There Is Only One Sinnacle

Midfielder Stephen Ireland has admitted there is a major question mark over his Manchester City future having failed to force his way into manager Roberto Mancini’s plans. (Manchester Evening News)

Considering all the players Manchester City are rumoured to be looking at, there are many players whose futures are up in the air. Hopefully Roberto Mancini rented and didn’t buy as well.

Liverpool are hoping to land Marseille’s £14m-rated striker Mamadou Niang and may use Albert Rieira, Ryan Babel, Philipp Degen and Yossi Benayoun as part of the deal. caughtoffside.com

It would be like signing Djibril Cissé again without the wierd hair.

Manchester United are preparing a £50m offer for Tottenham duo Luka Modric and Gareth Bale.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

Six amount ago you could of had Gareth Bale for a lot less.

Manchester United are close to agreeing a deal with Real Madrid for striker Karim Benzema.
Full story: footylatest.com

Manchester United have been close to this signing for the last four years. Real Madrid would regret letting Benzema go.

Juventus are interested in arranging a swap deal involving keeper Gianluigi Buffon and any one of Arsenal trio Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie or Bacary Sagna. Imscouting.com

I’d get this silly rumour if it was Faregas, van Persie or Arshavin but Bacary Sagna? Good player but you wouldn’t have him in your top three Arsenals players would you?

Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain for £34m if they fail in their attempts to sign Liverpool forward Fernando Torres. Daily Telegraph

Real Madrid should keep Karim Benzema but sell Higuain whose value will never be higher.

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack looks set to leave the club with German outfit Schalke 04 showing an interest in the 33-year-old. Daily Star

Can’t see Ballack getting anywhere close to his previously contract with Chelsea. It makes sense for him to decide to go back home for the final season or two of his interesting career.

Champions League finalists Bayern Munich are keen to sign Manchester United winger Park Ji-Sung and are ready to bid £7m for the 29-year-old South Korean. Daily Mail

Unless Fergie really needs the money to sign another players just can’t see him selling a heart and soul player like Park Ji-Sung.

Rafael Benitez will hold crunch talks with Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton on Thursday with his position as manager in the balance and the club reeling from Chelsea’s bold move for forward Fernando Torres. Daily Mail

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has admitted that it could take him two years to sell the Anfield club although he and fellow American George Gillett are actively seeking new investment. Daily Mirror

This Liverpool song and dance won’t be over for awhile it seems.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has reportedly agreed a deal to stay on as Gunners boss until 2013. The earlier-than-anticipated verbal agreement is a huge boost to the club’s hopes of hanging on to marquee players such as striker Robin van Persie and particularly midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (0930 BST) goal.com

After another season without a title I’d be signing a contract pretty quickly too if I was Wenger.

Ben Foster has accepted he will have to leave Manchester United to revive his flagging career. “I want to be playing football. I am not interested in just hanging around and I would go if the club wanted to sell me,” admitted Foster, who has played 13 times for United this season. (Press Association Sport, 0922 BST)

Life went on for Tim Howard after he left Manchester United. Ben Foster should bounce on his feet somewhere.

Chelsea hope to catch fellow-suitors Manchester City cold with a dramatic move for Fernando Torres and are willing to table a British record transfer fee, that could reach £70m, for the Liverpool striker.
Full story: Daily Mail

Both were young but the Sergio Aguero and Fernando Torres partnership didn’t light up La Liga in their only year playing together.

Manchester United are hopeful of tying up a £16m deal for CSKA Moscow midfielder Milos Krasic this summer. caughtoffside.com

Manchester United have always used wide players to full effectiveness so Krasic could do a lot worst then joining United this summer.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants to bring just one player to Old Trafford this summer and this is Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric. footylatest.com

They are going over pay for Modric like they did previously for Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov.

Argentine newspaper Ole reports that highly sought after Benfica winger Angel Di Maria has agreed a move to Real Madrid , rejecting overtures from both Manchester United and Chelsea. imscouting.com

Benfica would like to thank Manchester City for setting the bar high for other clubs to bid.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is hoping to secure a deal to snap up Serbian international striker Marko Pantelic from Ajax this summer. caughtoffside.com

Is Rafa’s heart even in Liverpool anymore after such a season?

The Gunners have also been alerted to the availability of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who has expressed an interest in moving to the Emirates following the failure of his club Juventus to qualify for next season’s Champions League. The Sun

Alternatively, Arsenal are readying a move for Manchester City keeper Joe Hart, who has spent the season on loan at Birmingham.: The Guardian

Signing Buffon is as unArsenal you can get in the transfer market. Considering the amount of years left for Buffon I’d be making a move for Joe Hart.

West Ham have emerged as shock contenders to re-sign midfielder Joe Cole from Chelsea. The player, who swapped Upton Park for Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2003, is out of contract this summer.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

Unless Joe Cole wants to stay in London can’t see him playing for West Ham.

Tottenham are prepared to offer striker Robbie Keane to Everton in exchange for midfielder Steven Pienaar. Daily Mirror

Interesting headline but player trades like these are few and far between.

Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed to rebuild his Manchester United side over the summer, even if they snatch the title from Chelsea this season. United are one point behind the Blues heading into this weekend’s final game. Daily Mirror

Manchester United has taken a couple of steps back in Europe this year. This team will need a certain something if they are going to vault back to the Champions League finals.

Reports in Italy say Chelsea are lining up an 80m Euro double swoop for Milan pair Pato and Thiago Silva in the summer. footylatest.com

Almost three years in and I’m expecting more out of Pato. Maybe it’s a mix of injuries and the Italian style but he hasn’t vaulted himself into a top five player maybe people felt he would become the day he signed for A.C Milan. Pato is still young but if he keeps this up Pato will end up being Brazilian slang for Theo Walcott, another player hyped up without the game to game results.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk says Hamburg striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is not yet out of contention for the World Cup, despite having left him out of a pre-season training squad.

Can’t think of many better strikers you can sub in with 20 minutes left in a game who can get you a goal.

Juventus are reportedly being put off a move for Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez by the size of the compensation they would have to pay, and are now considering other options – including Manchester City’s Roberto Mancini. imscouting.com

If Rafa wants Liverpool to pay him off then it’s only fair for Liverpool to ask for some cash from Juventus.

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has hinted he could leave the club and be on his way to England, without specifying a club. “My wish to leave Juve is equal to the wish Juve have to let me go. If I had to go I think England could be the destination,” he told Italy’s Sky TV.

This says all you need to know about the state of Juventus right now if Buffon, one of their core players wishes to leave.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is considering his future at Anfield, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona all waiting in the wings to sign the Spain international. Daily Mirror

Is Barcelona going to offer 40 million plus Zlatan Ibrahimović for Torres? Worked for Inter Milan.

Manchester City are also preparing a £40m bid for Benfica winger Angel di Maria but face opposition from Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool. ESPN soccernet

This should be it’s own post but here we go. Manchester City are smart for tying to wrap this deal up now. I don’t think anything will be sealed and signed until after this weekend’s games in both leagues but Manchester City would be wise to forgot about signing players from Real Madrid and A.C Milan. While Benfica are a big club, they don’t play in a big league. Players from those teams are the ones Manchester City should be looking to sign. Angel di Maria and David Luiz are soon to be great players but for £75 million Rui Costa and the rest of his Benfica staff will be popping bottles. Manchester City should throw in another 25 million for Oscar Cordoza to make the set complete.

Liverpool are lining up a move for Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole, who is a free agent at the end of the season. Daily Mail

Joe Cole is in for an interesting season next season. Will he regain his pre knee injury form or will Chelsea be proven right as they feel Joe Cole has seen his best days.

Manchester City forward Robinho says he is desperate to leave the club and remain at Santos where he is currently on loan. Daily Mirror

Robinho put Manchester City on the map in a way but boy for 30 million you’d hope for actually production on the field. Be interesting to see what Manchester City can get for Robinho this summer.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry looks certain to leave Barcelona with the United States his likely destination. Daily Mirror

Henry looks to be heading out the door once Barcelona didn’t bring him on against Inter Milan.

Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer fears the club’s success this season could lead to manager Roy Hodgson leaving Craven Cottage for “a bigger club”. Guardian

If Hodgson were ten years younger he’d be as good as gone. Be interesting to see if a bigger club makes a play for Hodgson despite his age. My gut feeling is Hodgson will still be coaching Fulham next season.

Former England boss Steve McClaren says he has had “a lot of interest from a lot of places” after leading FC Twente to the Dutch league title, and says a rumoured new job at Wolfsburg is “far from a done deal”. Guardian

Back your bags for Germany. FC Twente will have a hard time keeping players like Bryan Ruiz thus weakening there Champions League changes next season.

Meet new Cracovia Krakow goalie Luke Bielsko-Biala Merde.

Bolton defender Gary Cahill, who is reportedly attracting interest from Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool, has admitted the time may be right for a move away from the Trotters.
Full story: The Bolton News

When Bolton coach Owen Coyle comes out and admits selling Gary Cahill isn’t a bad idea it pretty much means he plans to use the money from a Cahill sale to bring in other players.

Bordeaux boss Laurent Blanc has been offered the chance the chance to become France coach after the World Cup. Raymond Domenech will step down after guiding Les Bleus through the tournament in South Africa. L’Equipe

Blanc has won a league title in France and taken Bordeaux to the final eight of the Champions League. Hard to top that all things considered. I’d pack my backs for the national team position.

Ajax forward Luis Suarez may be bound for Arsenal, with the Gunners weighing up a £22m bid for the Uruguay international. Caught Offside

Ripped apart the Dutch league this seaosn but unless Arsenal sells Arshavin don’t see where Suarez would fit in an already very attack minded Arsenal set up.

Wolves insist striker Kevin Doyle, who has emerged as a £10m target for Arsenal, will not be leaving Molineux this summer. Daily Mirror

Can’t see Arsenal playing £10 million for Kevin Doyle. Wenger may change his ways but he isn’t going crazy.

Manchester City have Aston Villa winger Ashley Young in their sights, with the Eastlands hierarchy believing a £22m bid may tempt Villans boss Martin O’Neill to sell. Caught Offside

Ashley Young = A younger Shaun Wright-Phillips.

Wigan have slapped an £8m price tag on Honduras left-back Maynor Figueroa, who is wanted by Sunderland boss Steve Bruce. Daily Mirror

With one week left it will be hard to top Figueroa goal against Stoke for goal of the year. Fabregas run straight through the Tottenham defence also deserves mention.

Palermo defender Simon Kjaer, 21, is a possible target for Arsenal as manager Arsene Wenger looks for a new centre-back partner for Thomas Vermaelen. Footy Latest

I’d be shocked if a big European club doesn’t come calling with a cheque in hand for Kjaer this summer.

Former England boss Steve McClaren will move on to Bundesliga club Wolfsburg after guiding FC Twente to the Dutch league title on Sunday. Daily Mail

Just a great story to hear about Steve McClaren leading FC Twente to the Dutch title. It’s not like McClaren was coaching Ajax or PSV, clubs with much bigger budgets then Twente. A move to Germany worked for Louis Van Gaal who lead AZ to the Dutch title last year and is now in the Champions League finals with Bayern Munich this season. Steve McClaren should take note of that.

Stoke striker Dave Kitson has claimed he has been unfairly blamed for problems at the club. “Cloudy in Stoke? That’s Kitson’s fault. The traffic’s terrible? Blame that on Kitson too,” he said. the Sun

Pretty funny, Kitson is good as gone this summer with or without this quote.