Manchester City are set to offer Tottenham a cut-price deal to sign on-loan Emmanuel Adebayor on a permanent basis in January the Metro understands.
The Togo international has been a revelation at White Hart Lane with his arrival and goalscoring exploits coinciding with Harry Redknapp’s side going seven games unbeaten in the Premier League.
Spurs are currently paying half of the 27-year-old’s £175,000-a-week wages and have an option to buy him outright for £14 million once his loan deal concludes at the end of the season.
Three goals in seven starts has convinced Redknapp that the striker is worth tying down sooner with Adebayor also keen to make the move long-term after expressing his desire to leave City.
Boss Roberto Mancini is willing to let the striker leave the Etihad Stadium for good after his troublemaking last summer as he eyes up a swoop for Napoli pair Edinson Cavani and Marek Hamsik.
It’s thought the club will accept a bid of around £10 million for the player as they look to bankroll a bid for the Serie A pair who Mancini see’s as the final piece of the jigsaw in his quest do deliver the clubs first top-flight league title since 1968.
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New United States coach Juergen Klinsmann said he is proud to have the chance to usher in a new era in American soccer.Klinsmann was officially unveiled as coach in New York on Monday after being chosen to replace Bob Bradley, who was sacked on Thursday.
The 47-year-old has previously managed Germany and Bayern Munich, and said he looked forward to building on the good work done by Bradley in his five years in charge.
“It’s come a long way, soccer in the United States and I’m now getting this opportunity to move it further, to build on what has already been built by Bob (Bradley) the last five years,” the former Bayern Munich, Tottenham and Germany striker said. “So I am proud to get that opportunity.”
“This is a big moment for me personally too, for us as a family and I’m really proud that I get that opportunity to be part of the future of U.S. soccer.”
“It’s going to be a challenge, absolutely, it’s going to be quite demanding the next couple of weeks to get your hands around. We have a game coming up next week against Mexico already in Philadelphia, so it’s a lot to do.”
Bradley’s reign in charge of the national team came to an end after the US threw away a two-goal lead in their 4-2 loss to Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June.
Klinsmann’s first game in charge will be friendly against Mexico on August 11, with another friendly against Belgium to follow in September.
Fulham threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with OB Odense in the Europa League, in a result that sees The Cottagers eliminated from the competition.
Martin Jol’s men needed to win the match to stand a chance of making it through their group, and looked to be on course as first half goals from Clint Dempsey and Kerim Frei gave the home team a 2-0 lead at the interval.
However the Scandinavians fought back, and a Henrik Andreasen strike made the Craven Cottage crowd nervous.
When it looked that the Londoners would hold on to get the three points, a late Baye Fall goal in injury time broke the hosts’ hearts and forced an exit from Europe.
Jol was disappointed with the nature of his side’s collapse, and feels they should not have conceded two goals at home.
“It was the last cross of the match, so I’m very, very disappointed,” the Dutchman told Sky Sports.
“They scored a goal from a free-kick and the wall was probably not in the right position. We couldn’t get forward, we didn’t do what we did in the first half. It was totally different.
“We dropped deep and tried to protect the lead, but you have to score a goal and try and get in their half.
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“We didn’t do that enough. To give two goals away is very disappointing,” he concluded.
The European exit does mean that Fulham can focus on domestic matters, and they take on Bolton in an important league clash on Saturday.
It’s been an interesting start to the Premier League season, rounded off by Manchester United thrashing Arsenal 8-2 at Old Trafford last weekend. The excitement was definitely ramped up over the course of the three weekends, but now top flight domestic football takes a break as international action takes centre stage.
England face Bulgaria and Wales in qualification for Euro 2012, and Fabio Capello will be looking for six points from those two games. While he has plenty of youngsters to choose from, the England manager will still be looking for his more experienced players including Man United’s Wayne Rooney and Chelsea duo John Terry and Ashley Cole to lead by example for the Three Lions.
Here are Rooney and Terry sharing a joke, but is it at Cole’s expense?
Leave your suggestions below…
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This week you can win a copy of Squeaky Bum Time!
He is simultaneously the most admired and feared manager in British football.
During almost forty years in the dugout, and over half a century in the professional game, he’s torn up the record books, amassed a treasure trove of silverware, and unleashed the hairdryer – as well as the odd football boot – on countless players, rival managers, referees and journalists.
But amid the sound, the fury and the mind-games lurks one of sport’s greatest wits.
So here we present Sir Alex Ferguson: uncompromising, unrivalled and uncut.
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Last week’s winner: David Regan – click here to see all entries
The new football season is upon us and while enjoying the thrills of a matchday is a fantastic experience, the rising cost of doing so is putting great pressure on the wallets of fans around the country.
The links between football and money have been well documented for years. Clubs are spending millions on players and wages whilst fans are forking out more and more for the privilege to see these players in action.
The Price of Football survey by BBC revealed what each club charges for crucial matchday components including the ticket (non season ticket holder), programme, a pie and a cup of tea. Whilst not all fans would indulge in all of these on one day, the added cost that some clubs are charging fans is worrying.
The survey was taken across the leagues and so some difference between a top Premier League team’s prices and that of a League Two side would be expected. But in the top tier it is hard to explain how Blackburn can provide a single ticket for £10 (their cheapest option) when Arsenal’s most expensive reaches a staggering £100. It is this disparity (with clubs like Blackburn unable to compete with the top teams on the pitch or financially) and high prices that are not only hitting the clubs but the fans as well.
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Beyond the tickets fans are being forced to pay out up to £4 for a programme (at Leeds), £4 for a pie (at Arsenal) and often over £2 for a single cup of tea. Paying nearly £50 for a day out at the football per person is hindering supporters, families and fans of the future. In the Premier League Swansea and QPR are rewarding their fans for promotion with high prices, both now charge just under £43 for their cheapest day out (figures only surpassed by Liverpool and Arsenal).
But do spiraling prices put loyal fans off going to the football? For the fan looking for a one-off day out with their family, a cost reaching nearly £200 for four people is an obvious deterrent. But last season an average of 352,260 fans attended Football League fixtures each weekend with a total of over 16 million fans enjoying Football League games over the whole season. The popularity of the game is not decreasing and whilst fans can bemoan the extra charges that clubs are making, it is the high demand for football that continues to fuel the large amounts of money seeping through the game.
The survey published this week has also been met with club’s disapproval despite the fact that each club submitted the data. The results highlighted that Leyton Orient were the most expensive day out in League One. However the club has since commented that the results don’t highlight all the good value matchday options. The costs of football are also more likely to affect the regular rather than one-off attendee and many of these take advantage of very good season ticket offers that many clubs offer.
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Whilst the results for clubs like Leyton Orient may look worrying for the interested fan keen on watching the occasional match, rising prices are widespread and unlikely to put off the loyal supporter intent on supporting their team throughout the new season.
Do you think football is too expensive? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
Neymar can emulate the great Pele by helping Santos claim their first Copa Libertadores since 1963.The 19-year-old lines up for Santos in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final against Uruguayan champions Penarol on Wednesday, with the tie delicately poised at 0-0 after the first leg in Montevideo.
The youthful striker is linked with a move to several big European clubs, but he is planning one more triumph – the Copa – before he moves continents.
The closest Santos have come to winning the Copa Libertadores in recent times was a loss in the 2003 final to Boca Juniors, and Neymar would love to lead the side glory for the first time since the great Pele achieved the feat in 1962 and 1963.
Santos goalkeeper Felipe said the players would be going all out for victory on Wednesday.
“The fans can rest assured that we will fight, that we will attack, and if we have to leave the field bleeding or if we have to leave the field with lots of injuries, we will in order to become champions,” Felipe said.
Paulo Henrique Ganso, 21, is another Santos youth product that intends to leave for Europe after the final.
He missed the first leg with injury but should be available for manager Muricy Ramalho in the second, and although he has been tipped to make way for the youngster, midfielder Ze Eduardo said he will respect the manager’s decision.
“Ganso is a great player; one of the best players out there,” Ze Eduardo said.
“But I think we must respect Muricy’s decision. He’s the one who chooses the team. And whoever is out there, be it Ganso, myself or anyone else, I’m sure this person will put all their effort to hopefully win the title.”
The Metro is reporting that Harry Redknapp is considering a move for Roma forward Mirko Vucinic as an alternative to Emmanuel Adebayor.
Tottenham boss Redknapp is prepared to swoop for Vucinic if he can’t broker a loan deal for his prime target Adebayor.
Manchester City are keen to sell the troublesome striker with Spurs only interested in a year long loan deal although the players astronomical wages will prove to be a problem.
Redknapp is keen to bring in a striker before the transfer window closes and Vucinic is his new target.
Roma value the striker at around £15 million and although he has fell out of favour with the clubs fans the management are keen to keep him at the Stadio Olimpico.
Montenegrin Vucinic has asked to leave the Serie A giants after he came in for criticism from the supporters for his poor attitude and body language despite scoring 10 goals last season.
Spurs are still interested in the 27-year-old despite question marks over his temperament.
Redknapp is eager to bring in the talented frontman to White Hart Lane and is confident he can turn him into a deadly Premier League goal scorer.
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If the deal does go ahead it’s likely Redknapp will have to sell either Peter Crouch or Jermaine Defoe to finance the move for Vucinic.
David Moyes was appointed Everton manager in 2002 with the club in a relegation dogfight. Over the course of David Moyes’ tenure he has redefined what the Toffees view as success. Moyes has guided Everton to a top-four finish, an FA Cup final appearance and to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup. Moyes is currently the third longest serving manager in the Premier League, nearing the end of his ninth year in charge at Goodison Park. Are the brave voices calling for the hardworking, straight talking Scotsman to go, correct?
Moyes’ reign has been nothing short of a ‘rollercoaster’ with his Everton side alternating between top of the table and bottom of the table finishes. In more recent times, however, Everton looked to have broken this cycle with a couple of consecutive finishes in and around a European qualification place. This prompted many to tip them, along with Aston Villa, to break the formidable dominance of the ‘Big Four.’ However, in this current season Everton, until very recently, found themselves surprisingly flirting with relegation after many had believed they had secured their top six status for many years to come.
Everton’s steady, if not dramatic, decline has had the manager, board, players and fans baffled, but what has happened at Goodison Park to create such a change in fortunes?
David Moyes is without doubt a very skilled manager and has been touted by Sir Alex Ferguson himself, as his possible successor to the hot seat at Old Trafford; very high praise indeed. David Moyes has commanded and earnt a lot of respect for what he has achieved at Everton from players, peers and fans alike, but has this growing reputation allowed the Scotsman to outgrow the club? Moyes regularly refers to his tight budget at Everton and it is quite clear in recent months that the former Preston manager has become frustrated with the restrictions that come with a club that isn’t being bankrolled by a Russian or Middle Eastern Billionaire.
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The reported £45 million debt at Everton leaves owner Bill Kenwright with a dilemma. Does Kenwright do as David Moyes has reportedly called for, that is to sell the club to generate funds to secure the best players around or alternatively, does he dismantle Moyes’ nine years of hardwork on a shoe-string budget by selling the likes of Jack Rodwell, for a reported £20 million, to Manchester United?
It would be too easy to take a leaf out of Manchester United’s fans book and blame the boardroom for problems in relation to on the field matters. It is the board that ‘coughs up the cash’, however, it is the manager that spends it. David Moyes has usually had to find players from places like the Championship and Scotland due to his tight budget and has purchased some real ‘gems’ in the likes of Tim Cahill, Mikel Arteta and Seamus Coleman. The Championship clubs have cottoned on to the Premier League clubs raiding the lower leagues, they have of course raised their asking prices (just look at Connor Wickham, a reported £15 million asking price.) Moyes’ days of picking up bargains from the ‘lesser’ leagues may well be over and he now wants to be able to spend big money on a top striker. Moyes’ record though, when he has splashed the cash, is less than impressive. Louis Saha, James Beattie and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov all arrived at Goodison for colossal amounts compared to Seamus Coleman’s £60,000 move to Merseyside and flattered to deceive and sometimes even failed to deceive.
Change can be an unsettling and have repercussions, good and bad. In the case of David Moyes and Everton change, I believe will be good.
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David Moyes has worked wonders but outgrown a small club. The cliché ‘he has taken the club as far as he can’ in the case of Moyes is spot on. Moyes deserves his chance at a ‘bigger’ club’, or at least a club with more money, if the opportunity does arise. There is great irony in Moyes’ situation when you consider what Moyes said when appointed Everton Manager “I said ‘yes’ right away as it is such a big club.” A lot changes in nine years.
The past 18-months have brought to light what a magnificent footballer Robin van Persie is, as he rightfully repaid the faith shown in him by Arsene Wenger through his most troubled years on the treatment table at Arsenal. By surpassing the 30 goal mark in 2011, van Persie laid to the rest the suggestion that he was a striker best deployed in a supporting role – similar to that of Dennis Bergkamp. His creative abilities are undeniable and his comfort in the ‘No.10’ role is well documented, but he is also a huge asset in an advanced strikers role, able play as the lone striker with relative ease and utilise his vast array of attacking talents.
What we’ve seen from Robin van Persie in recent seasons is a consistency to remain at the top of his game on all fronts. It would be difficult to imagine a game where van Persie is unlikely to get himself on the score sheet—something which has been extremely rewarding for the club due to failure to replace the goals of departed players.
Signed from Feyenoord for a fee close to £3million, Arsenal’s club captain has quickly regained his composure from a number of injury hit seasons to equal and surpass fellow Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp’s scoring record for the Gunners. His extremely low transfer fee represents a player who was at a crossroads with his career; one who had the potential to succeed but could have been significantly held back by a poor attitude. His role as club captain is testament to the way he has matured and the guidance he has received since arriving at Arsenal.
Perhaps the most natural leader during the club’s time at the Emirates, he has complemented his newly-acquired role with a number of outstanding strikes this season, as well as the many accrued in previous years. Undoubtedly, one of the red half of London’s favourite sons.
Inter Milan
Blackburn
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Sunderland
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Liverpool
Fulham
Wigan
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Everton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okltbBh2JR4
Charlton
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Tottenham Hotspur face a Birmingham City team fighting for English Premier League survival on the last day of the season at White Hart Lane.Relegation was the furthest thing from the minds of Birmingham’s players and supporters when they won the Carling Cup in February.
An upset 2-1 victory over Arsenal at Wembley secured the Midlands club’s first major trophy since 1963, but it has been all downhill for Alex McLeish’s team since then.
They have won just twice in 11 league matches and are now 17th in the table, level on points with the third and second-bottom teams and clear of the relegation zone on goal difference only.
With four other teams all battling to avoid the drop, Birmingham must pick up points on Sunday or risk returning to the Championship after a two-year stay in the top flight.
They are up against a Tottenham side that need to win if they are to stay ahead of Liverpool and secure a Europa League berth by finishing fifth.
But questions have been raised as to whether or not Tottenham do in fact want to finish fifth.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is reportedly reluctant to become involved in a Europa League campaign which may impact negatively on the team’s domestic form.
Tottenham are eight points off fourth place and unable to repeat last season’s Champions League qualification.
They performed well in their first appearance in the revamped European Cup, reaching the quarter-finals before bowing out to Real Madrid.
And rather than get bogged down in UEFA’s second-tier competition, Redknapp may want his team to concentrate their energies next season on returning to the Champions League.
All of which means Birmingham could find Spurs in a more charitable mood than might normally be expected.
The relegation-threatened visitors have no new injury concerns, but continue to miss a number of key men.
Defender Scott Dann and striker Obafemi Martins are definitely out, while towering centre-forward Nikola Zigic is not expected to recover from a groin injury – all absences that have counted in Birmingham’s late-season collapse.
The Tottenham squad is also depleted, with fullback Alan Hutton and left winger Gareth Bale certain to miss out.
Also in doubt are goalkeeper Hurelho Gomes, defenders Benoit Assou-Ekotto and William Gallas, as well as midfielders Tom Huddlestone and Jermaine Jenas.