One of Europe's most prized transfer targets could very well be headed to Tottenham this summer.

Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard reportedly has a deal in place to join Spurs during the next transfer window, according to France Football. The report stipulates that the two clubs will still need to come to a transfer agreement, meaning that the move is far from official but is nevertheless along in the process.

The inevitable African Cup of Nations championship matchup between the continent's two powerhouses has made way for a title game involving an underdog side that is a win away from capping off a Hollywood-worthy script.

Upstart Zambia shocked favored Ghana, 1-0, to advance to the tournament final and prevent the Black Stars from seeking redemption for their loss in the 2010 final.

England striker Wayne Rooney scored 2 penalties and produced an inspiring second half display as Manchester United fought back from a seemingly hopeless position at Stanford Bridge. Trailing by a single goal at half time, even the most die hard of United supporters must have thought all was lost when a disastrous start to the second half saw early goals from Chelsea playmaker Juan Mata (who buried a stunning volley) and a deflected set piece header from centre back David Luiz treble the home side's advantage in a sequence of events that all Chelsea fan's must surely have believed would put the game to bed as a contest.

Pelita Jaya's biggest home crowd for many a year saw them beaten 3-1 by Persib. Ok, the game was played at Jalak Harupat which is Persib's home stadium but it used to be Pelita Jaya's though when they played there they struggled to attract fans in what is staunch Persib territory.

The game was moved from Pelita Jaya's usual home stadium of Singaperbangsa in Karawang probably because that stadium would not have been able to handle the travelling support and that makes two consecutive home games played ‘away' from home; they hosted Persija in Solo for the same reason.

With the International Transfer Deadline producing a flurry of player movement and even more rumors and speculation, MLS witnessed a prominent striker of their own swap jerseys.

The Vancouver Whitecaps announced Tuesday afternoon that they have acquired All-Star Sebastien Le Toux from the Philadelphia Union in exchange for allocation money.

The Philadelphia Union announced that they had purchased the contractual rights of Roger Torres from Colombian team America de Cali.

The 20-year-old has played with the Union on loan for the past two seasons, scoring three goals and assisting on eight more in 46 games played (1889 minutes).

Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz

The Philadelphia Union announced on Tuesday afternoon that they have completed the transfer of Roger Torres for an undisclosed sum.

The 19-year-old midfielder, whose loan spell with the Union was about to end, had been on loan from Colombian first division club America de Cali for the 2010 and 2011 season.

Barcelona have been the scourge of Manchester United in Europe over recent campaigns but now the Spanish giants will not have the chance to scupper the Red Devils' chances of bring home silverware from the continent.
United fans will be disappointed their side failed to make the knockout stages of the Champions League but based on their performances in the group stage, the Premier League title holders did not really deserve to get through.

So Arsene Wenger will make a signing in the January transfer window after all although it is hardly likely to get moaning fans off his back anytime soon.

For we hear that Borussia Dortmund academy midfielder Thomas Eisfeld is set to join Arsenal pending a successful medical examination.

Following a tweet from player agent Richard Motzkin that announced Danny Mwanga would be training with Aston Villa for ten days, the Philadelphia Union confirmed that the striker will miss the team's first preseason session.

According to the Union, Mwanga "will join his teammates in Orlando on February 6, in time for the start of the Union's second leg of preseason.

Brazil's Internacional fans know what they're talking about when they mention D'Alessandro, their talented playmaker once hailed as 'the next Maradona'. Unfortunately, Shanghai Shenhua are coming in quick for him... so there isn't much time, chicas! / Photo via Gettyimages

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Midfield Hernanes The Brazilian playmaker was undoubtedly Lazio's best signing of last season. He has continued his excellent form into the new season, operating in the heart of Lazio's midfield and supplying new-boy Miroslav Klose with the service that has helped him notch up 9 goals so far. If Lazio are to pursue success in the Europa League along with their ambitions to claim a Champions.

Mexico's World Cup qualifying victory clearly shook the US Women's National Team to their core. On Tuesday night, the US settled the score, reminding Mexico, and the world, that there is still an enormous gap in class between the two sides. Were at not for some shoddy finishing and a whole lot of five-alarm defending, the score line could easily have been doubled as the US controlled the match from the opening whistle and were rarely troubled throughout the 90 minutes.

Gareth Barry has acknowledged that Liverpool fans remain among the most influential supporters in English football but the Manchester City playmaker has also criticized them for verbally abusing him a few years ago.

Barry was touted as a replacement for Xabi Alonso and while the England international was even on the verge of signing for Rafa Benitez, he moved away from the protracted transfer proposition due to the impatience of Reds faithful.

It only took eight years for the Revolution to get Jeremiah White into preseason camp.

White, who spurned MLS for Europe shortly after he became New England's third round pick 2004, was long gone by the time the team opened camp that year. And even after his contract with Polish side GKS Belchatow expired in 2010, it appeared that the opportunity to don the paint-brushed stars and stripes had long since passed.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has acknowledged that Manchester City's continued hold on the Premier League's top spot is impressive but warned the Citizens that "funny things can happen" between now and the end of the season.

Scholes, 37, came out of retirement earlier this month and has since played a part in each of United's three victories, the latest being a substitute appearance in the 2-1 win away to Arsenal yesterday.

Understandably, none of our regular authors were inclined to write a match report following yesterday's game, so you will all have to suffer the thoughts of someone who will I'm sure, not be expressing the mainstream opinion on this site.

I couldn't go to the game as I had to work. I followed the live commentary on BBC Sport football, listened to the radio phone in on my way home and watched the lowlights on MotD through the lattice of my fingers clamped to my face.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Jack Wilshere's rehabilitation process has finally reached the phase where he can take part in outdoor training sessions.

Wilshere's last competitive football match remains the Euro 2012 qualifier that he played for England against Switzerland in June last year.

Valencia midfielder Ever Banega has agreed to stay in La Liga by signing a contract that will keep him at the Spanish outfit till 2015.

Banega, 23, has attracted the interest of both Merseyside clubs in the past while also being linked to Arsenal and German giants Bayern Munich more recently.

By Andrew Crawford, writing from Shanghai

Despite the city starting to slow down for the Chinese New Year, Shanghai Shenhua's PR machine remains as busy as ever. The club's website is more brightly coloured than usual and images of the new manager, Jean Tigana, and his star player, Nicolas Anelka, flicker across the screen whilst behind them, four silhouetted figures stand in the background.

Under-pressure Liverpool striker Andy Carroll admits that the return of skipper Steven Gerrard has boosted his hopes of performing more consistently for the Reds.

Carroll, who was signed for over £35 million from Newcastle United last January, has scored only four times in 25 appearances for the Merseyside outfit, leading to continuous criticism from both within and outside the club.

The expansion Montreal Impact used their first pick in franchise history to select the versatile Andrew Wenger with the top pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft on Thursday afternoon in Kansas City.

Wenger, considered to be the most talented and complete player in the draft, enjoyed a successful career at Duke University.

All because Liverpool hasn't made a move yet in the transfer market doesn't mean that people aren't saying they're about to. So join us for the latest fun-like substance as we run down the latest collection of names being linked into—and out of—the club as the end of the January window edges into sight.

Here we are in the January transfer window, and we are all excited over the new stars that will be coming to the Emirates.

There is talk of this one, and talk of that one. Yet behind all the hype in the press you have Wenger telling us what I am afraid is going to be a very big disappointment for us all, and that is they do not want to spend any money with this financial crisis going to only get worse.

By AVI CREDITOR

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Generation adidas tag typically translates into high MLS SuperDraft position, but for three of this year's nine signings, that did not turn out to be the case.

Not like it matters all that much. All three fell into pretty ideal club situations from individual perspectives.

Freddy Adu spoke to Arch Bell of ESPN.com and, in a column published Monday, expressed an interest in returning to Europe immediately.

The money quote from Adu is here: "It would be an amazing opportunity to be able to stay here at Rayo [Vallecano]."

"I definitely miss playing in Europe," Adu continued, "I always said that when I went back to MLS, I wanted stability, and that I wouldn't go back until I could play for a top-five league.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Centerback Gale Agbossoumonde and goalkeeper David Bingham have been forced to withdraw from United States Under-23 national team camp with undisclosed injuries ahead of today's opening day of training at the Home Depot Center, according to U.

Mirror: Forget Cantona, here's our Top 5 players who DID go into politics

Former Manchester United star Eric Cantona was set to launch a bid for the French presidency, according to reports this morning. But it now appears Cantona is simply the frontman for a publicity stunt to raise awareness for a French charity.

The MLS Combine resumes action today as MLS Draft prospects look to give scouts and coaches more to think about as we draw closer to the MLS Draft on Thursday.

Day One saw several players boost their stock, while some others struggled to make an impact. UCSB playmaker Luis Silva, UCLA striker Chandler Hoffman, Marquette midfielder Calum Mallace, Louisville's Austin Berry and Indiana's Tommy Meyer were just some of the players who enjoyed strong first days.

Photo courtesy of UCSB Media Relations/Adam Caira

By ADAM SERRANO

It's not hard to recognize the talent of UCSB midfielder Luis Silva.

A dynamic playmaker with a penchant for scoring goals from anywhere on the field, Silva is considered to be a top-10 pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.

Changing coaches often means changing playing styles, and the decision to hire Oscar Pareja as head coach means the Colorado Rapids of 2012 may look quite different from the teams of 2010-11.

Giving Pareja the reins of his first MLS team is going to create a roster shakeup. The Colombian, a veteran of MLS campaigns from 1998 through 2005, has already talked about the need to find a Carlos Valderrama-type playmaker for the Rapids.

Part 3 of the review, coming right at you.

Aaron Ramsey
Stats: 22 appearances (3 sub appearances), 6.71 average rating, 2 goals, 6 assists, 2 yellow cards.

On his first full season since coming back from the Shawcross Special, Ramsey found himself as our main playmaker with Wilshere's injury and Cesc's and Nasri's exits.

And then there were six.

North Carolina playmaker Enzo Martinez signed has signed a Generation adidas contract, becoming the sixth member of the 2012 Generation adidas class, but teammate Billy Schuler passed on the final MLS offer, and ultimately signed with Hammarby.

Schuler's decision to bolt for Europe has opened the door for MLS to expand the class, with the league extending Generation adidas offers to Creighton fullback Tyler Polak, South Florida striker Dom Dwyer and UConn centerback Andrew Jean-Baptiste.

Borussia Dortmund has one of the world's up-and-coming stars in its grasp, and the defending Bundesliga champions aren't planning on letting him go.

Dortmund plans to keep 19-year-old playmaker Mario Goetze for at least another season despite major transfer interest, the club's sporting director said to German media.

Sigi Schmid refers to his central midfielders as the engine room. Whether these players are glamorous playmakers, defensive stalwarts or a box-to-box man who gets ignored or pilloried by fans these are players who make or break seasons. For Seattle Sounders FC the center includes a player who many will claim is their best, the Honey Badger.

Featured image: Earl Gardner

2011 was a great year for Philly soccer fans. The Philadelphia Union made it to the playoffs in just their second season. For the second year in a row, and their second year of existence, the Philadelphia Independence made it to the WPS Finals. Nearly 58,000 turned out to see the Union play Real Madrid at the Linc, where the USMNT would host Mexico only a few weeks later (even if the home support was outnumbered by the support for the visitors at both games).

By Alan Duffy

'Tis been a fine season so far, with a new and rather rich kid on the block in the opulent form of Manchester City shaking things up at the top, a whole host of freakish results (see United's 8-2 win over Arsenal, City's 6-1 win over United etc), a Tottenham finally looking ready to make a serious title challenge and some impressive performances from the promoted sides.

Joe Cole takes on kids in Regent's Park

Joe Cole had no problems settling into life in Ligue 1 but the Lille playmaker is so frustrated during the winter shutdown he has started having a kickabout with strangers in the park.

View the full story here: The Mail

A news article on 2011-12-29 16:08:14 from: The Mail

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

With the 2012 MLS Draft just two weeks away, the 2012 MLS Generation adidas class took a step closer to being completed after the signing of the highest-rated unsigned underclassman.

UCLA playmaker Kelyn Rowe has signed a Generation adidas deal, sources told SBI on Wednesday. Rowe is the fifth player to sign a Generation adidas deal, joining Andrew Wenger, Darren Mattocks, UCLA teammate Chandler Hoffman and Sam Garza.

Luis Suarez might as well be on the FA's speed dial these days.

In the aftermath of receiving an eight-game ban and hefty fine from England's ruling body, the Liverpool striker was given his second punishment after being found guilty of misconduct for flipping the middle finger to Fulham fans at Craven Cottage following a match earlier in December.