There Is Only One Sinnacle

BBC for some reason isn’t listing their daily rumours so I’m taking the headlines from skysports.

Daily Mirror

Samir Nasri admits he is close to leaving Arsenal and that his transfer saga has left him “bitter and angry”.

Arsenal fans should thank Nasri for all the titles he won for them….oh wait.

Sir Bobby Charlton has warned Manchester United keeper David De Gea that no player is safe under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Nice of the old man to say it to the press. Like the kid doesn’t feel the pressure already.

Everton are in talks with Manchester City about Nedum Onuoha.

Considering he is one of the few Manchester City players who aren’t making a fortune Everton would be wise to snap up Onuoha.

Juventus have tabled a new offer for Chelsea defender Alex.

I would hate to be in a wall when Alex is about to fire a free kick.

The Sun

Wesley Sneijder will slash his pay demands to ensure his move to Manchester United goes through.

How often does a player slash his wages? It’s not like playing for Inter Milan is a bad option.

Newcastle have been told to stump up £2million if they want Wayne Bridge on loan.

That should be a no from Newcastle’s side.

Bolton boss is waiting on decisions from his two top transfer targets Shaun Wright-Phillips and David Ngog.

Shaun Wright-Phillips would be a good fit for Bolton, David Ngog I never saw the appeal.

Daily Star

Tottenham are close to sealing a season-long loan deal for Manchester City’s former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

Good move for Tottenham as Adebayor grew up a lot as a player with Real Madrid last season.

Raul has told Blackburn: “I don’t want to move to Ewood Park.

and who can blame him?

Sergio Aguero has urged compatriot Carlos Tevez to stay at Manchester City.

After Monday’s game Aguero should finish that sentance by saying Tevez should stay at Manchester City as my back up.

Fulham are leading the chase for £2million-rated Italy defender Cristian Zaccardo.

Nothing against Zaccardo but when you are rated at 2 million pounds it isn’t much of a chase.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is considering a move for Celtic’s Northern Ireland international winger Paddy McCourt after the 27-year-old starred for his country against the Faroe Islands last week.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Because you really want to sign a player based upon his play against the Faroe Islands.

One man who appears to be on his way out of Anfield is midfielder Christian Poulsen, who hopes to seal a move away from the club this month. The Denmark international, who only joined last summer, is surplus to requirements and is keen for regular first-team football having only made nine league starts.
Full story: Daily Mail

Liverpool have so much dead wood they need to clear out. Also next time play Raul Meireles from the start. I think King Kenny doesn’t like Portuguese people.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp may try to sign West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie if Peter Crouch leaves. Full story: Daily Mirror

It would be nice if Harry Redknapp tired to sign somebody.

Tottenham have accepted a £1.8m bid from LA Galaxy for striker Robbie Keane.
Full story: Daily Mail

Good for Robbie Keane. His European career was never going to be the same after Liverpool quickly sold him back to Tottenham. I mean really was Keane going be geared up to play for Leicester City? Keane will now be able to start fresh again with a new experience. Besides life in LA isn’t all that bad when you are pulling down five million a season.

Newcastle have raised their bid for PSV Eindhoven left-back Erik Peters to £7m in the hope of tying up a deal in time for the Tyne-Wear derby on Saturday. The club sold regular left-back Jose Enrique to Liverpool last week. Full story: Daily Mail

I’ve enjoyed the fact that Newcastle isn’t linking themsleves with players they have no chance of signing.

Blackburn’s ambitious hopes of landing Raul from Schalke have been boosted by a stand-off between the Spaniard and coach Ralf Rangnick. The 34-year-old striker made a point of not celebrating after scoring against Cologne on Saturday and the Ewood Park club, Malaga and Russian side Anzhi are showing an interest in signing him. Full story: Daily Mail

I have no clue how a coach couldn’t get along with Raul. I don’t care if former teammate Míchel Salgado plays for Blackburn, there is no way Raul goes there.

By the way, yes I am working on an EPL preview. I’m trying to have it done and up on the site late tonight or early tomorrow morning. I’m actually humbled people kinda look forward to it.

Manchester United have given up on their bid to sign Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan, with the Old Trafford club now tired of a saga that has dragged on since the end of last season. Full story: Daily Mail

I’m sure Inter would much prefer to sell Eto’o anyway.

Chelsea look set to derail Real Madrid’s bid to sign Santos’s young Brazilian striker Neymar.
Full story: Inside Futbol

I doubt that, besides with Santos in the Club World Cup later on this year I don’t see Neymar leaving this 2012.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will reinvest money from selling Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri to buy Valencia forward Juan Mata and at least one centre-back. Bolton’s Gary Cahill, Everton’s Phil Jagielka, Werder Bremen’s Per Mertesacker and Birmingham City’s Scott Dann are all on his list.
Full story: Daily Mirror

The second Arsenal announces Fabregas and Nasri have been sold they should turn around and announce the signings of Mata, Mertescacker and another player to give Arsenal fans some hope again.

Aston Villa have joined the race to sign French striker David Trezeguet. The former Juventus forward is a free agent after leaving Hercules. Full story: Daily Mail

Sadly Trezeguet is done but boy what a run he had.

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s ambitious Championship side Leicester want to buy Tottenham striker Robbie Keane for £3m. Full story: Daily Mirror

Shrugs shoulders…..Keane needs to leave Tottenham, it will be sad if Leicester in the second tier of English football is his best option.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has backed midfielder Tom Cleverley, who impressed in a loan spell at the DW Stadium last season, to make a major impact for Manchester United this term.
Full story: talkSPORT

I’m sure Martinez will use Cleverley as an example when he rings up Sir Alex asking for loan players.

West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson has said he would like to manage England when Fabio Capello steps down after Euro 2012, but he would need to have the backing of supporters and the media.
Full story: the Guardian

Have a feeling there is one city in the country Hodgson won’t get a lot of support in. The English media would rip Hodgson as the National team head coach.

Arsenal have opened the door for Samir Nasri’s £25m move to Manchester City.
Full story: the Guardian

Arsenal should knock the door down and say take him before he leaves for free next summer.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will look to sign Bolton defender Gary Cahill following Thomas Vermaelen’s injury. Full story: Metro

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish will make a move for £8m­-rated Birmingham defender Scott Dann.
Full story: Daily Star

Arsenal should also look to sign Scott Dann. He is riped for the picking with all the troubles at Birmingham.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp’s bid to bring Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra to Tottenham has hit a snag in a row over the ex-Chelsea man’s £20m price tag. Full story: the Sun

With Huddlestone and Sandro (when fit) around I’m not even sure Tottenham needs Diarra, they surely don’t need him at 20 million.

Tottenham will make one last attempt to sign Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, with boss Harry Redknapp desperate to sign the former Arsenal striker. Full story: footie-online

I’d push Peter Crouch out the door if I could bring Adebayor in.

While, Real Madrid are ready to offer midfielder Fernando Gago to Manchester City in exchange for Adebayor. Full story: Inside Futbol

Interesting from the point of view that Gago makes a lot less than Adebayor. If Man City can’t cash in on Adebayor they should consider it.

Chelsea are facing a battle with big-spending Paris Saint-Germain over Porto wing-back Alvaro Pereira. Full story: Daily Mail

It will be interesting to see if Porto do as promised and only sell players for their release clauses. They do have cover with Alex Sandro and David Addy

Chelsea-bound striker Romelu Lukaku described Monday as the “most beautiful day of my life” as he arrived to complete his £20m move from Anderlecht. Full story: Daily Mail

Wonder how many beautiful days Lukaku will have watching from the bench this season?

Real Madrid have beaten rivals Barcelona to the signing of a seven-year-old Argentine prodigy.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

Won’t be the last thing Real Madrid beat Barcelona in this season.

Arsenal are set to complete £12m signing of midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Southampton.
Full story: Daily Telegraph

Oxlade-Chamberlain may very well become a fine young player for Arsenal but it kills me how Arsenal just have their heads in the sand. They refuse to do anything to make their fans happy.

The Gunners have pushed on with their pursuit of Bolton’s Gary Cahill after Thomas Vermaelen was injured in Saturday’s 2-1 friendly defeat by Benfica. Full story: Daily Mail

I still like seeing this 2-1 score line. I’m sure Arsenal will make a 6 million dollar bid to insult Bolton in the coming days. Arsene Wenger is like the kid on your block who still plays Madden 05 cause he is good at that version of the game.

Tottenham’s pursuit of a new striker could lead them to 25-year-old Costa Rican international Bryan Ruiz, who plays for FC Twente. Full story: Daily Mail

Sign somebody Tottenham. I do like Ruiz mind you. Reminds me of a poor mans Falcao.

Tottenham have been linked with a move for £8m-rated Celtic playmaker Ki Sung-Yueng.
Full story: fanatix.com

I know I send sign somebody Tottenhak but don’t let it be Sung-Yueng.

Bolton boss Owen Coyle has been given the go-ahead for talks with Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips. Full story: Daily Mirror

It will be interesting to see if Bolton can sign Wright-Phillips considering he must be on big money playing for City.

Manchester United defender Chris Smalling has backed team-mate David de Gea to recover from an underwhelming debut in goal during their 3-2 win over Manchester City in the Community Shield.
Full story: talkSPORT

Somewhere Ben Foster is thinking I could of let that goal in too. What a game, the second Nani was on the break you just knew he was going to score. Considering he is a wide player it’s impressive he can score like a striker when in front of goal.

Tottenham’s Kyle Walker is expected to make his full England debut against the Netherlands on Wednesday at right-back. Full story: the Daily Telegraph

Yet he can’t play for Tottenham. In any other country it’s a mandate that young players from through the system and into the first team. In England where a coach can be fired after three games few coaches trust a talented yet unproven kid with a starting role.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini jokes that Mario Balotelli’s unusual behaviour since joining the club have left the manager needing a psychologist. Full story: Metro

I’m sure Mancini will need a psychologist after yesterday’s game as well. This better serve as a wake up call to City they need to be focused for all 90 minutes against the top teams. You let up you lose.

Manchester City could allow Carlos Tevez to leave as part of a swap with Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o, who has had a row with the Italian club’s new coach, Gian Piero Gasperini. Full story: Daily Mirror

With or without Eto’o mood swings this makes too much sense for Inter and Manchester City to explore.

Tottenham are expected to hold talks with transfer target Fernando Llorente when the giant striker visits White Hart Lane with Athletic Bilbao for Saturday’s pre-season friendly. Full story: Metro

If I was Tottenham I’d lock up Llorente, Mikel San José, Javi Martínez, and Iker Muniain til they sign for the club.

Spurs and Liverpool have been told to forget a move for Barcelona winger Ibrahim Afellay, who was also thought to be a target for Juventus but is happy to stay at the Nou Camp.
Full story: talkSPORT

Too early for both the club and the player to cut bait but there will be a time Afellay will need to move on in order to get playing time week in and week out.

French striker Karim Benzema has dismissed reports he is poised to leave Real Madrid for Arsenal.
Full story: talkSPORT

This would be like Steve Perry (Portuguese by the way!) leaving Journey to sign for Europe….It’s the final countdown da da ta ta a. I loved how Europe use to open and close there concerts with the final countdown.

Everton, Aston Villa and Fulham have all contacted Real Madrid about taking former Spanish Under-21 midfielder Pedro Leon on loan. Full story: The Sun

Scored a late goal to give Real Madrid a 2-2 against A.C Milan in last years Champions League but can’t see him playing any more than last year. Can’t see him playing in England either.

His final game for Manchester United was against Barcelona in the Champions League final in May, but Paul Scholes isn’t ready to hang up his boots quite yet after turning out for a ‘dads versus coaches match’ at his 12-year-old son’s club. Full story: Metro

I’m sorry but if I was some other’s kid dad’s I’d take little timmy right back home. There is no way you can look good in your kids eye playing on the same pitch as Paul Scholes.

Inter Milan are keen to swap Brazilian defender Maicon for Carlos Tevez but Manchester City do not agree with the Italian club’s valuations of the players. Full story: Daily Mirror

This makes sense since no one should pay big money for Tevez. Manchester City should be looking at a swap deal instead.

Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o has pleaded with his club Inter Milan to sanction a move to Manchester City after falling out with the Inter management. Full story: Daily Mail

Like this one for example.

Arsenal target Juan Manuel Mata is likely to stay with Valencia, according to the club’s manager Unai Emery. Full story: talkSPORT

Like the Valencia coach has any say in the matter.

Chelsea will step up their efforts to land Spurs midfielder Luka Modric this week by tabling a £30m bid for the Croatian. Full story: Daily Mirror

Chelsea all show and no go so far in the transfer market.

Jose Enrique will follow Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan out of Newcastle after Liverpool agreed a £10m deal for the Spanish defender. Full story: Daily Mail

Yesterday it was 5 million, today it is 10 million. If the figure is closer to 10 million that isn’t bad business for a player a year away from the open market.

Manchester United could turn their attention to Borussia Dortmund’s German international midfielder Mario Gotze if their pursuit of Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder fails. Full story: Caught Offside

Shocked more clubs haven’t come knocking for players from Dortmund. Good to see however them keeping most of their team together for a Champions League run.

Sevilla are leading the race to sign Tottenham’s out-of-favour forward Gio Dos Santos. Full story: talkSPORT

Makes too much sense for this not to happen. Someone needs to resure Dos Santos from English football.

Liverpool’s new £20m signing Jordan Henderson has urged fans at Anfield not to compare him with Steven Gerrard. Full story: talkSPORT

For example Jordan Henderson will be fit for most of this season. It will be interesting to see how Gerrard handles not being the star of the team in the coming seasons.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has cast doubt over the future of Dimitar Berbatov by appearing to suggest the Bulgarian could leave for Paris Saint-Germain. The French club are reportedly willing to pay between £18-£20m for him. Full story: The Guardian

Manchester United may end up placing Berbatov in front of the store shop with a for sale sign on him. I’m sure United would love to cash in 20 million on a player who most likely will leave on a free transfer next summer.

Barcelona are set to make a final push for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas by tabling a £35m offer for the Spain midfielder. Full story: Daily Telegraph

Just add 5 million in bonus clauses and get this over with.

Manchester City are trying to sign Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon by offering striker Emmanuel Adebayor in a swap deal. Full story: Daily Mirror

Trades rarely happen but I’d make this deal if I was Tottenham. Don’t know how they would deal with Adebayor’s massive wages however.

Tottenham have stolen a march on their main rivals, rumoured to include Arsenal and Manchester United, in the race to sign Joey Barton on a free transfer by instigating the first talks with the Newcastle United midfielder. Full story: Metro

But Celtic are also keen to sign Barton, who has been placed on the transfer list and told he can leave St James’ Park for free. Full story: Daily Mirror

Some would say Joey Barton would fit right in playing in the SPL.

Newcastle have conceded defeat in their attempts to keep left-back Jose Enrique at the club, paving the way for a £5m move to Liverpool to be completed this week. Full story: Daily Mirror

Newcastle should of sold Enrique the second he didn’t want to sign a new contract. Too bad for Liverpool he isn’t a central defender.

Sunderland have agreed to sell midfielder Steed Malbranque to French club St Etienne, freeing up funds for them to potentially force through a loan deal for Manchester City winger Adam Johnson. Full story: Daily Mail

How much money can selling Steed Malbranque really free up?

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is ready to persuade the club’s owner Roman Abramovich to try to land AC Milan’s Brazilian forward Pato in a £30m player-plus-cash deal. Full story: Daily Mirror

You see Manchester United and even Liverpool with a clear plan this transfer period. You see Chelsea still spinning their heels.

Mario Balotelli’s Manchester City team-mates gave the prank-loving striker a distinctly fishy taste of his own medicine by planting a bag filled with kippers behind the front seat of his Maserati. He discovered it a fortnight later. Full story: Metro

Funny

Arsenal may face the embarrassment of taking two team photographs on Thursday – one with and one without Cesc Fabregas. The club are believed to be weighing up the idea ahead of their official photoshoot. It would mean one picture including Fabregas, who is believed to want to move to Barcelona, and one without their current captain – leaving vice-captain Robin van Persie to wear the armband.
Full story: Daily Star

Not funny at all

I’m back, sorry about that. Only I would catch a cold in the middle of summer.

Newcastle’s decision to allow Joey Barton to leave on a free transfer has sparked a scramble between Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham, who all want to talk to the midfielder.
Full story: Metro

Headaches aside Arsenal need to sign Joey Barton. He is exactly the type of player they need plus you know the price is right for him.

French side Paris St Germain are targeting Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov and will offer £18m for the Bulgarian. Full story: Daily Mirror

Berbatov would kill it in Ligue 1 and Manchester United would love to get back some of that money they spent to sign Berbatov.

Manchester City are ready to make a £22m bid for Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri in the next 48 hours. Full story: The Sun

Arsenal should accept it but won’t.

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker is now prepared to stay at Upton Park next season, with chairman David Gold also promising to invest in a new forward. Full story: Metro

Have a feeling things haven’t gone as planned for Scott Parker this summer.

Chelsea midfielder Yuri Zhirkov is set to become the first big-name departure from from Stamford Bridge under their new manager Andre Villas-Boas. Full story: Daily Telegraph

Wasn’t good enough at left back or as a left sided midfielder.

Premier League newcomers Swansea are set for a sensational swoop to sign French striker David Trezeguet, who is currently without a club. Full story: talkSPORT

Hope they have better luck then the time they tried to sign Marcos Senna last month.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp could recruit Lassana Diarra – who he managed at Portsmouth – but Real Madrid have insisted they will only sell the midfielder if Spurs give them first option on Gareth Bale when his contract begins to run down. Full story: Metro

Harry Redknapp has also abandoned his bid to prise £30m striker Giuseppe Rossi away from Villarreal.
Full story: The Sun

This is what happens when you don’t make it to the Champions League. Champions League type players have a hard time buying what a club like Tottenham is selling.

Stoke are set to make a club record £9m bid for Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner and have also targeted Tottenham midfielder Wilson Palacios. Full story: Daily Mirror

Bendtner can only score with his head anyway so he would be a good fit for Stoke.

Blackburn will buy PAOK Salonika winger Veirinha for £4m this week, making use of the £6m raised by selling striker Nikola Kalinic to Ukrainian club Dnipro. Full story: Daily Mirror

Always nice to see another Portuguese players in the EPL. Gotta love all that money those chicken farms have pumped into Blackburn. What happen to the money raised when Blackburn sold Phil Jones?

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has shocked City by admitting he is not happy with life in the north west and does not know if he will stay to see out his contract. Full story: Metro

I can’t see how anyone is shocked by this. I’m sure half of those Manchester City players dislike life in Manchester.

Striker Sergio Aguero is expected in England on Wednesday morning for talks with Manchester City to finalise his £38m transfer from Atletico Madrid. Full story: Various, including the Independent

It’s seems to be at the end of the day Manchester City where the only ones to meet Aguero’s price tag. It’s time for a move but if I was a player I’d really wonder about Manchester City. They never seem to have a set plan. They just keep buying and buying the best players they can and hope something works.

On the other side of the city, Manchester United are set to make a renewed bid to sign Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder. Full story: Daily Telegraph

Yeah, I didn’t expect Sir Alex to give up the chase so easily.

Midfielder Samir Nasri, out of contract in July 2012 and heavily linked with a move from Arsenal this summer, has told the Gunners he will stay for this season. Full story: Daily Star

Arsenal are fools if Nasri leaves as a free transfer next summer. He either signs or you sell.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew will go all out to sign Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe if he fails to land his top target, Paris St Germain’s Turkish forward Mevlut Erdinc. Full story: the Sun

Defoe is a moody striker at the best of times. Playing in Newcastle would set him off even further. Unless Tottenham pushes him out I can’t see Defoe leaving.

Tottenham hope to complete a deal for Barcelona midfielder Ibrahim Afellay, who has been forced to settle for a bit-part role since joining the Catalan giants from PSV Eindhoven in January. Full story: Daily Mirror

Don’t feel sorry for Afellay. He called his shot last year and chose to join Barcelona who will never give him a fair shot at starting week in and week out.

Spurs are interested in signing Spain international striker Fernando Llorente from Athletic Bilbao as they look to bolster their attacking options ahead of the new season. Full story: caughtoffside.com

Llorente is twice the player Andy Carroll is and that is the problem. Bilbao knows this which means they would be looking for Carroll type money to sell him.

Tottenham are also considering a move for Hamburg striker Paulo Guerrero after the Peru star revealed he is considering leaving the Imtech Arena. Full story: fanatix.com

Guerrero hat trick in thr semi finals to go along with winning the golden boot in the Copa America has nicely boasted his stock.

Heading out of the White Hart Lane exit door, though, is forward Giovani dos Santos, who Spurs have agreed to sell to Sevilla. The London club would have to pay 10% of a sell-on fee to his former club Barcelona if he is sold before 1 August. However, a deal has been agreed that would go through a day later.

I’m all for Tottenham sticking it to Barcelona.

Birmingham are struggling to pay their bills and could be forced to sell more players to survive after owner Carson Yeung’s assets were frozen in the Far East pending his money-laundering court case.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Foregin ownership everyone. I’m sure the EPL did a great job in their background check on Carson Yeung.

Blackburn boss Steve Kean says he will go on a spending spree before the start of the new season, bolstered by the fee the club received from Manchester United for Phil Jones.

Who is going to want to play in Blackburn?

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov insists he will not change his languid style in the forthcoming season, saying: “There is a saying in Bulgaria that great quality doesn’t require much effort.”
Full story: the Sun

This will be my new motto for work.