Kaka has already issued a snub to Manchester City by revealing he prefers rivals Manchester United and Arsenal. (Sun)
Ronaldino has asked Kaka to turn his back on Manchester City and stay at AC Milan. (Daily Star)
AC Milan officials are expecting protests at the San Siro before Saturday’s Serie A clash with Fiorentina because of the club’s expected sale of Kaka. (Daily Mail)
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has hinted Milan are prepared for life without Kaka by insisting his team could cope without the Brazil star. (Daily Telegraph)
Kaka is expected to join Manchester City next week after he was railroaded into accepting the £108m move. (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has advised Kaka to reject overtures from Manchester City and remain at Milan. (Daily Mail)
I’m waiting for this Kaka chase to be over one way or another but til then above are some recent news on the transfer of the century.
Craig Bellamy’s West Ham career looks to be over after the Wales striker stormed out of a training session because the Hammers refused to give him persmission to talk to Tottenham. (Various)
Never understood why West Ham really wants to keep him. Bellamy has been a distraction and even worse a locker room cancer in every team he’s been on.
Tottenham’s £14m move for Wigan’s Wilson Palacios is in danger of being hijacked by Manchester United. (Daily Mail)
A cynic would think Manchester United would bid for Palacios just to mess with Tottenham.
Jermaine Pennant is resisting a move to Portsmouth despite Liverpool accepting a £2m bid. (Guardian)
Shows how much Liverpool think about the player when they aren’t interested in offering Pennant a contact extension and accepted a bid of 2 million for his services.
Bolton have swooped for Benfica’s Portugal international striker Aziza Makukula who had a trial at West Brom before a move fell through. (Daily Mirror)
What I said about Makukula two days ago still applies. Look for him to be a hit at Bolton.
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho would be willing to offload strikers Adriano or Hernan Crespo to Tottenham but would want Jermaine Jenas AND Gareth Bale as part of the deal. (Channel 4.com)
Sometimes I do wish football had more trades to spice things up.
Rafael Benitez will walk away from Liverpool at the end of the season unless he is given total control of transfers. (Various)
Benitez pulled this type of power play at Valencia and everyone knows how that ended up.
After looking set to resign on Thursday evening, Ramón Calderón’s u-turn has caused his fellow directors to team together and many are set to quit at a meeting on Friday morning if he does not step down.
Needless to say don’t think Sir Alex Ferguson would shed too many tears if Calderon is forced out at Real Madrid.
Kakà To Turn Down Manchester City Offer?
The Kakà to Manchester City saga continues to rumble on as the Brazilian international superstar is set to turn down the Citizens’ offer according to press reports in Italy.
Hull and Manchester United have a good relationship over the Frazier Campbell loan signing last year. Much like Campbell did last year I’m sure Hull hopes Manucho can shake off the rust and score some goals.
Reports in Italy suggest the price Manchester City will have to pay for Kaka has now risen from £100m to £130m. (Daily Telegraph)
Other reports claim City will make a more conservative, yet still increased, bid of £108m for the Brazilian. (Sun)
Kaka is set to tell Manchester City he will sign for them but not until the summer, although AC Milan are considering a £75m offer plus £32m in other fees for the deal to go through in January. (Daily Star)
Kaka would join City for £108m, the agents involved would earn £18m and the player’s father £9m. (Guardian)
Mark Hughes is so confident of signing Kaka that he has already drawn up a new 4-1-4-1 system to accommodate the former world footballer of the year in his proposed debut against Newcastle on 28 January. (Guardian)
The 4-1-4-1 system can also resemble scores Manchester City will still lose by during Kaka’s first two games.
Real Madrid have made a fresh move to sign Liverpool winger Jermain Pennant on a six-month loan until May, when he will make way for Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo. (Daily Mirror)
It still leaves me shaking my head how Jermain Pennant’s name can be linked any where near Cristiano Ronaldo.
But Portsmouth are confident of taking Pennant to Fratton Park and hope to open negotiations over the weekend. (Various)
At the very least Pennant would play for Portsmouth.
Manchester City are close to signing Hamburg’s Nigel de Jong with the Dutch holding midfielder valued at £15m. (Daily Mail)
With Dietmar Hamann injured a move for a player with de Jong skills which largely goes under the radar would be a wise move on Ctiy’s part. The again you can throw a dart at the team list of players and link them with Manchester City.
Spanish club Espanyol say they have a deal in place for their goalkeeper Carlos Kameni to join City. (Daily Mail)
As we see with this rumor.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to offer striker Nicklas Bendtner in a part exchange deal for West Ham’s former Gunners defender Matthew Upson. (Daily Mirror)
West Ham would be wise to hang on to Upson until the summer then sell him. West Ham are already weak defensively, with Upson gone the Hammers would be in a real dog fight at the bottom of the table.
Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is set to launch a £14m bid for Tottenham striker Darren Bent. (Daily Mirror)
Bent does fit the big and strong mode ala John Carew that Martin O’Neill likes in a player.
Spurs have won the race to sign Wigan’s £14m-rated midfielder Wilson Palacios. (Sun)
Spurs hope to conclude a £13m straight cash deal for Palacios, although midfielder Jermaine Jenas could be offered in a part exchange deal. (Guardian)
If true not bad of a return for a player Steve Bruce picked up from the scrap heap not once but twice last season.
Bolton are considering an approach for Benfica striker Ariza Makukula after he rejected a loan move to West Brom. (Daily Mail)
So much for me talking up Makukula yesterday.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is targeting Nuremberg striker Angelos Charisteas, who scored the winning goal for Greece at Euro 2004. (Daily Mirror)
Must thank the daily mirror for bringing up that sore spot for me again.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has pleaded with the Anfield board to make defender Daniel Agger an offer he can’t refuse amid speculation the Dane will leave for AC Milan. (Daily Mirror)
A useful player like Agger would be a) Hard to replace and more importantly b) Expensive to replace. Teams gunning for a title can’t sell off squad players mid season.
A Premier League footballer broke down in tears after blowing £1m at a casino in one night. (Daily Star)
Ouch, makes my Vegasmania VI experience not seem to bad in hindsight (I name my Vegas trips in the same fashion as Wrestlemania’s)
The newest MLS expansion team, the Seattle Sounders, selected University of Akron forward Steve Zakuani as the first pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft on Thursday afternoon in St. Louis.
Since I am not a follower of NCAA football I’d be hard pressed to make any judgment on these players but much like the generation Adidas article last week it will be interesting to see which players end up making an impact in the coming years.
1. SEA Steve Zakuani F Akron
2. TOR Sam Cronin M Wake Forest
3. LA Omar Gonzalez D Maryland
4. TOR O’Brian White F Connecticut
5. DAL Peri Marosevic F Michigan
6. DCU Rodney Wallace M Maryland
7. DCU Chris Pontius M/F UCSB
8. KC Matt Besler D Notre Dame
9. CHV Michael Lahoud M Wake Forest
10. NE Kevin Alston D Indiana
11. NY Jeremy Hall M Maryland
12. RSL Jean Alexandre M Lynn U.
13. TOR Stefan Frei GK Cal Berkeley
14. DAL George John M Washington
15. NE Ryan Maxwell M Tampa
Seven-times champions Olympique Lyon are in danger of being knocked off the top of Ligue 1 on Saturday and injured striker Sidney Govou said the club’s poor recent form had dented morale.
Not exactly the type of story you want to hear if your a Lyon fan. Heading into next months Champions League match against Barcelona if this team isn’t together they are going to be smashed by the Spanish giants.
Hoffenheim Rocked By Ibisevic Injury
The Bundesliga leaders have suffered a potentially crippling blow after their star striker came down with what looks to be serious injury…
AC Milan star Kaka will only move to Manchester City if he is given a series of get-out clauses as part of a world record £175m deal. (The Sun)
If he joins City, the Brazilian star wants written guarantees in his contract that Sheikh Mansour remains the club’s owner and continues to invest heavily, that City qualify for the Champions League within two years, that Robinho stays at the club and also that he retains control of his image rights. If any of those clauses are broken, Kaka would be allowed to leave for a predetermined transfer fee. (The Sun)
City will offer Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti the chance to take charge at Eastlands in the summer in a bid to improve their chances of signing Kaka. (Daily Star)
Kaka is committed to the Rossoneri but will listen to City if there is any indication that the Italian club are willing to accept the £100m on offer by the Eastlands club. (The Sun)
Milan are willing to sell Kaka but a deal will only be sanctioned if he wishes to leave the San Siro. (Daily Telegraph)
Kaka’s father and closest adviser Bosco Leite is flying in from Brazil to enter the negotiations. (The Sun)
City will present their proposal to Kaka’s representatives before the end of this week but Bosco Leite holds the key to whether the deal will go through. (Daily Mirror)
Kaka wants to meet Sheikh Mansour before he decides on his future. (Daily Mail)
Enough Kaka news for you? A.C Milan does have a history selling there best player at an over inflated price when they cashed in on Andriy Shevchenko and allowed him to play for Cheslea. Looking back that didn’t turn out so bad for A.C Milan. At the end of the day Kaka isn’t motivated by money, he has always been a religion/team first kind of player so even with an obscene amount of money thrown at him I’d give it less than 50/50 that Kaka will make the jump to Manchester City.
City will renew their efforts to sign Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon or AC Milan goalkeeper Dida in an attempt to convince Kaka of their ambitions. (Daily Telegraph)
This is like going to a car dealership and deciding to either walk away with a Corvette or a Cavalier.
Chelsea defender John Terry has emerged as another audacious target for City in the January transfer window. (Daily Star)
I can’t see Terry trading the Chelsea blue for the Manchester City baby blue.
Manchester United are planning a £14m bid for Wigan midfielder Wilson Palacios after the Latics rejected a £10m offer from Tottenham for the Honduras star. (The Sun)
Always find it curious that Manchester United are often linked with a player right around the time his current team are about to play against United.
Liverpool’s hopes of securing defender Daniel Agger on a new long-term contract are fading after the Danish international’s agent travelled to Italy for talks with AC Milan. (The Guardian)
AC Milan are set to make a £7.5m bid for Agger, who is believed to have a clause in his contract allowing him to leave Anfield at the end of the season. (The Times)
Daniel Agger = John Arne Riise hopefully without an own goal on his way out the door.
Chelsea will sell striker Didier Drogba in the summer and are confident of signing Seville’s Luis Fabiano to replace him. (Daily Star)
I never quite understood why Fabiano is often linked with a top team. He is neither young and there is a difference in class making the grade at Seville than it is on a team like Chelsea.
Luis Boa Morte’s proposed £1m move from West Ham to Hull City has fallen through after the forward failed to agree personal terms. (Daily Express)
You know West Ham wanted to get rid of Boa Morte badly when his transfer fee was only a million.
Portsmouth boss Tony Adams wants to sign Real Madrid striker Javier Saviola on loan for the rest of the season. (The Sun)
Saviola has already been offered to Wigan when Real tried to sign Latics winger Antonio Valencia but the Argentine was reluctant to join the Latics. (The Sun)
If Saviola is reluctant to play for Wigan who are actually playing well then there is no chance of him playing for Portsmouth.
On-loan Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse – who has recently opened a clothes shop in Newcastle – is ready to commit his long-term future to the Black Cats and has rejected the chance of a move back to his parent club Marseille to ease the French side’s injury crisis. (Daily Star)
Luckily for the people of Newcastle Cisse didn’t open up a barber shop.
West Ham have rejected a new bid for Wales striker Craig Bellamy from Manchester City and have also turned down the offer of a straight swap for Darren Bent from Tottenham. (The Independent)
Bent turned down the chance to join West Ham back in 2007 and took less money signing for Tottenham. Doubtful Bent would change his mind two years later regarding West Ham.
Spurs are set to make a £14m offer for Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones after their move for Inter Milan forward Adriano was scuppered by the Brazilian’s wage demands. (Daily Express)
The move was scuppered because the Brazilian has no interest in playing for Tottenham.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp wants Derby goalkeeper Roy Carroll as a back-up to Heurelho Gomes and could sign him for £250,000. (Daily Mirror)
A look back at my boy Pedro Mendes getting robbed of a goal thanks to a Roy Carroll error back in the day.
Blackburn are holding out for £25m for Santa Cruz, who has told Allardyce that he wants to join City. (The Times)
Now we are just getting greedy there Blackburn. Take the 18-20 million and be happy.
Fulham have told Bolton that it will cost them £6m to sign England midfielder Jimmy Bullard. (Daily Star)
Wanderers boss Gary Megson has offered Fulham £5.75m and full-back Nicky Hunt in exchange for Bullard. (Daily Telegraph)
Look for Bulland Fulham days to come to an end in the coming days.
Bolton could hijack West Brom’s bid to sign Benfica striker Ariza Makukula on loan for the rest of the season. (Daily Star)
A player with the size of Makukula could do well in England. You do not want the ball played to his feet but he can hold up the game well and knock a few goals in with his head.
Newcastle United have signed the new Gazza – former Magpies and England star Paul Gascoigne’s seven-year-old nephew Cameron Gascoigne, who has been snapped up after scoring 22 goals in a 30-minute junior match. (Daily Star)
Hope his knack for scoring goals is the only trait he picks up from his uncle.
Talent wise Arshavin would be a great fit for Inter who would thread passes to Zlatan Ibrahimovic all game long. Arshavin lack of commitment to defense might leave Mourinho shaking his head at home however.
Ibisevic keen to stay on at Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim frontman Vedad Ibisevic is keen to agree a new long-term contract with the club.
The 24-year-old leads the Bundesliga scoring charts after netting 18 goals to help newly-promoted Hoffenheim top the table at the halfway stage of the season.
Sadly I haven’t made many mentions of Hoffenheim and Ibisevic this season however you should go out of your way to watch this team led by Ibisevic in action. Unless your name is Barcelona you’d be hard press to find a more entertaining team than Hoffenheim.
Two names are on every back page today – Kaka and Manchester City. The majority verdict seems to be that they will offer £100m with weekly wages of around £500,000. (Various)
I’m sure Ronaldinho tells Kaka everyday about how he regrets not moving to Manchester City over the summer which is why Kaka would love to play in England.
Middlesbrough are ready to offer Burnley £2m for Chris Eagles. (Daily Express)
Eagles was never going to see the light of day for United but he could provide balance on the right side of midfield for Middlesbrough.
Real Madrid could offer Wigan Javier Saviola, plus £15m for winger Antonio Valencia. (Daily Star)
Saviola is not going to sign off on playing for Wigan. Maybe he should but I’m sure he won’t.
A loan swap deal taking Tottenham’s Jermaine Jenas to Everton in return for Leighton Baines has fallen through. (Daily Mail)
Shame it fell through as this loan would make sense for both teams.
Giovani Dos Santos and Hossam Ghaly are also on their way out of White Hart Lane. (The Sun)
Dos Santos should thank his dad for being greedy and steering him away from Barcelona. Ghaly has been moth balled for over a year now, I doubt there is much interest out there.
Arsenal are considering a double swoop for Fulham pair Jimmy Bullard and Brede Hangeland. (The Sun)
Hangeland would solve a lot of Arsenal problems conceding goals on set plays. I’m sure Arsenal is only interested in Bullard if they can sign him for cheap.
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has put Didier Drogba’s future in doubt by leaving the striker out of the squad for the FA Cup third round replay against Southend. (Daily Telegraph)
You knew that at some point Scolari and Drogba where going to clash. Drogba needs to be babied at times to be effective where as Scolari will set the record straight with an under performing player instead of sugar coating it.
Winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who wears number seven at Manchester United, has trademarked CR9 in Portugal. (The Sun)
Let the hysteria on message boards and web sites start.
Just can’t see Inter giving up on Balotelli even if the player doesn’t quite get it yet. Also can’t seeing a reunion between Jose Mourinho and Adrian Mutu working.
Klinsmann saddened by Podolski’s lack of fight
Out-of-favour Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski, set to leave the Bundesliga champions at the end of the season, has not shown enough determination to earn regular selection, coach Juergen Klinsmann said.
The Podolski-Bayern Munich relationship fall apart after Podolski coming off an impressive 2006 World Cup Campaign was nailed to the bench once Bayern formed the Klose-Toni partnership upfront a year later. A change of scenery will ultimately do Podolski some good.
