There Is Only One Sinnacle

Juventus sack beleaguered manager Ferrara

“Ferrara has been relieved of his position and Zaccheroni has been appointed until June 2010,” a club statement confirmed.

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This was almost a mercy killing. These last three weeks I just felt bad for Ciro Ferrara who handled his final days at Juventus with class and dignity in the face of his players flat out quitting on him. Most people are going to point the blame on Ferrara lack of experience for his failure in Juventus but those players should have a long look at themselves. This is the second coach in under a year that they have failed to preform for. Hopefully whoever takes over this summer will clean house.

Arsenal have been told by Nice they must pay £13m if they want to sign France’s 23-year-old striker Loic Remy. Daily Mail

Must say this about Wenger, he does have a great eye for young talent. Considering Arsenal didn’t pay £13 million for Arshavin don’t see them coughing up that amount for Remy. Then again don’t really think Nice would turn down a £10m offer.

Birmingham are about to smash the club transfer record with the £11m signing of Estudiantes striker Mauro Boselli. Daily Mirror

Finally a club and player who would accept Birmingham’s money. Boselli better be prepared for culture shock if he makes the move.

Middlesbrough have placed a £9m price tag on Adam Johnson with Manchester City closing in on the winger. The former England Under-21 star requested permission to speak to the Eastlands club earlier this week. Daily Express

After a slow start Johnson sure has picked the right time to pick up his form.

Tottenham have rejected an £8m bid from Birmingham for striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. The north London club are keen to recoup as much of the £14m they paid for the Russia international. Daily Mail

I’d wish Tottenham luck with that. Pavlyuchenko is their 4th striker, 8 million for such a player isn’t all that bad of a deal.

Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic looks set to join Portsmouth team-mate Younes Kaboul at Tottenham as the south coast club attempt to raise funds to address their £60m financial crisis. Daily Mail

Begovic would make perfect cover for Tottenham. Plus Redknapp would know the player well from his time at Portsmouth.

Sunderland have made a £1.5m move for Manchester City striker Benjani after the Zimbabwe centre-forward had looked close to sealing a transfer to West Ham. Daily Mail

Benjani should only go to Sunderland if Kenwyne Jones leaves. Anything less and Benjani would be signing up for more of the same. At West Ham at least he’d get a game.

Manchester City’s owners in Abu Dhabi are considering offloading chief executive Garry Cook in the summer having become increasingly frustrated over his leadership style and publicity gaffes. The Guardian

They should of off loaded him right after the whole Kaka saga of last year. His comments in New York about world domination last week weren’t smart either.

City loan record signing Robinho to Santos

City confirmed in a statement on their website that the Brazilian club will pay all of the player’s wages and bonuses for the period, which begins immediately and ends on August 4.

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Yesterday’s battle between Manchester United and Manchester City is exactly the reason why Robinho hasn’t been able to cut it thus far in England. If Robinho was an MMA fighter he’d be the guy taking the extra shot once the opponent is knocked out. Once a team is defeated or weaker in quality Robinho can deliver the knockout blow. Against a top team like Manchester United Robinho has failed to show he is up for the fight.

English football is a different animal from football played just about anywhere in the world. In England even if you are striker you need to track back, compound this by the fact when Robinho was floating around aimlessly in attack and Manchester City were often playing a man short.

Speaking of MMA just felt like posting a clip of some old school Pride.

Manchester City have bid for Middlesbrough’s highly rated winger Adam Johnson. (Press Association)

Or Johnson will reject a move to the Premier League to help Boro win promotion from the Championship this season. Daily Mirror

Johnson’s two goals mid week for Boro didn’t hurt his stock any it seems. With his contract being up in the summer I believe it’s a tough call for Boro to sell him and get something or keep him, maybe gain promotion but lose him on a free transfer.

Manchester City target Fernando Gaga is set to stay at Real Madrid. The Spanish side has been unable to secure midfield cover for the 23-year-old Argentina star who City wanted to sign on loan. Manchester Evening News

I know it’s Gago but it’s funny to me that they typed in Gaga so I’m not editing someone elses work. It takes enough time to edit all my mistakes to begin with. Manchester City could of used Gago defensive skills in the second half of yesterday’s game.

Marlon Harewood will become a free agent in the summer, with Aston Villa allowing the striker to see out the remainder of his contract, which ends in June. Daily Mirror

That was 4 million burned by Martin O’Neill. To be fair his track market in the transfer market since taking over has been really good.

Manchester United midfielder Anderson is set to be fined after missing training on Monday. Daily Mirror

However, Anderson could be heading for the exit door at Old Trafford after it was claimed he also flew back home to Brazil without club permission. Daily Mirror

Something is up with Anderson, he is too young to be taking a step back in his career.

Tottenham midfielder John Bostock is at the centre of a row with his club after his father rang a radio station to criticise Spurs manager Harry Redknapp. Daily Mirror

Some parents are really dumb. What did Bostock who is only a teenage expect when he left Crystal Palace for Tottenham last year. He is now playing with a group of men, not a team who can’t make their ends met. If Bostock wanted to be kissed and cuddled over his talent he should of never left Palace then.

Midfielder Yossi Benayoun is set to leave Liverpool for Spartak Moscow, according to the Russian club’s sporting director Konstantin Sarsania. The clubs expect to agree a fee of £7m for the Israel international. Daily Mail

Unless there is something I don’t know about regarding Benayoun’s happiness at Liverpool I’d be shocked if this move were to actually happen.

Tottenham to have talks with Eidur Gudjohnsen. The Icelandic striker, who plays for Monaco, is also the subject of a bid from West Ham. (Sky Sports)

I love Eidur Gudjohnsen rumours. I’ve never seen a player rumoured to leave more and move less than Gudjohnsen.

Santos midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso has said he is not keen on joining Manchester City as part of the deal that could take Robinho back to the Brazilian club. The 20-year-old said: “I don’t want to play for Manchester City. I’d prefer to play for a big club in Europe such as Milan, Real Madrid or Barcelona.”
Full story: Globo Esporte

He should also be concern that both fellow Brazilians Robinho and Jo have flopped in England so far.

Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara will be Avram Grant’s first loan signing following the Premier League’s decision to lift Portsmouth’s transfer embargo, although the south-coast club will only be able to acquire players on free or loan deals. Daily Mirror

Who would sell players to Portsmouth unless it’s 100% cash up front anyway?

David Bentley also looks set to leave Spurs, with West Ham interested in taking the midfielder, who scored in Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over Fulham, on loan for the rest of the season. Daily Mirror

Must admit I did a double take when I saw Bentley on the score sheet yesterday.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini reckons Carlos Tevez and Manchester United’s Gary Neville are good friends, despite their much-publicised rift last week. Mancini also urged his players “don’t look back in anger” – in reference to a song written by City-supporting band Oasis – as they prepare to take on United in Wednesday’s Carling Cup semi-final second leg at Old Trafford. Daily Mirror

I’m sure it will be very friendly when this two sides meet.

Real Madrid general manager Jorge Valdano has dismissed reports linking Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney with a move to the Bernabeu. (Radio COPE)

Valdono said: “Rooney is English, we all know they find it difficult to adapt to another type of competition other than the Premier League. He is a very interesting player but we have not ever been interested.”

Maybe Real Madrid got tired of paying down Manchester United’s debt?

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has rejected suggestions he is poised to make a move for Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. (Press Association)

Wenger has turned down a chance to sign Huntelaar countless times previously. Don’t see why things would change.

Manchester United and Manchester City will battle it out to sign Italian international goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon after the Juventus stopper claimed he was ready to quit the Turin outfit. (Tuttosport)

If Buffon signs with Manchester City Shay Given becomes the best backup in the world and Joe Hart the best number 3.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that midfielder Jack Wilshere will be loaned out during January “without any doubt”. West Ham, Bolton, Burnley and FC Twente have all been linked with the 18-year-old. Arsenal website

My guess is Bolton, maybe West Ham to keep Wilshere in London.

Tottenham playmaker Giovani dos Santos is set to join Galatasaray on loan until the end of the season. (Sky Sports)

What a waste.

Fulham have accepted a bid from Manchester United for defender Chris Smalling. (Sky Sports)

Not bad for a player for came up through the non league ranks. Despite conceding an own goal against Chelsea it appears Smalling is highly throught of.

Former Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who was sent off for violent conduct in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Malaga at the weekend, says he was educated not to dive and cheat in England. The Sun

Yes I noticed the irony in this statement as well.

Benfica took on an star studded Zidane XI team featuring the likes of Kaka, Henry, Pauleta, Pavel Nedved and Luis Figo tonight. Was also great seeing Fabrizio Miccoli in a Benfica shirt for this game but boy did it bring a tear to my eye seeing Rui Costa suit up again. Man I wish I was there. The result was unimportant but the game ended 3-3 with all funds raised going to help victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Dynamo’s Holden Signs With Bolton Until End Of Season

“There is an incentive for Stuart to try to get himself in the team,” Coyle said to Sky Sports. “He’s had a little thigh knock for the last three or four days which has curtailed his training a little bit, but he did ever so well in the first week and he comes looking to push his career on.”

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I’m a fan of Stuart Holden. He is an industrial type of player out there that will give it his all. Those are the types of players who tend to do well in English football. Plus American players have found a lot more success playing in England than other places in the Europe. From Bolton’s perspective the six month deal is a curious one. What if Holden plays well for Bolton then helps lead the U.S into the knockout round of the World Cup? You then have a pretty valuable asset. Under this short term contract you can sure Holden would walk if he shines during the World Cup.

Paraguay striker Cabanas shot in bar attack

“He was shot in the head,” prosecutor Miguel Angel Mancera, told the news channel Televisa. “According to an initial report it [the bullet] was a shot from a firearm with a frontal entry point and without exit.”

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I remember when Steven Gerrard got arrested I said nothing good can happen to you in a bar when your famous. Let me add to that, nothing good can happen to you in a bar at nearly 6am too. Part me is wondering what kind of night Sunderland target Salvador Cabanas was having. The other part of me is still in shock over this news. What an awful story to read about. It must be a miracle Cabanas wasn’t killed on the spot, hope he is able to pull through this tragic event.

Manchester United are set to make Wayne Rooney their highest-paid player on £150,000 a week to fend off interest from Spanish sides Barcelona and Real Madrid. Daily Mirror

Good thing that bond issue was so successful.

The Glazer family are planning to spend another £54m of Manchester United’s cash to fight their huge debt. The Sun

I love how the British press get a hold of a story and milk it dry from every angle. Actually I find it quite annoying. (I figured the I love part wouldn’t come through as sarcasm.)

Valencia forward David Villa has given the clearest indication yet that he is prepared to move to the Premier League. Manchester United and Liverpool have both been linked to the Spain striker. (Spanish Newspaper AS)

“It’s the league I follow the most, along with La Liga – and I’ve got a lot of friends playing there.”

All this means is that he likes watching football like the rest of us.

Manchester City have made a bid of about £15m for Real Madrid’s Argentine midfielder Fernando Gago, 23. (Spanish newspaper Marca)

Gago can ask fellow countrymen Esteban Cambiasso who will tell him there is life after Real Madrid.

A delegation from Santos, Robinho’s former club in Brazil, is set to meet Manchester City officials in England this week and several other clubs, led by Benfica, have registered an official interest in the former Real Madrid player. The Guardian

The deal that will result in Robinho returning to Santos gives Manchester City first refusal on two of the club’s hottest prospects – forward Neymar, 17, and attacking midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso, 20. Full story: IMScouting

Considering Manchester City aren’t playing European football it’s a wonder why more European clubs haven’t been kicking the tires here. If Robinho were able to make these types of headlines on the pitch none of this would be happening.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is ready to make a last-minute swoop for Palermo’s 20-year-old Danish defender Simon Kjaer. Daily Mirror

What last minute? Been reading for two weeks about Tottenham’s interest in Kjaer.

Preston boss Darren Ferguson hopes to complete the loan signing of striker Danny Welbeck from his father’s club Manchester United. Daily Mail

Nice to have connections.

Dynamo Moscow want to sign Liverpool’s Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun and are prepared to pay £7m for the 29-year-old. Daily Mail

Liverpool are prepared to think about it only to have Benayoun say no. Not a chance he leaves Liverpool for Russia.

Zimbabwe striker Benjani, 31, is set to complete his £3m move from Manchester City to West Ham on Monday. (Daily Mirror)

It’s best they don’t wait until the final day to make this happen. Benjani falling asleep on the way to Manchester from Portsmouth on transfer day was a gem of a story two years ago.

Villarreal’s Argentine striker Marco Ruben, 23, is set to arrive in England on Monday to clinch a £7m switch to Wigan Athletic. Daily Mirror

A lot of cash for a club like Wigan but provided Ruben settles into life in England he should be the type of player Roberto Martinez wants.