands.
The Etihad Stadium outfit have failed to reach the knockout stage of the competition in two consecutive campaigns and were unable to secure a single win last term, finishing bottom of their group behind Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid and Ajax.
However Pellegrini, who guided Malaga to the last eight of the competition last season, will see his January budget bolstered by the club's hierarchy should he improve on City's recent continental performances.
The club hierarchy are determined to see Pellegrini's men position themselves as a powerful European force, and were impressed by the Chilean's impressive continental record with Malaga and former club Villarreal before appointing him to replace Roberto Mancini in June.
Sources close to the club have revealed that City will sanction a significant January spending spree in order to strengthen the depth of the squad, with the club aiming to fight on four fronts in the new year as they attempt to regain the Premier League title from Manchester United.
Club officials are also hoping to target players from clubs who fail to progress from the group stages should City qualify, with the defence having been highlighted as an area where the club could look to improve.
City have spent over €104m this summer, adding Fernandinho, Jesus Navas, Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic to the squad which finished 11 points behind champions United last term.
Despite being happy with the club's summer business, Pellegrini has admitted that City may look to make a further signing before the end of the transfer window on September 2.
"I’m very happy with the squad we have but if we think it’s important we need another player we’ll see next week," said the Chilean earlier this month.
The Dane, who faces a Tottenham side on Sunday that will be without the Real Madrid-bound Welshman, believes the 24-year-old is a level below the Portugal international
Michael Laudrup believes "superstar" Gareth Bale is not yet as good as his prospective new team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Tottenham winger is on the verge of sealing a world-record transfer to Real Madrid after the Liga giants tabled a bid worth around €100 million.
However, Swansea manager Laudrup, who played at the Santiago Bernabeu for two years in the 1990s, feels Bale, despite being amongst the best players in the world, is not yet in the same bracket as Ronaldo or Barcelona star Lionel Messi.
"You have to admit Gareth Bale was a superstar for Tottenham last season," said the Dane.
"Even when you have a good team it is always so nice that there is one player, like Bale, who you can give the ball to and he will do something great.
"When you see Real Madrid play they are very good players but at certain points they have Ronaldo, and Barcelona have Messi.
"Super teams but also they have that one player who makes a difference.
"For me, over the last four or five years those two have been at a level by themselves.
"Then you have 10 or 12 players just below that and Bale is definitely there with [Andres] Iniesta, [Sergio] Aguero and Robin van Persie.
"They are all great players, but you have to say Messi and Ronaldo are something special."
Villas-Boas confirms Tottenham interest in Chiriches The manager confirmed Spurs' renewed pursuit of the Romania international after an earlier move collapsed, and also wished Willian luck after he chose to move to Chelsea
Rooney looms large as Manchester United & Chelsea prepare to do battle The 28-year-old's future continues to dominate the agenda as two of England's best sides prepare to collide at Old Trafford, but Tony Cascarino believes even more is at stake
The media have 'brainwashed' Arsenal fans - Wenger The Gunners boss has hit back at the press and blamed them for making supporters think there is a crisis at the Emirates following the club's lack of signings this summer
Villas-Boas lauds Townsend after Swansea win The Spurs boss feels the youngster brings an extra dimension to Tottenham and hailed his new signings after making it two wins out of two in the Premier League
Pellegrini bemoans defensive errors after Cardiff defeat The Chilean blamed a lack of concentration after watching his side fall to defeat in Wales and admitted that the hosts made it hard for his men
Cardiff City 3-2 Manchester City: Campbell consigns Pellegrini's men to shock defeat The former Manchester United striker struck twice to earn the newly-promoted hosts a remarkable upset win in the Welsh capital
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Swansea: Soldado spot-kick seals victory for second successive weekend The Spaniard stroked home a penalty winner against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and repeated the feat at White Hart Lane to maintain his new club's perfect start to the season
Pellegrini throws down gauntlet to Dzeko The Bosnia international came close to leaving the Etihad Stadium after falling out with former boss Roberto Mancini but will be given a chance to prove himself by the new trainer
Chelsea confirm Willian agreement The Blues have agreed a deal worth €37 million with Anzhi Makhachkala for the 25-year-old, who will join up with his new team-mates once he receives a work permit
Rodgers praises Liverpool team spirit A 1-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday helped the Merseysiders record their best start to a season for five years, and their manager says a change in mood has helped
Yaya Toure: Barcelona were the club of my heart The Manchester City midfielder tells of the affection he had towards his former club and the difficulty of leaving, though stresses he remains happy at the Etihad Stadium
Pardew wants Cabaye replacement The Frenchman has not featured for Newcastle since Arsenal submitted a £10 million bid earlier this month, and his manager wants the situation resolved as soon as possible
Manchester United should sell Rooney to us - Mourinho The Chelsea manager points to Italy where big-name players regularly move between rivals and suggests it would benefit the Premier League if the striker stayed in England
Martinez fires back at Moyes over Baines and Fellaini The Everton boss has responded to comments from the Manchester United manager and has insisted the Toffees do not want to sell the duo despite interest from the champions
Tottenham finally agree deal with Steaua Bucharest for Chiriches The transfer appeared to be cancelled at the end of July when the Romanian club's incarcerated owner reacted furiously to Spurs' negotiating tactics, but it has now been resolved
Blame Moyes for Rooney situation at Manchester United, says Mourinho
By Gill Clark77
Aug 26, 2013 7:52:00 AM
The Blues boss feels the striker's unhappiness at the club stems from when his manager announced he was behind Robin van Persie in the pecking order at Old Trafford
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says David Moyes is to blame for striker Wayne Rooney’s unhappiness at Manchester United.
The England international has been the subject of two failed bids by the Blues, with the west Londoners expected to submit another offer after the two clubs’ clash at Old Trafford on Monday.
Speaking ahead of the game, Mourinho was warned he could receive a heated reception from the United crowd, due to his interest in Rooney, to which he told reporters: "They are against me?
"But I didn't say [to Rooney] you will be a second-choice for me. And they are against me?
"We are trying to get a player that a manager told 'You will be a second option' for him. We are not going for Van Persie. They don't have to be against me. If I say Ramires is a second option for me and he plays when Lampard is tired or injured, if someone comes here to get Ramires, nobody is upset."
When subsequently asked to clarify if he felt that was Moyes’ fault, Mourinho replied: "Of course."
However, the former Real Madrid coach did admit that keeping star players happy in a big squad can be difficult.
"In every big team, I am not criticising, you have first options and second options, and those second options must be very good players," he added.
"Of course big teams must have second choices. Big players too. The point is if the players are happy to accept that situation."
Moyes has insisted Rooney has a good chance of facing Chelsea on Monday, despite being left on the bench for their opener against Swansea, which did not surprise Mourinho.
"It means they have a fantastic squad," he said. "Fantastic. I was playing against them last year [with Real Madrid].
“He was on the bench and he [Ferguson] was playing Van Persie, [Danny] Welbeck, [Shinji] Kagawa. The squad is amazing. So it is natural that some players have to be second-choice.”
Manchester United - Chelsea Preview: Moyes takes on Mourinho in Old Trafford debut
Jose Mourinho's Blues go to Old Trafford hoping to open up a six-point lead over the Red Devils, while the question of Wayne Rooney's future will not go away
By James Willoughby
Manchester United manager David Moyes will take charge of his first home Premier League fixture at Old Trafford against Chelsea on Monday.
Moyes saw his side post an excellent 4-1 win on the opening day of the season at Swansea City last weekend, with Robin van Persie and Danny Welbeck scoring doubles for the Premier League champions.
But they are likely to face a sterner test against Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, who started their campaign with consecutive home wins against Hull City and Aston Villa.
Since being confirmed as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor, Moyes has had to wait more than 100 days for his first competitive fixture in front of the club's supporters.
And although it is a match United will enter without a significant close-season signing – something they have been pursuing strongly – Moyes is still excited.
He said: "There have been a lot of things I have been looking forward to – like taking the team on tour and leading them out at Wembley.
"But to do it at Old Trafford for the first game against Chelsea is a thrill for me, it really is."
With both sides set to seriously challenge for the Premier League title, the fixture will have plenty riding on it, with neither camp willing to concede early ground to their rivals.
An intriguing sub-plot is the future of want-away Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney.
Rooney has submitted two transfer requests in the last three years and is a transfer target for Chelsea, who have had tfo formal bids turned down by United.
Mourinho claimed Chelsea would not renew their interest until after the match had finished, in the interests of being professional and respectful.
Moyes has repeatedly said Rooney is not for sale and revealed he may start against Mourinho's men.
"Wayne's got a good chance of playing. He has [a] good chance of starting [also]," Moyes said.
Brazilian defender Rafael [hamstring] is a certainty to miss, as is Darren Fletcher [illness] and Nick Powell [leg] for United.
Ashley Young [ankle], Nani [groin] and Chicharito [hamstring] are unlikely to feature.
Chelsea could consider themselves fortunate to have defeated Villa 2-1 on Wednesday, with defender Branislav Ivanovic – who headed the winner with 17 minutes remaining – only given a yellow card after catching Christian Benteke with an elbow.
The Blues have not lost in their last 10 Premier League fixtures - a run that included a 1-0 win at Old Trafford in May.
While United's home Premier League record is simply outstanding – they have won 51 of their last 59 home matches, losing just five – two of those defeats came against Chelsea.
The two sides played each other five times last term, with Chelsea knocking their rivals out of both the FA Cup and the Capital One Cup.
Mourinho’s only fitness concern is David Luiz, who is a doubt to feature due to a hamstring injury.
Gareth Bale finally seals £86m move from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid
Tottenham Hotspur have finally agreed the world-record €100 million (£86 million) transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid. An official announcement is due to be made as early as Tuesday.
Dream move: Gareth Bale is expected to sign a six-year deal with Real Madrid Photo: PA
By Jason Burt
11:00PM BST 25 Aug 2013
Significantly, the agreement involves a straight cash deal with no players coming from Real to Spurs as had been earlier discussed when inquiries were made about striker Álvaro Morata and left-back Fábio Coentrão.
Bale is in Malaga, at a villa believed to be owned by another of his representatives, David Manasseh, who works for the Stellar Group which is headed by Barnett. The 24-year old flew into Spain on Saturday, on a private jet, and spent Sunday behind the walls of the gated complex awaiting the green light on the deal. The luxury complex was being staked out yesterday by the expectant Spanish media.
He will travel to Madrid for a formal medical and to sign what is expected to be a six-year contract, believed to be worth £8.5 million a year before tax, and could also be unveiled at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium on Tuesday. A stage has already been erected on the eastern side of the 85,000-seat stadium alongside the directors box.
Real play away to Granada on Monday night and are home to Athletic Bilbao next Sunday in what is now expected to be Bale’s debut appearance.
The fee beats the £80 million record that Cristiano Ronaldo set when he moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid in 2009 although it falls short of the €120 million (£103 million) that Spurs were at one time quoting to let Bale go.
Pérez responded by suggesting that €100 million was “a lot” for Bale but Spurs knew he was desperate to sign the player – and was under pressure to do so – despite having written to them this year saying an offer would not be made for now. Real have left the No 11 shirt vacant – and the Bale shirt has already apparently gone on sale in the club shop.
Spurs, however, have driven a hard bargain in terms of the payment having flatly rejected Real’s terms to cover the fee over the six-year duration of the contract. Instead Spurs have insisted that there are just three staged payments – and have also offered Real the carrot of receiving a significant discount on the total fee if they meet those payments early. Such an offer is not unusual and is a tactic that has been used before by Levy.
Conversely should Real be slow in paying up they will be hit by punitive clauses in the transfer which would lead to an increase in the overall fee.
Spurs have also played hardball in securing bank guarantees from Real over the payment having earlier expressed concerns as to whether the Spanish giants could fund the deal.
There will be relief at Spurs that the deal is going through in advance of the Sept 2 deadline when the transfer window closes. It had been expected that Spurs would delay releasing Bale until they had secured replacements but there was always a will not to let this one go down to the wire.
Having missed out on Willian, after the Brazilian attacking midfielder opted to move to Chelsea for £30 million – with Chelsea also have reached an agreement in principle to also take striker Samuel Eto’o from the Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala – Spurs are hopeful that they will sign Argentinian international winger Erik Lamela from Roma for around £26 million.
It is hoped that Spurs will add another forward player, with Zenit St Petersburg’s Hulk a possibility if a fee closer to £30 million can be agreed – although that remains a problem – and have also reached agreement to acquire the 23-year-old Romanian international central defender Vlad Chiriches from Steaua Bucharest for around £8 million.
Spurs were determined that they would not allow the Bale transfer to go to deadline day. The Wales international is believed to often stay in Malaga when he is allowed time off but his flight on Saturday followed the agreement being reached.
At one time Levy had been determined to hold on to Bale this summer and had told Spurs’ head coach Andre Villas-Boas that he would not be sold. However that was in anticipation of a Real offer of around £60 million.
Having offered a world-record fee, and with the significant game-changer that Bale himself pleaded for a move and indicated he was determined to leave, it then became an issue of agreeing the details.
Having initially negotiated solely on a cash price Spurs decided that they want to explore the possibility of taking players from Real. The club reasoned that a pile of money in the bank was no good to them if they were going to weaken their squad. However these talks broke down after Real’s valuation on their players – also including winger Ángel di Maria – was deemed too high.
Spurs then set about ensuring their secured players they wanted such as Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Étienne Capoue and, hopefully, Lamela, Chiriches and one other – to add to Paulinho.
Spurs and furious that they missed out on Willian with the Brazilian having already undergone a medical after the club believed they had agreed terms.
Gareth Bale poised to become a global superstar at Real Madrid, but he was almost let go at 15 by Southampton
The story of how a scrawny schoolboy from Cardiff developed into football’s first €100 million player is remarkable on so many different levels.
Incredible journey: Gareth Bale was faced with a make-or-break academy match playing alongside Theo Walcott at Southampton Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Jeremy Wilson
11:00PM BST 25 Aug 2013
But perhaps none is more incredible than just how close Gareth Bale came to not even fulfilling his basic dream of becoming a professional player.
Unlike many of football’s most illustrious names, Bale was not marked out for greatness from early childhood but has instead joined Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the most elite bracket of world superstars from a teenage foundation that was shaped by injuries, setbacks and uncertainty.
Even as recently as January 2005, when Bale was almost 16, Southampton were within 90 minutes of releasing him.
Rod Ruddick, who managed the club’s satellite academy in Bath, discovered Bale at a Welsh Under-9s six-a-side tournament but can still vividly recall how his progress stalled. "Between the ages of 14 and 16 he had growth spurts which affected his mobility and strength - he had an horrendous three years," Ruddick said.
The first real make or break moment was when Southampton’s Under-18 team played Norwich City just 48 hours before final decisions were being taken on who should stay at the club.
A series of back injuries had caused Bale to miss much of the season and there were serious doubts over whether he should be awarded a contract.
Among the few dozen spectators at Norwich City’s training ground were Bale’s parents, Frank and Debbie, and Malcolm Elias, then head of recruitment at Southampton and the man charged with determining his future.
"I remember the day very clearly," Elias said. "His parents had driven all the way from Cardiff to Norwich in the knowledge that it was make or break for Gareth. He knew that it was make or break too.
"It was obvious that he was a good player but he kept missing games and there were question marks about his physicality. It sounds unbelievable now, but it was 'Is he going to be physically and mentally tough enough?'
"He’d had so many injury problems that evaluating him was very difficult because he never played enough games. The pressure was massive but his performance that day was flawless."
With Bale in rampaging form down the left and Theo Walcott scoring a hat-trick by half-time, Southampton demolished Norwich City 5-1.
"Thank goodness we got it right — it shows what a thin dividing line there can be in sport," Elias said.
There were never any doubts about Bale’s technical quality, particularly the sweetness of his left foot.
His teacher at Cardiff’s Whitchurch High School, Gwyn Morris, still tells the story of how Bale would be limited during PE lessons to one touch and only using his right foot. "It was the only way we could have an even game," said Morris.
Like David Beckham, Bale become renowned at Southampton and now Tottenham for his willingness to spend hours alone after training honing his free-kicks.
"The first time I saw Gareth play was when he was 13, in my first year here," said Georges Prost, the former technical director of Southampton’s academy. "He was playing as a left-winger then and had such a lovely left foot. Repetition is the best way to improve and I often saw Gareth taking free-kick after free-kick in his own time."
Staff both at Spurs and Saints describe Bale's personality in the same way. He is polite and quiet almost to the point of seeming shy but, beneath that placid exterior, is a rare resilience and determination to reach the very pinnacle of his sport.
He has frequently been underestimated. Harry Redknapp, for one, would question when he was Tottenham manager whether Bale really wanted to play outside of England. He had noted how regularly Bale returned back to Wales to see his family and friends and doubted if he would force through a transfer to Real Madrid.
Julia Upson was Bale’s landlady when he shared a room with Theo Walcott at Southampton’s academy accommodation and says there was always something in his character that convinced her he would be successful.
"It was always felt that Theo could achieve great things but Gareth’s progress was less certain early on," said Upson. "Gareth was very determined but he would beat himself up a bit sometimes. I think sharing a room helped both of them. They were a good influence on each other. You have got to have talent to start with, but you must be mentally strong too.
"Some players do let success go to their heads but, with Theo and Gareth, you always knew they had the right attitude and temperament."
Those who know Bale best are all convinced that he will now be unaffected either by becoming the most expensive player in football history or the imminent explosion of his global fame.
"His parents are the salt of the earth and brought him up well in giving him time and love," Bale's uncle, Chris Pike, said. "I'm sure he won’t change. He is not motivated by money, by fame, he just loves playing football."
Hodgson: Rooney can handle media scrutiny The Manchester United striker has been the subject of two rejected bids from Chelsea, with a third expected, and the England coach praised his ability to perform under pressure
Hodgson has 'every faith' in Hart to rediscover form The Manchester City goalkeeper has been the subject of criticism after some below-par performances, but the England coach is confident he will shine again for club and country
Lille demand €15m for wantaway Thauvin The France Under-20 midfielder has missed training in an attempt to force a move away from the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with Marseille and Newcastle keen on his services
Bale fails to turn up to Tottenham training The 24-year-old did not report to training on Tuesday as he waits for his world record €100m transfer to Real Madrid, with Spurs infuriated by the Liga giant's perceived arrogance
Arsenal to table audacious Rooney bid The Gunners have been given private encouragement that Manchester United would be willing to sell them the England talisman after ruling out off-loading the 27-year-old to Chelsea
Zenit tell Tottenham: Hulk is not for sale The Russian club have played down mounting speculation that the Brazilian could move to White Hart Lane after Spurs missed out on Chelsea-bound playmaker Willian
Zabaleta laments set-piece defending in Cardiff loss Last season's Premier League runners-up have switched to man-to-man marking under new boss Manuel Pellegrini, and the Argentine defender admits it is taking time to adjust
Watch out Arsenal: Tottenham's best is yet to come, warns Soldado The former Valencia striker has hit the ground running with four goals in his first three games for the club and now has his eyes set on making an impact against the Gunners
Moyes delighted with Rooney display against Chelsea The Manchester United manager was impressed by the striker's attitude and desire against the west London club on Monday night, who are long-term admirers of the 27-year-old
Manchester City in talks to sign Brazilian starlet Coritiba sporting director Felipe Ximenes held talks in Manchester last week over a deal for 17-year-old left-back Abner, who is also being chased by Portuguese outfit Benfica
Wenger admits he is still worried over Wilshere fitness The England international came off the bench in the Gunners' 3-1 win against Fulham and the Frenchman says he still has to be careful not to overuse the injury-prone 21-year-old
Chelsea boss Mourinho seeks clarity on Rooney transfer The 50-year-old admits that the Manchester United forward may change his mind and decide to stay at Old Trafford but wants the England international to make his feelings clear
Rooney thrives at the heart of tug of war The name of England's talisman was chanted by both sets of supporters on a night when Jose Mourinho said the striker could now decide to stay at Old Trafford
Manchester United 0-0 Chelsea: Bore draw as Moyes makes Old Trafford bow Wayne Rooney featured despite the Blues' public interest in his services yet neither team could make a decisive breakthrough in a match of few chances on Monday night
Roma accept Tottenham's €35m Lamela bid The Argentine winger is expected to fly to London on Tuesday to formalise his move to White Hart Lane after Spurs' club-record offer was accepted by the Italians
Borini will not leave Liverpool on loan, insists Rodgers The striker has struggled with injuries since joining from Roma last summer, and faces increased competition for a place following the arrival of Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto
Neuer targets Chelsea revenge The goalkeeper is eager to make amends for his side's Champions League final defeat to the Blues, while explaining the differences between Pep Guardiola and Jupp Heynckes
Rooney will stay at Manchester United for now, says Phelan The club's former coach does not expect the champions to allow the unsettled England international to leave without having first signed a replacement
Wenger only wants 'special' signings for Arsenal The Gunners boss says the club need to strengthen before the close of the transfer window but stopped short of revealing who he wants to sign, with Angel Di Maria linked
Deco announces retirement The 35-year-old says his body will not let him continue his career, having represented the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea and Porto over the last 17 years
Howard: Baines and Fellaini not fazed by Manchester United interest The Toffees rejected a £28 million combined offer for the pair as 'derisory' and 'insulting', and the American believes his team-mates are ignoring the speculation
Villas-Boas eager to gun down Arsenal in derby Spurs have only triumphed away from home against the Gunners once in the last 20 league seasons, and their manager is eager to upset the history books next Sunday
Rodgers: England are lucky to have Sturridge The 23-year-old has scored winning goals against Stoke and Aston Villa to preserve Liverpool's perfect start to the season, and his manager is not in the least bit surprised
Ribery: Mourinho wanted me at Chelsea The Frenchman says that he is in constant contact with the Portuguese but insists he is relishing playing under Pep Guardiola at the Allianz Arena
Real Madrid and Tottenham agree world record €100m Bale deal The Welshman is set to be confirmed as a Blancos player imminently after Spurs finally accepted the deal, with Roma star Erik Lamela lined up as a replacement
By George Ankers76
Aug 26, 2013 11:49:00 PM
Goal understands that Real Madrid have agreed a deal with Tottenham to sign the Welshman for a world-record €100 million but the Scot could yet throw a spanner in the works
David Moyes has admitted Manchester United "are always interested in the best players" after being quizzed over rumours linking them with a bid for Gareth Bale.
Though Goal understands that Spurs have agreed an €100 million deal with Real Madrid for the sale of the Welshman for a world-record fee, reports have claimed that more than one team have made an offer.
Moyes insisted that no bid has been made by his side for last season's PFA Player of the Year but suggested that they were considering the Tottenham talisman.
"Manchester United will always be interested in the best players. We're always looking to improve the team," the Scot told reporters after his side's 0-0 draw with Chelsea.
"The owners have given me every opportunity to bring in whoever I want so we'll continue looking at those players.
"It's been tough in this window, I must say. We are always in for the best players."
Pardew: Arsenal must pay world-class money for Cabaye
By Jamie Dunn27
Aug 27, 2013 4:48:00 PM
The France international has been left out of the squad to face Morecambe in the Capital One Cup, while the Gunners have been warned the midfielder will not come cheap
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has warned Arsenal it will take "world-class money" to prise Yohan Cabaye away from the club.
The Gunners have identified the Frenchman as one of a number of transfer targets, and made a £10 million bid for the midfielder.
But Newcastle snubbed the offer, with Pardew going on to describe the timing of the bid as "direspectful".
And with just days remaining before the transfer window closes, the Emirates Stadium outfit have been told they will need to significantly improve upon their original offer for Cabaye.
"He either stays or he goes," Pardew told reporters. "The bottom line with a world class player is he has to go for world-class money."
Pardew also indicated Cabaye has been left out of the squad to face Morecambe in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday.
He added: "He either stays or he goes but he will not play tomorrow that’s for sure.
"The answer to this is not simple. He is either going to be sold and we have to replace him in the window we have left or he will stay.
"As the manager of Newcastle United I have to protect him but the first thing I have to protect is club, and trust me that is first on the agenda while I am here."
The France international is yet to play a competitive game for the club this season, having also been excluded for clashes with Manchester City and West Ham.
Manchester United were worthy champions, insists Moyes
By Matt Hill14
Aug 26, 2013 10:35:00 AM
The Scot has hit back at criticism by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho and insists the Red Devils deserved to triumph last season under his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson
David Moyes has hit back at Jose Mourinho's suggestion that Manchester United were not worthy champions last season.
With the two heavyweights of the Premier League set to clash at Old Trafford on Monday evening the Chelsea boss dismissed the Reds' title win last season.
But Moyes has batted away the criticism of his team and predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson, insisting United were the best team in England by some distance.
"If you finish top of the league after 38 games, that’s perhaps proof enough that you’re worthy champions," Moyes told the Daily Mirror.
"United were worthy champions. What did they win it by? 11 points?"
Monday's fixture marks the first "top four clash" of the season and Moyes is relishing the test of facing a strong-looking Chelsea side that have been tipped to finish above United this season.
"It’s a big day for me, but it’s just part of the job at Manchester United," the Scot continued.
"It is fantastic, but in the same breath, it’s early."
Manchester City and Mourinho's Chelsea have both been tipped to finish higher than United this term, but Moyes thinks being written off this early on can only benefit him and his team.
"I think it’s important we realise that we’re quite often being written off," he added. "And I think in the main this club tends to say, 'Well come on then, we’ll show you'.
"That’s in my nature and I know it was in the previous manager’s, too."
Chelsea boss Mourinho seeks clarity on Rooney transfer
By Jay Jaffa98
Aug 27, 2013 12:49:00 AM
The 50-year-old admits that the Manchester United forward may change his mind and decide to stay at Old Trafford but wants the England international to make his feelings clear
Jose Mourinho has called on Wayne Rooney to make his feelings clear as the Chelsea manager discussed the club's ongoing interest in the Manchester United striker.
The Portuguese was speaking after his side secured a point in a drab 0-0 draw at Old Trafford, in which he named a starting XI without an out-and-out striker.
The Blues have been heavily linked with Anzhi striker Samuel Eto'o late in the transfer window, following an unsuccessful summer pursuit of Rooney, but Mourinho has refused to throw in the towel, instead calling on the 27-year-old to make clear his intentions.
The Chelsea manager told reporters: "We have to speak but this club [Manchester United] must be a very special club, because in every club in the world when a player wants to leave, they don't support him. They give him a hard time but they support him all the way.
"That proves this is a really special club with special fans and I think now he'll decide he wants to stay. If he makes that decision, we will be the first to respect that and say 'it's over.'
"It depends on his reaction, on his feelings. If now, he doesn't want to leave, we are out of the thing. We need to know what is happening."
Chelsea negated much of United's threat on Monday night, securing a result to keep them at the top of the Premier League table, and Mourinho felt that the stalemate was the right outcome.
"I think the result is fair," he remarked. "I think nobody did enough to be better than the opponent. I think we controlled the game for most of the time. We did not have real problems.
"Our passing for counterattack, to go from a defensive situation to an attacking situation, was not the best. We had very creative and fast players in attack but we lost simple passes and made lots of mistakes.
"In terms of attack, we didn't give what we could or what we should, but I told the players before the game that we want to win and we would play to win. I think the players understood.
"For me, we didn't create chances because when we recovered the ball we lost so many easy passes. I will watch it on video and find six, seven or eight easy passes to go for counterattack when the players should and could do more.
"It was a difficult match for them and a difficult match for us. We both wanted to win but we also didn't want to lose. I think it was a really big match but at the end of the day, we have six points from our two matches at home.
"After this difficult start, we are fine. It was also a great experience for our kids - four guys in attack in Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre Schurrle and Oscar are four babies. To have this experience was very good for them."
Jose Mourinho says Fernando Torres has repaid half of his £50m fee after Manchester United v Chelsea
Jose Mourinho branded Fernando Torres his "20 and a half" million pound man after the Chelsea manager left the club's record signing on the bench for last night's goalless draw with Manchester United.
Left out: Fernando Torres did not start the game at Manchester United for Chelsea, but made a substitute's appearance Photo: AFP
By Telegraph Sport, and agencies
11:36AM BST 27 Aug 2013
Torres was eventually introduced in the second half as Mourinho's experiment of operating without a recognised forward failed to create any clear-cut openings.
But the Spain star, who cost Chelsea a British record £50million when he signed from Liverpool in January 2011, could not trigger an improvement, underlining Mourinho's belief that he needs more forward power.
"He scored the goal that won the Europa League. That means some millions. He scored the goal against Everton that put Chelsea in the Champions League. That also means some millions," said Mourinho.
"It is not really £50million, maybe it is twenty and a half.
"He is doing his job. He did it again."
Yet Mourinho admitted his team did not do enough to earn maximum points.
"It is a fair point," he said.
"Nobody deserved to lose, nobody was better than the opponent to deserve a clear victory.
"But for us, after two home victories, to come to the champions and get a point is fine.
"I played here with four kids under 22 in attack. It is the first time they play at Old Trafford, against the champions, against Ferdinand and Vidic and Evra. So the result is positive."
Having won their opening two home games Chelsea now face Champions League winners Bayern Munich in the Super Cup in Prague on Friday.
United meanwhile must prepare for a battle against old rivals Liverpool at Anfield, knowing the Merseysiders boast a 100 per cent record from their two games.
David Moyes' team might be in the same position had referee Martin Atkinson awarded the hosts a spot-kick when Tom Cleverley's second-half strike cannoned into Frank Lampard.
Most observers felt it would have been an exceptionally harsh call against the England man. Moyes was not so sure.
"There was a shout for a penalty," said Moyes. "The referee had a good game but just afterwards he gave handball against Oscar for a lesser handball in the middle of the pitch.
"We could do with having it defined what is going to be given as a handball."
David Moyes: Manchester United have not made a bid for Tottenham winger Gareth Bale
Manchester United manager David Moyes has denied suggestions the club have made a bid for Tottenham star Gareth Bale.
Tug-of-war: a mystery club has joined the battle to sign Gareth Bale Photo: ACTION IMAGES
By Telegraph Sport, and agencies
9:12AM BST 27 Aug 2013
The long-running saga over Bale's future took a fresh twist on Monday when it emerged Spurs were considering offers from more than one club for the 24 year-old.
Bale was thought to be nearing a world-record move to Real Madrid having reportedly spent the weekend in Spain to finalise the details of a switch to the Bernabéu.
But it is understood Spurs have received a bid from at least one other club for the highly-rated Wales international.
Moyes made clear this was not from United when he spoke after his side's goalless Premier League draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford.
Asked if United had made a bid, he said: "No."
But, having not yet made a major signing since taking over at United, Moyes cryptically mentioned that he was still on the lookout for new players.
He said: "I have just said Manchester United are always interested in the best players.
"The board and myself would always be looking to sign who we think are the best players, whoever they are."
While people may interpret that to mean United could yet enter the race, the onus clearly remains on Real Madrid to push through a deal for their long-time target.
Spurs are thought to be dismayed with Real's conduct during the whole affair.
The club erected a stage inside the Bernabeu, thought to be for Bale's unveiling, and the they also started selling replica shirts with the Welshman's name on the back.
There is also a concern among the Spurs hierarchy that Real do not have the money to pay for Bale outright. They are unimpressed with the Spanish club's current offer, which involves spreading what is expected to be a world-record fee of at least £86 million over six years.
Bale missed Tottenham's 1-0 win over Swansea on Sunday after being given time off, and it was reported he spent the weekend in Marbella.
Spurs have invested heavily in players throughout the summer to bring the likes of Paulinho, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli and Etienne Capoue to White Hart Lane.
Despite such an outlay they maintain that they do not need to sell Bale to recoup the money spent.
Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas has said there is even a possibility Bale could stay at Spurs.
"There is interest from Real Madrid," Villas-Boas said. "Whether the transfer will happen or not, hopefully you will have more news in the next couple of days, but at the moment there is nothing I can tell you."
Chelsea boss Roman Abramovich stops funding Russian football
Roman Abramovich was heavily involved with the Russian national team
The Russian billionaire and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich is stopping his funding for Russian football.
His spokesman at the investment firm Millhouse said Mr Abramovich's National Football Academy (NFA) in Russia had "fulfilled its objectives".
The news website Forbes says that since 2010, Mr Abramovich has reduced his funding for Russian football. There are no reports of any dispute.
Reports say the NFA funded some 130 new pitches and spent up to $200m (£129m).
The NFA, set up in 2004, also paid for youth coaching programmes in Russia. Mr Abramovich began funding Russian football shortly after buying Chelsea.
In 2005-2010 Mr Abramovich helped to fund the Russian national football team, including the $7m annual salary of its Dutch coach, Guus Hiddink, Russian media report. Mr Hiddink was succeeded as coach by fellow Dutchman Dick Advocaat in 2010.
Russia failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
After Mr Hiddink's departure, the NFA stopped covering the expenses of the Russian Football Union. The Russian gas monopoly Gazprom took over that role.
Forbes puts Mr Abramovich 13th in its ranking of Russia's 200 richest businessmen, with a fortune estimated at $10.2bn.
By Ben Curtis
Andre Villas-Boas says Chelsea won't sanction Juan Mata transfer because Tottenham are 'title contenders'
28 Aug 2013 15:52
The Spurs boss praises the quality of the Blues midfielder, but doesn't see him moving to White Hart Lane in the next five days
Special Juan: Chelsea would look at selling Mata to Tottenham, says Andre Villas-Boas
Chelsea will not sell Juan Mata to Tottenham because the Blues view Spurs as title contenders, according to Andre Villas-Boas.
Asked about whether he is keen to make a move for the 25-year-old, the Tottenham boss said that they will not sell to a club who are challenging for the Premier League crown.
Gareth Bale's impending departure could see Spurs dip into the transfer market again, while the club also missed out on Willian who joined Chelsea earlier today.
On Mata, Villas-Boas explained: "First, Chelsea wouldn't sell to Tottenham in any way or form, as they think that we are title contenders.
"Mata is a great, great player - player of the season last season - very, very important player for Chelsea.
"They're just not going to strengthen another team that, in their opinion, are rivals for the title."
But the Tottenham boss is feeling confident about the coming few months and believes the North London side have recruited well.
"We have a very, very strong team the same. If this transfer happens, it will give the opportunity to step up their game, step up the responsibility and I think we have seen that in the last couple of games," Villas-Boas said.
"There hasn't been any disruption. We've been working well and the team is training very, very well."
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini pelted with objects - including bottles and a pie - outside Old Trafford
28 Aug 2013 15:41
Stepping out of his car ahead of Manchester United's match against Chelsea, the Chilean was booed by Reds fans as a range of missiles rained down
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini had bottles and a pie thrown at him outside Old Trafford on Monday night, the Manchester Evening News reports.
The City boss was at the ground to watch Manchester United's Premier League clash against Chelsea, hoping to run the rule over the Red Devils ahead of the first Manchester derby of the season in four weeks' time.
But as he got out of his car outside the ground, he was spotted by some United fans and was booed as missiles rained down on him.
Objects thrown in his direction are thought to include plastic bottles and a pie. Security staff quickly stepped in and escorted him into the stadium.
City declined to comment but the Chilean is said to have laughed the incident off and says he doesn't want to take any further action.
He is said to be happy with the way the Old Trafford stewards dealt with the situation.
“He was escorted by CES Security staff and had no issues,” Charlie Coxon, safety officer at Manchester United, told the MEN.
Michel Platini, UEFA President walks in front of the UEFA EURO 2016 logo at a news conference in Paris June 26, 2013. REUTERS/Charles Platiau
MONTE CARLO | Fri Aug 30, 2013 12:59pm BST
(Reuters) - UEFA president Michel Platini called for a sweeping reform of the transfer system on Friday, describing the current system to a form of robbery and saying the transfer window was too long.
Platini said there were too many people vying to take a slice of commission from players' transfers and also said players were to blame for not respecting contracts.
His comments came amid the ongoing saga of Gareth Bale's possible move from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid for 100 million euros (85.31 million pounds) and at the end of a European transfer window which critics say has dragged on for too long.
"I think transfers are robbery," the former France captain told a media conference.
"Today, the player is more a product than a player and that irks me because there is a whole lot of people trying to make this player make money in order to earn commissions, we should think about that and try to find something more healthy.
"Players are not free and they don't even belong to clubs, they belong to financial holdings, companies or people."
"I don't think it is right. I believe this is important and this is new in the world of football," he added. "We are looking into that, working on it, I agree maybe this window is too big, too long."
Platini said that UEFA were looking at a possible reform of the transfer system and were aware of that FIFPro, the world player's union, wanted sweeping reforms.
Platini pointed out that in his own playing days, players had gone on strike for the right to leave their clubs at the end of their contract.
But nowadays, he said players failed to respect their contracts, often refusing to play or train to try and force a move elsewhere.
"I belong to the generation who went on strike so players could leave at the end of the contract," he added.
"Players went on strike to be free.... now I see they sign contracts, they don't play because they want to leave again... there is something unhealthy about that.
"Robbery may be too tough a word, but when you sign a contract you should respect it and that's what I wanted to say... We need a re-think of the whole transfer system."
He added that inflated transfer fees had always been a source of debate.
"We have been asking ourselves the same question for 30 years as to the morality of the money involved in transfers," he said.
"People asked these questions when Diego Maradona was transferred for 30 million, or Zinedine Zidane for 60 million."
(Reporting by Brian Homewood, editing by Patrick Johnston and Pritha Sarkar)
