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Football

Breaking: French newspaper says Marouane Fellaini will be a Chelsea player by the weekend

By Stefano on January 10th, 2013
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Some bad news for United, Arsenal and, let’s not forget, Everton fans. French newspaper L’Equipe is reporting that the Blue’s talismanic midfielder Marouane Fellaini could be a Chelsea player by the end of the week.

The report, which has also made the BBC sports news , is that that the 25-year old will sign a five-year deal with the club, for a fee of £22m. He will earn £4m a year.

It has been widely reported that the player has a £22 million transfer trigger fee and it seems that Chelsea are prepared to meet it.

Fellaini has made a total of 155 appearances for Everton, scoring 29 goals. His form this year has been scintillating.

Arsene Wenger is known to be an admirer but it seems unlikely that Arsenal would match the asking price. With the move seemingly imminent will Fergie make his move now?



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Football

Is this the best team goal of the season? Nope, not Barca or Arsenal, but some Greek kids

By Stefano on January 10th, 2013
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Yep it is a contender for the best team goal of the season, but there’s no Iniesta pulling strings, Walcott speeding through the middle or Van Persie finishing in style. It is actually a bunch of Greek kids from the AO Giannina club, who kick off and then Tikki-taka the ball all the way though to the opposition’s goal. They take 20 passes and the opposition, Atromitos, don’t get anywhere near the ball

It is utterly sublime, and augurs well for the future of Greek football. Now what are the odds on a repeat of the 2004 Euros win?



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Football

Arsenal update: David Villa deal back on? Afellay targeted. Shaw going nowhere. Diaby back against City?

By Stefano on January 10th, 2013
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Barcelona President Sandro Rosell may have told Arsene Wenger that he is not prepared to sell Spanish international striker David Villa in the window. But it seems that hasn’t put the Arsenal manager off. Caught Offside is reporting that Arsenal are still engaging with Barcelona in discussions about Villa and want to sign another of their players.

Long term Gunners target Ibrahim Afellay is apparently back on Wenger’s radar and the club are said to be very keen on the versatile attacker who is currently on loan at German side Schalke. Afellay struggled in his first season at Barcelona though his loan period – which has yielded four goals in 13 games – has been slightly more successful. The player was also a key man in Schalke’s recent Champions League victory over the Gunners.

There are very few hard facts on the Caught Offside story, so make of that what you will. But Afellay has been on Wenger’s radar for a while and could be picked up relatively cheaply. And as for Rosell’s pronouncements on Villa, how many times have clubs, especially Arsenal, gone back on their word when the right deal came along? We’ll have to wait and see.

Another of Wenger’s targets is happy to stay where he is for now anyway. Southampton’s highly rated left back Luke Shaw told the club’s website he is staying put.

“I’ve spoken with the chairman about a long-term plan for me at the club and just to end all speculation, I will be committing my future to Southampton.” 

“I’m not going anywhere. I think Southampton is the place to be for young kids like me.

“I’m playing in the Premier League in the first team and that’s what anyone wants to be doing and I just want to carry on doing that.

“If you look back, you’ve had Ads [Lallana] come through the youth system, and now he’s captain of the first team. Prowsey [James Ward-Prowse] has just signed a new deal and that’s what I want to be doing.”

Finally Arsenal’s injury-prone midfielder Abou Diaby played 65 minutes of the club’s most recent Under-21s league game without any reaction from his thigh problem. He may even make the squad to face Man City at the weekend.

Pic Wikipedia



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Football

Arsenal update: Walcott to sign before the City game, plus two new transfer targets

By Stefano on January 9th, 2013
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The Theo Walcott deal story is now everywhere and even the BBC is reporting that the winger/striker will sign very shortly.

It reports

Arsenal are ready to stretch their rigid pay structure to push through a new deal for Theo Walcott, which could be signed ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Manchester City.

Press Association Sport understands the Gunners are ready to make Walcott among the highest-paid players at the club with a five-year contract worth around £90,000-a-week, which would be boosted by lucrative add-ons.

Goal, and several other sources suggest that Walcott’s team is at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground and that a deal will be agreed in the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile Caught Offisde is running a story that Arsene Wenger will eschew big money targets in the window and is instead tracking two lesser known players.

Apparently the Arsenal manager is keen on Guingamp midfielder Giannelli Imbula, who is yet to make his debut for the French side. The source of the story is ESPN journalist @LaurensJulien who says that the fee could be as much as £7 million. Sounds unlikely…

Another player linked to Arsenal today is Mainz Hungarian striker Adám Szalai. The source of the story is German paper Bild which claims that Wenger is chasing the 6ft 4in target man who has scored nine teams already in the Bundesliga this season.

Neither story seems very credible, but there is very little noise about new signings coming out of The Emirates at the moment.



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Football

Arsenal update: Walcott to be offered £25million to stay. German defender linked

By Stefano on January 9th, 2013
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Worryingly for Arsenal fans keen to see Arsene Wenger strengthen his squad it has been a fairly quiet morning for transfer rumours. The big one is the seemingly never ending saga of Theo Walcott and his new contract.

In an exclusive – ain’t they always – The Mail says that player will get a five-year deal worth in the region of £88,000-per-week, plus a £3million signing-on bonus, and that the club are now confident he will ‘sign da ting.’

The rest of the article says nothing new, but if true, it does seem as if the deal might be about to be done.

If it is then Wenger, Gazidis and co need to get their skates on. There is a big run of games looming and still no signings. Yesterday Barcelona President Sandro Rossel confirmed that his star striker David Villa, was gong nowhere in the window, so is it all back on for Atletico’s's Adrian Lopez? It is all quiet on that one.

TalkSport have linked Arsenal with one new player this morning, but it is not striker. The website says that a plethora of interested Premier League parties have been alerted by Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes’s decision to shelve contract talks with his Bundesliga club, including Arsenal.

The player, who has won ten German caps, is a central defender who would rival Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Thomas Vermaelen for a place in the side.

On one level this sounds unlikely given the talent Arsenal have at the back. They have however leaked six goals in their last three games, so maybe Arsene is pondering a change.



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Football

Man United update: Is Wilfried Zaha a done deal? Danny Wellbeck on loan to Reading?

By Stefano on January 9th, 2013
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So have United done a deal to sign Crsytal Palace’s tricky winger Wilfried Zaha? The Telegraph seems to think so. The paper believes that other clubs have been frightened off bidding for the player because Fergie has already agreed to sign him

The Telgraoph says

The main issue is when, not if, it will happen with Crystal Palace hoping to keep the £12 million-rated 20-year-old until the summer at least.

Palace are hoping for a deal that would enable the player to stay at the club on loan for the rest of the season.

Zaha was attracting a lot of interest from Premiership clubs a few weeks ago. Arsenal have dropped out of the race because it seem that the club will now re-sign Theo Walcott while Spurs distanced themselves from bidding for Zaha yesterday.

Meanwhile United striker Danny Wellbeck is reported by The Mail as being on the verge of joining Reading on loan. There have been few opportunities for the player at Old Trafford this season and a move to another club might help him re-ignite his United career in the log run.



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Football

Spurs seek new striker – Leandro Damiao targeted

By Stefano on January 8th, 2013
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Emmanuel Adebayor’s u-turn in deciding to play for Togo in the Africa Cup of Nations could not have come at a worse time for Spurs. The team are playing well and are pushing for a Champions League slot, but losing Adebayor limits their options and if Defoe sustains an injury they would be very short of front men.

So not surprisingly Spurs are being linked with a number of players. Several papers are reporting that the team have lined up a £15 million for Brazilian striker Leandro Damiao.

Damiao has apparently been a long term target for Spurs and his club Internacional are believed to be ready to sell the 23-year-old Brazilian international. Spurs could face opposition from Inter Milan who have also been keeping tabs on the player.

As Goal reports

Asked last week about the prospect of Damiao moving to Tottenham or another big European club in January, the player’s agent Vinicius Prates said: “While Leandro Damiao stays at Internacional, Tottenham will always be interested.

“Andre Villas-Boas has liked him since he was Chelsea’s manager.”

The Portuguese coach has also publicly revealed his admiration for Damiao, a tall and powerful striker who likes to play on the last man and has superb eye for goal in the penalty area.

Spurs, like their north London rivals, Arsenal have been linked with a number of players in the window including Joao Moutinho from Porto, Palace’s Wilfried Zaha and Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder. Their interest in Zaha has apparently cooled a little and the sticking point with Sneijder is likely to be matching his wage expectations.



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Football

Arsenal update: Gunners target Lucas Biglia wants move. Should Ramsey go on loan? Villa staying at Barca

By Stefano on January 8th, 2013
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Arsenal’s pursuit of a new midfielder continues to today with several papers reporting that Wenger once again is targeting Anderlecht’s tough tacking midfielder Lucas Biglia.

The Mirror says that Wenger has been put on alert because the Argentinian has told the Belgian club that he wants to move to a bigger league.

This sounds like pure speculation. Admittedly Biglia has been watched by the Gunners for a while and yes Arsenal haven’t really replaced Alex Song, so maybe keep half an eye on this one.

Arsenal have also been linked (admittedly by the papers not the club) with Rennes’ Yann M’Villa and Wigan’s James McCarthy both of whom are solid in the tackle and good at carrying the ball forward to strikers, but there has been no word from the club.

Meanwhile ex Arsenal striker John Hartson says that he fears that Aaron Ramsey is going backwards at the Emirates and needs a loan deal to sharpen him up.

Hartson points to the fact that in 25 appearances this season, Ramsey has completed 90 minutes on just six occasions. Arsenal manager has also played him several times on the wing, which is arguably not his strongest position.

Hartson told the BBC.

“I don’t think playing on the left, wide left, is his position. [Against Swansea on Sunday] he looked lost at times.”

“I just think he [Ramsey] needs that run of games.”

“Maybe if he did go out on loan because he doesn’t seem to start many games at Arsenal now and when he does start he’s brought off and he doesn’t look happy.”

Given the fact that Ramsey has just signed a new contract and Arsenal are short of midfielders a loan move would seem highly unlikely. What do you think?

BREAKING – The Indie reports that Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has said potential suitors can forget about signing Spain’s all-time leading goalscorer.

“I completely rule out the transfer of Villa during the winter market,” Rosell told Catalan radio station RAC1.

“He is ours and we need him, there is a lot of the season left.”

Full story here. However Barca have ruled out selling Villa before and then transfer noise has got louder, so I don’t think this one is completely over



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Football

Arsenal update: Walcott about to sign, M’Vila holding out for a big club

By Stefano on January 8th, 2013
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Goal.com is running with ‘an exclusive’ this morning that Theo Walcott is close to signing a new deal at Arsenal. The website says that he ‘will put pen to paper on a deal that runs until 2017.’

Arsenal have apparently offered the England player around £90,000-a-week and that salary will be supplemented by top-up bonuses and a multi-million pound signing-on fee.

Of course until they see a smiling Arsene and Theo many Arsenal fans won’t believe that a deal has been signed, but this does have a ring of truth about it. The gossip emanating from The Emirates for the past week or so has been that Walcott is on the verge of signing a new deal and the gap between the two parties was closing.

Wenger has also acceded to Waclott’s wishes to let the player start as a striker for The Gunners. He has certainly looked sharp in that position scoring four goals in give games.

The importance of the deal is that it now gives Wenger time to strengthen Arsenal’s comparatively under nourished squad. The club have been linked with goalkeepers, left backs, central defenders, central midfielders, wingers and strikers, though how many new players end up at The Emirates remains to be seen.

One player who hasn’t yet had discussions with the club is Rennes’ midfielder Yann M’Villa. Goal is suggesting that the player has turned down a move to QPR because he is holding out for a move to a bigger club.



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Football

Pep Guardiola says he wants a job. But where will he be next season? Bayern? Chelsea?

By Stefano on January 7th, 2013
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Ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola has confirmed that his extended sabbatical in New York is going to come to an end soon and that he is looking for a new job.

The 41 year old told the press conference ahead of today’s Ballon d’Or ceremony that he will be managing again.

Guardiola said

“Yes, I would like to come back [to coaching]. I don’t have a team, I don’t know, but I would like to go back to coaching. My decision has been taken to coach, but beyond that there is no decision taken.”

However Guardialo wouldn’t be drawn as to where he might be in a few months time

“It would be a lack of respect to other coaches to speak about any team that is being run by a coach anywhere in the world.”

There will be no shortage of suitors for the well dressed, uber tactician. Chelsea have long been favourites to land the Catalan, and the fact that they only currently have a temporary manager in Rafa Benitez underlines that they may be looking for a new coach come the end the season.

The key question for Guardiola is whether he would be willing to work for a club that has such a high turn over of managers? If not the two Manchester clubs could be options – though this would require Ferguson to retire or Mancini to end the year with no silverware.

Paddy Power us running a book on his next destination and rates Chelsea of Bayern Munich as his most likely role, followed by Man City.

Where do you think he will end up? We ran a poll on the site a few months back – which you can see here.



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Football, pick of the blogs

Is Luis Suarez a cheat? The best pics from the FA Cup. Loads of new gadgets from CES 2013

By Stefano on January 7th, 2013
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The latest stories from Brandish and our pals

Is Luis Suarez a cheat? You decide

Polar Bear tries to mate with BBC presenter – video here

A teenager recalls the moon landing – genius diary post

Andre Iniesta and his rather surprising ambition to play for Real Madrid

The best pics from the FA Cup Third Round

CES 2013 – day one’s hottest new gadgets – the coffee table sized tablet, huge phones and more

15 of the most under rated British bands of the 80s

Ugo Ehiogu, his record label, The Fossil Collective and an ace tale about Ian Wright

CES 2013 – Loads and loads of new tech goodies and gadgets

15 apps to help you keep your new year’s resolutions

 



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Football

Pepe Reina on his way to Man United? David Dea Gea heading for the exit door?

By Stefano on January 7th, 2013
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Pepe Reina to Arsenal was a key story before the transfer window opened, but now it appears that the Liverpool FC Spanish keeper is interesting not just Arsene Wenger but Sir Alex Ferguson too.

According to The Mirror Fergie is ready to sell David De Gea and buy a new goalkeeper this month with Liverpool’s Pepe Reina a target.

Ferguson has apparently asked David Gill and the club’s American owners to provide funds for a new keeper, and the Scot is understood to be keen to find a goalkeeper who can play in the Champions League during the second half of the season.

Reina looks like he is surplus to requirements at Liverpool with the form of Brad Jones and the mooted move of Birmingham City’s Jack Butland.

Still, although De Gea hasn’t quite worked out in the Premiership – he seems very suspect on crosses – replacing the keeper who Ferguson spent big money on after so short a time seems bizarre.

If Butland does arrive Reina will be available and with Arsenal’s courtship of the Liverpool keeper seemingly gone cold, Fergie could easily tie up a deal. Butland is apparently interesting Arsene Wenger too.

Read our top transfer targets of the window here.



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Football, music

Ugo Ehiogu, his record label, The Fossil Collective and an ace tale about Ian Wright

By Stefano on January 7th, 2013
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The other day I wrote a list of the ten Premiership players you would most want to have a beer with. If he were still playing today you can bet Ugo Ehiogu would be on very high on that list. As was unveiled on the Danny Baker Show on BBC Five Live on Saturday the former, Villa, Middlesbrough and Rangers defender isn’t your average footballer.

After finishing his playing career, Ehiogu has spent much of his time working for a music label he co-owns Dirty Hit Limited, and the bands on the label might surprise you. In keeping with a guy whose favourite band is apparently The Arctic Monkeys Dirty Hit has a really pukka roster of indie bands several of whom could well make their mark big time in 2013.

The band that caught my ear are The Fossil Collective whose very English take on Americana – think also The Leisure Society – has already delivered two absolute gems in On and On and Let It Go. There’s a whiff of Radiohead in the Leeds band too in the days when Thom Yorke and his crew still knew how to knock out a pop tune or two. Check them out on Spotify here or see the video above.

The label also has 1975 who are an edgier take on The Vaccines and iTunes has predicted great things for in 2013, singer songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich whose Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm is a gentle folk album not too far removed from the music of this excellent fella, and Bowie-esque new wavers The Little Comets.

Much respect to the fella then.

Ehiogu also has a few excellent anecdotes too. Asked by Baker if he spoke to players during games about things other than football he said that he found Ian Wright very chatty. The Arsenal man would apparently tell defenders how great they were, and Ugo said that while he was mulling over the compliment Wrighty would have shot away into space waiting for the ball from an Arsenal midfielder. Crafty.

Finally, with apologies to Celtic fans, here is Ugo’s best ever footballing moment. Genius!

 



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Football

Would Frank Lampard leave Chelsea for another Premiership club? Everton? Man United? Arsenal?

By Stefano on January 7th, 2013
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So it appears that Frank Lampard is on his way out of Chelsea. The departure of the 34 year old midfielder, who has been at the club for 11 years, has a whiff of ravens leaving the Tower of London about it. But his exit from the Blues was pretty much confirmed at the weekend with the player expected to depart in the summer.

But where will Frank be off to next? According to Goal today he isn’t short of offers. The website says that Everton have already had an offer rejected and that Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham are among the clubs who have asked to be kept informed of the 34-year-old’s situation. The Daily Mail is running the story too.

At first glance it seems unlikely that the ultra loyal Lampard would ever go and play for one of Chelsea’s rivals. However, he does want to continue playing and, according to Goal again has ruled out a stint in Italy or Spain.

The obvious destination for the player would then be the MLS following in the footsteps of David Beckham and Thierry Henry.

The key question though is does the player think his carer at a top level is finished? And is now the right time to head west? Given his time again would Beckham have moved to the MLS when he did when he arguably had at least a couple of years when he could have played in a premium European league? Lampard is older than Beckham was when he moved to the Galaxy, but the Chelsea player seems very fit, not too lacking in speed or agility and certainly still has a keen eye for as goal.

Maybe it is due to diet, or better injury management, but over footballers seem to be playing longer and older players are more in demand than they used to be. Van Persie went for £25 million while nudging 30, and Arsenal may be about to spend £16 million on a 31 year old. At United Scholes and Giggs, who are closer to 40, seem to be going on forever.

Lampard might be too ‘True Blue’ to consider signing for one of Chelsea’s direct rivals, but then again he knows he will have one last big pay day and maybe money might trump sentimental loyalty. And would the move to United be so bad? Fergie apparently would sign the player tomorrow and the way in which the United boss has extended the careers of several of his players might swing it.

The other alternative would be a return to his first club West Ham. With Cole now at the club and move to the Olympic Stadium in the offing I wonder if Frank might see the East London club as a project that he could help develop.

Pic Mark Freeman (Wikipedia)



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Football

Is Wenger’s indecision in the transfer market going to ruin Arsenal’s season?

By Stefano on January 7th, 2013
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Well it was the result that neither manager wanted yesterday and Arsenal will now have to entertain Swansea in the FA Cup third round replay at The Emirates on January 16th.

The replay means that the Gunners will now could potentially face five games in the space of thirteen days. The really bad news for Wenger is that there are crucial season shaping games including not just the FA Cup but also key fixtures against Arsenal’s rivals Man City, West Ham and Chelsea.

At least Wenger has been active in the transfer market and has stiffened his squad with some much needed new signings. Ooops.

Arsenal quite frankly now are in a very difficult position. They are under huge pressure in the race for fourth place so need to win league games. Yet they have been without a trophy for seven seasons and Wenger knows that the FA Cup is their best bet for silverware. and so need to be ready for Swansea. Yet the squad is seriously under nourished and in need of re-reinforcements.

You would have thought that that the management would have already lined up players the club needed and sorted out deals at the start of the windwo. Once again this is not the case. Chelsea and Liverpool have both made key signings and both of those players delivered for their new clubs at the weekend. Yet Arsenal seem as far away from adding new blood as ever. Even the deal to re-sign Walcott is dragging on.

Arsenal have been at this point once before in recent history. In summer 2011 with Fabregas and Nasri gone Wenger waited until the very last minute to sign players, by which time Arsenal had started the season disastrously. The shock of those early defeats arguably killed last season for the club and was a key factor in Van Persie’s assessment that the club lacked ambition.

Is the delay in buying new players purely down to the cash? Gazidis is adamant that Wenger has money to spend, though we probably don’t know the whole story and Arsene has once again been talking about the importance of the wage structures at the club.

Maybe it is just that Arsene can’t quite make his mind up.

I do wonder if we are going to have a re-run of that terrible time and that re-inforcements will arrive, but at a time when Arsenal’s season – apart from a long shot at fourth place in the Premiership and a very outside chance of Champions League glory – is is all but over.

So Arsenal fans. Does Arsene still know? Or he is presiding over a shambles?



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