No Hugo Lloris but a Slender Loris maybe on its way to the White Hart petting zoo
Who ever does business with Daniel Levy does it at his own risk. Luka Modric's deal was an
exercise in hard nosed dealing and used car salesmanship with many twists and turns including one
that involved Spurs selling to Chelsea to increase the price.
It would appear for all the world like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is about to be appointed as the new
Aston Villa manager this morning. It's all still a bit 2+2=∑ at the moment, but according to Sky
Sports News, Randy Lerner's private jet has been spotted in Norway and Solskjaer himself wasn't
present at Molde training this morning.
It would appear for all the world like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is about to be appointed as the new
Aston Villa manager this morning. It's all still a bit 2+2=∑ at the moment, but according to Sky
Sports News, Randy Lerner's private jet has been spotted in Norway and Solskjaer himself wasn't
present at Molde training this morning.
Before we head to the results, let's start with another round of designated player excitement. Late
Friday, Columbus announced that Federico Higuain had signed. In a press statement Columbus
president and GM Mark McCullers thanked both Crew and MLS staff "for their expertise and diligence
in seeing this complicated and lengthy negotiation to fruition.
Martin Rennie
Rob Kinnan Photography
I sat down with current Carolina Railhawks and future Vancouver Whitecaps coach on a hot afternoon
in Cary, North Carolina. Martin Rennie's life has changed a bit in recent weeks with the
announcement that he'd be taking over as the coach of Vancouver upon completion of his contract
with the Railhawks.
You might not have realised it yet, but the world, one way or the other, has been influenced,
big or small, by a number of Ferdinands. They've all been important in their own way. Franz
Ferdinand's assassination in 1914 led to the Great War; the indie band under the same name, taken
from the Austrian, assasinated music; in 1519, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan defied
scurvy and became the first man to cross the Pacific; the striker Les defied brutish defenders
without teeth and became the first man to score goals for six different Premier League clubs,
lethal from the cross.
There's some potentially good news in the local press today, that Demba Ba's contract negotiations
are still going on with Newcastle. Demba Ba - my guys are working the new deal The Senegal striker
is away on vacation, for a well deserved break, but he says his representative (my guys) are in
negotiation with Newcastle, [.
There's some potentially good news in the local press today, that Demba Ba's contract negotiations
are still going on with Newcastle. Demba Ba - my guys are working the new deal The Senegal striker
is away on vacation, for a well deserved break, but he says his representative (my guys) are in
negotiation with Newcastle, [.
Woof! Looks like Daniel Levy's finally worked out how to use the telephone in his office. It's
like that scene in The Simpsons where Mr. Burns is forced to try and contact the outside
world whilst hiding under his desk. I've seen people activate this machine a thousand times.
Doesn't seem to be any trick to it.
Eddie Johnson's return to Major League Soccer was announced before it was signed, sealed and
delivered, and as a result, his return is no longer a certainty or even probable at all.
"We had reached agreement, subject to formal documents," MLS executive vice president Todd
Durbin said after it was revealed that the deal to put Johnson in the league's allocation order and
assign him to a team was not on the table anymore.
After days of tedious speculation and negotiation, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has finally been unveiled
as a Paris Saint-Germain player. The oil-rich side have reportedly handed AC Milan €20m for the
privilege of being graced with Ibra's daily presence, while the Swede is set to personally take
home €15m a year after tax for the next three seasons.
The Italian Players' Union (AIC) has called off a strike after reaching an agreement with Serie
A's governing body over a collective contract. A temporary deal has been signed which will expire
at the end of the season.
The dispute has centred on two issues: the payment of a solidarity tax, the players have now
agreed to pay this, and the fate of players forced to train on their own when dropped.
Good morning and welcome to Thursday. See how I know it's Thursday? Because it was Wednesday
yesterday, and it's Friday tomorrow. I'm nobody's fool, me.
Last night saw Ivan Gazidis speak to the Arsenal Supporters Trust, and while I was far, far
away, it seems there was a lot of talk about Financial Fair Play, and interestingly, the wage
structure at the club.
It is one of the most commonly recurring stories of modern football. Should Celtic and Rangers
be allowed to leave the Scottish league system and join the English football league system instead?
It's an emotive subject, for sure, and it's one that seems to divide both supporters and
administrators, with the only people that are certain of which way they would like to go being
those that run Glasgow's two giant clubs, who would like to utilise the vaster resources that would
be open to them as a result of being in the more lucrative English system than they would get from
remaining in England.
A twist of fortune which currently happened with Alberto Aquilani at Ac Milan reportedly could
make him return to Anfield next season, as the Rossoneri are not willing to meet the clause both
teams set last summer.
Acknowledging this situation, the Reds' manager, Kenny Dalglish, said that he would welcome
Aquilani back with open hands although the tactician believed that leaving Milan would make the
player truly disappointed.
According to QPR boss, Mark Hughes, the club is nearing the completion of a move for Brazilian
sensation Ganso. Ganso has long been a target for some of Europe's biggest clubs however, in the
recent few weeks, the EPL has looked like a very real destination for him.
With a host of top sides all after Ganso's signature, it is shocking that he would opt for
QPR.
Just as it was expected, Gary Cahill, finally arrived at Chelsea after the London club cashed
out an amount around 7 million pound to Bolton Wanderers, so the England international can team up
with John Terry at the back.
Revealing his joy after signing for the Blues, Cahill admitted that accepting Andre Villas-Boas'
team's offer is something that he must passed on especially since the player is eying to improve
his quality.
West London giants Chelsea have finally completed the signing of England centre back Gary Cahill
from fellow Premier League side Bolton Wanderers after a protracted transfer negotiation with the
player over personal terms. Having completed a medical examination at the weekend, Cahill now joins
Chelsea's star studded squad as they look to get their title challenge back on track - and at just
26 may be viewed by the club as a long term replacement for fellow England defender John Terry at
Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal's management have to slow down their strong intention in immediately ensure Robin Van
Persie's future with the Gunners as the player reportedly refusing to talk about contract at the
current time.
Acknowledging the situation, the London club's chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, finally opting to pend
all the planned negotiation until the end of season as that might be the right moment to approach
the Dutch international forward.
Bolton manager Owen Coyle has dismissed suggestions that there will be any tension for him at
the Emirates Stadium this weekend when Bolton visit fellow strugglers Arsenal.
Both clubs have performed below their capabilities thus far in the season and while Arsenal
could have done much better with the services of a proven English center-back such as the Trotters'
Gary Cahill, a war of words between the two managers brought an end to the negotiations last
month.
Lately, you can hardly read anything from Arsene Wenger's interviews and press conferences. It
was mostly towing the club line and trying to churn out as much positives as possible.
Surprisingly, yesterday's one was slightly different. Very refreshing to see to.
With the registration for any new players being limited to only two days (Tuesday and
Wednesday), the focus was very much in terms of transfers.
Roma have played down speculation that they are lining up a move for Liverpool ace Luis Suarez.
Recent reports emanating from Italy have suggested Suarez was on Roma's list of summer transfer
targets as they look to bolster their attacking options.
Suarez's future at Anfield has been the subject of conjecture in the wake of his eight-match ban
for racially abusing Patrice Evra earlier this season.
Liverpool look poised to open talks with FC Porto for the transfer of defensive midfielder
Fernando.
The Reds recently lost Lucas to injury, depriving boss Kenny Dalglish of his favoured holding
midfielder.
But Dalglish is looking beyond Lucas' spell on the sidelines – Fernando's potential presence at
Anfield would allow the Scot to play two midfield enforcers when required, but at other times the
option to play Lucas in a more advanced role would be explored.
Football Spy video: Transfer Deadline Day special, afternoon update
Transfer deadline day is well and truly up and running now with deals being confirmed, others in
the last stages of negotiation and Jim White has even been filmed arriving at the Sky Sports News
studios ready to shout his way through the evening's news.
Liverpool outcast Alberto Aquilani could be set to end his Anfield misery by joining AC Milan in a
€10 million deal, according to his agent Franco Zavaglia.
Italy international Aquilani is keen to secure a permanent move back to Serie A this summer but,
despite interest from Juventus and Fiorentina, no deal has been reached.
Alberto Aquilani's long-running transfer saga at Liverpool could soon be facing an end, claims
his agent. Franco Zavaglia has notably been extremely outspoken about Aquilani's future during the
past few weeks and believes that there is ‘truth' in rumours linking his client to AC Milan.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is on a collision course with Bolton chairman Phil Gartside over
the proposed signing of Gary Cahill.
The Gunners have tabled an offer for theEngland defender which Bolton have described as
"derisory". The bid has been reported as £6 million but Wenger insisted that figure was
incorrect.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is on a collision course with Bolton chairman Phil Gartside over
the proposed signing of Gary Cahill.
The Gunners have tabled an offer for theEngland defender which Bolton have described as
"derisory". The bid has been reported as £6 million but Wenger insisted that figure was
incorrect.
I will not pretend to know the complications of football contracts. There is a lot of pleasing
to be done for multiple parties, and striking that balance must be difficult. That said, the
whispers that Jussi's contract talks are not going well are worrying. I think it will be time for
him to move on (or retire) quite soon, but the fact is that right now we don't have reliable back
up for him.
Presumably this is a spoof (we really hope not), but if it is someone has gone to a lot of effort to create a pretty decent LinkedIn profile for out-of-work football manager Alex McLeish. The profile on the corporate social networking site is fairly up-to-date, making mention of McLeish's recent brief stint at Nottingham Forest.
The pre season tour of Asia is over. Desk calendars have been flipped to August. Money for Stoke
away has left my account. Ivan Gazidis and his gang of bull necked cronies are locked in dimly lit,
smoke filled rooms trying to browbeat a couple of Spanish clubs into submission for some of their
booty.
Spurs sacked Harry Redknapp after he and club chairman Daniel Levy could not reach an
agreement on a contract extension. This comes after a season in which Spurs faded in the second
half following Redknapp's tax evasion trial and his open flirting with the FA while still a
candidate for the England job.
Genoa vs Siena 2012 Ultras Video Protest Giuseppe Sculli Tifosi Demand Jerseys Fans Block Tunnel
is a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter
Genoa vs Siena 2012 Ultras Video Protest Giuseppe Sculli Tifosi Demand Jerseys Fans Block Tunnel is
a post from Soccer Blogger. Follow Soccer Blogger on Twitter Genoa Siena 2012 Ultras Protest/
Sculli Negotiation VIDEO BELOW Ultras protested during the Genoa Siena Serie A match on April 22,
2012 at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, blocking [.
Newcastle are in negotiation with Wilfried Zaha's representatives to bring the lad to Newcastle.
Wilfried Zaha could be arriving at Newcastle With Crystal Palace having been eliminated last night
from the Carling Cup at the semi-final stage by Cardiff City, the way is now clear for Palace to
let their top 19 year-old move on.
Every single agent should say that their player, particularly one of Alvaro Fernandez' quality,
is interested in playing for Palermo, a team in a better league for more money. That Fernandez'
agent did so is not a surprise. Palermo is a mid-table team in Serie A this season already on its
third coach.
Could this finally be close to completion? More after the jump:
True Blue?
It's been a long-running saga for the past two seasons, but at last we may finally have a major
breakthrough in the transfer of one Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea, after Anderlecht's Chairman and the
player's agent were seen departing The Bridge last night.
