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 strike