Gamblog.co.uk - Gambling & Casino Blog

The spectre of drugs has again raised it`s ugly head with the news that 7 Russian athletes 5 of whom were bound for Beijing and the Olympics due to start in little over a week have been suspended provisionally by the IAAF.

Among the athletes banned is Tatyana Tomashova the former World 1500 metre champion in 2003 and 2005 who also won silver in Athens four years ago and the reigning indoor 1500 metre champion Yelena Soboleva.

The other Athletes alleged to be involved are distance runner Yulia Fomenko, Darya Pischchalnikova (Discus) and hammer thrower Gulfiya Khanafeyva (the latter twos suspension will bring relief to thousands of commentators worldwide!).

Seriously though the news could not have come at a worse time for the IOC as they had earlier to announce the suspension of a member of the Jamaican athletics squad as well as field uncomfortable questions over China`s humans rights record and the increasing problem the athletes have to face over the pollution issue.

David Bentley completed his £15 million move to Spurs from Blackburn yesterday after successfully passing a medical at White Hart Lane. The England international is rumoured to have signed a 6 years contract with Spurs and if rumours are to be believed could soon be joined by Russian pair Roman Pavlyuchenko and Andre Arshavin, though if these deals were to be done it could mean the exit of Dimitar Berbatov to help fund them.



Arsenal have sign Portugese under 21 international midfielder Amuary Bischoff from Werder Bremen for an undisclosed fee. The 21 year old is thought to have been a target of Arsene Wenger for some time though he only featured once for the Bremen first team last term and that was in a UEFA Cup tie against Celta Vigo. Bischoff can play in either centre or right midfield so his presence will help to fill the gap left by the departure of Gilberto, Flamini and Hleb though he is far from the finished article and the experienced player Wenger has gone on record as saying will join the club before the transfer window.



With Liverpool seemingly having ended their interest in Vila`s Gareth Barry maybe it is time for the Gunners boss to loosen the purse strings and by both an experienced international and an Englishman.



In a busy day in the transfer market Steed Malbranque joined fellow ex Spurs players Pascal Chimbona and Teemu Taino at Sunderland though the likely hood of a fourth Spurs player Younes Kaboul joinging them is unlikely due to the lack of seismic activity around the Stadium of Light (Kaboul was allegedly quoted as saying it would take a earthquake to get him there!). Knowing the Mackens sense of humour i look forward to Kabouls next visit to that part of the country which ever club he is at.



Also on the move yesterday was Tal Ben Haim who left Chelsea to sign for Mark HughesManchester City and i feel this could be one of the shrewdest signings of the Summer as he Israeli international never got a fair chance at the Bridge due to form of Terry and Carvalho and to me is an underrated player.



Fulham were also busy yesterday with what again could be a good signing as they snapped up Swedish full back Freddi Stoor from Rosenborg of Norway. Stoor was impressive in this Summer`s European Championships and will not only add stability to a shaky Fulham back line but give them good attacking options with his probes down the line.

Ranger`s hopes of progress into the 3rd round qualifying round of this seasons Champions League competition were dealt a blow last night when they were held to a 0-0 at Ibrox against Lithuanian champions FBK Kaunas.

The Scottish side looked sadly out of sorts and lacking match practice against their fitter and determined opponents, and t was clear from early on that the Lithuanians were going to be hard to break down.

Miller and Darcheville both went close in the first half but the Kaunas were in no mood to roll over and themselves created the odd chance.

It was clear Rangers missed the drive of injured skipper Barry Ferguson in midfield and also the presence of Carlos Cuellar at the back but must still be disappointed in not taking at least a one goal lead to Lithuania next week.

The thought of Rangers being out of European competition by the beginning of August would be unthinkable unless you are a Celtic fan!

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It has taken online casinos and poker rooms quite a while to gain people's trust. In the past, players frequently voiced suspicion over whether or not gambling websites were taking advantage of the fact that the outcomes of online games were very difficult to verify. Accusations of deception and fraudulent activities were once very common. In order to change the situation and discontinue players' distrust, online casinos have started employing a combination of automated as well as human monitoring tools designed to identify and prevent any irregular playing patterns, thus offering fair gaming and an honest gaming entertainment.

Speaking in general terms, it can be said that over the recent years the online casino industry has been rather successful in obtaining and keeping its excellent reputation. Unfortunately, this has not been exactly the case for the online sports betting industry that still suffers from vast distrust issues on behalf of bettors. Who can blame people for seeking to avoid potential victimization when literally dozens of suspicious activity cases have been uncovered in the different sporting industries in less than a decade alone? Despite their peaking popularity many still ask the question of whether the games wagered on at the numerous online sportsbook websites are fixed.

One of the most outrageous cases of corruption in sports games related to Internet betting took place about three years ago in Brazil. In 2005, two referees Edilson Pereira de Carvalho and Paulo Jose Danelon were accused of fixing a number of matches in the Sao Paolo state championship for an online betting ring that handled well over $100,000 on each match day, collecting almost $4,500 for each match. Towards the end of 2005, a court ordered that the matches where Carvalho served as the referee must be replayed. Interestingly enough, the court did not reach any decision regarding Danelon's matches. After gaining worldwide exposure, the aforementioned scandal lead to in-depth investigations in horse racing, soccer as well as tennis games…

Russia`a queen of the Pole Vault Yelena Isinbayeva broke her own World Pole Vault record for the 23rd time last night in a Super Grand Prix meeting in Monaco, to warm up nicely for the Olympics which start in Beijing,China on the 8th of August.

The Russian cleared 5.04 meters at her third and final attempt to break the previous best set by her in Rome earlier this month by 1 centimeter.

If there is a warmer favourite for an Olympic medal in any event i have yet to here of it and it will be interesting to see how generous the bookies will be when they come to rice the event up, somehow i do not expect a lot of value!

Spurs are preparing to spend some of the money they recieved from the transfer of Robbie Keane to Liverpool by preparing a bid for Blackburn Rovers unsettled midfielder David Bentley.

The England international has made no secret of the fact that he wishes to leave Ewood Park and Spurs have been long time admirers, also the move would free up funds for new Rovers boss Paul Ince to strengthen his squad before the big kick of in a couple of weeks time.

Spurs are also still interested in Zenit`s Andre Arshavin, he has been linked with several Premier League sides during the Summer after his displays in the European Championships for Russia, but Spurs seem to be the only ones left who are prepared to pay the fee the Russian club are asking.

Mark Hughes the new Manchester City manager is also set for a busy few days it seems. He is alleged to be preparing a £6 million bid for Liverpool`s Yossi Benayoun as well as hoping to persuade his former charge at Blackburn, Roque Santa Cruz to join him at Eastlands this season.In addition to this he is in the process of finalising a £5 million deal with Chelsea which will see Israeli international Tal Ben Haim join the Blues.

After initially being told by new Barca coach Pep Guardiola that he did not figure in his plans for the coming season, it now appears that Samuel Eto`o could still line up for Barcelona coming the start of the season.

Guardiola has been said to have been impressed by the Cameroons attitude since he has returned to pre season training and also to his contribution on the pitch in the 2 pre season games Barca have played so have a 6-0 thrashing of Hibernians followed by a 5-1 hammering of Dundee Utd.

Eto`o score in both and looked sharp and more like his old self. The news should it prove to be accurate will come as a big disappointment to the posse of clubs, Spurs,Chelsea and Milan included who have shown an interest in the player.

Nicky Shorey, Reading`s England full back has become a prospective target for Villa boss Martin O`Neill following the injury to regular full back Wilfred Bouma left him short of experienced cover in the left back position.

Shorey would be keen on a quick return to premiership football after Reading were relegated at the end of last season and he could be one of several signings the Villa boss makes as he looks to strengthen his squad before he big kick off.

Everton forward Andy Johnson could soon be on his way to Fulham, as David Moyes again tries to raise cash to bring in his pre season targets, the top one being Portugese midfielder Moutinho.
Johnson has been chased by several clubs since he became available for a move including Wigan and Aston Villa, but it looks like he could be returning to the Capital where he launched his career at Crystal Palace.

Cesc Fabregas has come out and declared his intention to stay with Arsenal despite the rumours to the contrary coming out of Madrid. The talented midfielder who did so much to help Spain win this Summer`s European Championship is said to be extremely happy in London at the moment and though he does not rule out a move in the future, for the present at least Gunners fans can breath easier.

Robbie Keane passed a medical yesterday and is now a Liverpool player. The fee is estimated to be in the region of £20 million pounds and now give Spur`s boss Juande Ramos further funds to go after his targets before the end of the transfer window.

The sale of Keane will come as a surprise to many Spurs fans as he has been for many seasons their most consistent player, and with fears still hanging over the future of Berbatov it is an unsettling time for Spurs fans.

Keane is a lifelong Liverpool fan and his new partnership with Fernando Torres may just be what Liverpool need to launch a sustained Championship challenge this season.

Gareth Barry may still have a future with Villa after all according to manager Martin O`Neill. The England international came on as a sub for the unfortunate Wilfred Bouma against Odense in the Intertoto Cup at the weekend and was given a good reception by the majority of the crowd.

With the proposed move to Liverpool seeming to have stalled and interest from the likes of Arsenal not coming to anything unless things start to move in the near future Barry could be a Villa player till at least January.

Didier Drogba who has not joined up with his Chelsea team mates on their World Tour playing some of the top pub teams in Asia! (yes that is a sarcastic dig! lol) has said he will make a decision on his future within the next week. Milan, Barca and Inter are all waiting in anticipation of the Ivory Cast international`s decision and given his "special" relationship with Jose "Special One" Mourinho it would come as no surprise to see him in Italy for the start of the season.

It seems Real Madrid cannot help themselves from "poaching" the best of Premier league talent,and now that their interest in Ronaldo has waned they have turned their attention to Cesc Fabregas.

Apparently the Arsenal midfielder has said he is prepared to stay at least one more season with the Gunners and his future after that depends on weather they lift any trophies come May.
He has not closed the door on a move in the future but it will be interesting to see how Arsene Wenger reacts to this news as Fabregas is the jewel among the crop of very talented youngsters, in addition it would be a severe test of Arsenal fans (of which i am one!) faith in the great man`s ability to keep his top players, and i personally feel the loss of Fabregas would be a bigger blow then the loss of any player since Wenger took over the Gunners including Henry.

Manchester United completed their tour of Africa and their second game in 24 hours with a 2-1 over Premier League rivals Portsmouth in a friendly in Nigeria.

If during the season either manager complains about fatigue and too many games being played, someone will have to point out the need (other then greed!) to play 2 games in 2 different countries in 24 hours.

To be fair the teams were drastically changed from the previous days matches but travelling alone would take it`s toll.

Goals from Chris Eagles and Carlos Tevez for United sealed the win with Pompey`s Jermaine Defoe netting a consolation late in the closing minutes and the new forward line of Crouch and Defoe look even at this early stage to be one worth keeping an eye out for in the coming season.

The two teams meet again at Wembley on the 10th August in the Community Shield.

Real Madrid having it seems given up on their pursuit of Ronaldo may now turn their attention to another long term target Cesc Fabregas.

However this seems even less of a non starter as the Ronaldo transfer as Fabregas has come out and said he has no desire to leave Arsenal at this time and secondly with 3 midfielders already gone from the club Arsene Wenger is unlikely to give this proposal any serious consideration.

Madrid seem to work to a different set of rules to all other clubs it seems and though a lot of the talk is to be taken with a pinch of salt what it does do is unsettle players at the wrong time, maybe one of the big clubs should turn the tables on them for a change and drop hints about Casillas ,Raul ,or Van Nistelrooy, if this were to happen though i believe Calderon the president of Real would go screaming to UEFA, FIFA or anyone who would listen!!!

Aston Villa reached the final round of qualifiers for this seasons UEFA Cup competition with a 1-0 win over Danish side Odense yesterday.

A goal by winger Ashley Young early in the second half was enough to see Villa go through 3-2 on aggregate, and to be fair they never really looked troubled during the match.

The game was marred however by a serious injury to Villa defender Wilfred Bouma. The Dutch international dislocated his ankle early in the first half and now looks likely to miss a large part of the season. Ironically Bouma was replaced by Gareth Barry who got a surprisingly good welcome form the majority of the 35,000 crowd.

His appearance in this competition does not rule him out of Champions league games should as expected the England midfield joins Liverpool before the transfer window closes at the end of August.

The Scottish season kicks of today with the 1st round of the Scottish Challenge Cup 1st round games today. The competition is open to all teams in the lower 3 leagues of the Scottish leagues and was won last season by St Johnstone who beat Dunfermline 3-2 i the Final.

The game i am interested in is the tie between Elgin and Cowdenbeath. Elgin finished 6h in the 3rd division last term but were far from convincing at their home ground winning 9 drawing 2 and losing 7 league games there whilst scoring 35 and conceding 33.

Today they take on a Cowdenbeath side that were relegated via the end of season play offs from Division 2 last season losing to Arbroath after extra time 3-2 on aggregate. They were not prolific on the road during last seasons campaign winning 5 drawing 3 and losing 10 whilst scoring 24 and conceding 40.

However at odds of 5/4 about a Cowdenbeath win i feel that this provides enough value to go for that result given that they are fancied by a few to make a quick return to the 2nd division.

As a saver i will go to Betfair and play the over 2.5 goal market as one thing from last season stands out and that is neither side is rock solid in defence.

So to start the new season of hopefully with a winner i am going with Cowdenbeath at 5/4 best price with Blue Square and Coral and also+2.5 goals with Betfair at approximately 13/15 at time of writing.

Good luck with whatever you go for and i hope that the 2008/09 season will be our most successful yet, it certainly wont be for the lack of trying!

Silverfox.

Sir Alex Ferguson is reported to be "unenthusiastic" about the prospect of managing a Great Britain football team for the 2012 Olympics to be held in London.

The Man Utd manager would be 70 then and with reports that his tenure at United is coming to an end sooner rather then later the Scot does not see himself taking the position as Tam GB manager.

The inclusion of a GB team at the Olympics is a thorny issue as the Welsh, Scottish and N.Irish F.A. are keen to keep their separate identities within the World game, but FIFA president Sepp Blatter is keen on a combined team for the Games in 2012.

Paul Robinson made his expected exit from White Hart Lane yesterday when he agreed to join Blackburn for £3.5 milion, the England international had become a fringe player towards the end of his career at Spurs and made several high profile errors which not only dented his confidence but caused Spurs manager Juande Ramos to look elsewhere for a keeper finally resulting in te signing earlier this Summer of Brazilian stopper Gomes from PSV.

The move for Robinson should now allow Brad Friedel to make his expected move to AstonVilla.

Another move likely to happen before the start of the new season is the permanent transfer of Carlos Tevez. The Argentinian is still on loan to United from West Ham and a fee of soewhere in the region of £35 million will see him get a permanent deal at Old Trafford.

Portsmouth Ghanaian international Sulley Muntari looks set to return to Italy as he is lined up for a £12.7 million move to Champions Inter.

Muntari, 23 appears to be Inter boss Jose Mourinho`s replacement for Frank Lampard who now looks set to stay with Chelsea till his contract expires at the end of this coming season.

Muntari was a key player for Pompey during last seasons campaign which culminated in their F.A. Cup Final win over Cardiff being an ever present and hipping in with 7 goals.

He returns to Italy where he first came to prominence for Udinese.

Brad Friedel`s proposed move to Aston Villa from Blackburn has been put on hold as new Rovers manager Paul Ince tries to get in a replacement before letting the American go.

Paul Robinson the Spurs and England stopper who is out of favour at the Lane seems top of his wanted list but agreement between the clubs has yet to be reached.

Iraq have been banned from the Olympic games which are scheduled to start in Beijing, China in just over 2 weeks time.

The International Olympic Committee took the steps due to what they felt was Governmental interference.

The Iraqi government said it took action as a result of alleged corruption within the countries Olympic committee, but the IOC have firm guidelines on what they perceived as Governmental interference and took the steps which led to to days decision.

The Iraqi`s were due to send 7 competitors to the games.

India`s captain Anil Kumble made a little bit of test history during the second day of the first test between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo when he asked for a television review of an lbw decision from the third umpire after Umpire had given Sri Lankan batsman Malinda Warnapura not out off the bowling of Harbijan Singh.

However on this occasion the Umpire`s decision was upheld and India lost one of their 3 challenges teams are allowed in each innings similar to the system that is used in Tennis. Also similar to the Tennis initiative if a team are successful with their challenge they keep all their challenges intact.

It will be interesting to see how this new innovation catches on, as unlike most sports a referral to a third umpire or referee is not going to appreciably slow down the game.

Eircom Premier league side Drogheda United progressed through to the 2nd qualifying round of this seasons Champions League competition by winning 1-0 in Estonia last night against Levadia Tallinn.

The Irish side had taken a slender 2-1 lead from the first leg but defended resolutely and a goal midway through the second half from Graham Gartland saw them go through to meet Dynamo Kiev of the Ukraine in the next round.

Other British sides were less successful as Llanelli the Welsh Champions went out 4-1 on aggregate to Ventspils of Latvia, who now go on the play Brann of Norway and Linfield of N.Ireland despite gaining a excellent 1-1 draw in Zagreb against Dinamo went out 3-1 on aggregate. Dinamo now face Domzale in the next round.

Round two of qualifying which starts next weeks sees the entrance into this seasons competition of Rangers who face Kaunas of Lithuania for a place in the final qualifying round.

After months of being linked with a move to Manchester United, it would appear Bulgarian international Dmitar Berbatov could be heading to Italy.

Spurs now seem to have had a change of heart over the proposed move especially in the light of the alleged "tapping up" incidents involving Man Utd and Liverpool and are prepared to take a smaller fee from prospective foreign interest rather then sell to a Premiership rival.

Another on off, on off transfer saga this time involving Arsenal`s Togo international Emanuel Adebayor seemed to be in the off position again as the Catalan club appear to be having second thoughts due to the players attitude.

If this is indeed the case it would be a refreshing change and maybe it would signal to players that they have a responsibility as role models to behave like the highly paid professionals they are rather then the spoilt over indulged children they appear to be!

One transfer completed in the Premiership yesterday was that of Valon Belrahmi the Swiss international who was one of the few home team players to come out of Euro 2008 with credit, he has signed or West Ham from Lazio for a fee to be believed to be in the region of £5 million.

Despite Robinho`s denials that he could be moving from the Bernabeu the rumours still abound that a deal could be done which would bring the £40 million player to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have been a long time admirer of the Brazilian and it is no secret that Scolari rates he little forward highly and sees him as being an important player.

Drogba on the other hand could till find himself lining up with his friend Thierry Henry at the Nou Camp before the start of the season.

He has become increasingly unsettled at the Bridge and Barca have been long time admirers of his style, also the £25 million asking fee would not be a problem especially if as expect Samuel Eto`o is sold before the big kick off.

One of Britain`s major hopes for a gold medal at this Summers Olympics in Beijing, triple jumper Phillips Oduwu had his chances further boosted last night when reigning Olympic champion Stefan Olsen of Sweden pulled a muscle during his fourth jump at the Super Grand Prix meeting in Stockholm.

The clash between the 2 was potentially one of the highlights of the coming Olympic field events with Oduwu holding the best jump in the World this year but with Olsen being the ultimate competitor.

In other Olympic news sprinter Merlene Ottey, 48, who now runs for Slovenia but who previously won Olympic medals for Jamaica failed by a fraction of a second to qualify for her EIGHTH consecutive Olympics.

Her first Olympics were in Moscow in 1980 and she went on to win 6 bronze and 3 silver though the gold always eluded her.

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Jose Antonio Reyes who left the Gunners to return to Spain citing "homesickness" only 2 seasons ago has become a target for Kevin Keegan at Newcastle.

The winger only showed flashes of his undoubted talent in his time at Arsenal and firstly went to Real Madrid before joining Atletico, but he has since fallen down the pecking order and rumours in Spain say he could be on the move.

At his best his style is certainly what Keegan looks for i his forward being direct and possessing a fierce shot, how ever if he is to return to England work would need to be done on his temperament as he did go missing on quite a few occasions in his career at Arsenal and also his discipline was poor as his sending of in the 2005 Cup final proved.

The second test between England and South Africa at Headingley end yesterday in an embarrassing 10 wicket defeat for England.

The South Africans dominated the match from day one and though many re looking at the team selection as a reason for the defeat, the fact remains that the whole England unit looked woefully off the pace.

A P De Villiers who was accused by England captain Michael Vaughan of "Grounding" a catch during England's first innings answered the boo boys in the best way possible by hitting 174 in his innings and England in truth never looked like they had the belief or were capable of making any real impression of the South African score of 522.

It will be interesting to see what the selectors do to try to rectify the situation as the Springbok have a 1-0 in the 4 test series and with the 3rd Test at Edgbaston starting on the 30th July.

As expected defensive midfielder Claude Makelele has left Chelsea on a free to go to French Ligue 1 side Paris St Germain.

It had become evident that Makelele had become surplus to requirements in the Chelsea midfield with the new influx of players appearing at Stamford Bridge, and the player who retired from international football after the European Championships in June has taken the chance to return to his home land and try to revive the fortunes of the Parisian club who have under performed in recent seasons.

The 35 year old is unlikely to be the last big name to leave Chelsea before the new season kicks off in Augustas Scolari looks to put his mark on the side.

With all the comings and goings at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks and no doubt still to come, Scolari could well of already pulled of one of his most shrewdest signings by Peer Cech agreeing to a new 5 year deal.

The Czech international still had 2 years left of his current deal but in a refreshing change decided to show loyalty to his club and sign an extension with the need to tout himself around half the major clubs in the World first!!

Thee is no doubt that Chelsea miss the giant keeper when he is unavailable and though he had for him a forgettable Euro 2008 he is still in my opinion one of the 3 best keepers in the World along with Buffon and Casillas.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington overcame an injury to be the first European to defend his Open title since 1906.

He finished 4 shots ahead of Ian Poulter, as his steady percentage golf over 4 days paid dividends.

For 3 rounds it looked like Greg Norman was going to hold back the hands of time and win another major, but a final round of 77 saw him slip down to joint third position with Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

Special mention must go to English amateur Chris Woods who showed some of his more illustrious competitors who to play the difficult course and conditions Royal Birkdale presented over the four days by finishing a highly creditable joint 5th with veteran American Jim Furyk.

The great unanswered question has to be how would Tiger Woods have dealt with the elements and course, and though it is going to me one question left unanswered my personal feeling is the Tiger would have roared!

A 90th minute goal denied Villa a win in yesterday`s Intertoto 3 round 1st leg tie in Denmark against Odense but still puts them in a strong position to qualify and to proceed into the UEFA Cup competition.

A goal by the giant John Carew gave Villa the advantage early on only for Steve Sidwell on his Villa competitive debut to put through his own net after 25 minutes.

Villa dominated for long periods of time and in the 76th minute Danish international defender Martin Laursen gave them the lead with a headed goal from a set piece by the impressive Ashley Young.

From then on the home side pressed forward but Villa looked to be heading back to Villa Park with a win till a long ball forward found Anders Christensen who proceeded to dispatch his effort into the net.

Australian Greg Norman went into the final round of the Open at Birkdale 2 shots ahead of his closest rival after a gutsy round of 72 yesterday. He is now +2 over for the tournament ahead of defending champion Padraig Harrington and Korean K J Choi who lost the lead after a round of 75.

Weather conditions were again not helpful to the players on a day where a par or bogie must of felt in some cases like a birdie.

At 53 Norman who has recently married tennis ace Chris Evert is looking to become the oldest player ever to win the Open, and after the previous 3 rounds of golf he has put in it will take some effort from the pack to deny him.

All is set for a thrilling days golf with weather conditions predicted to be better the the previous 3 days with sunny spells, though the wind may still be a factor.

Reports coming out of Stamford Bridge say that they are preparing a £79 million pound bid for AC Milan player Kaka.

Though the Brazilian seems to be happy at Milan, the temptation of a new challenge and Champions League football for the player and such a vast sum of money for the club could be a combination to strong to resist.

However even with the likely departure of Frank Lampard from the Chelsea midfield it will be interesting to see how Scolari keeps all his talented midfielders happy, Essien, Joe Cole, Ballack, Mikel, Wright-Phillips, Deco and Malouda (don`t think i`ve missed anyone!) oops Makelele though apparently he is halfway to PSG! are there already and i don't think "Big Phil" is a fan of the 2-7-1 formation!

An interesting season at the Bridge awaits.

It seems Spurs have taken a dim view to the attentions paid to Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatovy Liverpool and Manchester United respectively and are in the process lodging and official complaint to the Premier League over what the see is disgraceful behaviour by both clubs concerned.

Spur`s officials have been particularly scathing of Man Utd accusing the of "Hypocrisy" in view of the situation between them and Real Madrid of "He who shall not be named" and i don't mean Lord Voldemort for all you Harry Potter fans!

It will be interesting to see the Premier Leagues response to this complaint as it seems that Spurs have a case as it obviously must be affecting both players and making Juande Ramos`s pre season preparations even more difficult.

My opinion is the IF any action is taken it will be a "slap" on the wrist as lets face it Spurs and Man U cannot be bullied like Luton Town!

Maybe a small points deduction would wake up some of the bigger clubs to their responsibilities and send a message out that the rules are there for all clubs.

A round of 67 yesterday was enough to give Korean K.J.Choi a 1 shot lead over veteran Greg Norman going into the 3rd round today.

Choi is the only player at present under par after the first 2 rounds, however the round of the day came from Colombian Camilo Villegas who shot a 65 to put him 3rd on the leader board on +1 over par for his 36 holes so far played.

The Championship is still open with a host of players just tucked in behind the leaders, such as Ian Poulter, David Duval and defending champion Padraig Harrington, who despite carry an injury is putting up a brave defence of the title he won last year.

Bookies favourite and mine Sergio Garcia is +5 at present but is more than capable of launching a charge to be in contention on the final day, but my other hope Miguel-Angel Jimenez must wait for next year after a disastrous round that saw him card an 82 for his round.

Samuel Eto`o the Barcelona forward has been linked to a move to Uzbekistan side Kuruvchi who are reported to be putting together a $40 million deal for the player.

Eto`o, who it seems is surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp for the coming season has been linked with a few clubs this Summer including Arsenal and Chelsea but this seems to be the most suprising and unlikely.

I have seen Uzbek national team and they have talented players many of whom play in the Russian Premier League but surely a talent like Eto`o should be plying his trade in the highest league, at 28 he is at the peak of his powers and is a commodity rare in World football a proven goalscorer at the highest level.

With no disrespect intended to the Uzbek league i hope Eto`o still has a bit more ambition left in him and joins a major European side, or will the mighty dollar speak again? We will wait and see with interest.

Manchester City started their UEFA Cup campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win in the Faroes Islands against part timers EB Streymur.

City took control early in the game when with a fine goal from Martin Petrov their Bulgarian international, this was followed by a goal of equal quality from the veteran Didi Hamann who smashed in a volley to give City an early 2-0 lead.

In the second half EB tried to come back into the game and were keen to exploit City`s lack of match fitness, but though they battled bravely they never really bothered Joe Hart in the Manchester goal.

Mark Hughes would have gone away from this match satisfied with the effort shown by his team in his first competitive game in charge, and he would also be pleased with the early form of Petrov and the fact that long term injury absentees Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha both came through in one piece.

The British Open started yesterday amid wet and windy conditions at the Royal Birkdale course.

Though the conditions improved slightly during the day the players were buffeted and battered during their rounds, as a combination of high wind and rain made low scoring impossible.

With Tiger Woods recovering from surgery this has been billed as the most open championship in years, and after day one only a few shots separated the top 20 or so players.

Top of the leader board at the end of play yesterday were Graeme McDowell winner of last weeks Scottish Open, Australian Robert Appleby and Rocky Mediate who took Tiger to a play off in last months US Open.

They all carded a 1 under par 69 to head Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Bart Bryant by one shot going into today's 2nd round.

My 2 fancies for the event, Sergio Garcia and and Miguel-Angel Jimenez are 3 shots back and well placed.

Vicente Del Bosque former coach of Real Madrid was yesterday named as the successor to Luis Aragones as the new boss of newly crowned European Champions Spain.

The 57 year old faces the task of getting Spain to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as well as competing in next years Confederation Cup.

Del Bosque won 2 titles and a Champions League in his tenure as Real Madrid coach and starts his reign as the new Spanish coach with a friendly in Denmark before the World Cup qualifiers start in September with a home tie against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Aragones left the Spanish role to tke over at Turkish club Fenerbache immediately after Spains success.

Another protracted transfer saga looks to be thankfully coming to a conclusion as Ronaldinho looks set to sign for Milan.

He was in Milan yesterday for a medical and subject to the results should sign for the Italian giants by the end of the week.

The Brazilian was linked for some time with Manchester City but it was always Milan which was most likely to win the race for him given the "buck-toothed" wonder`s desire for nightlife and good weather, (no offence to Manchester night life which is great, but weather?).

The choice of Milan is an interesting one as the Milanese side have not qualified for this seasons Champions League and have to settle for UEFA Cup football, but time will tell if it will be the right move for both parties.

Hands up who is utterly sick of the on, off,on,off Ronaldo to Madrid story, well i am for one and i am now making this a Ronaldo free zone.

The papers cannot always be relied upon to give accurate information as we well know, but there is no doubting that this young man has pushed his luck too far.

He was forgiven for the Rooney incident at the World Cup (maybe not by Rooney!) and to be fair was a revelation last year for the Old Trafford outfit, but when he starts saying things like "United owe me as i have been loyal" and agreeing that he is a "slave" then it is time in my opinion to close the book on him.

If over £100,000 a week is slave wages i say bring it on and sign me up for the chains! Most of you who read this BLOG are like myself just getting by in jobs we probably dont love, it is an insult to all of us when such comments are made.

Before anyone out there gets the idea that i am a disgruntled Man U fan, i can assure you nothing could be further from the truth! I was born a Pat Jenning goal kick from Highbury.

However i seem to have one thing Mr Ronaldo lacks for his team RESPECT!

Alexsandr Hleb finally completed his drawn out transfer to Barcelona yesterday after passing a medical with the Catalan giants.

The fee is in the region of £11.8 million pounds which is a £600,000 profit for the Gunners on the player they bought from Stuttgart 3 years ago.

Speculation will now rise as to who will come into the Emirates before the start of the season with a whole hosts of big names being linked to the club. However Arsene Wenger is as usual playing his cards very close to his chest but with 3 midfielders already out of the club and the future of Emmanuel Adebayor still in the balance decisions will soon have to be made.

Nottingham Forest striker Junior Agogo has completed his transfer to Egyptian side Zamalek Sporting Club for an undisclosed fee.

The switch was agreed last month but the Ghana international was unable to finalise his move to the Egyptian League and Cup winners until he was handed international clearance.

The 28-year-old moved to Forest from Bristol Rovers in August 2006.

He scored 24 goals in 76 appearances for the club and was Forest's top scorer last term when he found the net on 13 occasions.

Luton Town look certain to start the 2008-09 campaign with minus 30 points after losing an appeal against the FA's decision to hand them a ten-point deduction for irregularities in dealing with agents.

The Football League gave the Hatters a further 20-point penalty last week after the League Two club were unable to agree a Company Voluntary Arrangement with its creditors.

A statement on the FA's official website read: "The FA Appeal Board heard an appeal by Luton Town against a decision of an FA Regulatory Commission in that it imposed upon the club, in respect of 15 charges of misconduct, an overall sanction of a £50,000 fine along with a deduction of ten points to be operative in the 2008-09 season.

"Having considered the submissions by Luton Town and the FA, the Appeal Board dismissed the appeal and upheld the original Regulatory Commission decision.

"The FA Regulatory Commission's responsibility was to decide the appropriate punishment for Luton Town's admitted breaches of the FA's own rules and regulations.

"The deduction of ten points was a heavy sanction, as it was intended to be, but was not excessive as a reflection of the seriousness of the breaches and the need to deter such conduct within football clubs."

Rangers boss Walter Smith has snapped up the former Hearts striker Andrius Velicka.

The 29-year-old Lithuania international moves to Ibrox from Viking Stavanger in a £1million deal.

Smith told the Gers' official website: "He didn't play in the last couple of games for Viking but that might be that they were making sure he didn't suffer any knocks before coming to join us.

"We'll let him get involved in training this week and then make a decision on whether we use him in the remaining matches in pre-season."

Velicka scored 26 goals in 56 appearances for Hearts.

Bobby Zamora claims the chance to play regular first-team football persuaded him to join Fulham alongside former West Ham team-mate John Paintsil for a joint fee of £6.3million.

Striker Zamora has agreed a four-year contract with the Cottagers, while wing-back Paintsil will stay at Craven Cottage for three seasons after both players were given permission to discuss personal terms with Roy Hodgson's side last week.

Zamora, 27, scored 30 goals in 130 league appearances in total for the Hammers following his arrival from Spurs in 2004, but injury restricted him to just 14 run outs last season.

"I am delighted that we have reached an agreement to enable me to play for Fulham next season," he told the club's official website.

"I am looking forward to joining the rest of the team this week and preparing for the new campaign.

"This is a new challenge for me and the prospect of working with a coach of Roy Hodgson's calibre was a great opportunity, so I am excited at the prospect of competing for a regular place in the team."

Ghana defender Paintsil was allowed to leave Upton Park after starting just nine games in three-and-a-half seasons.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson added: "I am very pleased that we have been able to add both Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil to our squad.

"Bobby is a talented striker who not only has a desire to score goals but always looks to involve the rest of the team with his intelligent play.

"I have no doubt that Bobby will play an important part for us and his quality has allowed us to strengthen our attacking options.

"John has a versatility that will provide us with more defensive options, which is extremely important to the strength and depth we have in the squad."

Greece international Georgios Samaras is looking forward to starting a new chapter in his career after completing his permanent transfer from Manchester City to Celtic.

The 23-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the Bhoys after spending the second half of last season on loan at Celtic Park.

"I am really happy with this move and I think both sides are really happy," Samaras told Celtic's official website.

"Last season was four really enjoyable months for me and a great experience for me to play in both the Scottish Premier League and the Champions League.

"I think we finished in the best possible way, winning the championship and I am really proud of what we achieved.

"It was the best moment in my career so far and I am really happy that I have signed here and I hope that more good moments come for both me and the club."
Samaras scored six times in five starts and 16 substitute appearances during his loan spell with the SPL giants.
His time at Eastlands was an unhappy one following his switch from Heerenveen in January 2006. Samaras scored only eight goals in 55 Premier League appearances for City.

Tavernes 0-8 Tottenham Hotspur Geovanni dos Santos got his Spurs career off to a fantastic start on Monday night by scoring twice in his team's 8-0 thrashing of Spanish side Tavernes. Manchester United and Liverpool targets Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane both played a part in the game, but neither found the net as other Spurs stars shone. Aaron Lennon headed home the first on 27 minutes, before Tomas Pekhart added the second early in the second period. Dos Santos found his first shortly after, and added his second on 68 minutes, five minutes after Pekhart had found his second. Steed Malbranque hit the sixth fourteen minutes from the end, before two goals in quick succession on 84 and 85 minutes from Jamie O'Hara completed the scoring to give Juande Ramos a fantastic start to his side's pre-season preparations. Next game: Norwich City (A) Monday 28th July

Macclesfield Town 1-2 Blackburn Rovers Paul Ince's reign as Blackburn Rovers manager got off to a successful start as he guided the Ewood Park outfit to a 2-1 win over former club Macclesfield Town. While David Bentley, Roque Santa Cruz and Andre Oijer were absent from the squad, Ince fielded a strong eleven, and after an even first half it was the visitors who took the lead in the build up to the break, with David Dunn curling a stunning effort into the bottom corner. Paul Gallagher added the second for an entirely-changed Rovers side in the second half, and although Martin Gritton tapped-in to give the hosts hope, Ince's men were comfortable in the closing stages and began their pre-season campaign in confident fashion.Next game: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (A) Monday 21st July

North Ferriby United 0-4 Hull City Premier League new-boys Hull City kicked their pre-season off with a comfortable 4-0 win over non-league North Ferriby United. Phil Brown named two different sides for each half (both just 35 minutes long), but both Tigers teams put in strong performances. New signing Geovanni played in the first period, but it was two established Hull stars who opened the scoring, with Dean Marney and Will Atkinson finding the net inside the opening fifteen minutes. The likes of Boaz Myhill and Caleb Folan appeared for the second half, and the former Wigan forward set up the third goal on 52 minutes with a neat header which allowed Michael Turner to hit home. Veteran Nicky Barmby then found the fourth in the closing stages to complete a solid display from the Tigers. Next game: Winterton Rangers (A) Tuesday 15th July

AC Milan have announced that they will sign Barcelona's Brazil international Ronaldinho.

Manchester City were reported to have lodged a £25.5million bid for the 28-year-old, but the San Siro appears to be Ronaldinho's destination for a fee closer to £14m.

"AC Milan and Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle over the transfer of Ronaldinho," the Serie A club said on their website.

"The player will be in Milan on Wednesday to undergo a medical and sign a contract that will keep him at Milan until 30 June 2011."

Who? - Aleksandr Hleb - Speculation Where is he? - Arsenal Who is he linked with? - Barcelona

Arsenal legend Martin Keown has told 4thegame.com of his disappointment at Aleksandr Hleb's desire to leave the club. The Belarusian midfielder is rumoured to be on his way to Barcelona this summer after complaining of his displeasure with life in London. Keown told 4thegame: "From what I can see - from an outside perspective, I'm not involved with the club - Alex is trying to wriggle his way out of the club, instead of just coming out and saying that he wants to leave. It's disappointing because I don't remember him having won a trophy and I think players in the past, like Henry, Vieira, Pires and Anelka, they all left with trophies under their belt. I'd like Hleb to stay a little bit longer and win a trophy, then he can deserve the right to go and make his money somewhere else, because there is a lot left in him as a player, as there is in Adebayor. But as an ex-player, you can feel sure that Arsene Wenger will make the right decision for Arsenal Football Club."

Who? - Robinho - Speculation Where is he? - Real Madrid Who is he linked with? - Chelsea

Real Madrid's Brazilian striker Robinho has hinted that he would like to join his fellow countryman Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chelsea. The 24-year-old had said at the weekend that he was not interested in a transfer to Manchester United as part of any deal that would see Cristiano Ronaldo move in the opposite direction. However, he has not ruled out the prospect of moving to Stamford Bridge. Robinho had told AS that he was happy at the La Liga champions, saying: "I hope to stay at Real this year. I don't want to be part of the Ronaldo deal." But later on he said: "It would be a dream for me to work with Luiz Felipe Scolari, who is one of the best coaches in the world. I have always spoken highly of him and he has always spoken very highly of me, since well before he was at Chelsea." Meanwhile, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard will travel with the rest of the Blues squad on their five-game tour to the Far East and Russia.

Who? - Wayne Bridge - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Portsmouth

Former Southampton left-back Wayne Bridge is being linked with a summer transfer from Chelsea to Portsmouth. The England international will not travel with the rest of the Blues squad on their pre-season tour to China, fuelling speculation that he is on the verge of sealing a 7million switch to Fratton Park. The 27-year-old has started only 116 matches since moving to Stamford Bridge almost five years ago and has lost his starting spot to Ashley Cole in the Chelsea line-up. Pompey boss Harry Redknapp is also interested in bringing Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips to the south coast. Redknapp has signed a host of England players in the last 18 months with David James, Jermain Defoe, Sol Campbell, Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson all currently on Pompey's books.

Who? - Gareth Barry - Speculation Where is he? - Aston Villa Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Arsenal have made a tentative enquiry to see if Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry would be interested in moving to the Emirates Stadium. The England international has been linked with Liverpool throughout the summer but Villa boss Martin O'Neill has been unable to agree a transfer fee with the Reds for the 27-year-old. O'Neill said on Saturday that a deal still had not been struck between the two clubs, although he was hopeful of a resolution soon. However, the Gunners are now believed to be ready to launch a bid for Barry, with right-back Justin Hoyte potentially involved in the deal as part-exchange. Arsenal's assistant manager, Pat Rice, has contacted Villa, according to O'Neill, who told The Sun: "Myself and Steve Walford both know Arsene Wenger's assistant Pat Rice. He phoned Steve to ask how the Liverpool thing had gone and said that they might show an interest. At the end of the conversation Arsenal said 'that's fine' and that they'll let us know. That's exactly what happened."

Who? - David Bentley - Speculation Where is he? - Blackburn Rovers Who is he linked with? - Aston Villa, Tottenham and Liverpool

Blackburn Rovers boss Paul Ince has vowed to keep David Bentley at Ewood Park even though Aston Villa have joined the race to sign the England international midfielder. The 23-year-old former Arsenal trainee has also been linked with Tottenham and Liverpool this summer, but Ince is ready to fight to keep all his big-name stars. Speaking after his side's 2-1 friendly win at Macclesfield Town, Ince said: "I'm still loving every minute of my new job and, no, I don't want to lose my best players. The David Bentley situation won't go away, only time will tell whether he's here in August. He'd have played at Macclesfield if he hadn't been injured, but I know that in football players come and players go. We've had an offer from Aston Villa, but I don't want him to go. He's injured and he'll have a couple of days off and I hope to take him to Germany on Wednesday for our training trip. When I came to Blackburn I said I wanted to keep my best players, and Brad Friedel comes into that category, he's one of the best keepers in the Premier League. There's no interest from me in Paul Robinson. As far as I'm concerned I want to keep Brad. I don't want to sell Brad, so why should I want Paul Robinson?"

Who? - Roque Santa Cruz - Speculation Where is he? - Blackburn Rovers Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Paraguay international Roque Santa Cruz has attempted to quell speculation about his future by insisting he has no intention of leaving Blackburn Rovers this summer. After scoring 23 goals for Rovers last season, Santa Cruz had been linked with a host of clubs, but the former Bayern Munich striker says he is happy at Ewood Park. He told Paravision TV station: "A lot of people said my transfer to a bigger club was about to happen, but I live in the present and I'm focused on Blackburn. I'm happy for the good season that I had and the important goals that I scored. I am motivated by the other teams' interest, but if I am not transferred then I want to have the best possible season at Blackburn." Rovers boss Paul Ince last month warned Sir Alex Ferguson that he had no intention of allowing Santa Cruz to join Manchester United. He said at the time: "If he comes on asking about Santa Cruz then I'll just tell him he's not having him. I had a text off Sir Alex to say 'congratulations, well done', as I've had off numerous people. But I'm under no illusions, I'm the enemy now."

Who? - Xabi Alonso - Speculation Where is he? - Liverpool Who is he linked with? - Juventus

Juventus have completed the signing of Sevilla midfielder Christian Poulsen to suggest that they have ended their interest in Liverpool's Xabi Alonso. The 28-year-old Denmark international has signed a four-year contract with Claudio Ranieri's side after moving to Turin in a 9.75million euros deal. "I cannot wait to begin my adventure with Juventus," Poulsen said. "I know I will be able to earn the confidence of my new fans. "My hope is to pleasantly surprise the Italian public and show that I have a good technique. I will be able to prove it and to give a different image of myself." Alonso has been linked with Juve for much of the summer but Reds boss Rafa Benitez claimed last week that the 26-year-old could still be at Anfield next season. He had admitted: "The situation with Alonso has not changed. Juventus made an offer that was not good enough and now we are just waiting. I do not know, really, whether that will go through. Xabi wants to stay because he is happy here, but he also knows that Juventus is a top side. I have talked to him, he knows my ideas and he knows why. So we will try to find a solution for him, for us, and the best for the club."

The big hitters enter the Intertoto cup in the next round, and if tre were any doubt as tohow seriously clubs have taken this competition one look as some of the 8 newclubs entering at this stage will assure people.

Former European Cup winners Aston Villa, are joined by Stuttgart, German champions in 2006/07, Deortivo La Coruna of Spain, Napoli of Italy and Champions League veterans Rosenborg of Norway amongst others who are looking to get past their opponents and into th 2nd qualifying round of the UEFA Cup.

The first legs if this round will be played on 19/20th July with the return legs on 26/27th July.

The full draw is:

Bnei Sakhnin (ISR) v Deportivo La Coruña (ESP) Panionios (GRE) v Napoli (ITA)
Sivasspor (TUR) v SC Braga (POR) Grasshopper(SUI) v Chernomorets Burgas (BUL)
FC Saturn (RUS) v VfB Stuttgart (GER) Neftçi (AZE) v SC Vaslui (ROM) Rennes (FRA) v
Simferopol (UKR) Sturm Graz (AUT) v Honvéd (HUN) NAC Breda (NED) v
Rosenborg (NOR) Odense (DEN) v Aston Villa (ENG)Elfsborg (SWE) v FK Rīga (LVA)

Charlton Athletic striker Marcus Bent's proposed move to Cardiff City has fallen through.

The 30-year-old was on the verge of sealing a switch to Ninian Park but has now decided to open talks with Birmingham City.

A statement on the Bluebirds' official website read: "Shortly before Marcus Bent was due to arrive for his medical and complete his move to Cardiff City, we were informed that he had changed his mind and asked Charlton permission to speak to Birmingham.

"Whilst at this stage we are unaware of whether he has been given permission to talk to Birmingham City, we only want players who are committed to Cardiff City Football Club and therefore have withdrawn from the deal."

Bournemouth goalkeeper Neil Moss has been forced to retire from the game because of a persistent wrist injury.

The 33-year-old shot-stopper has been sidelined since January when he first suffered the injury but a recent scan showed that the break had still failed to heal.

Moss told the Bournemouth Echo: "The surgeon said there was nothing he could do. He could have tried the same operation but there was a zero chance of it working, so that was that.

"My aim now is to get the wrist back so I can at least use it for the simple things - that will be a hard process in itself.

"At the moment, it's so raw and I'm feeling sorry for myself, but I've got no regrets. I've had a decent career but I just wish I could have gone on a few more years.

"I felt my best years would have been in front of me. I still feel fit and strong and I certainly felt I could have had a good season in League Two.

"It's been up and down over my 17 years in the game. My best times certainly came at Bournemouth."

Rangers captain Barry Ferguson has gone under the knife for an ankle operation that will keep him out for up to four months.

The 30-year-old Scotland midfielder was troubled by ankle problems during the closing weeks of the last campaign and scans during pre-season training confirmed an operation was required which could keep him out until late October.

"Barry has gone today (Monday) for his operation," Smith told the club's official website.
"It's an unusual operation in the sense that footballers don't normally have this type of injury but the specialist says that it isn't too difficult.

"Tendons normally tear or become detached but his is split down the middle.

"When he was moving his ankle the tendon was secured at the ends but it was opening in the middle and that was what was causing the pain.

"So the operation is straightforward enough but to ensure the pliability there needs to be a period of the recuperation which looks like three to four months."

Meanwhile, DaMarcus Beasley will miss the rest of the Gers' pre-season programme after tweaking his hamstring during Sunday's 1-0 friendly victory over Preussen Munster in Germany.

Stoke City appear to be in pole position to sign Liverpool's England international goalkeeper Scott Carson.

Reports suggest Reds boss Rafa Benitez has accepted a £3.5million offer from the Potters for the shot-stopper who spent last season on loan with Aston Villa.

It has been claimed that Carson has been offered a four-year deal by the Premier League newcomers.

Carson has also been linked with several other clubs this summer including West Brom and Middlesbrough.

The 22-year-old has made only nine first-team appearances for Liverpool since his transfer from Leeds United in January 2005.

He spent the 2006-07 campaign on loan at Charlton Athletic and made 38 appearances for the Addicks before featuring in 36 matches for Villa last term.

Carson has started two games for England, the 1-0 friendly win against Austria in November 2007 and the ill-fated Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia five days later.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed both Manchester City and AC Milan have tabled bids for unwanted star Ronaldinho.

The Citizens have made a reported £22.5million offer for the 28-year-old Brazil international, who has been told he is free to leave the Camp Nou this summer following two below-par seasons.

However, despite offering less both up front and in weekly wages for the former world and European player of the year, it is the Italian side that remains favourites to complete a deal.
Ronaldinho is believed to favour a move to Italy where he would link up with fellow Brazilians Kaka, Emerson, Dida and Pato at the San Siro.

"We have two interesting offers," Laporta told Catalunya Radio.

"Manchester City are splashing out more in theirs."

Meanwhile, Laporta expects a protracted deal, which has dragged on since the end of the last season, to reach its conclusion this week.

He added: "We hope to be able to resolve the matter this week.

"Ronaldinho should leave the club with honour, because he was a man who gave Barca fans their excitement back, he excited us all.

"He played a key role in the capture of two league titles, a Champions League trophy and two Spanish cups. We have to remember that."

Who? - Sergio Aguero - Speculation Where is he? - Manchester United Who is he linked with? - Atletico Madrid

Manchester United are in the hunt for Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero, it is being reported. The 20-year-old won the Player of the Year award in Spain last year after scoring 20 goals in 37 games. He was also named Player of the Tournament for Argentina and won the Golden Boot during the Under-20 World Cup in Canada in 2007. The player's buy-out clause is 55 million euros, but his agent, Jose Segui, has insisted that a big-name Premier League club - believed to be United - is interested. "I've received an offer from a big English club and they've asked me to pass that offer on to Atletico Madrid," Segui told AS. "I can't say anything more until I've spoken to the club about this definite offer. I can only say that it's one of the best clubs in Europe and it's not Chelsea."

Who? - Dimitar Berbatov - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Manchester United are reported to have put a limit on how much they will spend on Dimitar Berbatov. Sir Alex Ferguson is understood to have offered 20million for the Bulgarian striker over the weekend, but Spurs are believed to value him at 30million. The player's agent has confirmed that United are interested, and it is thought the player will demand to move to Old Trafford. However, United will offer no more than 25million to sign him, and if Spurs do not accept the deal will be off. Berbatov moved to Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in 2006.

Who? - Colin-Kazim Richards - Speculation Where is he? - Fenerbahce Who is he linked with? - Manchester City

Manchester City are ready to swoop for Colin-Kazim Richards, it is being reported. The midfielder enjoyed a fantastic Euro 2008 tournament with Turkey, attracting the interest of many clubs across Europe. He previously played in the Premier League for Sheffield United, but currently stars for Fenerbahce. That move cost the Turkish side 1.275million, but it is understood the player would put City back at least 4million. Meanwhile, City have also offered an increased bid for Ronaldinho. The Barcelona superstar is certain to leave the Nou Camp this summer, and is heavily linked with a move to AC Milan. However, City offered 22million on Sunday night in the hope that will be enough to sway him.

Who? - Bobby Zamora - Quite likely Where is he? - West Ham United Who is he linked with? - Fulham

Fulham are close to completing the signing of Bobby Zamora with the West Ham United striker undergoing a medical at Craven Cottage. Last week the Cottagers agreed fees with the Hammers for Zamora and team-mate John Paintsil. Zamora looks set to be the first to officially sign for Fulham after agreeing personal terms with Roy Hodgson's side over the weekend. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton striker was given permission to leave Upton Park after a disappointing last season where he found the net just once in 14 appearances. Zamora scored 30 goals in 130 league appearances in total for the Hammers following his arrival from Spurs in 2004. The 27-year-old's arrival will help fill the void at Fulham created by the departure of former captain Brian McBride at the end last season. Speaking last week, Hammers chief executive Scott Duxbury admitted: "We recognise Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil had limited first-team opportunities last season. They want to play regular first-team football and we have given permission for them to speak to Fulham with a view to concluding a move."

Who? - David Bentley - Speculation Where is he? - Blackburn Rovers Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly on the verge of landing David Bentley in a 17million swap deal with Blackburn Rovers. The unsettled England midfielder is set to join the north London club with out-of-favour Spurs keeper Paul Robinson heading in the opposite direction. Both players have also been linked with moves to Aston Villa, but reports suggest the swap deal could be concluded on Monday. Bentley's future at Ewood Park has been the subject of much speculation following his admission last month that he was keen to move on. The former Arsenal youngster was also linked with Liverpool after suggesting he was keen to play Champions League football. However, the possible arrival of Robinson has cast fresh doubt on the future of current Rovers number one Brad Friedel. Over the weekend, Blackburn chairman John Williams revealed he had been made aware of interest in the veteran USA keeper from two clubs. Former Rovers boss Mark Hughes is believed to be keen to lure the 37-year-old shot-stopper to new club Manchester City and the arrival of Robinson could result in the end of Friedel's eight-year spell at Ewood Park. "There is some interest but (manager) Paul Ince's wish is to start the season with Brad Friedel," Williams had told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

Who? - Xabi Alonso - Speculation Where is he? - Liverpool Who is he linked with? - Juventus

Former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko claims his new club Juventus' interest in Xabi Alonso is now officially over. The Spain midfielder has been linked with the Italian side throughout the summer despite suggesting he is happy to remain at Anfield. But Sissoko, who left Merseyside for the Turin club in January, has spoken to his former team-mate and doesn't expect him to be making the move to Serie A. He said: "I have talked to him and he told me he is happy at Liverpool."

Who? - Frank Lampard - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Internazionale

Frank Lampard will stay with Chelsea this season but move on for free next year, if reports are to be believed. The England international was heavily linked with a move to Inter Milan last week, but his club fervently denied it. However, it is now thought that Lampard will sign a pre-contract agreement with Jose Mourinho's side in January, before leaving Stamford Bridge officially next summer. Lampard is in the final year of his Chelsea deal, and Inter's contract is thought to be worth 160,000-a-week. A source told the News of the World: "Frank's mind is finally made up once and for all. He wants to team up with Mourinho again as soon as possible. Ideally, he would love to go now but Chelsea are saying they will resist all offers and make him see out the final year of his contract. Even if Blues eventually crumble and come up with a new five-year deal, I'm sure Frank will tell them where to stick it - the damage is done."

Playtech

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Cardiff City have agreed a transfer fee with Charlton Athletic for the former Everton striker Marcus Bent.

The 30-year-old has also agreed personal terms and will move to the Bluebirds on Monday, if he passes a Ninian Park medical.

Bent has scored 102 League goals in 327 first-team appearances for his ten clubs.
He scored seven goals in 31 Premier League appearances during a season-long loan switch at Wigan Athletic last term.

Rangers have abandoned their plans to sign Danny Shittu after failing to agree personal terms with the Watford defender.

The Ibrox club had a agreed a £1.5million fee with the Championship side for a player who has also been linked with a move to Celtic, but were unable to strike a deal with the Nigeria centre-half.

"There have been negotiations going on between the club and the player for quite a period of time and we have not managed to reach an agreement, so it looks as if that one is finished," Smith told the club's official website.

Meanwhile, Smith is waiting to discover the extent of a hamstring problem picked up by injury-plagued winger DaMarcus Beasley in their 1-0 pre-season friendly victory over SC Preussen Munster.

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo will definitely be out of action for at least three months, according to the physio of the Portugal national team.

The 23-year-old winger has been at the centre of a high-profile transfer tug-of-war between United and Real Madrid throughout the summer.

The Old Trafford club insist an unsettled Ronaldo is not for sale despite reports of a world-record transfer fee switch to Spain.

But wherever he plays his club football next season, Ronaldo will begin the campaign on the sidelines following ankle surgery last week.

"We are going to use everything that is possible to us and that will help him recover as quickly as possible," said Portugal physio Antonio Gaspar.

"But Cristiano Ronaldo will not be in an optimum state for the competition until 12 weeks are up. He is working very well and he is optimistic.

"These first four weeks he will do the rehabilitation work in my clinic.

"After the first month, the Manchester United doctors will carry out another exam."

Ukraine international Andriy Shevchenko is being linked with a season-long loan switch from Chelsea to Sampdoria.

It had been thought that a return to AC Milan was Shevchenko's most likely next move but Samp's general manager, Beppe Marotta, has expressed his interest in the 31-year-old.

"We have a way to resolve our problems up front with a figure able to stir up the crowd as well as put the ball in the back of the net," he told Secolo XIX newspaper.

"Sheva would be happy to join us, but there are problems around his wages.

"Many top-class players like Sampdoria and a deal is entirely plausible, so never say never."

Shevchenko has scored 22 goals in 76 appearances for the Blues since his big-money switch to Stamford Bridge over two years ago.

Real Madrid forward Robinho has once again said he is not interested in a transfer to Manchester United as part of any deal that would see Cristiano Ronaldo move in the opposite direction.

The 23-year-old Portugal international has been linked with a move to Spain for most of the summer although United have repeatedly insisted he is not for sale.

Ronaldo is likely to be sidelined until the end of September after having an ankle operation but that has not stopped the rumour mill turning.

Brazil international Robinho remains determined not to be involved in any deal though, telling AS: "Now, I only have in my head Madrid.

"I am not prepared to be involved in any operation for a move for Cristiano Ronaldo.

"I hope to stay at Real Madrid this year."

Aberdeen 0-2 Manchester United: Wayne Rooney was on top form as Manchester United beat Aberdeen 2-0 at Pittodrie in their first game of pre-season. The tie was set-up to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen side winning the European Cup Winners Cup, but there was no sentimentality on show as both sides contributed to an entertaining encounter. Aberdeen put in a fine first-half performance, and were unfortunate to see Darren Mackie have a good effort disallowed for offside. However, the decisive moment came on the stroke of half-time when Rooney was brought down in the area by keeper Jamie Langfield. Michael Carrick stepped up and made no mistake to put his side a goal up. The Dons continued to have chances as the second period wore on, but United always looked to have the measure of their opponents, and Rooney sealed the win twenty minutes from time with a powerful header from Darren Fletcher's cross. The match was a satisfying start to pre-season for Ferguson, who gave early run-outs to first-teamers such as Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville.

Tranmere Rovers 0-1 Liverpool: Yossi Benayoun scored the only goal of the game as Liverpool also got their pre-season off to a successful start with a comfortable win at local rivals Tranmere Rovers. Despite the slender scoreline, the visitors dominated much of this game, with Daniel Agger looking solid on his return back from injury and new-boy Daniel Pacheco putting in an impressive debut. However, it was one of last year's signings who made the difference, as Benayoun looped home a cracker two minutes from the break. Steven Gerrard, Sami Hyypia and Jamie Carragher also made appearances, while new signings Diego Cavalieri and Philipp Degen came on at half-time, in this promising pre-season start for Rafa's men.

FC Zurich 2-1 Aston Villa: Aston Villa's preparations for next week's Intertoto Cup game took a knock as they were beaten 2-1 by Swiss side FC Zurich. Martin O'Neill handed a debut to Steve Sidwell, but his side fell behind just four minutes in when Martin Laursen brought down Florian Stahel in the area, allowing Almen Abdi to fire home from the spot. Gabriel Agbonlahor's low drive brought the Villains level in the 17th minute, but another penalty brought on defeat, with Abdi striking home again from the spot after Zat Knight had brought down Admir Mehmedi 11 minutes from the end.

FC Sion 1-0 Everton: Everton also tasted defeat in Switzerland as they were beaten 1-0 by FC Sion. With Tim Howard and many of his African stars still to return from their summer holidays, David Moyes started with a largely inexperienced side, which featured only Phil Neville, Phil Jagielka, Nuno Valente and Joleon Lescott from the first team. The Toffees' second-stringers gave a solid performance, with youngsters Kieran Agard and Jose Baxter enjoying some fine chances, but they fell to defeat thanks to Didier Crettenand's neat finish just before the hour mark.

Internazionale striker Adriano could move to Chelsea as part of a deal that would see Frank Lampard switch to the San Siro, according to the Brazilian's agent.

Inter have had an £8million offer for the England international rejected by the Blues but have not given up hope of eventually landing the 30-year-old.

Recent speculation has suggested Inter will offer Adriano plus cash in a bid to tempt Chelsea into a sale.

The Inter player's representative, Gilmar Rinaldi, told The Observer: "Mourinho and Adriano have met and talked, but I can't say how this meeting went.

"The player is flying back from Rio de Janeiro to Milan next week as the pre-season starts on Wednesday.

"I will neither confirm nor deny that he will be exchanged for Lampard."

Twenty-six-year-old Adriano has scored 59 goals in 138 appearances for Inter since making his debut for the club almost seven years ago.

He has also been loaned out to Fiorentina, Parma and Sao Paulo during his time in Italy.

Who? - Frank Lampard - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Internazionale

Frank Lampard will stay with Chelsea this season but move on for free next year, if reports are to be believed. The England international was heavily linked with a move to Inter Milan last week, but his club fervently denied it. However, it is now thought that Lampard will sign a pre-contract agreement with Jose Mourinho's side in January, before leaving Stamford Bridge officially next summer. Lampard is in the final year of his Chelsea deal, and Inter's contract is thought to be worth 160,000-a-week. A source told the News of the World: "Frank's mind is finally made up once and for all. He wants to team up with Mourinho again as soon as possible. Ideally, he would love to go now but Chelsea are saying they will resist all offers and make him see out the final year of his contract. Even if Blues eventually crumble and come up with a new five-year deal, I'm sure Frank will tell them where to stick it - the damage is done."

Who? - Cristiano Ronaldo - Speculation Where is he? - Manchester United Who is he linked with? - Real Madrid

David Beckham has weighed into the Cristiano Ronaldo saga, telling the Portuguese winger to leave Manchester United. Ronaldo has been at the centre of a heated tug-of-war between the Old Trafford outfit and Real Madrid this summer, and complained last week that he is being treated like a slave. Said Beckham: "If someone asked me if Cristiano Ronaldo should go to Madrid I'd say 'Yes'. Real Madrid is a dream for any player so, of course, he would be a tremendous signing for Madrid and their fans. All the best footballers want to play at the Bernabeu at some point in their careers. It is a unique experience in football. I will try not to get involved - it is not my business. But I do know that, in football, anything can happen."

Who? - Lucas Neill - Speculation Where is he? - West Ham United Who is he linked with? - Manchester City

Manchester City are interested in signing Lucas Neill, if reports are to be believed. The Australian defender currently plays his football at West Ham United, having turned down a switch to Liverpool in January 2007. He wants an improved contract, but the Hammers are reluctant to offer him more than his current 55,000-a-week salary. Turkish team Galatasaray are understood to have made an offer for him. But he could be swayed by a 1.6million bid from City, which would see him team-up with his old Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes.

Hibernians hopes of progress in this seasons Intertoto Cup was brought toan early conclusion on an artificial pitch in Sweden yesterday.

Already 2-0 down from the first leg they conceded an early goal which ended any resistance, and it was obvious they were never at ease on the surface.

Elfsborg scored a further goal in the second half to make it 2-0 on the day and 4-0 on aggregate leaving coach Paateleinen and his team wth only the hope of going further next season!!

The Swedes who are already well into their season sitting 2nd in their league after 13 games always had the advantage due to their suerior fitness and doubts must be cast over the wisdom of some sides entering this compettion without proper pre season preparation.

Blackpool have completed a double swoop after landing midfielder Jermaine Wright and striker Steve Kabba.

Former Ipswich Town and Leeds United midfielder Wright has joined the Seasiders on a free transfer following his release by Southampton last month.

Meanwhile, Kabba, 27, has arrived on loan from Championship rivals Watford until January 1.

"I left Southampton for whatever reason and when my agent told me Blackpool were interested and I couldn't wait to get up here and talk," Wright told the club's official website after penning a one-year contract.

"This is a good challenge for me. I want to be somewhere where I feel wanted and I want to give it my best."

Real Madrid defender Michel Salgado claims he is considering an offer to join Queens Park Rangers.

The 32-year-old full-back has emerged as a surprise target for the ambitious Championship club, with reports suggesting millionaire part-owner Flavio Briatore has already travelled to Spain to hold talks with the former Spain international.

"The offer is true, but until this moment nothing has been decided," revealed Salgado.

"The project is attractive and personally I've always dreamed of playing in English football.
"It is necessary to speak about many things because I still have a deal with Real Madrid and I will have to see what they want."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is in no rush to appoint a new number two following Carlos Queiroz's departure to take over as Portugal boss.

Queiroz, 55, had spent five seasons as Ferguson's assistant during two spells, but his departure was confirmed on Friday when the Portuguese coach was released from his Old Trafford contract.

But speaking ahead of United's 2-0 pre-season friendly victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie, Ferguson revealed he was happy to bide his time before appointing a new assistant.

Michael Carrick opened the scoring from the spot after Wayne Rooney had won a penalty, before Rooney himself headed home the second goal for the Red Devils.

When asked if the search had already begun, Ferguson told MUTV: "Not really, we'll just take our time as we normally do. We'll wait and see how things unfold."

Current backroom staff Brian McClair and Mike Phelan are both early frontrunners for the post, but Ferguson was keen to pay tribute to the job Queiroz performed during his time with the club.

"It's disappointing but nationalities come into it in terms of him being an emotionally fervent Portuguese man and the attraction being too big," he continued.

"But he did a great job for us and that's why he'll be remembered.

"He's gone with our best wishes. He did a terrific job for us and a lot of the innovations we've had over the last few years are down to Carlos."

Internazionale president Massimo Moratti claims the ball is now in Frank Lampard's court over his potential move from Chelsea to Italy.

The England international is wanted by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in his new job at the San Siro, but the Serie A champions have seen two bids rejected by the Stamford Bridge hierarchy in recent days.

Lampard remains locked in a contract stand-off with the Blues, who insist he is not for sale and is expected to see out the remaining 12 months of his existing deal.

And although Moratti has admitted he is keen to lure the 30-year-old to Italy, he has suggested there is little more his club can do to make the deal happen.

New Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is hopeful of persuading the former West Ham United youngster to agree terms on a new contract to stay with the Blues.

"We have made our offer to Chelsea, now it will depend on the player," said Moratti.

"He is an element we like, but more than this we cannot do.

"But we are strong and I am happy with what we have done in the transfer market until now."

Who? - Dimitar Berbatov - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Manchester United are understood to have made a 20million bid for Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian striker was linked with a White Hart Lane exit throughout last season, but stayed until the end of the campaign. The talk has continued, however, and it is understood Sir Alex Ferguson offered 20million for him last night. United are thought to be ready to match his wage demands of 80,000-a-week. Ferguson wants the deal done by the end of next week, but it is understood that Spurs will not let Berbatov leave for less than 30million.

Who? - Scott Carson - Speculation Where is he? - Liverpool Who is he linked with? - West Bromwich Albion and Hull City

Promoted duo West Bromwich Albion and Hull City are thought to be going head-to-head to sign Scott Carson. The Liverpool keeper spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, but is now back at Anfield after Martin O'Neill failed to meet Rafa Benitez's valuation of the player. It is unlikely Carson will get much first-team football this forthcoming campaign, and he is thought to be looking for a fresh start. Carson signed for Liverpool from Leeds United in January 2005 for a fee of 750,000.

Who? - Gareth Barry - Speculation Where is he? - Aston Villa Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Arsenal could make a shock bid to hijack Gareth Barry's move to Liverpool. The Aston Villa midfielder has been linked with a switch to Anfield throughout the summer, but has found his transfer stalled by the clubs' inability to agree on a fee. Arsenal have already lost Mathieu Flamini, and Gilberto Silva and Alex Hleb look set to join the midfielder in heading out of the exit door. Arsene Wenger therefore needs some reinforcements, and it is thought he contacted Villa in midweek to discover the latest on the situation. Justin Hoyte could be offered in a player-plus-cash deal for the England international.

Who? - Brad Friedel - Speculation Where is he? - Blackburn Rovers Who is he linked with? - Manchester City and Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers have vowed to fight to keep Brad Friedel at Ewood Park amid reported interest in the veteran goalkeeper from Manchester City and Aston Villa. The Citizens, who are now managed by former Rovers boss Mark Hughes, are believed to be at the front of the queue to sign the American keeper. But Villa are also keen on landing the 37-year-old former international number one, who continues to be one of the most consistent keepers in the Premier League despite his advancing years. Friedel signed a one-year contract extension earlier in the summer which ties him to the Lancashire club until 2010 and Rovers chairman John Williams insists they will fight to keep hold of the former Liverpool keeper. Newly-installed manager Paul Ince has made the acquisition of a young goalkeeper one of his top priorities following his arrival, but still regards Friedel as his current number one choice. "There is some interest but Paul Ince's wish is to start the season with Brad Friedel," Williams told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. The Ohio-born keeper has made more than 350 appearances during eight years at Ewood Park.

Who? - Eric Bekoe - Speculation Where is he? - Asante Kotoko Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur are reported to be on the trail of Ghana international striker Eric Bekoe. Spurs head coach Juande Ramos is believed to have identified the 21-year-old hitman as a potential summer signing. Bekoe currently plays his club football in Ghana with Asante Kotoko and has been strongly linked with a move to the Bundelsiga with Hertha Berlin. However after winning his first international cap in a London-based friendly against Mexico in March, the striker claims he has been approached about a possible move to White Hart Lane. "My agent has told me of the teams who are willing to sign me and Hertha Berlin is one of them," he revealed. "Tottenham have also expressed their interest even though nothing concrete is on the table. Spurs made their interest known when I played for the Black Stars against Mexico in a friendly match in London."

Who? - Emmanuel Adebayor - Speculation Where is he? - Arsenal Who is he linked with? - AC Milan

Vice-president Adriano Galliani has suggested AC Milan have ended their interest in signing Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor. The Italian side have been on the trail of the Togo international throughout the summer in a long-running transfer saga. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is believed to have reluctantly agreed to consider selling the 24-year-old former AS Monaco striker, who finished as his side's top-scorer with 30 goals last season. However, his reported valuation of 30million appears to have forced Milan to abandon their efforts to push through a deal. Instead, Galliani claims his club will now concentrate on agreeing a new contract with Brazil star Kaka. The Rossoneri are also expected to complete the transfer of Ronaldinho from Barcelona in the coming days following another protracted transfer negotiation. "We've stopped dealing with Arsene Wenger and have to reconfirm that up to now Milan has above all important sacrifices to make in negotiations with its current players, starting with Kaka," Galliani told Gazzetta dello Sport.

Who? - Darren Fletcher - Speculation Where is he? - Manchester United Who is he linked with? - Everton

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher has played down reports that he is wanted by Everton. The 24-year-old Scotland international has been linked with a move to the Toffees in recent days. However, Fletcher insists he is fully focused on establishing himself as a first-team regular at Old Trafford. "You just learn to deal with that as your time progresses here," he told MUTV. "The most important thing is you're focused on Manchester United. Unless someone tells you otherwise, that's what you do." Meanwhile, Fletcher has welcomed talk of increased competition next season with the arrival of fresh faces despite making just 24 appearances himself in the last campaign. "To play in more matches than last season, that's obviously the target each season," he continued. "You do your bit, you're patient and you've got to wait for your chance. I'll be ready to take my chance when it comes and I'll hopeful play a few more matches. I don't think much needs to change but fresh faces are always good. Competition for places is always going to be at Manchester United. It's something you've got to rise to."

Who? - Andrei Arshavin - Speculation Where is he? - Zenit St Petersburg Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Russia star Andrei Arshavin has set his heart on a move to Arsenal, according to his agent. The Zenit St Petersburg playmaker has been linked with moves to the Gunners, Chelsea and Barcelona following his eye-catching performances at Euro 2008. Earlier in the week, agent Dennis Lachter revealed an unnamed Premier League club had failed with a Â19million bid to sign the 27-year-old midfielder. But Lachter has revealed his client has set his sights on joining the Gunners this summer as he believes Arsene Wenger's side would suit his style of play. However, Zenit have already warned potential suitors that they are holding out for 24million for their prize asset. "Andrei is desperate to join Arsenal," Lachter told the Daily Mirror. "His style of play would suit them perfectly."

Coventry City have agreed terms with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Freddy Eastwood to sign the £1.5million-rated striker, subject to a successful medical.

The 24-year-old Wales international was available for transfer after struggling to make an impression during his first season at Molineux.

The former Southend United striker almost joined the Sky Blues on loan in March only for the deal to fall through, but manager Chris Colemam was determined to bring him to the Ricoh Arena.

Eastwood earned a move to Wolves after scoring 63 goals in 125 appearances during three seasons with the Shrimpers.

"As people will know, Freddy has been a long-term target for us and we're delighted to concluded everything," chairman Ray Ranson told the club's official website.

"He fits the bill in terms of being a quality player at the right age and will be the fourth signing we've made.

"We told our supporters that we'd be strengthening the squad and hopefully this is further evidence that we're doing just that."

Luton Town's new holding company has hit out at the Football League after discovering they will have to start life in League Two next month with a massive 30-point deduction.

The Hatters had ten points deducted earlier in the summer after breaching Football Association regulations over agents fees, but have now been handed a further 20-point deduction by the Football League.

Preferred bidder, Luton Town Football Club 2020 Ltd (LTFC2020), are close to taking the club out of administration, but the further 20-point penalty was imposed after they failed to satisfy the league's insolvency rules.

"It's quite clear that we have made a mistake. We placed our faith in the footballing authorities. We have tried to do everything openly and honestly," said director of LTFC2020 Stephen Browne.

"Obviously the very clear message from both the FA and Football League is that doing such a thing is a total waste of time. Once again the club suffers from the mismanagement of the past.
"We have already discussed this internally and we have decided unanimously that we will continue the fight by sticking to our principles of openness and honesty.

"They are clearly trying to push Luton Town out of existence for mistakes that they should take part of the blame for.

"It's not a laughing matter anymore, but even so we will continue to ensure that Luton Town has a solid and sustainable future, despite what the Football League do to us."

Heart of Midlothian have ended a lengthy search for a new manager after confirming the appointment of Laszlo Csaba.

The Edinburgh club had been without a full-time manager since the decision to part company with Anotoly Korobochka back in January.

Stephen Frail finished the last campaign in charge at Tynecastle, but the former caretaker manager was shown the exit door earlier this week.

However, Csaba has now agreed to take charge of Hearts on a three-year contract.
The 44-year-old Romania-born coach has left his current post as manager of the Uganda national side.

Csaba has previously coached Ferencvaros and Borussia Monchengladbach and will work with the recently returned Korobochka 'on all first-team matters'.

Manchester United are on the lookout for a new assistant manager after they confirmed the release of Carlos Queiroz to become the new Portugal boss.

Sir Alex Ferguson's number two had been linked with the post following the announcement during Euro 2008 that Luiz Felipe Scolari's was leave to take over at Chelsea.

Queiroz, 55, spent five seasons at Old Trafford in two spells as Ferguson's assistant and is credited with helping lure the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson to the club.

"Carlos is one of the best coaches in world football," Ferguson told the club's official website.
"His attention to detail, ability to innovate and will to win have been a key factor to the team's recent successes.

"He has played an important role in building and blending the exceptional squad of players at the club."

Meanwhile, the Portuguese coach and former Real Madrid boss thanked United for allowing him to take up the opportunity.

Queiroz, who has previously worked with Portugal's under-20 and under-23 squads, is now looking forward to the qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup.

"It is with a very heavy heart that I leave the greatest football club in the world after five fantastic years," he said.

"This has been a special period in my life both personally and professionally. I have been so lucky to have had the opportunity to work in first-class facilities with a staff team who are at the top of their profession."

Ferguson's search for a new number two will now commence with the likes of current backroom staff Brian McClair and Mike Phelan both early frontrunners for the post.

Who? - Andrei Arshavin - Speculation Where is he? - Zenit St Petersburg Who is he linked with? - Arsenal, Chelsea

Russia international Andrei Arshavin fears his 24million price tag may have put off any potential buyers. Chelsea, Arsenal and Barcelona have all been linked with the 27-year-old Zenit St Petersburg play-maker, who was one of the star performers at Euro 2008. An unnamed English club recently had a 19million bid for Arshavin rejected, according to the player's agent. "As it turned out, maybe I did the wrong thing for myself as an individual by playing well at Euro 2008 since it has led to a rise in my market value," admitted Arshavin. The midfielder's agent, Dennis Lachter, claimed earlier in the week: "Barcelona failed with a 12million bid and now an English club have had a 19million offer rejected by Zenit. Zenit want 24million, so clubs who want to sign Andrei will have to get closer to that figure. There are clubs interested in Andrei who are trying to sell players first. The figure is not easy to reach, but the transfer activity is beginning to happen and I am optimistic he will join a big club."

Who? - Luis Garcia - Speculation Where is he? - Espanyol Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur

Espanyol president Daniel Sanchez Llibre insists Luis Garcia is not on the verge of moving to Tottenham Hotspur. Reports earlier in the week suggested the 27-year-old was set to seal a switch to Juande Ramos' side, but Sanchez Llibre says he has not received any offers for the highly-rated forward. "There has been much discussion in recent days, but the club has not received any offers for this player," he said. "We haven't spoken to anyone and for me the bid is only genuine if a club gets in touch with us directly. If everything that came out in the media happened then virtually the entire squad would be sold." Garcia was the top-scorer for the Barcelona-based club in La Liga last season and was reported to be close to sealing a 5million switch to White Hart Lane. Ramos has also been linked with fellow Espanyol team-mates Carlos Kameni, Daniel Jarque and Albert Riera this summer.

Who? - Falcao - Speculation Where is he? - River Plate Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Colombia international Radamel Falcao claims Arsenal are keen to sign him in an 8million deal. The 22-year-old striker has spent the last three years with River Plate and has an excellent scoring record for the Argentinian side. He found the net 19 times in 35 starts in all competitions in the 2007-08 season helping River Plate finish as champions of the Argentine Clausura 08. Falcao told The Sun: "I know there is interest from Arsenal and that excites me. If there is an agreement between the clubs I'm ready to go. It would mean a huge leap forward in my career I can guarantee my financial future. The Premier League is sensational."

Who? - Charles N'Zogbia - Speculation Where is he? - Newcastle United Who is he linked with? - Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur

Unsettled Newcastle United winger Charles N'Zogbia hopes to sign for either Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur before the transfer window closes at the end of next month. The 22-year-old is keen to hold talks with boss Kevin Keegan about his future at St James' Park but believes a change of club could help to revive his career. N'Zogbia, who still has four years left on his current Magpies deal, told France Football: "At the end of last season I didn't play a lot, so that has given me the desire to play somewhere else. When I will talk with the coach it will be clearer. My priority is to play. I have dreamt about Arsenal since I was kid. I would be delighted to join the Gunners. It is a famous team that has big coverage in France. But Tottenham is exciting too. I have never played in Ligue 1. That could be an experience in my career. But frankly, it is not my current priority. I am playing in one of the best leagues in the world. And I feel a little like at home here."

Who? - Eidur Gudjohnsen - Speculation Where is he? - Barcelona Who is he linked with? - Aston Villa

Iceland international Eidur Gudjohnsen will not be heading to Aston Villa this summer, according to the Barcelona player's agent and father. The 29-year-old former Chelsea and Bolton striker had been linked with a move to Villa Park after enduring two frustrating seasons at the Camp Nou. He seems certain to be plying his trade elsewhere next season after starting only 33 games for Barca, but will not be joining Martin O'Neill's side. Arnor Gudjohnsen told Sky Sports: "I've seen some speculation about Eidur and Aston Villa, but I don't think he was very keen on that. I think if he was to return to England he would prefer to go to London or Manchester rather than Birmingham. There are a few clubs interested, but there's nothing serious at the moment. I think he'll leave Barcelona and he's keeping his options open at present."

Luton Town will start life in League Two next month with a massive 30-point deduction.
The Hatters had ten points deducted earlier in the summer after breaching Football Association regulations over agents fees, but have now been handed a further 20-point deduction by the Football League.

A statement on the Football League's official website read: "The board considered an application from a new company, called Luton Town 2020, which has applied to join League Two in place of the existing club, which is in administration.

"Luton Town was unable to agree a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) with its creditors and, as a consequence, is unable to satisfy the normal conditions of the League's insolvency policy for exiting administration.

"The board decided, however, that it was prepared to exercise its absolute discretion under its 'exceptional circumstances' provisions in order to accommodate the new entity.

"In accordance with recent precedent, the board decided to include the following principle conditions of entry as a pre-requisite to the exercise of that discretion:

1 - The new company (Luton Town 2020) should pay the unsecured creditors the amount offered at the time of the CVA hearing (16 pence in the pound).

2 - A 20-point deduction should apply in the 2008-09 season, which also takes into account the fact that this is the club's third insolvency event in the last ten years."

Rangers have been rocked by the news that captain Barry Ferguson will miss the first two months of the season with an ankle injury.

Ferguson, 30, was troubled by ankle problems towards the end of the last campaign, but the new problem - which is likely to sideline him for the next three months - is believed to be unrelated.

The Scotland international will now miss the opening part of the new Scottish Premier League campaign and also the Ibrox club's vital Champions League qualifiers.

Ferguson will not travel to the Netherlands to take part in a pre-season training camp and a series of friendlies next week as he looks to begin his rehabilitation programme.

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has denied claims he is seeking to sell the club, but has confirmed he is on the lookout for new investors.

Several reports had suggested the Magpies owner was looking to leave St James' Park just 12 months after taking the helm.

But Ashley has rubbished the stories and insists the only financial deals he is interested in are ones offering fresh investment.

Referring to a possible takeover bid, he told the Evening Standard: "That is not true.

"I would say that I am keen to have partners in Newcastle. That's a very expensive seat I sit in."
Meanwhile, Ashley has brushed off claims that he had held talks with the Saudi Bin Laden Group - run by Osama bin Laden's half-brother Bakr - over a £300million buyout.

"I think I'll start with people from Newcastle, not in some cave in

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has confirmed that he has spoken to three countries about stepping in to host the 2010 World Cup in case it is forced away from South Africa.

There are concerns about the hosting of the tournament after organisers admitted that a stadium in Port Elizabeth is unlikely to be completed in time for next summer's Confederations Cup.

With less than two years to go until the tournament, FIFA have a back-up plan in place in case the problems with construction, security, transport or power cannot be solved in time.
Blatter revealed in a Sky News interview: "I have spoken to three possible, not only possible, but three associations and countries that would be able to stage the World Cup in one year's time. They need one year [to prepare]."

The FIFA president would not confirm or deny if England were one of the back-up hosts, but allegedly Brazil, Australia and Italy are the three front runners.

Who? - Luis Garcia - Speculation Where is he? - Espanyol Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur are set to sign Luis Garcia from Espanyol, according to reports in Spain. Garcia, 27, was the top-scorer for the Barcelona-based club in La Liga last season and has reportedly agreed terms on a move to White Hart Lane. The Spain international is a long-term target of Spurs' Spanish coach Juande Ramos and could cost the north London club around 5million. Ramos has also been linked with fellow Espanyol team-mates Carlos Kameni, Daniel Jarque and Albert Riera this summer.

Who? - Didier Drogba - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Marseille

Marseille fans are trying to raise 22million so their club can buy Didier Drogba. The Ivorian striker has been linked with a Chelsea exit for much of the summer, despite new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari insisting he wants the player to stay. Barcelona, Inter Milan and AC Milan are among the clubs hoping to sign him, but now Marseille fans are hoping to lure the player back to the club he left to join Chelsea four years ago. A fan called Kain is asking fellow supporters to pledge up to five euros to raise funds. "Let's try to see is us supporters can pay for him by each donating one or two euros maximum to the club," he wrote on the website which is home to the drive. They have already raised 5,000 euros

Who? - George McCartney - Speculation Where is he? - West Ham United Who is he linked with? - Sunderland

West Ham United defender George McCartney has cooled rumours of him leaving the club. Sunderland are reported to have had a 4.5million offer for their former player turned down, but even if the Black Cats were to offer enough to interest the Hammers, McCartney has insisted he is happy where he is. "I would like to stay at West Ham," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "I have no desire to leave. When clubs show an interest in you it is flattering but I have enjoyed my time at West Ham and I have played in every league game for them since February last year.

Who? - David Silva - Speculation Where is he? - Valencia CF Who is he linked with? - Liverpool

Liverpool will make a bid to sign David Silva, if reports are to be believed. Rafa Benitez had previously wanted to sign David Villa, but found himself priced out by club Valencia. However, The Sun is reporting that Silva will be available for around half of the 32million the Spanish club want for Villa. And, with the club needing to cover the costs of building their new stadium, it is thought they may have to sell. The 22-year-old midfielder has been with Valencia since the start of his career and was part of the Spain squad which recently won Euro 2008.

Who? - Falcao - Speculation Where is he? - River Plate Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Arsenal are thought to be leading the race for South American sensation Falcao. Manchester United have been linked with the River Plate star throughout the summer, and were believed to be favourties to sign him. However, with Emmanuel Adebayor looking to be on his way out of the Emirates, Arsene Wenger could make a move. Falcao has scored 38 goals in 58 games for River Plate.

Who? - Tal Ben-Haim - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Manchester City

Manchester City are reportedly closing in on signing out-of-favour Chelsea defender Tal Ben-Haim. The Israel international started just ten games in the Premier League for the Blues last season following his arrival on a free transfer from Bolton Wanderers in June. The 26-year-old is behind John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and Alex in the pecking order and has been linked with a 5million move to Eastlands. Meanwhile, City are poised to end Bernardo Corradi's unhappy two-year spell at the club by allowing the Italian striker to join Reggina. The 32-year-old hitman spent last season on loan in Serie A with Parma after struggling to settle in England following his arrival in July 2006.

Who? - George Boateng - Very likely Where is he? - Middlesbrough Who is he linked with? - Hull City

Hull City are poised to complete the signing of George Boateng after agreeing terms with Middlesbrough and the veteran midfielder over a move to the KC Stadium. The 32-year-old Dutchman will sign a two-year contract with the newly-promoted Premier League side on Monday subject to passing a medical. Boateng had been expected to leave the Riverside Stadium this summer after slipping down the pecking order last season. The former Coventry City and Aston Villa midfielder made over 220 appearances during six seasons on Teesside. "He's coming in for his medical and to sign contracts on Monday," chairman Paul Duffen told BBC Radio Humberside. "He couldn't come in earlier because he's gone to fulfill a commitment in France playing in a charity match to raise money for Africa. All things being equal, obviously the medical has still got to go through but short of formalities we're there with George now which is great. He's a player of real quality and real class with a fantastic track record and will be exactly the sort of character, as well as skill, that we need."

Who? - Almost everyone - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - The exit door

Juande Ramos will let many of his Tottenham Hotspur players leave this summer, it is being reported. The Spaniard has signed Luka Modric and Geovanni Dos Santos this summer, and looks set to continue rebuilding his squad by shipping out many of Martin Jol's old team. Paul Robinson has long been linked with an exit, with Aston Villa thought to be frontrunners to sign him. However, he looks set to be joined by Pascal Chimbonda, Michael Dawson, Anthony Gardner and Young Pyo-Lee. Steed Malbranque, Teemu Tainio, Kevin Boateng and Hossam Ghaly are also thought to be heading for the exit door. The club is still in the running for winger David Bentley, however, and may use the funds raised from these sales to wrestle him from Blackburn Rovers.

Manchester United have hit back at Sepp Blatter after the FIFA president accused them of 'slavery' over their decision to deny Cristiano Ronaldo a move to Real Madrid.

Blatter launched an astonishing attack on the Premier League and European champions in an interview in which he likened their stance on Ronaldo to 'modern slavery'.

The Old Trafford club have steadfastly refused to entertain selling the Portugal international to his Spanish suitors despite the saga rumbling on for the last two months.

Real are reported to be willing to pay a world record £75million to land the unsettled 23-year-old winger, who has himself suggested a move to the Bernabeu would be an attractive proposition.

Blatter though risked the wrath of the Red Devils when he claimed they should not stand in the way of Ronaldo despite him being just 18 months into a five-year contract.

But a spokesman for United replied: "All our players - like at other clubs - enter into their contracts after an open and free negotiation.

"Most of whom do so after taking advice from a FIFA-registered agent.

"Many do so on a number of occasions and enjoy long and successful stays at Old Trafford."

Speaking in an earlier interview, the outspoken Blatter had claimed: "If the player wants to play somewhere else, then a solution should be found because if he stays in a club where he does not feel comfortable to play then it's not good for the player and for the club.

"I'm always in favour of protecting the player and, if the player wants to leave, let him leave.

"I think in football there's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there and putting them somewhere."

Normally when footballers watch Countdown it's only to work out how many naughty words they can form out of the jumble of letters Carol Vorderman shoves on that weird blue board of hers. Not any more though. Notts County midfielder Neil MacKenzie has been lighting up the Channel 4 numbers and words game in recent days, even though his bid to become an 'Octochamp' (that means someone who wins eight games in a row) came to an end on Monday. He could still get in the winners' knock-out competition at the end of the year though, so his Countdown dream isn't over just yet.

MacKenzie is the first professional footballer to appear on the series in its 25-year history. He cruised through the auditions, and wowed presenters Vorderman and Des O'Connor (who, in a neat reversal, was himself a professional footballer with Northampton Town before moving into showbiz) with his dominance over digits and love of lexicon. Says associate producer Kate Horton: "Neil has a broad vocabulary, which is essential to do well on this show."

MacKenzie's run saw him edge out a dramatic victory in which he won by correctly guessing the infamous Countdown conundrum before his opponent on his first day, but the County man is taking it all in his stride. "I watched it when I was a kid, and have done ever since," he told the Nottingham Evening Post. "I have always come up with words, and the numbers. My mum joked I seemed to be okay, so I ought to go for an audition. I did, and ended up on the show."
But surely an intelligent footballer is an affront to nature of some sort? "I did not do particularly well at school, but have always seemed to have a knack for this," continued MacKenzie. "I have always been pretty solid on the words and good at the conundrums - so the important thing was not to disgrace myself. The adrenaline does get running. But Des O'Connor was great and he makes you relax, so the nerves went after about five minutes of the show."

Another player who has been showing that his brain isn't just there to help him walk without falling over is Conall Murtagh of Wrexham. The 23-year-old has just graduated from Manchester University with a 2:1 degree in physiology, though the footballer inside him was perhaps partly responsible for this as he managed to incorporate video games into his studies. Murtagh looked into whether the Nintendo Wii and its wireless controllers could be used to help people lose weight and solve the nation's obesity problem.

Aston Villa have confirmed that they have agreed to sign Chelsea midfielder Steven Sidwell, subject to the 25-year passing a medical.

Villa have announced that the deal should be concluded within the next 24 hours.

Sidwell endured a frustrating time at Stamford Bridge last season following his transfer from Reading.

He started only 13 games for the Blues, with another 12 appearances coming from the substitute's bench.

Sidwell is expected to replace Gareth Barry who seems certain to leave Villa Park for Liverpool at some time this summer.

Meanwhile, Villa boss Martin O'Neill remains undecided on who will be the club captain in the new season.

He told Villa's official website: "There are quite a few candidates at the club and perhaps others not yet at the club.

"Martin Laursen would certainly be one of the names I'd be thinking about. He was terrific last season.
"There are a number of people who would want it but there are a number of people who are on my list who might not want it. I haven't discussed it yet.

"There are quite a few candidates at the club and perhaps others not yet at the club. So that's something I'll look at further down the line."

Fulham have been given permission to open talks with West Ham United duo Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil.

Striker Zamora and full-back Paintsil have been deemed surplus to requirements at Upton Park after being used sparingly by manager Alan Curbishley last season.

Zamora found the net just once in 14 appearances, while Pantsil has started just seven Premier League games during two seasons with the Hammers.

"West Ham can confirm the club have received an approach from Fulham for the transfer of Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil," read a statement on the club's official website. "The club are looking forward to an exciting new season with a fully-fit squad, including the return of Kieron Dyer and Craig Bellamy along with Dean Ashton secured on a long-term contract. "Added to the form of Carlton Cole and the emergence of Freddie Sears, the decision has been made to let Fulham speak to the two players." Chief executive Scott Duxbury added: "We recognise Bobby Zamora and John Paintsil had limited first-team opportunities last season. "They want to play regular first-team football and we have given permission for them to speak to Fulham with a view to concluding a move."

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has launched a stunning attack on Manchester United after accusing them of 'modern slavery' over their decision to deny Cristiano Ronaldo a move to Real Madrid.

The outspoken head of the game's governing body has condemned the Old Trafford club's handling of the high-profile transfer saga that has dragged on for two months.

United have hit out at Real Madrid for their public pursuit of Ronaldo and even reported their Spanish rivals to FIFA for making continued statements which they believed unsettled the Portugal international.

But Blatter appears to have little sympathy for United or any other club attempting to keep hold of an unhappy player who remains on a long-term contract.

Instead he believes Ronaldo should be allowed to join Madrid, who are believed to be willing to pay a world record £75million for the 23-year-old winger.

"The important thing is, we should also protect the player," he claimed.

"If the player wants to play somewhere else, then a solution should be found because if he stays in a club where he does not feel comfortable to play then it's not good for the player and for the club.

"I'm always in favour of protecting the player and, if the player wants to leave, let him leave.
"I think in football there's too much modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here and there and putting them somewhere.

"We are trying now to intervene in such cases. The reaction to the Bosman law is to make long-lasting contacts in order to keep the players and then if he wants to leave, then there is only one solution, he has to pay (off) his contract."

Football agent Paul Stretford, best known for having Manchester United's Wayne Rooney as one of his clients, has been fined £300,000 and banned from football for 18 months.

The punishments are the result of an FA disciplinary hearing into charges brought against Stetford relating to his acquisition of Rooney as a client and for improper conduct.

The ruling deemed that Stretford had made "false and/or misleading witness statements to police and given false and/or misleading testimony to Warrington Crown Court."

The punishment is the result of a lengthy legal battle between Stretford and the FA, with the Proactive agent unsuccessfully arguing that the FA had no power to punish him.

The hearing ruled against Stretford in seven of nine cases of breaching the FIFA players' agent regulations. They include failing to protect Rooney's interests and failing to respect the rights of third parties.

"The commission found that Mr Stretford did encourage Mr Rooney and his parents to enter into a representation agreement with Proactive Sports Management Limited on July 17 2002," an FA statement explained.

"(Stretford) knew Mr Rooney was still then under contract with Pro-Form Sports Management Limited."

Stretford has yet to confirm whether he will appeal against the decision. If he does, the ban will not come into effect until that process is over.

Who? - Juan Arango - Speculation Where is he? - Real Mallorca Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are being linked with a move to sign Real Mallorca midfield star Juan Arango, who has admitted that he fancies a move to England. The Venezuelan international is likely to leave Mallorca as they continue to sell star players to ease their financial worries. "The transfer window will close his doors in two months and many things can happen," Arango said. "I am aware of many rumours but nothing has been decided yet. I owe respect to my current club; as a consequence, speaking of my preference would not be correct. At the moment the English league is the best in the world, above all including the Spanish one and I would welcome moving there if it's good for me."

Who? - Pablo Aimar - Speculation Where is he? - Real Zaragoza Who is he linked with? - Newcastle United and Everton

Newcastle United and Everton look to have missed out on the signing of Argentine star Pablo Aimar, who is set to move to Benfica. The Real Zaragoza striker is leaving the Spanish club this summer and had been linked with both the Magpies and the Toffees, but seems to have rejected a move to England. New Benfica coach Quique Sanchez Flores managed Aimar at Valencia and believes that he has convinced him to make the switch to Portugal. "Aimar wants to play at the highest level, he knows Benfica's history, is aware of the coaching staff's interest and understands it's doable," Flores said. "It's everybody's dream and I hope the transfer will be concrete in the next few days."

Who? - Robert Green - Speculation Where is he? - West Ham United Who is he linked with? - Aston Villa

Having given up on signing Scott Carson from Liverpool, Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has apparently turned his attention to West Ham United keeper Robert Green. The former Norwich City keeper was one of West Ham's key players last season and has been linked with a move away from Upton Park this summer. O'Neill had hoped to bring Carson back to Villa Park on a permanent basis after his impressive performances on loan last season, but baulked at the price tag Liverpool placed on him. However, with the deal to sign Steven Sidwell almost completed and O'Neill also targeting either Miguel or Steve Finnan, Green could be one of a number of new faces at Aston Villa in the next few weeks.

Who? - Aleksandr Hleb - Speculation Where is he? - Arsenal Who is he linked with? - Barcelona

Reports from Spain suggest that Barcelona and Arsenal have agreed a deal to allow Aleksandr Hleb to move to the Nou Camp this summer. The Belarus international midfielder has been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium all summer, but it had looked like the interest from Barcelona had started to cool. However, sources claim that now a deal has been done between the clubs, Hleb will fly to Spain to undergo a medical, making him the second high profile departure from Arsenal this summer after Mathieu Flamini moved to AC Milan. Arsenal have been strongly linked with a move for Andrei Arshavin in recent days, with the Russian star also reportedly a target for Barcelona.

Who? - Diego Cavalieri - Quite likely Where is he? - Palmeiras Who is he linked with? - Liverpool

Liverpool are on the verge of signing Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri from Palmeiras for around 3m. Reports suggest that Cavalieri has already completed his medical and been granted a work permit, while his agent has confirmed that a deal is close. Juninho Parmigiani, told Brazilian media: "We will conclude everything soon. He has already had the necessary medical examinations, talked with some of his new team-mates and has been impressed by what Rafael Benitez had to say to him." Palmeiras sporting director, Toninho Cecilio added: "I have spoken and he has completed the examinations and is very happy. There are some clauses still being discussed but nothing that can block the deal." Cavalieri will be Liverpool's third signing of the summer after Philipp Degen and Andrea Dossena, and his arrival is likely to signal Charles Itandje's departure to Galatasaray as well as another possible loan deal for Scott Carson.

Who? - Jonathan Walters and David Nugent - Speculation Where is he? - Ipswich Town and PortsmouthWho is he linked with? - Hull City

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis is being linked with both Ipswich Town striker Jonathan Walters and Portsmouth's David Nugent. However, Town's chief executive Derek Bowden insists the Potters have not made a bid for Walters who was one of the outstanding players in the Championship last term. The 24-year-old forward has been linked with a 2million switch to the Britannia Stadium after being named as Town's Player of the Year last season. Wigan Athletic and West Brom have also been linked with Walters, who has scored 17 goals in 57 appearances for Town since moving to Portman Road from Chester City 18 months ago. Meanwhile, the Potters could spend 3million on former Preston striker Nugent who has struggled since moving to Portsmouth last summer. Hull City are also being linked with the 23-year-old who started only eight games for Pompey last term.

Luiz Felipe Scolari claims Frank Lampard wants to stay at Chelsea and is keen to sign a new contract despite interest in the midfielder from Internazionale.

The 30-year-old England international was the subject of an approach from the Italian champions earlier in the week which the Blues rejected.

Former Chelsea and newly-installed Inter boss Jose Mourinho had hoped to lure the unsettled midfielder to Italy.

But speaking at his first press conference since being handed the managerial reins at Stamford Bridge, the former Portugal coach revealed he had held positive talks with Lampard over his future.

The former West Ham United youngster has just 12 months remaining on his existing contract and has failed to agree terms on a new deal despite lengthy discussions.

"I spoke to Frank Lampard yesterday and I like him as a player and a person," revealed Scolari. "I asked if he wanted to stay and he said 'not only this season but more'. He said he wants to stay and play for Chelsea for many years.

"I am very happy because Chelsea needs Lampard. I think he is with us for more time than one year."

Meanwhile, Scolari also attempted to end speculation surrounding the future of Didier Drogba.
The striker has been linked with moves to Internazionale, AC Milan and Real Madrid during a summer of speculation, but Scolari claimed the Ivory Coast hit-man is: "200 per cent part of his plans".

"I spoke to him yesterday at our base," he continued. "He has a little problem with his knee but he is happy at Chelsea."

Elsewhere, the 59-year-old Brazilian revealed he was undaunted by the prospect of following in the footsteps of a manager who was sacked after guiding the club to three runners-up finishes last season.

His predecessor Avram Grant was axed after finishing second in the Premier League and losing in the Finals of the Champions League and League Cup last season.

"This is a new challenge and a different challenge," he conceded. "In my life I have never had an opportunity like Chelsea.

"All the coaches in the world need to win and I am at one of the biggest clubs in the world so sure I need to win."

Scolari though was keen to keep his cards close to his chest in terms of possible future new signings.

Portugal playmaker Deco has already joined the Blues since his appointment, but elsewhere Scolari was coy on his plans to make a mark on the squad he has inherited.

"I don't know now how many changes I need to make," he claimed. "I need to see the players in training and get to know the group. After this it is possible to say how many changes we need or don't (need)."

The ongoing saga surrounding Emmanuel Adebayor's future has taken a new twist after AC Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliani claimed Arsenal had written to him to say they were willing to discuss selling the Togo international.

Earlier in the week, Galliani had appeared to cool his interest in the 24-year-old when he suggested the Gunners' valuation of the player was far more than he was willing to pay.

But speaking on Antenna 3 on Tuesday night, Galliani said: "I will reveal to you a scoop.
"I have received a letter from Arsenal that says, 'Following our communication of June 13, in which we informed you we were not willing to deal over Adebayor, now we are writing to tell you that we will consider a deal if it still interests you'.

"If Adebayor decides to leave Arsenal, we are certainly interested."

The former AS Monaco forward has been tracked by the Italian giants throughout the summer despite Arsenal insisting he was not for sale.

The north London club are reported to be holding out for £35million for last season's 30-goal top-scorer.

LA Galaxy came off second best in the battle of the division leaders on Friday evening as they were beaten 2-1 by New England Revolution. Galaxy went into this game top of the Western Standings, while New England were leading the Eastern division, but it was only the visitors who looked like champions in the first-half as they dominated proceedings and went 2-0 up thanks to a quick-fire brace shortly before half-time from Adam Cristman.

The striker came close to setting up a third as he squared the ball to Mauricio Castro, only for the forward to miss an open goal and hit the post. Inspired by their close call, Galaxy came out a stronger team in the second period and pulled one back 24 minutes from the end through a deflected Beckham effort. However, despite dominating the latter stages, the hosts couldn't find an equaliser, and are now leading the Western Standings on goal difference alone.

Beckham's goal was one of the team's first on target, and coach Ruud Gullit was frustrated by his team's poor first-half display. "If you see the first half, our biggest problem was midfield," the Dutch legend insisted. "People panic under a little bit of pressure and gave the ball away to the opposition, you get out of your rhythm. There's no need for that. We train on not to panic even if you are under pressure. In this game, it was not good in the midfield."

Beckham was also disappointed with the first half display, blaming a lack of concentration for the two goals conceded. "Sometimes you look to play passes which aren't on or you play passes to the person you think is free and they're not," he explained. "That's about mentality. It's to make sure decision-making and to keep concentration. You have to concentrate for 90 minutes because everyone knows in seconds you can lose a goal by not concentrating."

Who? - Pako Ayesteran - Speculation Where is he? - Benfica Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Sir Alex Ferguson could appoint former Liverpool coach Pako Ayesteran as his new assistant. Current number two Carlos Queiroz is set to vacate the post for the Portugal job, and there are several candidates thought to be in the running to replace him. Many had tipped former United star and Academy director Brian McClair, while Laurent Blanc and Swansea City boss Roberto Martinez have also been linked. However, now it seems former Liverpool coach Ayesteran could be in the running. Ayesteran is currently a coach at Benfica after ending his partnership with Rafa Benitez last season.

Who? - Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - Speculation Where is he? - Ajax Who is he linked with? - Arsenal and Manchester United

Dutch giants Ajax have played down talk linking Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with a move away from the club. Arsenal and Manchester United are said to be interested in the Dutch international, and he himself confessed his admiration for the Old Trafford outfit over the weekend. However, Ajax have insisted they have had no contact from Arsenal and that they are keen to keep hold of the player who scored 33 goals last season. "We really don't want him to leave and we are going to do everything we can to make sure he doesn't," said acting managing director Henri van der Aat. "There has been no contact with Arsenal."

Who? - Andrew Johnson - Speculation Where is he? - Everton Who is he linked with? - Wigan Athletic

Wigan Athletic are understood to be in the race to sign Andrew Johnson from Everton. The 27-year-old striker has been linked with a Goodison Park exit throughout the summer, but David Moyes has insisted that he is staying put. However, the BBC is now reporting that Wigan boss Steve Bruce is preparing a bid that could be enough to sway Moyes. Sunderland, along with West Ham United, are also known to be interested in signing the former Crystal Palace man. Johnson began his career at Birmingham City in 1997, before moving onto Palace five years later. He joined Everton for 8.6million in May 2006.

Who? - Roberto Carlos - Speculation Where is he? - Fenerbahce Who is he linked with? - Chelsea

Brazil legend Roberto Carlos has claimed that Chelsea are interested in signing him. The 35-year-old former Real Madrid left-back currently plays his football at Feberbahce, but would be tempted by a move to Stamford Bridge. "I am content at Fenerbahce, but I am a man who likes challenges and a move to Chelsea would be very attractive," he told the Daily Star. "I understand that Felipe [Scolari] wants people with him who he has confidence in and who he knows. As yet I have not spoken to him since he has arrived at Chelsea." Carlos was part of the 2002 Brazilian World Cup winning side which was managed by new Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Who? - David Bentley - Speculation Where is he? - Blackburn Rovers Who is he linked with? - Aston Villa, Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton

Blackburn Rovers are reportedly ready to sell wantaway forward David Bentley, but will only do so for 17million. A host of clubs, including Aston Villa, Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton. They have already turned down a players-plus-cash deal from Tottenham, and are looking for cash only. It is thought they are trying to raise some funds to buy players of their own. Bentley began his career at Arsenal in 2001, but struggled to find regular football with the Gunners and joined Blackburn five years later.

Who? - Andrei Arshavin - Speculation Where is he? - Zenit St Petersburg Who is he linked with? - Arsenal and Chelsea

Arsenal and Chelsea have been given fresh hope of signing Andrei Arshavin after Zenit St Petersburg broke off negotiations with Barcelona over the transfer of the Russia playmaker. The two London clubs have both been strongly linked with moves for the 27-year-old star of Euro 2008 despite Barcelona being favourites to clinch his signature. Arshavin himself also suggested a move to the Camp Nou was the most likely occurrence, but the Russian side have now called off negotiations with the Spanish club. Zenit are unhappy that Barca failed to improve their original 12million offer in a second approach at the beginning of the week. Coach Dick Advocaat has already suggested his club is looking for something in the region of 20million for the talented midfielder. "Barcelona have failed to improve their original offer of 15million euros," read a club statement. "We decided to end our negotiations with the Spanish club. We have not received any offers for Arshavin from any other clubs, therefore there are no discussions going on about his transfer."

Who? - Rafael van der Vaart - Speculation Where is he? - Hamburg Who is he linked with? - Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of signing Rafael van der Vaart have been ended after the Netherlands winger ruled out a move to White Hart Lane. The 25-year-old Hamburg star is a transfer target for some of Europe's leading clubs this summer after another impressive season in the Bundesliga last year. But the former Ajax youngster does not see his future being with the north London club despite reports of a 15million offer being on the table. Van der Vaart has spent three seasons with Hamburg and is now coached at the HSH Nordbank Arena by former Spurs boss Martin Jol. "The interest has been there for some time already, but they are not the club I want to go to," he said, referring to a potential move to Spurs. "Tottenham are not a club I want to swap Hamburg for. The chance that I will stay at HSV is really big. As long as no team comes by which makes me immediately excited, I see no reason to leave. And so far none of those clubs have called us."

Who? - Xabi Alonso - Speculation Where is he? - Liverpool Who is he linked with? - Juventus

Midfielder Xabi Alonso wants to stay at Liverpool and win the Premier League title despite reports suggesting he is wanted by Juventus. The Spain international had been expected to leave Anfield this summer after slipping down the pecking order last season. But the 26-year-old former Real Sociedad star, who has made over 110 appearances during his four seasons with the Reds, is hoping to persuade manager Rafael Benitez that his future remains with the Merseyside club. Juve are reported to be willing to pay up to 12million for Alonso, who has now spoken about his future for the first time since helping Spain triumph at Euro 2008. "Everyone treats me so well here," he said. "There are a few stories over a possible transfer but I would prefer not to talk about my future. I want to win the Premier League as that is the only trophy which is missing."

With the 2008 Olympic games due to start on the 8th August anyone going to the Chinese capital Beijing would appear to need a good supply of filter masks if a test on the pollution levels in the Chinese capital which was conducted by the BBC is to be believed.

When Beijing bid for the Olympics in 2001, it said that its air would meet World Health Organization standards. The tests for airborne particles called PM10 was conducted over a 7 day period, and the City failed to meet the required level on 6 of those days.

In fact the levels were found to be 7 times over the World Health organisations permitted levels.

The Chinese believe they still have time to get the problem sorted but it is a big ask, and i for one would not want to run a marathon in those conditions and it must place an even greater strain on any athlete involved in endurance events.

But then call me cynical but when have an athletes wishes been put before those of TV and commericial business needs, heaven forbid someones health comes before the opportunity to get rich.

Newcastle United have described as 'nonsense' reports that the family of Osama bin Laden had contacted the Magpies about a potential takeover.

Newly-installed managing director Derek Llambias has hit out at the stories which suggested the St James' Park club were in talks with the Saudi Bin Laden Group over a �300million buyout.

The reports came hard on the heels of suggestions that Magpies owner Mike Ashley had been contacted by New York-based finance company InterMedia Partners over another takeover last week.

"At a time when everyone at Newcastle United is working hard to prepare for the new season ahead, it is annoying that we have to continually correct inaccurate newspaper stories," Llambias told the club's official website.

"Whoever is putting these stories around is clearly trying to destabilise the club and you wonder what their motives are for doing this.

"By putting a new management structure in place this year, by investing in new signings at first team and academy level, and by introducing cheaper tickets for our younger fans, the long-term commitment and vision for Newcastle United is there for all to see.
"Those actions speak louder than any words and I'm sure supporters see these stories for what they are - utter nonsense."

Arsenal midfielder Alex Hleb has moved a step closer to the exit door after launching a verbal attack on Arsene Wenger and Cesc Fabregas.

The Belarus international is expected to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer with Internazionale and Barcelona believed to be interested in acquiring his services.

Speaking on Monday, chairman Peter Hill-Wood admitted Hleb was likely to leave the Gunners and the unhappy midfielder has now revealed the reasons behind his decision to move on.

Hleb, who joined from Stuttgart in an £11milion deal in 2005, has made over 125 appearances for the north London club.

"My view of how I should be playing didn't coincide with the manager's," he told The Sun.
"I told him last season I wanted to leave and think he was quite upset about it. But ask him. It may turn out he's happy to see me go."

Meanwhile, Hleb has also hit out at midfield colleague Fabregas after accusing the Spaniard of being selfish.

"When we get scoring opportunities, Fabregas is much more selfish than me," he continued. "Given a chance to shoot, he always goes for it - unlike me."

Wigan Athletic have handed professional contracts to a host of players who have progressed through the ranks at the JJB Stadium.

Luke Ashworth, Lewis Field, Matty Hampson, Joe Holt, Craig Mahon, Andrew Pearson and Jon Routledge have all signed their first deals with the Latics after graduating from the club's academy.

The seven players include 6ft 3inch centre-back Ashworth, who was voted youth team player of the year, plus Republic of Ireland Under-19 striker Mahon.

"They all now have a chance to prove themselves," manager Steve Bruce told club's official website.

"We feel they have the potential to develop into Wigan Athletic players of the future, but now it's up to them to show me and the rest of the staff here that they have what it takes."

Portsmouth have agreed a fee with Liverpool for Peter Crouch and the striker is now set to hold talks with the south coast club over a £10million move to Fratton Park.

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp had seen two previous bids for Crouch rejected by the Anfield club and had vowed not to pay over the odds for the England striker.

But the two clubs have now agreed a fee for a player who had been expected to move on this summer after revealing his frustration at a lack of starting opportunities.

"We have reached a verbal agreement with Portsmouth and have given them permission to speak with Peter," confirmed a Reds spokesman.

Crouch spent one season at Portsmouth six years ago under Redknapp, before moving on to Aston Villa, Southampton and then the Reds in 2005.

He scored 42 goals in 135 games during his time on Merseyside despite struggling to hold down a starting place in manager Rafael Benitez's plans.

Crouch will form a new-look strike partnership with fellow England international Jermain Defoe at Fratton Park in the forthcoming season should he agree personal terms at Fratton Park.

Who? - Cristiano Ronaldo - Speculation Where is he? - Manchester United Who is he linked with? - Real Madrid

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon believes Manchester United should be "happy and proud" to let Cristiano Ronaldo leave in what he has called "the transfer of the century".The Portuguese midfielder has been at the centre of a long-running tug of war between United and Real and it still remains unclear as to where his future lies. Real are understood to be on the verge of a bid which could be as large as 70million, but Sir Alex Ferguson has remained adament that the player will stay. However, Calderon has now told Spanish newspaper AS: "I think that, first of all, it's the desire of the player [to move]. But, of course, Manchester shouldn't be angry and they should open up their stance. We can't be blamed if nearly every player wants to come to Real Madrid. If I was Manchester United I'd be happy and proud to be able to negotiate such a transfer for one of my players. Everything would be a lot easier if United realised that they could pull off the transfer of the century."

Who? - Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Adebayor - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea and Arsenal Who is he linked with? - AC Milan

AC Milan have confirmed that they are interested in signing Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Adebayor. The pair are both understood to be on the verge of leaving their respective clubs, and Milan are in need of a striker in time for the new season. "It's no secret we're interested in signing a forward and are studying candidates," technical director Leonardo told the BBC. "Drogba is a fine player and Adebayor is a player I really like. We are waiting for the right time to move." Both players have also been linked with Barcelona, while Drogba has attracted the attentions of Real Madrid as well.

Who? - Frank Lampard - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Internazionale

Inter Milan have begun negotiations over a move for Frank Lampard, the BBC is reporting. There have been rumours throughout the summer of a switch, and it is now understood Inter have faxed through an opening bid of around 6.5million. The England international is in the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge and has yet to sign an extension. Chelsea recently signed midfielder Deco, and that suggests Lampard may not have a guaranteed place in the starting line-up next season. Jose Mourinho was last week coy on a possible move for Lampard, but it would seem he is at least going to try to sign his former player.

Who? - Darren Fletcher - Speculation Where is he? - Manchester United Who is he linked with? - Everton

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is being linked with a move to Everton. Fletcher is a long way down the Old Trafford midfield pecking order now and it seems a move away from United is the only way of him guaranteeing a regular first team place for next season. Everton could do with a ball-winner as both Lee Carsley and Thomas Gravesen left the club in the summer. And United may have to sell in order to finance any move for a new striker.

Who? - Kaka - Speculation Where is he? - AC Milan Who is he linked with? - Chelsea

Chelsea have played down rumours they have made an "astronomical" bid for Kaka, according to reports. AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani made the claim yesterday, revealing: "For Kaka, a really big offer has arrived from Chelsea. However, it now appears that the Blues are not interested in the Brazilian's signature, and that he will stay at the San Siro. Meanwhile, Luiz Felipe Scolari will begin his management of the club on Monday as the players return for pre-season training. "It is fantastic to finally be here," said the Brazilian. "The training ground is world class and I am very impressed by everything I have seen and heard from the staff. I am looking forward to welcoming the players back from their summer holidays so we can start working together."

Who? - Steve Davis - Speculation Where is he? - Fulham Who is he linked with? - Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers could make a move for Fulham star Steve Davis, if reports are to be believed. The 23-year-old midfielder spent last season on loan at Rangers. Gers boss Walter Smith is keen to make the move permanent, but it is though he has not yet met Fulham's 4million valuation. Rovers boss Paul Ince is also thought to rate the player, and may make a move if Rangers continue to stall. Davis began his career at Aston Villa in 2003, before moving to Fulham in 2007. However, his time at Craven Cottage ended when then-manager Lawrie Sanchez was sacked.

Who? - Roy Makaay - Speculation Where is he? - Feyenoord Who is he linked with? - Hull City

Hull City are reportedly in the running for former Bayern Munich star Roy Makaay. The 33-year-old currently plays his football at Feyenoord, but the Dutch side have recently changed manager and this means he could leave for just 1.5million. Manchester United star Frazier Campbell led the line for the Tigers last season, but he is set to return to Old Trafford after a season-long loan, leaving Phil Brown in need of a striker. Brown added to his ranks over the weekend by signing Geovanni from Manchester City.

Who? - Ruben de la Red - Speculation Where is he? - Real Madrid Who is he linked with? - Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa

Three Premier League teams lead the race for Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red. Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa are all thought to be in the chase for the Spanish star. He was sold by Real last season to Getafe, but the Spanish giants used their option to sign him back shortly after. The player is now thought to be valued at around 15million. De la Red scored his first goal for Spain during their Euro 2008 clash with Greece.

Who? - Pascal Chimbonda - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - Hamburg

Tottenham Hotspur defender Pascal Chimbonda is reportedly on the verge of leaving White Hart Lane for Hamburg. The 29-year-old right-back is being tracked by former Spurs boss Martin Jol, who is keen to bring him to the Bundesliga. Chimbonda's future at the north London club has been in doubt since his angry reaction to being substituted during the Carling Cup Final victory over Chelsea in February. The 9million arrival of Scotland full-back Alan Hutton from Rangers in January also led to a reduction in starting opportunities for the France defender. Chimbonda was brought to Spurs by Jol in a 4.5million deal from Wigan Athletic in August 2006. He has made almost 100 appearances in all competitions during two seasons at White Hart Lane.

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has dropped a major hint that he expects Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo to remain at Old Trafford next season.

Calderon has been desperate to try and lure the Portugal winger to the Bernabeu this summer, but appears to have finally given up the ghost with Ronaldo set to undergo surgery on an ankle problem.

He told Marca: "Ronaldo has said he would like to play here, that it is a dream, that he would be excited to come to Real Madrid.

"But it is a desire of the player which cannot be carried out without Manchester's agreement. Manchester has to want it.

"Once they decide to sell him and communicate this, we can say we are talking about a possible transfer. But as of today that is not happening.

"Theoretically we still have time, there are still two months left until the end of August if Manchester gets in touch with Real Madrid and makes an offer.

"The most probable outcome as of today is that Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to play for Manchester United next year."

Meanwhile, United's assistant manager Carlos Queiroz has dropped a major hint that he could be about to leave Old Trafford to become the new coach of the Portugal national team.
Queiroz is being lined up as the successor to Luiz Felipe Scolari and the United number two is clearly tempted by the role.

He told the Portuguese media: "I can say little more at this time. Currently, the matter is out of my hands.

"From my part, there is not much to say, it needs to be resolved between the Portuguese football federation and Manchester United.

"We must wait calmly. I have spoken with the two parties and now I wait for movement."

Manchester City seem all but certain to miss out on Ronaldinho after Brazil coach Dunga predicted the unsettled star will join AC Milan.

Ronaldinho is certain to leave Barcelona this summer after being made available for transfer with the Citizens, Milan and Chelsea all believed to be interested.

But despite City owner Thaksin Shinawatra admitting that it would be a 'dream' to lure Ronaldinho to Eastlands, the player now seems certain to be heading to Italy.

Last week, the 28-year-old's agent suggested Milan was his likely destination and now Dunga has endorsed the view that the Rossoneri are in pole position to land the former world and European player of the year.

"Ronaldinho wishes to join Milan," he revealed.

"Players decide how transfers go. The Rossoneri hold all the cards in hand."

Meanwhile, Dunga has backed Ronaldinho to get into shape and make an impact on the Brazil side at next month's Olympic Games in Beijing.

"Such reports are exaggerated. He is only a few kilograms overweight," he continued.

"He will quickly slim down and this summer he'll star in Beijing."

Brian McClair has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Carlos Queiroz should he decide to step down as Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United to become the new coach of the Portugal national side.

Queiroz, 55, is expected to be named the successor to new Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari in the international hot-seat.

The Portuguese coach has spent five seasons at Old Trafford in two spells as Ferguson's number two and is credited with helping lure the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson to the club.

Speaking over the weekend, Queiroz admitted his time with the Red Devils is coming towards a close.

"From my part, there is not much to say, it needs to be resolved between the (Portuguese) federation and Manchester United," he revealed.

"I can say little more than you know at this time. Currently the matter is out of my hands"
However, Queiroz's likely exit is expected to lead to a promotion for former United striker McClair.

The 44-year-old Scot is currently employed as the director of the club's youth academy.
McClair, who spent 11 years as a player at Old Trafford, returned to the club as a youth coach in 1998 after an ill-fated spell at Blackburn Rovers, before being promoted to reserve team manager and then his current position at the start of the 2006/07 campaign.

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has confirmed that the Italian giants have fielded a major bid from Chelsea for Brazilian ace Kaka.

The 26-year-old forward has always claimed to be fully committed to the Rossoneri, but the Blues are testing the water at the San Siro.

Galliani told La Stampa: "For Kaka, a really big offer has arrived from Chelsea.

"However, despite failing to qualify for the Champions League, the club is strengthening the squad and increasing the wages. This means we'll be 35million in the red without owner Silvio Berlusconi's help.

"The fans should be happy, as all we'd need to do in order to wipe out our debts is sell Kaka and Andrea Pirlo. Instead they won't move, so if that's not a show of love for this club, I don't know what is."

Galliani also says that Milan are leading the chase for Barcelona superstar Ronaldinho, who is reported to have turned down the chance to join Manchester City.

"Ronaldinho has rejected the offer of Manchester City despite them offering twice as much as we can," Galliani added.

"He is not in the plans of Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, so he has a more favourable price.

"But the problem is the wages. For us to be able to afford him the transfer fee would have to be close to nothing."

Who? - Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - Speculation Where is he? - Ajax Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Ajax and Netherlands star Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has spoken of his love of Manchester United, with the striker expected to leave his homeland this summer. The 24-year-old recently rejected the offer of a new contract from the Amsterdam club and seems certain to move on, with a number of clubs across the continent monitoring the situation. Huntelaar told the Dutch media: "I love clubs with great history like Ajax, I also love Manchester United. It's a club that makes me dream, especially as Ruud van Nistelrooy played there and did great things with them. I know certain English clubs are following me, like Manchester United, who are very interested in me."

Who? - Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - Speculation Where is he? - Ajax Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Arsenal will make a move for Dutch superstar Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, if reports are to be believed. Emmanuel Adebayor looks set to leave the club this summer, and it is understood Arsene Wenger is willing to pay 18million to replace him with Huntelaar. A source told the News of the World: "Arsenal are keen on Huntelaar and he has confirmed he would be keen to discuss a move. Klaas-Jan is an out and out goalscorer and just the sort Arsenal have needed for many seasons. He might not have the silky skills you associate with a Wenger team but he has an amazing knack for putting the ball in the net."

Who? - Gareth Barry - Quite likely Where is he? - Aston Villa Who is he linked with? - Liverpool
Rafa Benitez could offer Steve Finnan to Aston Villa in a bid to sign Gareth Barry. The Midlands club have been in a long-running transfer saga with Liverpool over the future of the England international. Barry said last week that he wants to leave Villa Park, but Martin O'Neill has insisted that Benitez has not yet met his valuation of the player. However, the Spaniard believes that a 15million-plus-Finnan deal would be enough. Earlier this week, Barry was fined by the club and banned from pre-season training.

Lewis Hamilton had in his words "The best win of his career" When he came 4th on the grid at the start to win the British Grad Prix at Silverstone yesterday.

Hamilton had not scored points in his previous 2 races and the pressure was building heading into his home event, but the young British driver went a long way to answer his critics by responding to the challenging and finishing ahead Heidfeld in the BMW and Barrichello in the Honda.

The win lifted Hamilton to joint top of the drivers championship table on 48 points with Massa and Raikkonen and 2 ahead of Kubicka in what is fast becoming one of the closest and most exciting Drivers titles in recent years.

In the constructors title race Ferrari still lead from BMW with Mclaren 3rd in what is now in effect a 3 horse race (or should that be horse-power!).

The mixed doubles final was played out on Court number One as a result of the drama being played out on Centre Court in the Mens Final yesterday.

In the end Unseeded pair Bob Bryan and Samantha Stosur bounced back from disappointment in other doubles competitions to win the mixed doubles title.

Bob and his partner over came his brother Mike and his partner Katarina Srebotnik 7-5 6-4 in just over an hour in a match that stated at 8:30 pm and was the last match to be decided at this years tournament.

The words "classic" games and true Champion are often misused in the World of sport today, but few would argue that the Mens Singles Final played late into the evening yesterday on Centre Court was a Classic match which for me produced 2 true Champions!

Rafa Nadal won the crown in 5 pulsating sets over Roger Federer the defending champion and the man going for his 6th consecutive Wimbledon title.

The final score of 6-4 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-7 (8-10) 9-7 does not even begin to tell the story of the match, i have watched Wimbledon for nearly 40 years and i have never seen 2 players so determined to win a game. This from the first point of the game was going to be a match where neither would give an inch and every point would have to be earned.

Nadal raced into a 2 set lead against a Federer who seemed to be playing on instinct and who i believe was taken a bit by surprise by the quality of Nadals game.

The Nadal momentum was stopped when the rains came mid way through the 3rd set and they had to leave the court for about an hour. On their return it was Federer who came out firing on all cylinders and came back from 5-2 down in the 3rd set tie break to win the set and then take the fourth set also on a tie break.

In both the sets and tie breaks Nadal had chances to win the game but Federer played like the true champion he is and it was clear the young Spaniard would have to find yet another gear.

At times it was more like a boxing match then a tennis match with both men trading blows from the baseline and neither one prepared to give an inch.

Going into the 5th set Federer looked to have the edge as he had time after time come back from game points and set points down in an attempt to keep his crown, and indeed it was only at the beginning of the 5th set that he finally edged in front for the first time.

Then it was Nadal`s turn to dig in and find that extra something that makes true champions, which is exactly what he did in the fifteenth game of the final set when he broke Federer and then held his nerve and his serve to finally win 9-7 in the gathering gloom.

Nadal became the first man since Borg in 1980 to win the French and Wimbbledon titles in the same year and the final was not surprisingly the longest in Mens singles history at Wimbledon.

For me it was the greatest final ever and showed that both men as well as great players have the hearts of lions and are indeed true champions, it was a pity one had to lose.

Earlier in the week i mention a young British girl who was doing well in the girls singles, at that time i like so many knew nothing about the 14 year old who lives just down the road from the famous venue.

After yesterday afternoons 3 set victory of number 3 seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn it seems we are destined to hear a lot more about her.

Laura Robson gave a performance on number 1 court yesterday which was way beyond her 14 years and if she progresses as well as the experts seem to think she is destined to be a major player in years to come.

Full credit to her 16 year old opponent who acquitted herself wonderfully and played her part in a terrific game but the guts and determination Laura showed when things were going against her in the second set would put a lot of the senior players to shame.

She dug in kept believing in herself and finally triumphed 6-3 3-6 6-1 to become the first British winner of this title since 1984 when Annabel Croft won.

The special thing about Laura is that she seems to be a well balanced educated young girl who is extremely focused and her post match interviews would of won her even more fans.

Full credit must go to her mother and the coach team for the work put in on her and hopefully the public expectation will not crush this gem of a find, from what i have seen so far i doubt it!

Venus Williams retained her title and claimed her 5th Ladies Singles title in all with a 7-5 6-4 win over sister Serena on Centre Court yesterday.

The Final was a technically high quality affair between undoubtedly the two best players in this years competition but it never quite made the "classic" grade.

However Venus did well to overcome her younger siblings opening onslaught when she was in fact 4-2 down in the first set, to steadily draw level then go past her opponent.

At 28 Venus still has enough time to challenge the record 9 titles of Martina Navratilova depending on her motivation.

To show there were no hard feelings Venus teamed up with Serena later in the evening to take the Ladies Doubles title 6-2 6-2 against Lisa Raymond and Sam Stosar in a one side but entertaining match.

The sisters who were incredibly only seeded 11 in the competition cruised through to the Final without dropping a set, and now have the incredible record of 6 Ladies doubles titles from 6 Grand Slam events.

The Mens Doubles Final saw Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic the number 2 seeds beat Jonas Bjorkman and Kevin Ullyett 7-6 6-7 6-3 6-2 victory.

It was a deserved win for the 2nd seeds as the only conceded one break point in the whole match but it was a sad end to the Wimbledon career of Bjorkman, who is retiring this year.
It was the 129th match at Wimbledon 95 of which had ended in victories a great record by any ones standards.

Former Birmingham City star Mauro Zarate has joined Lazio on loan from Al-Sadd.

The Argentine striker spent the second half of last season with Alex McLeish's side and scored four goals in 14 games.

However, after the Blues were relegated from the top-flight, he headed back to his parent club.
Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth were understood to be interested in signing the player.

But Zarate has now chosen to move to Italy, with Lazio having the option to make the move permanent once the loan has finished.

Manager Mark Hughes has revealed his relief at finally getting his teeth into the job at Manchester City following the return of his players to pre-season training.

Hughes was confirmed as Sven-Goran Eriksson's replacement in the managerial hot-seat on June 4, but has spent his first month at Eastlands itching to meet up with his players and preparing for the new season,

"We've been looking forward to it - well I certainly have," he told the club's official website.
"It seems to have been a long time since I first came to the club and signed on the dotted line.
"It's very been good and it's gone very quickly, but there's been a bit of frustration because a lot of the work I've been doing has been to get a feel for Carrington, see what changes needed to be made and make it a better environment for the players.

"All that's been ongoing, but first and foremost I'm a football manager and I want to work with football players."

Meanwhile, Hughes has revealed he has granted those players involved in Euro 2008 extra time off before reporting back for pre-season training.

"There's a few missing from the start of pre-season training," he continued.

"A number of players have been playing internationals right up until the middle of June. That includes the likes of Vedran Corluka and Gelson Fernandes along with a number of others, so I've given them dispensation.

"I think it's important after a long, hard season, that if you can give them three to four weeks complete rest you'll reap the benefits further on in the season."

Zenit St Petersburg coach Dick Advocaat has left in-demand forward Andrei Arshavin out of his plans for the coming weeks, with the Euro 2008 star set to to leave the club.

The 27-year-old is on the wanted lists of several top clubs across Europe, with Chelsea and Arsenal believed to be among the interested parties.

That situation has left Advocaat concerned that his player is not focused on the job in hand, with Arshavin almost certainly having played his last game for Zenit.

Advocaat told the Russian media: "Andrei won't play until things are all cleared up. "It's a joint decision. Better put, I told him he shouldn't play and he agreed. "I understand the situation perfectly, as he's been playing here for seven years.

"The wish of a player who is still young to go and shine at a foreign club is very understandable.
"We can't keep hold of the player if someone offers good money, in the region of 25 or 30million euros."

Who? - Joey Barton - Speculation Where is he? - Newcastle United Who is he linked with? - Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers have rubbished reports which suggested they were keen to sign controversial midfielder Joey Barton from Newcastle United. The 25-year-old former Manchester City midfielder is currently serving a six-month prison sentence for assault and affray. Last week, Barton was also handed a four-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting former team-mate Ousmane Dabo in a training ground incident. Several stories have suggested the troubled midfielder will be released by the Magpies when the returns to the club. But Bolton are adamant they have no intention of signing the one-time capped England international whatever his future situation. "At no point has any representative of Bolton Wanderers expressed an interest in or made an enquiry about Joey Barton," said a club spokesman. "We would like to reiterate that Bolton Wanderers is not interested in the services of Barton."

Who? - Deiberson Geovanni - Very likely Where is he? - Manchester City Who is he linked with? - Hull City

Hull City have agreed a two-year contract with Geovanni and will sign the former Manchester City midfielder subject to a medical. Geovanni, 28, joined up with the Tigers at their pre-season training camp in Italy following his release by the Citizens after just one season at Eastlands. The former Barcelona and Benfica star started just two Premier League games last season, but impressed Hull boss Phil Brown as he looks to build a side capable of competing in the top-flight during the coming season. France defender Bernard Mendy is also believed to be close to agreeing terms with the KC Stadium outfit.

Who? - Obafemi Martins - Speculation Where is he? - Newcastle United Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins has admitted he would relish the chance to play for Arsenal. The Nigerian striker has been linked on several occassions to the Gunners after struggling to settle at St James's Park. No deal has been forthcoming because the teams have not been able to agree on a price, but if a fee can be settled on, Martins could be on his way. "Arsenal is a big club that everyone wants to play for," he said. "I am thrilled and it will be nice to play for such a team. But, now that I am a Newcastle player, there is nothing much to say. If it is true, both clubs would have to reach an agreement. Is Arsenal a good club? Yes. Would I love to play there? Probably, if Newcastle are ready to listen to them. But if Newcastle says no then it'll be no."

Who? - Didier Drogba - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Real Madrid
Didier Drogba will move to Real Madrid in a deal which will see Robinho head to Chelsea, according to reports. The Ivorian striker has long been thought to be on his way out of Stamford Bridge, while Luis Felipe Scolari is known to be keen on Robinho. In this deal, it is thought Robinho will move to London, with Chelsea paying 8million along with Drogba to seal the Brazilian's signature. And Drogba's agent Pierre Frelot has confirmed his player would be interested. "In football nothing is impossible. I would not wish to discard his chance," Frelot said. "Drogba now is calm because he already plays in a big club like Chelsea, but also Real Madrid is one of the biggest in the world."

Who? - Marcos Senna - Speculation Where is he? - Villarreal Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Villarreal president Fernando Roig has said he is not concerned by the interest in Marcos Senna. The defender had a fantastic Euro 2008 tournament for Spain, attracting the interest of Arsenal and Juventus along the way. However, Roig has insisted that he is confident the player will stay due to his 25million price tag. "We are not frightened of the interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world since we have tied our captain to a 36million euro cancellation clause," Roig revealed. "That's the figure a club would have to pay if they want his services. But the best thing is if he doesn't go. He is very happy at Villarreal and we are very happy with him."

Italian soccer is preparing itself for yet another match fixing probe. Hot on the heals of the "Calciopoli" scandal involving Juventus, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio.

Five players have been charged over alleged match-fixing of last season's Serie A fixtures between Atalanta and relegated Livorno.

Both ties played between the sides in December last year and May this year are under investigation

The results were a 1-1 in December and an Atlanta win (3-2) in May.

Livorno were relegated at the end of last season and it will be interesting to see how the powers that be react to this incident if it is found to be true, as stated earlier Italian soccer is no stranger to these allegations and it would be naive to think it is the only league affected by this problem, but it is certainly one of the highest profile leagues and the powers in UEFA need to start to take strong action against clubs,officials and players proven to be involved in this blight.

We will wait and see the outcome, old cynic that i am i am not holding my breath for quick action.

As expected yesterday Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal cruised into the Mens Singles Final on Sunday by winning both their matches in straight sets against their unseeded opponents.

First on court was Federer the defending Champion, and he recorded his 65 straight win on grass with little trouble winning 6-3 7-6 6-4. However it has to be said that Safin will go away from this tournament with great credit as he at last seemed to show the talent that was so obvious early on in his career.

Next up was Nadal who was the conqueror of Andy Murray in the previous round he beat Rainer Schuettler 6-1 7-6 6-4 with only a slight hiccup in the second set to set up a repeat of the 2006 and 2007 Finals.

In the mixed doubles Semi Final, Jamie Murray and Liezel Huber lost in 3 sets to Bob Bryan and Sam Stosar in an entertaining match on Centre Court yesterday evening. Murray and his partner won the first set comfortably but then the more experienced duo began to take over control and Murray and Huber struggled in particular against the power serve of Bryan.

Eventually they lost 2-6 7-6 6-4.

One bright spot for Britain yesterday was the fact that Laura Robson the 14 year old managed to beat Tabakova of Slovakia, 6-2 7-5 to reach the Final of the Girl`s singles competition.

Tabakova who is 17 had no answer to Laura`s serve and in fact the British girl only dropped 4 points on her serve all match an amazing stat.

She now goes on to play number 3 seed Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (try saying that 10 times fast!) of Thailand in todays Final and on the form she has shown so far must have a great chance of success.

West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley has made the Icelandic teenager Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson his first capture of the summer.

The 17-year-old defender moves to Upton Park on a long-term contract from HK Kopavogur after impressing on a trial with the Premier League side in February.

"I am really happy to sign for West Ham," he told the club's official website.

"I have heard of many good players that have come from the club's academy. When I was on trial in February I really enjoyed the tempo and style of training and it helped me take my talent to the next level.

"It is obviously very scary to move away from my family, but it is my dream to play in England and what I have always wanted to do, so that outweighs any apprehension I had about moving here.

"Playing for the Iceland Under-21s has been the best experience for me and I am so grateful to the coach for giving me that opportunity as it has helped me develop my game so much quicker. I am sure that is part of the reason West Ham signed me."

Meanwhile, young Czech goalkeeper Marek Stech has signed a new five-year contract with the Hammers.

France international Samir Nasri is just ten days away from joining Arsenal, according to his agent.

The 20-year-old Marseille starlet claimed last month that he had agreed a deal to sign for the Gunners, only for his representative, Jean-Pierre Bernes, to deny the move had been finalised.

The highly-rated youngster was expected to move to the Emirates Stadium for a fee of around £15million.

But after being in limbo for two weeks, Nasri is now believed to be close to sealing his move to the north London club.

"He is on his holidays," revealed Bernes. "It (the deal) will be made when he will be back, in about ten days."

Nasri, who has been a long-term target of Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, made two substitute appearances for France, against Italy and Romania, at Euro 2008 as Les Bleus failed to progress from the group stage.

Newcastle United have dismissed as "absolute nonsense" talk that owner Mike Ashley is preparing to sell the club.

Several reports on Friday morning claimed New York-based finance company InterMedia Partners were interested in taking over at St James' Park and had already held talks with Ashley.

However, the Magpies have denied claims that Ashley wants to sell his stake in the club.
The stories also suggested that the Magpies owner was looking for £420million to sell a club which he bought for around £130million last summer.
"It is absolute nonsense," claimed a club spokesperson.

Ashley took over at St James' Park in June 2007 after buying out Sir John Hall and then former chairman Freddy Shepherd.

Who? - Andrei Arshavin - Speculation Where is he? - Zenit St Petersburg Who is he linked with? - Chelsea

Euro 2008 star Andrei Arshavin is closing in on a move to Chelsea, according to media sources in Russia. The Zenit St Petersburg forward had been expected to sign for Barcelona after comments he made in recent weeks, but Chelsea seem to have gone to the front of the queue. Russian journalist Stefan Chaushyan claims to have a source close to the negotiations between Chelsea and Zenit and says that a deal is almost done. "Andrei has just agreed all details of a personal contract with the London club," he said. "In the near future, the clubs will sign all documents necessary to close the deal. Andrei will fly to London, where he will undergo a medical and put his signature to a contract." Reports in the UK press suggest that Arshavin's wife and mother are both in favour of a move to Britain rather than Spain, while others claimed that the player will be in talks with Roman Abramovich over the next few days.

Who? - Didier Drogba - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Real Madrid
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba would consider a move to Real Madrid this summer, according to his agent. The Ivory Coast international has been tipped to leave Stamford Bridge during the close season with a switch to Internazionale - where he would link up again with former Blues boss Jose Mourinho - reported to be his preferred choice. But Drogba's agent, Pierre Frelot, has suggested a move to Spain with Real would also be an attractive proposition. The 30-year-old former Marseille hitman has scored 80 goals during four seasons with the Stamford Bridge club. When asked whether a move to Madrid would interest his client, Frelot replied: "Why not? Didier is calm because he is at a great club like Chelsea, but Real Madrid are also a great club."

Annan Athleic have replaced Gretna in the Scottish Third Division this season.

They gained 17 of the 29 votes required to beat Cove Rangers for the coveted place. The side are based in Dumfries and Galloway an are 16 miles from Scottish Cup Finalists Queen of the South.

The representaives that went to visit the club were all impressed by the organisation and set up behind the side, and though Annan only finished 7th in last seasons East of Scotland league they will be with the big boys come the big kick off later this month.

Their first match as an SFL club will be on the 26th July when they are at Clyde in the Scottish Challenge Cup.

Zimbabwe will miss next years 20/20 World Cup to be played in England next year it has been announced.

The decision was taken voluntarily and the Zimbabweans have not been suspended from international cricket yet by the ICC, but there is no doubt pressure was applied to safe guard the event.

As always opinion was divided on the decision with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India supporting Zimbabwe.

My opinion is Sport and politics should be kept seperate but in the real World this never seems to happen, but if one way of showing disgust at certain events Worldwide is to boycott Sporting events them i personally feel it has to be done.

Most of us are fortunate to be able to be free to watch and participate in Sport, but it is at times like this that thought should be given to those less fortunate.

The Williams sisters made sure that the Ladies Singles prize money stayed in the family this year by setting up their 3rd Wimbledon Final meeting.

Venus will be going for her 5th title and Serena her 3rd and it is fair to say that both girls have hit form at just the right time after an indifferent season for both.

Neither sister has dropped a set in this years event and the Final will be fascinating with i expect Venus just edging the eve in 3 sets.

Venus over came number 5 seed Elena Dementieva in her Semi 6-1 7-6 where the Russian always looked to be troubled by the power of Venus`s serve, in particular her first serve which the Russian only managed 10 points off in the entire match.

Serena was in equally impressive form against Zheng of China a wild card entrant for this years tournament and who has donated her prize money to the Earthquake appeal in her home province (over paid, spoilt footballers please take note!).

Serena won 6-2 7-6 and again it was the power of her game which her smaller opponent could not handle.

The last mens Semi Final place was finally settled after over 5 hours of tennis and 2 days when
Schuettler of Germany beat Clement of France 6-3 5-7 7-6 6-7 8-6 and he now goes on to face Rafa Nadal in todays Semi.

The odds are incredibly in the favour of Nadal as the 32 year old German must be physically and mentally spent after a classic encounter with the Frenchman. The 5 hour 12 minute match was the equal second longest in Wimbledon history on beaten by the 5 hours 28 minutes it took Greg Holmes' to beat Todd Witsken in in 1989.

On bright spot for Britain yesterday was the fact that 14 year old Laura Robson the youngest girl left in the girls singles and already conqueror of the 2nd seed Oudin of the USA in an earlier round beat her Serb opponent Jovanovski to set up a Semi final match against Slovakian Tabakova.

The 5 foot 7 inch left hander was actually born in Australia but now only lives a 5 minute walk away from Wimbledon and she is competing against girls of up to 18 years of age.

Hopefully a good crowd will cheer her on and we could possibly be seeing the birth of a Lady player to challenge in the future for majors along with Andy Murray.

Central defender Curtis Davies has put the seal on his permanent transfer from West Bromwich Albion to Aston Villa.

The 23-year-old moved to Villa Park on loan a year ago, with a potential permanent deal put in place at that time and Davies has now formally signed a four-year contract with Villa.

Davies made just 14 appearances last term before a ruptured Achilles tendon ended his season in March.

He told his club's official website: "I think everyone knows what game I'm targeting - the game at the Albion on September 20. It's a very tight thing, but I think I can be back for that.
"Obviously it'll be down to the manager and I hope the team that starts the season gets off to a flier. I'm not going to expect to walk straight back into the team for any game.

"I just need to keep progressing really, I can't worry about any one individual game.

"As much as I'd love to play that game, there's a lot more to the season, hopefully with a long European campaign coming up. I need to make sure I'm right for the whole season and not just the one game."

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has confirmed that nine players will not be handed contracts for the new season.

They include four senior players, one of whom, Jihai Sun, has already agreed a switch to Sheffield United.

Paul Dickov, Geovanni and Emile Mpenza have also been told their futures lie away from Eastlands.

Geovanni has been linked with Hull City while Dickov could join Blackpool on a permanent basis. Mpenza has attracted interest from Premier League and Championship clubs.
Garry Breen, who has signed for Hereford United, Michael Daly, Filippo Mancini, Ashley Grimes and Christian Mouritsen have also been released.

Grimes has agreed a contract with Millwall.

Spanish newspaper AS has claimed that the Glazer family are resigned to the prospect of losing Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid this summer.

No firm negotiations have yet begun between the two clubs, but United's American owners and chief executive David Gill are already planning for life after Ronaldo's exit, according to AS.

The Madrid-based paper claims that a fee of around £60m would be enough to convince United to part with their Portuguese superstar.

For his part, all Ronaldo would say about his future after meeting with Old Trafford medical staff yesterday was: "I will spend the period of my recovery in my house in Sintra, but regarding my future I cannot say anything."

Who? - Emmanuel Adebayor - Speculation Where is he? - Arsenal Who is he linked with? - AC Milan/Barcelona

Barcelona lead the way in the chase for Emmanuel Adebayor after AC Milan withdrew their interest in the Arsenal striker. Milan had been pursuing Adebayor all summer, but baulked at the price-tag the Gunners placed on him, and vice president Adriano Galliani announced on Wednesday that they had given up. "I will not spend 45m euros on a player," he said. "The figures just aren't compatible with what the Italian clubs can afford. If the price goes down then a deal could be reached." Arsenal apparently rejected a bid from Barcelona for Adebayor on Wednesday, while his agent Stephane Courbis has insisted that money is not the issue for his client. "It is vital that Arsenal show their motivation to keep him," Courbis said in the Daily Star. "There has been a love story between Adebayor and Arsenal and his relationship with Arsene Wenger is based on trust and respect."

Who? - Marcos Senna - Speculation Where is he? - Villarreal Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Villarreal's Spain midfielder Marcos Senna is set to disappoint a number of clubs across Europe by pledging his future to the Yellow Submarine. The 31-year-old holding player, who was a key figure in Spain's run to glory at Euro 2008, still has another two years of his current contract at El Madrigal to run and is keen to extend that deal. Senna told The Sun: "I met with the president of Villarreal on Tuesday and we talked about extending my contract by two years. "But now I want to rest. I am on holiday and hope to detach myself from these things." Villarreal president, Fernando Roig, added: "He wants to stay for life with us and he's a great person. We are very proud of him. "Senna is happy here and he is staying at Villarreal." Arsenal were reported to be leading the chase for Senna's signature, with Arsene Wenger on the lookout for a replacement for Mathieu Flamini, who joined AC Milan

Who? - Cristiano Ronaldo - Speculation Where is he? - Manchester United Who is he linked with? - Real Madrid

Spanish newspaper AS has claimed that the Glazer family are resigned to the prospect of losing Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid this summer. No firm negotiations have yet begun between the two clubs, but United's American owners and chief executive David Gill are already planning for life after Ronaldo's exit, according to AS. The Madrid-based paper claims that a fee of around 60m would be enough to convince United to part with their Portuguese superstar. For his part, all Ronaldo would say about his future after meeting with Old Trafford medical staff yesterday was: "I will spend the period of my recovery in my house in Sintra, but regarding my future I cannot say anything."

Who? - Anton Ferdinand - Speculation Where is he? - West Ham United Who is he linked with? - Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur

West Ham United centre-back Anton Ferdinand has tried to play down speculation linking him with a summer exit from Upton Park. The 23-year-old has been linked with the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, but says he has not been made aware of any concrete interest. He told Sky Sports News: "It's just speculation. Until I get back to London I don't know what's going on. For me personally, until Alan Curbishley says I'm not a West Ham player, then I'll be a West Ham player. I love playing for the club." England Under-21 international Ferdinand has scored five goals in 163 appearances for the Irons to date, having made his debut in August 2003 against Preston North End. Meanwhile, the Hammers have been linked with a move to sign Croatian striker Josip Tadic. The 20-year-old currently plays his club football for Dinamo Zagreb, having returned to his homeland from a short stint with Bayer Leverkusen.

Who? - Andrei Arshavin - Speculation Where is he? - Zenit St Petersburg Who is he linked with? - Chelsea

Chelsea have emerged as leading contenders to sign Zenit St Petersburg and Russia star Andrei Arshavin. The 27-year-old is a target for several of Europe's top clubs, having made known his desire to leave his homeland after impressing at Euro 2008, with Barcelona his preferred destination. However, Zenit officials have confirmed that the Blues could step in to land Arshavin. Spokesman Konstantin Sarsania told the Daily Star: "On Thursday, players from the national team return to our training camp. Arshavin and his agent, Pavel Andreev, are to clarify their position with us then. We do not want to sell Arshavin. That's exactly why we need Andrei to meet the bosses of the club, to understand that he is really after. My understanding was that he would like to go and play abroad, but he isn't only interested in moving to Barcelona. There's also Chelsea. Andrei never rejected the idea of moving there. The Chelsea bosses know the situation and have already talked to his agent."

Who? - Didier Digard - Speculation Where is he? - Paris St Germain Who is he linked with? - Middlesbrough

Paris St Germain have suspended midfielder Didier Digard, who is holding out for a move to England to join Middlesbrough this summer. The 21-year-old had slammed PSG over delays to the switch, claiming that the club's board were incompetent over their handling of the affair. PSG for their part responded by stating that they were still waiting on bank guarantees from Boro to seal the deal. A statement from the French club earlier in the week had read: "Twelve days after an agreement in principle between PSG and Middlesbrough for the transfer of Didier Digard, the directors are still waiting for bank guarantees from the English club. After two hours of discussion an agreement was come to. A rate of instalments for the payment of the transfer was also decided upon. Part of the detail of the agreement on the part of the English club was to provide PSG with bank guarantees. Up until now these guarantees have not been presented. Nevertheless, negotiations continue in a climate of reciprocal confidence."

Who? - Gareth Barry - Speculation Where is he? - Aston Villa Who is he linked with? - Liverpool
Aston Villa have rejected an improved offer from Liverpool for England midfielder Gareth Barry, saying that the bid is still way short of their valuation of their captain. The 27-year-old was rumoured to have been the subject of a final 15million bid from the Reds, but Villa still say that they will not sanction a deal at that level. A short statement on the club's official website read: "The report in today's paper of a 17million offer for Gareth Barry is inaccurate. "The club have received a renewed offer from Liverpool for the player, but that still falls well short of Aston Villa's valuation and has subsequently been rejected." Barry has his heart set on a move to Anfield in search of Champions League football, while he was disciplined by Villa yesterday over an unauthorised interview with a Sunday newspaper in which he criticised manager Martin O'Neill. Those comments have seen Barry being told to stay away from the start of pre-season training at Villa, with it looking all but certain that he has played his final game for the club.

Defending champion Roger Federer made short work of his quarter final opponent Mario Ancic to cruise into the Semi Finals of Wimbledon yet again.

Even the first rain of this years tournament could not put the number one seed of his stride and he only lost 10 points on his service in the whole match as he ran out a easy winner 6-1, -5, 6-4 to face unseeded Marat Safin in Fridays Semi Finals.

Safin had a harder time disposing of number 31 seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain but won in 4 sets
3-6 7-5 7-6 6-3 and there is no doubt that the conqueror of Novak Djokovic in an earlier round is playing some of the best tennis of his career, but if it is good enough to beat the master of grass is an entirely different matter and i expect Federer to win again without dropping a set.

The centre Court was packed again for the match of the round between Rafa Nadal and Britains Andy Murray, and though their s only 1 years difference in age with Nadal being 22 and Murray 21, the gulf in class yesterday was considerably wider as Nadal won in straight sets 6-3 6-2 6-4.

The effect of the 5 set marathon had to be one reason for Murrays slightly low key performance but nothing should be taken away from the Spaniards vastly improved grass court game, and Murray can leave these championships with his head held high as he conducted himself like a true professional both on and off the court.

I also feel that Murray will one day be a Wimbledon champion as he has the steel ad fight in him that i never really was convinced was in Tim Henman, time will tell.

Nadal will face either Schuettler or Clement in the semis in a match which continues today with both players having won i set each.

The stereotype of an English man is that he spends his life thinking about just two things, sex and football, but which comes first (if you'll pardon our Carry On style pun) for them? A survey out this week commissioned by radio station talkSPORT has revealed that when asked what they would prefer - England winning the World Cup or them getting to sleep with a Page 3 girl, over three quarters of men said they would rather 'do it' for their country. How noble of them.

The results of the survey highlighted the real passion in many men's lives in the UK is not women, but football. Of course, this won't come as much of a surprise to anyone who happens to know an English man. When respondents were asked if they would cancel their wedding for tickets to see England in a World Cup final, a staggering 41% said they would. And incredibly - and frankly disgracefully - over in one-in-four admitted that they would miss the birth of their child for the same tickets!

Down the pub, football is still the main topic of conversation with 72% of blokes saying it's what they talked most about, with 13% saying work, 8% saying cars and 6% saying sex. Only 2% of men admitted to talking mainly about their girlfriends or wives. You can always spot them in the pub, they're the ones who no-one is listening to or paying any kind of attention to. Bless 'em.
James Mallinson, Publisher of talkSPORT Magazine - free to subscribers via email or online at www.talkSPORT.net/mag - said: "This survey has captured what men 'really' think and talk about, and that's football. It's a national obsession and we've all been gutted, as we've had to sit back and watch a whole host of Premier League stars taking part in Euro 08 without a home nation in sight. The new season can't start soon enough!"

Which would you prefer!

Manchester City have completed the signing of CSKA Moscow's highly-rated Brazilian striker Jo on a four-year contract for a fee believed to be in the region of £19million.

The 21-year-old found the net 44 times in 77 games for the Russian side following his transfer from Brazilian side Corinthians in 2005.

City manager Mark Hughes said of his first signing since replacing Sven-Goran Eriksson as manager at Eastlands: "He's a big talent and a young man with a big future.

"A lot has been said about him and there was a big expectation on him coming out of Brazil. So with the success he's had I think it's a real coup that we've been able to bring him to the club.
"He's a big guy, in stature and in ability, so I think everybody will enjoy watching him play."

Jo had earlier said of his decision to leave CSKA: "There is a hard moment for every player - when you have to leave a club which is dear to you.

"CSKA is nothing less than a large family. I spent two exciting years at CSKA. During this time I kept improving myself and my name became known in Europe.

"I enjoyed working with all of my team-mates, and together we've won many remarkable trophies.

"I will always keep in my memory the days at CSKA and I wish great success to my former club."

Derby County striker Craig Fagan has returned to Premier League new-boys Hull City in a £750,000 deal.

The 25-year-old, who left the KC Stadium for the Rams 18 months ago, has penned a three-year deal with City.

Fagan moved to the KC Stadium on loan in March, making 11 appearances for the Tigers as they secured promotion from the Championship via the play-offs.

Meanwhile, City boss Phil Brown continues to be linked with a host of players including Geovanni who spent last season with Manchester City.

The Brazilian has also been linked with a switch to Cruzeiro in his homeland.

Bernard Mendy and Stelios Giannakopoulos are also believed to be close to agreeing deals with the Tigers.

Sweden international goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson has ended his disappointing two-season stay with Manchester City by completing his move to PSV Eindhoven for an undisclosed transfer fee.

The 26-year-old joined City from Rennes in 2006 for £2million but made only 20 appearances for the club with the last coming in the 8-1 capitulation at Middlesbrough in May.

Isaksson had to play second fiddle to England Under-21 international Joe Hart for much of the 2007-08 campaign but started all Sweden's games at Euro 2008.

He started his career with Trelleborgs and also spent time with Djurgardens in his homeland, as well as a two-year stint with Juventus.

Isaksson told PSV's official website: "I'm looking forward to it. It feels good to be here. Hopefully, I can enjoy a very nice time. PSV is a great club.

"It's a stable club which has achieved good results in recent years, both domestically and in Europe."

The Football Association has fined Blackburn Rovers for failing to control their players in the 1-0 victory at Newcastle United in March.

Rovers were warned as to their future conduct and fined £10,000, of which £7,500 was suspended until 31 May 2009.

Matt Derbyshire scored a last-gasp winner for Mark Hughes' side at St James' Park, but the game would also be remembered for a remarkable bust-up between Habib Beye and Morten Gamst Pedersen over a disputed throw-in.

The incident led to approximately a dozen players and staff from both clubs getting involved as the pair grappled on the touchline.

A brief statement on the FA's official website read: "The Commission found the club guilty of failing to ensure that their players and/or officials conducted themselves in an orderly fashion."

Who? - Daniel Alves - Speculation Where is he? - Sevilla Who is he linked with? - Barcelona

Barcelona have signed Daniel Alves from Sevilla for a fee of 23.5million. The Brazilian defender had been linked with a move to the Premier League, but now he's heading to the Nou Camp in a deal which makes him the the most expensive right-back in the world. "Barcelona want a return to the success of two years ago and it's an honour that they are counting on me," said Alves.

Who? - Xavi - Speculation Where is he? - Barcelona Who is he linked with? - Inter Milan, Manchester United and Liverpool

Manchester United and Liverpool could go head-to-head with old foe Jose Mourinho in the race to sign Xavi. The Barcelona star was voted Player of the Tournament for Spain in Euro 2008, and Spanish newspaper Marca claims that the two Premier League clubs and Mourinho's Inter Milan are looking to sign him. The former Chelsea boss has told President Massimo Moratti to target the Spanish star, and if successful it would also mean that a move for Frank Lampard would be all-but redundant.

Who? - Pablo Aimar - Speculation Where is he? - Real Zaragoza Who is he linked with? - Everton

David Moyes could make a bid for Argentina star Pablo Aimar, if his budget will allow it. The Everton manager is still not sure of how much money he will have to spend this summer, but is eager to add to his small squad. Midfielder Aimar currently plays his football at Real Zaragoza, having moved there in 2006 for 8.5million. However, as the club was relegated at the end of last season, it is thought that price will be cut and Moyes may well swoop.

Who? - Frank Lampard - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Internazionale

Frank Lampard is on his way to Inter Milan for a fee of 7million, if reports are to be believed. Jose Mourinho has been linked with a move for his old player since joining the club in May, and over the weekend it was suggested a switch was close to being completed. Since then, Portugal star Deco has moved to Stamford Bridge only heightening rumours of Lampard's exit, and now it seems details are starting to surface, with the England man apparently heading to Milan on a four-year-deal. Lampard began his career at West Ham in 1994, before moving across London in 2001.

Who? - Emmanuel Adebayor - Speculation Where is he? - Arsenal Who is he linked with? - Barcelona

Arsenal have reportedly rejected a bid for Emmanuel Adebayor from Barcelona. The Gunners striker has been linked with a move away from the Emirates for much of the summer and admitted over the weekend that he would entertain the idea of leaving. However, despite a bid understood to be in the region of 25million from the Spanish giants, Arsenal are keeping hold of their man at the moment. It is thought Wenger is waiting for either a bigger bid to come in, or until he has lined up a suitable replacement.

Who? - Xabi Alonso - Speculation Where is he? - Liverpool Who is he linked with? - Juventus

Serie A high-fliers Juventus are lining up a 16.5million bid for Xabi Alonso, according to the Daily Mail. The Italian giants have missed out on their primary midfield target, with Alberto Aquiliani ready to sign a new contract with Roma. This means Juve will once more look to bid for Alonso, after previously having a 14.5million offer turned down. The Spanish midfielder has been with Liverpool since 2004, scoring 11 goals in over one hundred appearances.

Who? - Paul Robinson - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - Aston Villa

Aston Villa are in the race to sign Paul Robinson, according to reports. The Tottenham Hotspur stopper struggled to find a regular place in the starting line-up once Juande Ramos took over at White Hart Lane last season, and has been linked with a move away from the club for many months. Spurs have recently signed PSV Eindhoven keeper Huerelho Gomes, and this will only intensify rumours of an exit for Robinson. Scott Carson was the number one keeper at Villa Park last term, but Martin O'Neill has not decided to make his loan move permanent, and it is now thought he will swoop for Robinson to replace the Liverpool man.

Who? - Eidur Gudjohnsen - Speculation Where is he? - Barcelona Who is he linked with? - West Ham United

West Ham United are rumoured to have joined the chase for Eidur Gudjohnsen. The Barcelona forward has struggled to settle at the Nou Camp since moving there from Chelsea in 2006, and has been recently linked with a move to Portsmouth. However, West Ham were said to have attempted to sign him last season, only to find their attempts rebuffed. But now it seems they are back in the hunt, with new Barca coach Josep Guardiola possibly ready to let him go, despite the player being contracted until 2010.

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For the first time in Wimbledon ladies Singles history none of the First 3 seeds had made it to the quarter final stage of the tournament, and indeed the top seed left was the number5 seed Elena Dementieva of Russia.

She was however pushed all the way in her Quarter Final match against fellow Russian Nadia Petrova but finally triumphed 6-3 in the Final set.

She now goes on to meet Serena Williams in the Semi Finals which take place on Thursday after she powered to yet another straight set win 6-4, 6-0 against Radwanska of Poland,. Radwanska never really looked on the pace of the match and was soon dispatched by her more experienced opponent.

The other semi will see Venus Williams take on the surprise of the Ladies event this year, wild card entrant Zheng of China.

Venus again looked like a champion when she beat Tanasugarn of Thailand in straight sets again 6-3, 6-4, whilst Zheng battled past Vaidasova of the Czech Republic the number 1 seed in 3 sets,
6-2 5-7 6-1.

Today sees the Mens Quarter Final and the match of the round has to be Andy Murray and Rafa Nadal, both men have been in good form at this years event and hopefully we will be treated to another classic encounter today.

Newcastle United will hold talks with Joey Barton about the midfielder's future at St James' Park when he is released from prison.

The 25-year-old was spared a second spell in jail on Tuesday when he was given a four-month suspended sentence for attacking former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.

The England international is currently serving a six-month prison sentence for assault but is set to be released in the next few days.

A brief statement on the Magpies' official website read: "Newcastle United notes the sentence passed to Joey Barton at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court today.

"The club now intends to hold discussions with Joey and his representatives at the earliest possible opportunity."

Barton's career has been littered with disciplinary problems.

He was handed his current sentence in May after admitting charges of assault and affray following an incident the previous December in Liverpool city centre.

In December 2004 he stubbed out a lit cigar in Jamie Tandy's eye during a Christmas party after he had caught Manchester City's youth team player attempting to set fire to his shirt.

Barton subsequently apologised for his actions and was fined six weeks' wages but the following summer was sent home from a pre-season tournament in Thailand after assaulting a 15-year-old Everton supporter.

Manchester City will take on EB/Streymur of the Faroe Islands in the opening stages of the UEFA Cup following the draw for the first qualifying round of the competition.
The Citizens booked their place in Europe via last season's Fair Play table and have been handed a trip to the Faroes after avoiding the likes of fellow British and Irish sides Glentoran, Cliftonville, Cork and St Patrick's in the draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon.

The first leg will take place on July 17 at a venue to be confirmed, while the Citizens will host the reigning Faroe Islands cup holders at Barnsley's Oakwell ground on July 31.

Their City of Manchester Stadium home is out of action as a summer of non-football related events has left the pitch in need of being re-laid.

Mark Hughes' side must overcome EB/Streymur and then one further team in the subsequent second qualifying round before booking their place in the first round proper.

Fellow Premier League sides Everton, Portsmouth and Tottenham will all enter the tournament at that stage.

Meanwhile, defender Micah Richards has admitted the City players are relishing a somewhat surprise European campaign next season.

"It's something new for the boys and something we're very much looking forward to," he told the club's official website.

"We missed out on the chance for Europe a few years back when Robbie Fowler missed a penalty against Middlesbrough, but this time, whether it's lucky or not we're in there via the Fair Play League.

"I think all in all though for our efforts at the beginning of the season and the way we played all season we deserve to be in there.

"It can only be good for the club and hopefully we can have a good run in the UEFA Cup."

Who? - Paul Robinson - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - Aston Villa

Aston Villa are in the race to sign Paul Robinson, according to reports. The Tottenham Hotspur stopper struggled to find a regular place in the starting line-up once Juande Ramos took over at White Hart Lane last season, and has been linked with a move away from the club for many months. Spurs have recently signed PSV Eindhoven keeper Huerelho Gomes, and this will only intensify rumours of an exit for Robinson. Scott Carson was the number one keeper at Villa Park last term, but Martin O'Neill has not decided to make his loan move permanent, and it is now thought he will swoop for Robinson to replace the Liverpool man.

Who? - Eidur Gudjohnsen - SpeculationWhere is he? - Barcelona Who is he linked with? - West Ham United

West Ham United are rumoured to have joined the chase for Eidur Gudjohnsen. The Barcelona forward has struggled to settle at the Nou Camp since moving there from Chelsea in 2006, and has been recently linked with a move to Portsmouth. However, West Ham were said to have attempted to sign him last season, only to find their attempts rebuffed. But now it seems they are back in the hunt, with new Barca coach Josep Guardiola possibly ready to let him go, despite the player being contracted until 2010.

Who? - Robinho - Quite likely Where is he? - Real Madrid Who is he linked with? - Chelsea

Robinho's agent, Vagner Ribeiro, has revealed he has held talks with Chelsea over a move for the player. The Stamford Bridge side made their second major signing of the summer last night by sealing the signature of Deco, but Riberio says they are likely to strike again. "It's true that Chelsea are interested in signing Robinho," Ribeiro told Spanish sports daily AS. "They have been after him for a while and there has been much more contact since Scolari became the new Chelsea coach. I met with [Frank] Arnesen in London and he confirmed to me that Chelsea wanted my player for next season."

Who? - Dimitar Berbatov - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Manchester United are once again thought to be in the hunt to sign Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian striker was linked with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur throughout much of last season, but the rumours slowly died down. Now, however, it seems United are tracking him once more, with Sir Alex Ferguson apparently readying a bid of 23million. Ferguson believes Berbatov will fit well with Wayne Rooney up-front, but the offer is short of Tottenham's 30million valuation.

Who? - Robbie Keane - Speculation Where is he? - Tottenham Hotspur Who is he linked with? - Liverpool

Robbie Keane has told Tottenham Hotspur that he wants to leave the club for Liverpool. The Anfield side were linked with a move for Keane over the weekend, but no details were known. Now, however, it seems Rafa Benitez is ready to offer 5million plus Peter Crouch for him. Tottenham will, of course, want to keep the player at White Hart Lane, but Keane is reportely intent on moving and leading the Liverpool line with Fernando Torres, and may demand a switch.

Who? - Fernando Torres - Speculation Where is he? - Liverpool Who is he linked with? - Chelsea
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich would spend 85million on Fernando Torres, The Daily Star reports. The Stamford Bridge side have been linked with a big-money move for the Anfield striker throughout the summer and they are thought to have already offered 50million for him. Liverpool quickly dismissed that bid, but it seems Abramovich, despite being linked to a number of players, has not given up the chase yet and would offer 85million if he thought Liverpool would let him go.

Who? - Amaury Bischoff - Speculation Where is he? - Werder Bremen Who is he linked with? - Arsenal

Reports suggest that Arsenal are set to sign Amaury Bischoff from Werder Bremen. The Gunners have been tracking the midfielder since January, and now it seems they are ready to swoop. "There remain still some details to be finalised," Bischoff told French newspaper DNA. "And then we have to wait especially the return of Arsene Wenger who is in Vienna for the Euro 2008 finals. But I hope to sign in the next few days".

Who? - Radamel Falcao - Speculation Where is he? - River Plate Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Manchester United and Real Madrid look set to lock horns again, this time over Columbian international Radamel Falcao. The two clubs are already at loggerheads over the future of Cristiano Ronaldo, but they look set to go head-to-head again for Falcao. The 22-year-old striker currently plays his football with River Plate and is valued at around 13million euros. Porto are also thought to be interested in sealing his signature.

Ruud Gullit has never been known for his teams' defensive prowess and that has certainly been the case so far for LA Galaxy, who shot to the top of the Western Conference on the back of the attacking flair of the likes of David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle, but their record of goals conceded is pretty diabolical. That situation was even more evident on Sunday lunchtime in Washington DC, where the Galaxy were thrashed 4-1 by DC United.

The circumstances were hardly ideal for Beckham and Co, with the game played at noon so that it could be part of a TV double-header with the Euro 2008 Final. As well as time differences meaning that noon in DC is only 9am for the LA players, it also coincided with incredibly hot and humid temperatures that really took their toll on both sides, particularly the visitors, who had to chase the game from early on.

"It was hot out there but that affects both teams, although after all, they train in it week in and week out. Though, it wasn't just that today," said Beckham afterwards. "Of course, like I said it was hot but we didn't play a good game -- we didn't play well enough. We didn't challenge hard enough and the best team won on the day. I can obviously blame the humidity, obviously it was hot out there, like I said, but it was more than that today."

Galaxy fell behind to Jaime Moreno free kick after just five minutes, and saw an equaliser correctly ruled out for offside in the 11th minute after Landon Donovan converted a delightful Beckham cross. Buddle did make it 1-1 soon after after comedy defending by DC United, but two goals from Luciano Emilio and one from Marcelo Gallardo put the game back in the home side's grip again and earned them a 4-1 win.

Just when you thought this years Wimbledon could not get any better, along comes Andy Murray to produce what surely must be one the finest performances by any British singles player to beat number 8 seed Richard Gasquet of France in 5 pulsating sets last night.

Murray lost the first two sets to a player who was by far the toughest Murray has faced this tournment and at one stage Gasquet was serving for the match. This proved to be the turning point as the Frenchman noticeably felt the pressure and went 0-40 down before losing the game to a pumped up Murray.

After that the tide turned in the young Scots favour and the crowd urged him to victory in the gathering gloom of centre court.

Murrays reward for his epic win if it can be called that is a quater final encounter with Rafa Nadal on Wednesday, a match i for one will for once keep my money in my pocket and just sit back and enjoy a game between to pit bulls of players.

There are now only 4 seeds left in the mens draw with Verdasco 22, Warinkwa 13, Baghdatis 10, Hewit 20, and Youhzny 10 all exiting yesterday along with Gasquet, and the mens Quarter final line up is:

Murray v. Nadal Federer v. Ancic, Safin v. Lopez Schuettler v. Clement.

The carnage among the Ladies top seeds also continued yesterday with an injured Jelena Jankovic the number 2 seed going out tamely in 2 sets to Tanasugarn of Thailand and Kuznetsova the number 4 seed going out to Radwanska of Poland.

This leaves Elena Dementieva the number 5 seed as the highest ranked woman left in the tournament, but the possibility of the Williams sisters meeting in the final took a step closer as they both cruised past their opponents yesterday.

The Ladies Quarter Finals hat take place today will see Zheng v. Vaidosova, Venus Williams v. Radwanska, Tanasugarn v. Serena Williams and Dementieva v. Petrova.

Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has admitted assaulting a former team-mate in a training ground row.

Barton was due to stand trial at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court over an alleged incident with former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo on May 1 last year.

The 25-year-old, who left the Citizens for Newcastle United in a £6million deal last summer, had denied inflicting actual bodily harm on the Frenchman.

However, he changed his plea shortly before the scheduled start of the trial and admitted one charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Dabo.

Barton is no stranger to controversy as he admitted charges of assault and affray and was jailed for six months on May 20 following an incident the previous December in Liverpool city centre.

Who? - Radamel Falcao - Speculation Where is he? - River Plate Who is he linked with? - Manchester United

Manchester United and Real Madrid look set to lock horns again, this time over Columbian international Radamel Falcao. The two clubs are already at loggerheads over the future of Cristiano Ronaldo, but they look set to go head-to-head again for Falcao. The 22-year-old striker currently plays his football with River Plate and is valued at around 13million euros. Porto are also thought to be interested in sealing his signature.

Who? - Andriy Shevchenko - Speculation Where is he? - Chelsea Who is he linked with? - Barcelona

Chelsea forward Andriy Shevchenko could be on his way to Barcelona, according to El Mundo Deportivo. The Ukranian forward has struggled to find a regular starting spot at Stamford Bridge since moving there from AC Milan in 2006. The arrival of Luis Felipe Scolari does not look like it will make life any easier for Shevchenko as the Portuguese manager has been linked with a host of new forwards, including Deco and Robinho. Milan have been rumoured to be interested in resigning him, but now it seems Barca are favourites. However, the move would likely be a loan, with the Catalan club unwilling to pay what is understood to be a large fee.

Who? - Robinho - Speculation Where is he? - Real Madrid Who is he linked with? - Chelsea

Chelsea are reported to be stepping up their interest in Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Robinho. The 24-year-old South American has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe, but his agent still believes that Stamford Bridge is his client's most likely destination. Wagner Ribeiro told the Daily Star: "It is not new. But now, with the arrival of Luiz Felipe Scolari to the club, they have increased the contact. I expect there to be an official contact between the clubs this week after the end of the European Championships." Robinho has been at the Bernabeu for three seasons, scoring 30 goals in 122 appearances for Real in La Liga and the Champions League. Meanwhile, the Blues have also been linked with a shock move to try and prise striker Emmanuel Adebayor away from Arsenal. The 24-year-old Togo international is a reported target for both AC Milan and Barcelona, despite the Gunners remaining adamant that Adebayor is not for sale. However, Chelsea are rumoured to be lining up a 30million offer to try and tempt Arsenal into a deal.

Who? - Gareth Barry - Speculation Where is he? - Aston Villa Who is he linked with? - Liverpool
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has reacted angrily to suggestions from wantaway captain Gareth Barry that he has done little or nothing to try and keep him at Villa Park. The England midfielder has expressed his wish to quit Villa in search of Champions League football and suggested that O'Neill was too busy as a TV pundit at Euro 2008 to hold further discussions on the matter. Barry told The News of the World: "Villa kept saying they wanted me to stay, but I haven't heard from the manager for weeks. It's seven weeks now since the season finished but, while the gaffer's found time to be a pundit for the BBC at Euro 2008, he hasn't found the time to speak to me. Have Villa offered me anything to try to persuade me my future is at Villa Park, not Anfield? Not a thing." O'Neill responded by telling the club's official website: "My chairman and I were surprised with the comments attributed to Gareth Barry. Contrary to what was reported, we desperately want to keep Gareth at Villa Park and he knows that. We asked both Gareth and his agent to consider what had been discussed at our meeting, but Gareth came back from England international duty in June and reiterated his intention to join Liverpool and told me so. But Liverpool's valuation of Gareth has been consistently well short of our own and at the moment remains so. We have made our position clear in respect of Liverpool's interest in the captain of our club, but if Liverpool meet our valuation then Gareth Barry will get his express wish to leave Villa Park."

Chelsea have confirmed that they have signed Portuguese playmaker Deco from Barcelona for a fee of around £8m.

The 30-year-old becomes the first arrival at Stamford Bridge since his national team coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was announced as the new Chelsea manager.

Deco had been at Barcelona for four years since leaving Porto in 2004, where he played under Jose Mourinho.

"It is good for me to be here and first of all I am very happy to be here," Deco said.
"I am sure I have come at the right time to do great things and be able to help Chelsea go back to the way it was and come back to being the first one, not only in England but also to win the Champions League that has been their dream for so long.

"The Premier League is a great league and it is getting better and you can see that with the Champions League final, where you had two English teams.

"It is great that we have so many great players here at Chelsea and it is great that there is the competition which is healthy for everybody and this just makes the team better.

"To have great players in any position of the club just enhances the club. I know it is a new challenge but I am looking forward to it," he said.

Spain's departing coach Luis Aragones was full of praise for his players after a 1-0 victory over Germany in the final of Euro 2008 in Vienna.

Aragones leaves his post in the best possible style, having guided Spain to a first major title in 44 years, with Fernando Torres' first-half goal proving decisive.

He told UEFA's official website: "We have put together a group that plays well, that keeps the ball and mixes their passes very well and that is difficult to stop.

"This is a happy day for Spain, we've won this tournament in style and we're very happy. Now we will start expecting to win on this sort of stage.

"Many people will look at this Spain team because it has been a model for playing football. I think all football lovers want people to make good combinations, to get into the penalty area and to score goals.

"At the beginning I said that if we managed this squad well, we would be champions.
"I am delighted. I usually don't show what I feel, but I'm full inside. I don't get very emotional, but there were moments out there from some of my players that filled me with emotion."
Germany coach Joachim Low had no complaints about the outcome in Vienna, adding: "I think we have to recognise the high quality of the Spanish players.

"They were playing very well during the whole tournament and today they were technically excellent and had more chances than we had. So I think they deserved the victory.

"We were disappointed after the match, but I think we can be satisfied with the tournament on the whole. The team performed very well over the 45 days we've spent together."