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2010-08-24T20:46:00.002+07:00

Latest transfer gossip: August 24

2010-08-24T20:39:00.002+07:00

We'll be keeping you as up-to-date as possible on the latest transfer talk in On The Move. You can read up on all the Latest Transfers and then follow the developing stories in our constantly updated transfer blog here.

Will Barcelona increase their bid for Javier Mascherano? ©Getty Images

14.31 BST Martin Demichelis' agent claims the Bayern Munich defender could be on his way to Chelsea... Juventus, Barcelona or Seville. "We spoke with Juventus, but they are not the only club interested," he said.

13.57 BST Alessandro Diamanti's time at West Ham appears to be up and he is expected to join Brescia this week. The two clubs have reportedly agreed a fee, and the forward is in the process of agreeing personal terms with the Serie A side.

13.30 BST Inter Milan are offering Liverpool a choice of several players - Sulley Muntari, Nelson Rivas, Amantino Mancini, Nicolas Burdisso and David Suazo - in a cash plus player deal for £14 million-rated Dutchman Drik Kuyt, according to Corriere dello Sport.

13.10 BST Everybody's favourite Frenchman Loic "The new Thierry Henry" Remy has completed his move from Nice to Ligue 1 champions Olympique Marseille.

12.58 BST Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola on Javier Mascherano: "I will speak about him when he's here". Before quickly adding: "If he comes.''

12.35 BST Fiorentina are preparing a bid for AC Milan full-back Ignazio Abate, according to Il Corriere dello Sport. Coach Sinisa Mihajlovic will offer to loan Abate for a year.

12.23 BST West Ham United opted out of a loan deal for Manchester City starlet Felipe Caicedo, not because of an administrative error, but because they are hoping to secure an alternative player. Full story.

12.00 BST Spanish side Real Zaragoza have joned the race to sign Juventus striker David Trezeguet on loan for the season according toAS. The Frenchman was yesterday linked with Liverpool.

11.24 BST Manchester United fans can expect an increase in the amount of signings from Sweden after ex-Barcalona star Patrik Andersson joined the club as their Scandinavian scout.

11.03 BST AC Milan wamt to offer Marco Borriello in exchange to loan Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as long as the Spanish club continue to pay 50% of Ibra's wages, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

10.35 BST Birmingham City are set to make a bid for Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia, according the Birmingham Mail. But La Nazione claim that Serie A side Fiorentina are tracking the Frenchman.

10.23 BST Liverpool are preparing to swoop for Lille's versatile defender/midfielder Mathieu Debuchy, according to L’Equipe.

10.09 BST Yesterday Tottenham's Robbie Keane was set to be swapped for West Ham's Scott Parker, but today Spurs are looking to sell him to raise money to buy Luis Fabiano form Sevilla.

09.39 BST Benfica have confirmed that Algerian centre-back Rafik Halliche has joined Fulahm. He has ragreed a three-year contract and becomes manager Mark Hughes second signing.

09.11 BST: Jose Mourinho has ruled himself out of a move for Didier Drogba or Emmanuel Adebayor. City's wealth makes it difficult for even Real Madrid to lure players, says Jose, who admits he lost out to City on Aleksander Kolarov.

08.42 BST: It seems that Alberto Aquilani's proposed loan move to Juventus has hit a stumbling block and, surprise surprise, it appears to have something to do with his fitness. After a medical that lasted six hours on Monday, he will undergo more tests on Tuesday. But his agent still appears confident of pushing through a deal: “It is all good. He will undergo more tests [but] everything is going well, up to schedule.”

08.26 BST: Robinho will meet Fenerbahce officials in Manchester on Tuesday in an attempt to seal a move from Manchester City, according to the Telegraph.

08.01 BST: The Sun is reporting that West Ham have made an £8 million bid for Lorient striker Kevin Gameiro, who scored 17 Ligue 1 goals last season.

07.42 BST: Remember you can send in your comments and also add any rumours you may have heard, using the tool below. That's what reader Brian Gregory did - letting us know his thoughts on the transfer of Yoann Gourcuff to Lyon:

"Its done, Lyon and Bordeaux have agreed to terms on the transfer of yoann gourcuff. My season might just be sunk. Bordeaux are looking at yoann cabaye as a replacement, but with the club only getting 20 mill for gourcuff and a 15 mill debt, theyll be reluctant to spend much, if any at all. im also hearing rumors that wendel wants to leave as well."

07.38 BST: Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson insists the club will not be held to ransom over Javier Mascherano's departure from Anfield. Barcelons have reportedly already had a £12 million plus Alenader Hleb offer turned down by the Reds.

07.11 BST: Let's kick things off by having a scout around the English press, though it seems surprisingly sparse one week before deadline day:

Daily Mirror: Everton boss David Moyes is leading the chase for Peter Crouch and is willing to let Steven Pienaar move in the other direction in order to seal the deal; that could leave Tottenham with a veritable smorgasbord of midfielders, as they will also sign out of favour Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra.

Daily Mail: Chelsea have been priced out of a move for Benfica's £27 million-rated defender David Luiz and will turn their attention to Inter Milan's Nicolas Burdisso; Sunderland want West Ham striker Carlton Cole after failing to bring Ghana's Asamoah Gyan to Wearside from Rennes.

Daily Star: Ian Holloway is targeting Newcastle's Leon Best and Swansea's Stephen Dobbie to help bolster Blackpool's squad; Alessandro Diamanti will quit West Ham for Brescia after holding talks with the Serie A club.

07.05 BST: Good morning all and welcome to what is sure to be another action=packed day of transfer rumour, gossip, and the odd actual move thrown in there for good measure.

Mourinho: City have more financial clout than Real

2010-08-24T20:38:00.002+07:00

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has admitted Manchester City have usurped his club as the dominant force in football's transfer market.

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Manchester City outbid Real Madrid to secure the services of Aleksandar Kolarov from Lazio

Mourinho revealed that the Spanish giants were outbid by City for Serbia left-back Aleksandar Kolarov - who arrived in Manchester for £16 million in the summer - and claimed that he would have 'no chance' of prising Emmanuel Adebayoraway from Eastlands.

City have splashed more than £100 million on new players in the past few months, including the capture of Kolarov from Lazio, and appear to have a bottomless treasure chest of funds thanks to their Abu Dhabi owners.

Real have hardly stood still in the transfer market themselves, signing Sergio Canales, Angel Di Maria, Sami Khedira Ricardo Carvalho and Mesut Ozil. But Mourinho believes that after a decade of galactico transfer policy at the Bernabeu, City have now emerged as the dominant force in the market.

"I understand that if someone wants to compete with them for a player it is very difficult, they are dominant in the market,''Mourinho told Sky Sports News. "The player they say they want is the player they get.

"I was interested in Kolarov when I came here but I couldn't compete with them as they went to values that I couldn't. If they have the money they can do it, if they have the ambition to win the Premier League they can do it.''

Mourinho has been linked with City striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who appears to have fallen out of favour with boss Roberto Mancini, but "the Special One" believes a move for the unsettled forward is out of the question.

"I think no chance," Mourinho told Sky Sports News when asked about the prospect of signing Adebayor. "The historical dimension of Real Madrid and Manchester City you can't compare. But the economical dimension you can compare.

"So I think at the minute Man City is the club to keep their best players and to buy the players that nobody expects them to buy. I don't think, just one year after buying Emmanuel from Arsenal, he's the player to leave."

Technical of Balotelli

2010-08-23T21:19:00.000+07:00

Latest transfer gossip: August 23

2010-08-23T21:11:00.002+07:00

Crouch: Heading to Stoke? ©Getty Images

15.02 BST: Ajax have signed Egyptian striker Mido on a year-long contract.

15.00 BST: Entertaining stuff from Mohamed Al Fayed as he warns Manchester United not to try to sign any of his Fulham players. We're not sure exactly which players he might be referring to, but here you go. "We gave United a warm welcome but that doesn't indicate an invitation to them to walk away with the Fulham family treasures, as happened when first Saha and then Van der Sar went there," he said on talksport.co.uk. "Of course, there is also Chris Smalling. But as a shopkeeper and proud to be, I must warn them they cannot go on looking in our window whenever the fancy takes them."

14.55 BST: Sticking with Corriere dello Sport, it's claimed Lazio director of sport Igli Tare has flown to England to seal a loan deal for City striker Roque Santa Cruz for €2 million.

14.50 BST: Corriere dello Sport believes Real Madrid are close to signing Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko. Manchester City were interested previously but seem to have backed away due to his price tag, while Juve are no longer in the running having signed their one permitted non-EU player for this transfer window.

14.47 BST: Mikael Silvestre, without a club after leaving Arsenal, has rejected a move to Turkish side Kayserispor, according to L'Equipe, as he wants to play for New York Red Bulls or another English club. Fulham are apparently in the mix.

14.35 BST: Maicon's agent, Antonio Caliendo, is up to his old tricks again, trying to generate speculation and seal his client a lucrative move away from Inter despite there being little sign of actual interest. "I cannot say much, but Maicon's situation can be discussed on Friday after the European Super Cup," he told Fcinter1908. "On this occasion, many presidents of some of Europe's top clubs will be present. Maybe they will speak about Maicon, but this is just my own hypothesis."

14.25 BST: The Daily Mail says Wigan could be set to tie up a deal for Chelsea youngster Franco Di Santo in the coming days.

14.18 BST: Interesting stuff from Italy. AC Milan have confirmed they are to talk to Barcelona about a deal for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Read all about it here.

13.54 BST: The London Evening Standard says Spurs look certain to sell Robbie Keane before the end of the window, with West Ham and Aston Villa interested, and it's claimed there is a chance of a swap deal with the Hammers for Scott Parker.

13.52 BST: Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has confirmed he is interested in Charles N'Zogbia, but no official contact has been made with Wigan Athletic.

13.46 BST: Juve striker David Trezeguet's agent appears to have confirmed reports Liverpool are interested. "There are requests, not just from Liverpool," Antonio Caliendo told calciomercato.it. "In Spain there is the interest of Real Zaragoza and Hercules. We are considering [offers]. Today is a day of reflection; we will know more tomorrow."

13.44 BST: Bristol City have beaten Blackpool to the signing of Brett Pitman from Bournemouth.

13.42 BST: Jeffrey Sarpong has agreed to join Real Sociedad from Ajax.

13.20 BST: The Wigan Evening Post says Guillermo Franco is set to sign for the Latics "possibly as soon as today". The 33-year-old Mexico striker is a free agent after leaving West Ham.

13.15 BST: Corriere dello Sport claims Schalke are in talks with roma over a deal to sign Julio Baptista.

13.04 BST: Sevilla have released Uruguayan striker Javier Chevanton to pave the way for his return to Lecce.

13.01 BST: OFFICIAL: Ipswich have completed the signing of Wigan striker Jason Scotland for an undisclosed fee.

12.58 BST: Bayern Munich midfielder Jose Sosa, 25, is set to join Napoli for €2.5 million, according to Corriere dello Sport.

12.51 BST: Blackburn look to be making a bit of progress on the striker front. Sam Allardyce says they're negotiating for Bulgarian striker Ivelin Popov from Litex Lovetch.

12.27 BST: Newcastle have apparently joined the race for Roque Santa Cruz, but Sky Sports News is also claiming that Roberto Mancini is happy with the striker and he could yet stay at City.

12.25 BST: Ipswich manager Roy Keane says Jon Stead will be joining Bristol City today. "The clubs have agreed a fee and he has agreed personal terms," he told the club's official website.

12.22 BST: OFFICIAL: Wigan have signed former Burnley defender Steven Caldwell.

12.15 BST: Sky Sports News says West Ham striker Alessandro Diamanti is discussing personal terms with Brescia.

12.10 BST: Liverpool are keen on PSV striker Ola Toivonen, but PSV aren't keen to sell. More here.

11.54 BST: Stoke boss Tony Pulis has played down talk he could sign Peter Crouch.

11.45 BST: Blackburn are looking for another striker but Sam Allardyce is less than optimistic. “We are trying but I wouldn’t say we are close to anything at the moment," he told the Lancashire Telegraph. "There is a limited number of front men who are available and we have to find out whether we consider them good enough to come into this league and produce the goals we need. Anybody we get now is going to take a considerable amount of time to adjust to the Premier League anyway because it is going to be from abroad no doubt."

11.42 BST: Sunderland have irons in the fire but boss Steve Bruce says they have yet to table any bids. "There's no movement at the moment," he told the Sunderland Echo. "We have one or two things in progress but nothing imminent and I have no bids in for players at the moment. Obviously we have two or three targets, but I have to balance the books."

11.40 BST: Liverpool are set to step up their bid for PSV duo Ola Toivonen and Carlos Salcido, according to the Liverpool Echo.

11.15 BST: Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez has ruled out a transfer this summer and vowed to win back his place in the team. "I have made my position clear - there will be no transfer," he told Bild.

11.00 BST: Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou says West Brom have had another bid rejected for Marc Wilson, while boss Steve Cotterill has played down talk of a loan move for Gabriel Obertan. Morehere.

10.51 BST: Owen Coyle has played down reports Matty Taylor is set to leave Bolton.

10.46 BST: Leeds are looking at former West Ham defender Calum Davenport, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post. Davenport, 27, is on the lookout for a new club after suffering serious leg wounds in a stabbing incident. He trained with Nottingham Forest a couple of weeks ago.

10.42 BST: Robert Pires is said to be keen on a move to PSG or Marseille, and has reportedly ruled out a move to China with Shanghai Shenhua FC. He turned down a move to Philadelphia Union earlier this month and said: "I don't want to be difficult, but if I'm leaving to take my family far away, I prefer that it's in a beautiful city."

10.40 BST: Alou Diarra is hoping to see Yoann Gourcuff stay at Bordeaux despite strong rumours he is set to join Lyon.

10.32 BST: Bordeaux striker Fernando Cavenaghi could leave the club this summer, according to L'Equipe, and Sunderland are apparently ready to swoop. He's reported to have asked team-mate David Bellion, formerly of Sunderland, about the move. "Why not? If a club wants to sign me, I have to think about it," Cavenaghi said. "That is part of a footballer's life."

10.28 BST: Saint-Etienne striker Emmanuel Riviere - who has been dubbed the new Thierry Henry - would like to move to the Emirates Stadium. "Arsenal would really be the jewel in the crown for me," he said. "They play a fast-moving, attacking style of football, and they're always shooting on goal. It's fantastic. I respect Thierry Henry for who he is. He has always inspired me." Lyon, Juventus and Marseille are also said to be interested.

10.22 BST: Rumours suggest Inter are considering a move for unwanted City striker Roque Santa Cruz, which seems a little odd.

10.10 BST: Genk have not yet completed the signing of Malmo striker Edward Ofere, according to KickOffNigeria.

10.07 BST: The Daily Record says Celtic will complete the signing of Necastle goalkeeper Fraser Forster on loan today.

10.02 BST: PSG star Stephane Sessegnon has been linked with Spurs and West Ham and is refusing to rule out a move.

09.41 BST: Looks like Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to stay at Barcelonadespite Milan's determination to sign him. His agent has all but ruled out a move.

09.25 BST: Juventus director general Beppe Marotta has vowed to bolster the squad further with a defender and a midfielder before the transfer window closes. “We still lack some pieces and will try to get them in the last few days of the market," he said.

09.23 BST: Attacking midfielder David Fuster has left Villarreal to sign for Olympiakos.

09.05 BST: Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani has joined Juventus on loan but denied claims he could have returned to Roma. “There were no other offers from different clubs," he toldTuttomercatoweb.com. He added: "I am so happy to be back in Italy."

08.50 BST: Vitesse are set to bring in a couple of Chelsea youngsters. The Eredivisie club's owner, Merab Jordania, said in De Telegraaf: "Slobodan Rajkovic and Nemanja Matic? Yes, they will come." Another Chelsea youngster, Jacob Mellis, has been linked with a move to Arnhem, too, while Jordania also confirmed that Ajax's Ismail Aissati is "on his way".

08.42 BST: L'Equipe says France and Bordeaux playmaker Yoann Gourcuff could join Lyon for €20 million.

08.39 BST: RAC1 claims Barcelona have had a €20 million bid for Javier Mascherano rejected.

08.37 BST: Swansea are interested in taking Arsenal starlet Henri Lansbury on loan, according to BBC Wales.

08.35 BST: Aston Villa, Birmingham and Stoke could all be interested in Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd.

08.22 BST: Blackpool are rumoured to be interested in Birmingham back-up 'keeper Maik Taylor.

07.46 BST: It is a bit of a disappointing effort from the papers this morning, but here are the best rumours on Monday...

The Guardian: Manchester United have infuriated Ajax by signing Gyliano van Velzen from the Dutch club’s famous youth academy. United are adamant that the midfielder has been recruited in accordance with FIFA rules on the matter though.

Daily Mirror: Inter Milan striker Victor Obinna is expected to arrive at West Ham on Monday to undergo talks with the club. Meanwhile, Arsenal youngster Jay Emmanuel-Thomas could return to Doncaster Rovers on loan and Blackpool remain hopeful of signing Angel Rangel and Stephen Dobbie from Swansea City.

Daily Mail: Stoke are showing interest in Tottenham striker Peter Crouch, although Everton could also be in for the England international. If Stoke do sign Crouch they will send their own gangly striker Dave Kitson on loan to Portsmouth.

07.15 BST: Right, we will take a look round the morning's papers to see which stories are making the headlines in the English press...

07.05 BST: Good morning, transfer fans. We expect Arsenal to sign Sebastien Squillaci at some point today, and there should be plenty of rumours as always. Stick with us for comprehensive coverage of the day's transfer developments.

Milan chief Galliani claims Ibrahimovic talks

2010-08-23T21:10:00.002+07:00

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has said that the club's negotiations to sign Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic are "officially open".

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic has spent one season at Barcelona

The arrival of David Villa at Camp Nou has led to sustained speculation regarding Ibrahimovic's future and the striker was left out of the Barcelona team that defeated Sevilla 4-0 at the weekend to claim the Spanish Super Cup.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola said following the Sevilla game: "It was a sporting decision, as was the case with the other players who didn't play."

While he scored 16 goals in 29 La Liga appearances last season following a lucrative move from Inter Milan, Ibrahimovic's form was somewhat inconsistent and he has been linked with a range of clubs throughout the summer, including Manchester City and Chelsea.

Ibrahimovic's agent said earlier on Monday that a move to Milan would be an "impossible operation", but Galliani has suggested otherwise and says he has arranged a meeting with the Barcelona hierarchy.

"The deal for Ibrahimovic is officially open," Galliani told Gazzetta dello Sport. "On Wednesday I will meet Barcelona's president Sandro Rosell. It will be difficult and we have not yet spoken of the economic aspect."

It is expected that any deal will be a loan move rather than a permanent signing, given that just 12 months ago Barcelona paid Inter Milan £40 million and gave them Samuel Eto'o in part exchange when signing the Sweden international. His buyout clause is set at £216 million.

Prior to Galliani's statement, Ibrahimovic's agent Mino Raiola appeared to rule out a move to San Siro for the 28-year-old.

"I believe it's an impossible operation," Raiola told Sky Italia. "Barcelona have made us understand that they don't want to sell. I have spoken with the club and Guardiola doesn't want to sell him.

"We are honoured by Milan's interest and that of many other clubs who want Zlatan. It makes us very happy to know that Berlusconi and Galliani respect him. But we need to see the reality and Zlatan in red and black is an impossible operation.

"I exclude it [a loan move]. He is not the kind of player who goes out on loan, but I exclude almost categorically that Ibrahimovic will leave Barcelona. Many teams want him and expect that he will be sold, but right now it's not like this. The coach commands and will absolutely not sell him.

"Zlatan is used to fighting for his place, there are no problems. Guardiola bought him a year ago for €70 million. He believes in him and won't let him leave after 12 months. He remains Barcelona's first striker.

"He is 99.9% staying in Catalonia. I don't hide the fact that he doesn't like being out of the team, then again we'll see what happens on September 1. But I repeat, Guardiola has decided not to sell him. But like Galliani said, we can dream!"

If he does move to Milan, Ibrahimovic will join a select group of individuals to have represented Italy's three biggest clubs - Inter, AC Milan and Juventus.

The Swede won three Serie A titles during his time at Inter and two at Juve, although the 2005 and 2006 Scudetti won in Turin were revoked as a result of the Calciopoli match-fixing case that resulted in Juve's demotion to the second tier of Italian football.

Given that he also won the second of two Eredivisie titles with Ajax in 2004, his impressive record means that the last time a club featuring Ibrahimovic did not finish top of the table was Ajax in 2003.

Van Nistelrooy ruins Raul debut, Bremen battered

2010-08-22T14:47:00.000+07:00

Ruud van Nistelrooy eclipsed another former Madrid striker, Raul, scoring twice to helpHamburg to a 2-1 home win over Schalke.

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Ruud van Nistelrooy bagged a match-winning brace against Schalke

The veteran Dutchman opened the scoring a minute after the break and the visitors were dealt another blow when they had Benedikt Howedes sent off on the hour mark, the dismissal also bringing Raul's debut to an end as the summer signing was sacrificed.

The 10 men levelled through Jefferson Farfan with 10 minutes to go, only for Van Nistelrooy to snatch a winner three minutes later.

Werder Bremen started life after Mesut Ozil with a thumping 4-1 defeat at Hoffenheim. Germany midfielder Ozil sealed a move to Real Madrid earlier this week and was sorely missed by his former employers in their opening match of the Bundesliga season.

Torsten Frings put the visitors ahead with a penalty after just three minutes but goals from Demba Ba, Peniel Mlapa, Vedad Ibisevic and Sejad Salihovic won the game for the hosts before half-time.

Both newly-promoted sides, Kaiserslautern and St Pauli, came from behind to win 3-1 away from home.

Kaiserslautern's opponents Cologne had Youssef Mohamad sent off after just two minutes but went ahead six minutes later through Milivoje Novakovic.

The visitors, though, came roaring back with Srdjan Lakic's brace and substitute Ivo Ilicevic's strike all in the last 20 minutes.

St Pauli also left it late, scoring three times in the final seven minutes to beat Freiburg at the Badenova-Stadion.

The Hamburg-based outfit, back in the top flight for the first time since the 2001-02 season, looked to be heading to defeat when Papiss Cisse opened the scoring in the 78th minute.

But Fabian Boll levelled in the 83rd minute before two goals in the last two minutes from substitutes Richard Sukuta-Pasu and Fin Bartels turned the match on its head.

Didier Konan netted a second-half winner as Hannover opened their campaign with 2-1 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Benjamin Kohler netted for the visitors to cancel out Konstantin Rausch's opener for the hosts and Konan scored in the 75th minute to secure three points.

Mohammadou Idrissou marked his Borussia Monchengladbach league debut with a goal but it was not enough for victory against Nurnberg as their match ended 1-1.

The Cameroon forward, signed in the summer from Freiburg, equalised after half an hour's play after Jens Hegeler put the Bavarian side ahead in the 15th minute.

Benitez begins Inter reign with Supercoppa triumph

2010-08-22T14:45:00.002+07:00

Inter Milan earned their fourth piece of silverware in 2010 by lifting the Italian Supercoppa with victory over Roma; Rafa Benitez's first trophy with the Nerazzurri.

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Samuel Eto'o scored twice to add to Goran Pandev's strike and seal a 3-1 victory

John Arne Riise put the visitors in front in the 21st minute, but Goran Pandev levelled four minutes before the break.

Samuel Eto'o scored in the 70th and 80th minutes to give Rafa Benitez a winning start on the Inter bench and earn theNerazzurri their first success of the 2010-11 season.

Inter can potentially go on to clinch six trophies in 2010 by winning the European Super Cup against Atletico Madrid next weekend and the FIFA Club World Cup in December, to add to the Serie A title, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League they won last season under Jose Mourinho.

Benitez relied upon the players he inherited from Mourinho in his starting XI, while Roma coach Claudio Ranieri also fielded the same team which pushed the Nerazzurri close for the Scudetto last season.

Francesco Totti and Mirko Vucinic led the Giallorossi attack with former Inter forward Adriano starting on the bench.

Wesley Sneijder had two decent efforts within the first 10 minutes with his second attempt going just a few feet over the crossbar from 20 yards.

Totti sent his strike partner Vucinic through with a perfectly-weighted pass in the 10th minute, but the Montenegro forward shot straight at Julio Cesar with just the Inter goalkeeper to beat.

Roma were posing the greater threat and Jeremy Menez made room for a shot by cutting inside Walter Samuel, but he tried to find the far corner with the outside of his boot and failed to get any curl on the ball.

At the other end, Marco Cassetti threw himself at the feet of Samuel Eto'o to block the Cameroon striker's shot from Maicon's cross.

Riise then put Roma ahead thanks to yet another intelligent pass from Giallorossi captain Totti. His precision pass allowed the former Liverpool full-back to fire first time past Julio Cesar from just outside the penalty area, the Brazilian goalkeeper getting his fingertips to the ball but failing to keep it out.

Roma were good value for their lead but they threw it away when Vucinic passed the ball back towards his goalkeeper from out wide in the 41st minute. Pandev got to the ball ahead of Bogdan Lobont to divert it into the far corner.

Menez and Riise tried their luck from distance as Roma started the second half brightly, but Eto'o then took centre stage.

He was wrongly ruled offside in the 64th minute as he provided an assist for Milito to score and the pair linked up again six minutes later as Milito crossed for Eto'o, who stole in at the near post to beat Cassetti and Lobont to the ball to score.

Eto'o then sealed the win for Inter in the 80th minute. He stole possession off Rodrigo Taddei, who was trying to walk the ball out of defence, and played a one-two with Sneijder before sliding a shot under Lobont, who was unable to take enough of the pace off the ball with his leg.

Magic Messi wins Supercopa for Barca

2010-08-22T14:43:00.002+07:00

Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona turned around a 3-1 first-leg deficit to claim the Supercopa with an impressive win over an under-par Sevilla side at the Nou Camp on Saturday.

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Barcelona players celebrate lifting the club's ninth Supercopa

David Villa came on to make his debut late on and new president Sandro Rosell was in his box seat for the first time in a night of celebrations.

Rosell was to win his first trophy as Barca chief, but the Catalans were also presented with the league trophy they won last season and welcomed back their World Cup winners too.

Five of Barca's eight Spain stars started this match, with Villa, Carles Puyol and Andres Iniesta on the bench. But it was the youngest of them all, Pedro, who set Barca on their way after 14 minutes as Abdoulay Konko scored an own goal.

The Tenerife-born forward beat two Sevilla players on the right wing, advanced into the area and saw his low cross deflected into the net by Konko. It was a soft goal from Sevilla's point of view and a bad time to concede as well.

The Andalusians, with one eye on Tuesday's Champions League qualifier against Braga, began without their two star strikers, Luis Fabiano and Frederic Kanoute.

Alvaro Negredo and Alejandro Alfaro began in their place, but were feeding off scraps up front. The Catalans were dominating almost effortlessly and a second goal appeared only a matter of time.

Bojan Krkic and Maxwell both came close before Messi ran on to Xavi's perfectly-weighted slide-rule pass to slot home after 25 minutes.

A 2-0 win was all that Barca needed to reclaim the Supercopa, but there was still more than an hour to go. And Messi was in the mood.

The 24-year-old latched on to Dani Alves' pass in the area a minute before half-time and beat Andres Palop with a fierce angled shot which gave the keeper no chance.

Messi could have completed his hat-trick five minutes after the break, but dragged his shot side of the target.

Villa came on for his debut short of the hour mark and showed some moments of inspiration, but it was another Barca substitute, Iniesta, who created the fourth goal.

Spain's World Cup hero charged into the area in the last minute after playing a one-two with Villa and unselfishly laid the ball back for Messi, who slotted home to complete his hat-trick and round off a perfect night for the Catalan club.

It was a first title for Rosell, but an eighth for Guardiola in what is the beginning of only his third season in charge.

Captain Puyol, who sat out the whole 90 minutes, came on to lift the trophy after the match on a happy night at the Nou Camp, and a welcome return to form for Messi following his World Cup disappointment with Argentina.

Arteta would 'seriously' consider playing for England

2010-08-22T14:42:00.002+07:00

Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has confirmed he would give serious thought to playing for England, should he ever be offered the opportunity to do so.

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Everton's Spanish mifielder Mikel Arteta qualifies for England.

The Spaniard has never managed to break into his country's national team and with a plethora of midfield talent at La Roja's disposal - including the likes of Andreas Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Xavi andCesc Fabregas - it seems Arteta's chances of a call-up in the near future are remote.

But Arteta, 28, qualifies to play for England having gained British citizenship during his five years at Everton, and there have been increasing calls for him to be considered by England boss Fabio Capello.

And the midfielder admits that he would consider representing the Three Lions should the chance arise, though he has had no offer from Capello as yet.

"If one day the opportunity comes obviously I would have to consider it very seriously," Arteta told BBC Sport.

"I don't know what his [Capello's] thoughts are. I know some people have been talking about it, but I haven't said anything yet because the offer is not there at the moment.''

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who has skippered England recently in the absence of Rio Ferdinand, revealed last week that he would "love'' Arteta to come into the international squad.

Chelsea and Arsenal both hit six

2010-08-22T14:40:00.002+07:00

Chelsea wasted little time in returning to the top of the Premier League table in Saturday's late kick-off, cruising past Wigan 6-0 to lay down yet another warning to their title rivals at the DW Stadium.

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Florent Malouda scores the opener for Chelsea

Aided by another seriously concerning display of defending from Roberto Martinez's Wigan side, Florent Malouda, Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun helped themselves to goals as the champions made it 12 in two games.

Malouda was first to register, reacting much faster than the sleeping Maynor Figueroa after Chris Kirkland had parried Frank Lampard's shot. Then came Anelka's quick-fire brace in four second-half minutes, taking advantage of Kirkland's awful positioning for his first and then heading home from close range to notch his second.

There was one potential sour note for Carlo Ancelotti when John Terry escaped a second yellow card after a malicious challenge on Charles N'Zogbia, but the Blues retained focus to add a fourth when Didier Drogba unselfishly fed Kalou late on. Drogba had a hand in three goals throughout the afternoon, clipping over a perfect cross for Kalou to make it five, and then Benayoun came off the bench to open his account as the champions ran riot.

Blackpool's honeymoon period in the Premier League came to an excruciating end at Emirates Stadium as Theo Walcott inspired Arsenal to a 6-0 victory.

Ian Holloway spoke pre-match about the need to ensure Blackpool's dream afternoon did not turn into a nightmare in North London, but his players failed to heed the warning as they returned to the changing room at half time 3-0 down, and a man down. Ian Evatt saw red for the visitors and Walcott took full advantage to bag himself a hat-trick.

It was Walcott who opened the scoring when he completed a flowing Arsenal move on 12 minutes, and then Blackpool were dealt the piece of hard luck they could ill afford, with Evatt sent off for a professional foul on Marouane Chamakh. Evatt's challenge appeared to come outside the box, but Andrei Arshavin cared little as he doubled his side's lead from 12 yards.

Walcott then doubled his personal tally with the help of some poor goalkeeping, and there was more misery for Blackpool after the break as Abou Diaby expertly turned home Bacary Sagna's cross, before Walcott completed his hat-trick with yet another cool finish after he meandered his way into the area.

With the match wrapped up, Arsene Wenger was able to give half-hour appearances to Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, and Chamakh rounded off the perfect afternoon late on by opening his Emirates account after he had earlier missed an open goal.

Tottenham were also celebrating on Saturday as their depleted squad secured a 2-1 triumphat Stoke thanks to the brilliance of Gareth Bale.

The Wales international opened the scoring with a messy strike at the Britannia Stadium, and he then added the match-winner with an early contender for goal of the month.

A goalmouth melee saw Spurs lead thanks to a ricochet off Bale's face, but there was no questioning his second goal, which was a quite spectacular volley into the top left corner. Ricardo Fuller had momentarily brought Stoke back on level terms at 1-1, but they could not find a second equaliser as Harry Redknapp claimed his first three points of the season.

West Ham are looking like early relegation contenders after they produced yet anotherwoeful defensive display in a 3-1 home defeat to Bolton.

Wanderers made a bright start at Upton Park, with Johan Elmander sending a glorious early opportunity wide of an upright, but they were thankful to Jussi Jaaskelainen for the 0-0 half-time scoreline after the Finnish goalkeeper saved Carlton Cole's soft penalty.

The Hammers were made to pay just three minutes into the second half, with Matthew Upson sending the ball into his own net under pressure from Kevin Davies, receiving a suspected broken nose in the process. And things got worse for Avram Grant's side before full time, with Elmander making up for his earlier miss with an excellent finish.

Mark Noble gave the Hammers temporary hope of a recovery by succeeding where Cole failed from 12 yards, but more bad defending allowed Elmander to kill the game with his second.

West Brom produced the perfect reply to their 6-0 hammering at the hands of Chelsea, beating Sunderland 1-0 thanks to debutant Peter Odemwingie. The Nigeria international missed a sitter in the first half, but he made amends with nine minutes remaining to the delight of the Hawthorns faithful.

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Tim Cahill scores Everton's first

Everton will be lamenting a huge opportunity to pick up three points afterthey drew 1-1 with Wolves at Goodison Park.

David Moyes' side deservedly led at the interval in the first home game of their campaign, having dominated Wolves for nearly the entire 45 minutes.

The breakthrough eventually arrived two minutes before the break, when Tim Cahill reacted first to Mikel Arteta's blocked free kick, slamming the ball into the roof of the net. The pattern continued into the second half as Everton continued to control matters, but they were made to pay for their profligacy when Sylvain Ebanks-Blake equalized with 15 minutes remaining.

Birmingham also came from behind against Blackburn, winning 2-1 at St Andrew's thanks to a Craig Gardner brace. After a dour first half, the game exploded into life three minutes into the second period, with young referee Michael Oliver awarding a penalty for a foul by Nikola Zigic on Chris Samba.

Morten Gamst Pedersen stepped up and struck his spot kick cleanly, but Ben Foster produced a magnificent reaction stop to turn the penalty onto the bar.

Blackburn didn't rue the miss for long as they took the lead through Steven N'Zonzi's header, but they could not hold onto the advantage as Blues hit straight back and eventually earned all three points on home turf thanks to Gardner.

Appearing in the right place at the right time on both occasions, the former Aston Villa man first turned home James McFadden's volleyed cross, and then found himself in yards of room from Sebastian Larsson's pass to take all three points for Blues.

Latest transfer gossip: August 21

2010-08-21T18:32:00.000+07:00

blog here

12.14 BST: Aston Villa have rejected an approach from Blackpool to take midfielder Barry Bannan back on loan.

12.00 BST: More financial woe at Everton. They couldn't even afford to bring Craig Bellamy in. Manager David Moyes has said: "If we had big, big money we would have tried to buy a top-class forward, but we've had to go down other routes. How close did we come [to signing Bellamy]? We had a genuine interest. We just couldn't afford the whole thing."

11.50 BST: Juventus have announced on their official website that they have signed winger Milos Krasic from CSKA Moscow.

11.15 BST: Well it may not happen now, but Wesley Sneijder wants Dirk Kuyt at Inter. "With him it's like playing with 12 and not 11 players," Sneijder told Corriere dello Sport of Kuyt.

10.52 BST: Liverpool are after a striker and have made an offer of £9 million for PSV Eindhoven striker Ola Toivonen, apparently.

10.34 BST: Arsenal are considering whether to bring West Ham defender Matthew Upson back to the club. With just one year left on his contract, offers of about £7 million for the England international could tempt them into a sale.

10.22 BST: Werder Bremen have moved quickly to fill the void left by the sale of Mesut Ozil to Real Madrid by signing Brazilian midfielder Wesley from Santos.

10.02 BST: Juventus apparently want more firepower up front and have eyed Milan forwards Marco Borriello and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

09.44 BST: Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson had 'gentlemen's agreement' with Fulham chairman Mohamed Al Fayed over the signing of his old players, but that could come crashing down if he goes for £3 million worth of Paul Konchesky.

09.30 BST: Birmingham are evidently having trouble sleeping as they want to bring in Mr Insomnia - sorry, Charles N'Zogbia - with a bid of around £8.5-£9 million.

09.15 BST: As if they don't have enough widemen already, Manchester United are reportedl close to signing 16-year-old Ajax winger Gyliano van Velzen.

09.05 BST: Here's a look through some of the paper gossip today.

Daily Mirror: Keeper merry-go-round here, so Mark Schwarzer goes to Arsenal and Mark Hughes wants Stoke's Asmir Begovic to replace the veteran Australia international. If this all fails Maarten Stekelenburg goes to to Arsenal and Shay Given stays put. Everton want to get rid of Joseph Yobo apprently. And Stephen Ireland already feels at home at Villa.

Daily Mail: Luke Young didn't agree terms with Liverpool, but now he's set to join West Ham! £2.5m is a popular figure as a deal for Celtic's Marc-Antoine Fortune could also be in the offing. Tottenham have been quoted £8.5 million to take Lassana Diarra after Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho said he will not allow the midfielder to go out on loan.

Daily Star Jose Mourinho wants Didier Drogba and will pay £20 million to bring him to Real Madrid. Inter say they are not in for Mascherano and Steven Pienaar has been told that this contract offer won't increase.

09.00 BST: Good morning everyone, an early line from the papers says that Dirk Kuyt and Javier Mascherano won't be allowed to join Inter, according to Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson: Inter won't buy Liverpool players

2010-08-21T18:29:00.003+07:00

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson says that Inter Milan will not make a move for Javier Mascherano, or any other Liverpool player, before the transfer window closes.

PA Photos

Javier Mascherano: Wants to leave Anfield

Mascherano has been linked with a move to the San Siro since former Reds bossRafael Benitez took charge of the European champions earlier this summer and the unsettled midfielder expressed a desire to leave Anfield for personal reasons when he reported back for pre-season training after the World Cup.

Liverpool have said they will only sell if they receive an appropriate bid for the £25 million-rated player and Hodgson has made clear his desire to keep the 26-year-old.

Dirk Kuyt has also been linked to Inter - by his own agent - but Hodgson has spoken to the Serie A club's president personally.

''I spoke to Massimo Moratti about the fact they are not going to buy Liverpool players. I believe they were only interested in two of our players and they are not going to buy them. Moratti said they are not going to do that,'' he said.

Ferguson: Anderson almost quit Old Trafford

2010-08-21T18:28:00.002+07:00

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Brazilian midfielder Anderson was talking about quitting Manchester United last season after poor form and injuries put him on the brink of an Old Trafford exit.

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Anderson has returned to training with Manchester United

Anderson, 22, endured a difficult campaign and was tipped in some quarters to be eased out of the club during the January transfer window. In the end, he stayed where he was, only to suffer a cruciate knee ligament injury during a Premier League win over West Ham in February.

Now on the road to recovery, he was involved in a car crash last month that saw him pulled from the wreckage before the car caught fire, although Ferguson said that the injuries he suffered were not serious and he has now begun to train with the club again. Now the boss hopes that the break has allowed the midfielder to re-assess his future.

''Anderson has an incredible talent,'' said Ferguson. ''He loves training and playing. He wants to play every game and train every day. But that is a problem for me because at 22 he has not got the maturity to understand we operate a squad here.

''When he does understand that, he will be a fantastic player here but last season he was talking about leaving because he was not playing in every game.''

Rather than put his arm around the player's shoulder, Ferguson opted to stand well back from someone who first made his mark with FC Porto in the hope that common sense would eventually prevail.

''Maybe it is a good thing he has been injured for a spell because he can look at the situation,'' said Ferguson. ''In some ways, I don't want to change his mentality because it is wonderful to see someone who wants to play every minute of every day.

''If you have someone with that enthusiasm, you have to be careful you don't check it to the point when you lose it. I didn't talk to him about leaving. I just let him get it out of his system.

''Maybe the injury has quelled the storm in his body because he came back here with the same enthusiasm and has been telling me he is ready to play. Everyone has seen the quality in his game and he will get his opportunity.''

Latest Transfer gossip: August 20

2010-08-20T20:21:00.002+07:00

Aquilani: Anfield flop © Getty Images

14.07 BST: Benfica have announced that after failing to agree terms with Armand Traore, they have ended their pursuit of the Arsenal player.
14.01 BST: Reports in France suggest that Lyon are hoping to sneak in at the last minute and sign Robinho, However, it is understood that Besiktas are on the brink of signing the Manchester City forward.
13.36 BST: Blackburn Rovers are chasing Fulham midfielder Jonathan Greening. The Mirror says Greening, 31, is not in new Fulham boss Mark Hughes’ plans and Rovers have been cleared to speak to him. However, the deal may hinge on Hughes bringing in extra players to his small squad at Craven Cottage.
13.25 BST: Fenerbahce are reportedly making a late move for Manchester City winger Robinho. The Mirror says Robinho could finally be about to end his ill-fated two-year spell with City after Besiktas made a £16million bid for British football's most expensive player. Robinho is said to been keen on the deal but Fenerbahce are also believed to be interested, and will hold talks with City in the coming days.
13.09 BST: West Brom have completed the signing of Lokomotiv Moscow forward Peter Odemwingie on a two-year deal. Odemwingie, 29, represented Nigeria at the World Cup finals and joins the Baggies for an undisclosed fee. The club also have the option to extend his contract to three years.
13.03 BST: Birmingham are being linked with a £6 million move for Tottenham full-back Alan Hutton, with manager Alex McLeish still hopeful of adding new signings this month. Hutton would follow in the footsteps of Mat Derbyshire, Nikola Zigic, Ben Foster and Enric Valles, who have all joined Blues this summer.
12.47 BST: Newly promoted French side Arles Avignon have offered to take French defender Jonathan Zebina off Juventus' hands. Zebina is up for sale in Turin and made his desire to leave public last night despite having a year left on his contract.
12.34 BST: Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier has accused Newcastle of arrogance in their pursuit of midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa. The France international had been in talks with the Magpies over a loan move to St James' Park, but Marseille insist the midfielder will stayat the club this season.
12.15 BST: Crystal Palace manager George Burley has confirmed that former Ajax and Juventus star Edgar Davids is "80-20" in favour of joining the Eagles. "He's a world-renowned player, he's a very nice fellow and he's keen to play again," Burley told talkSPORT. "He's been doing a lot of training and after a number of chats with him I'm optimistic, put it that way. I would say it's 80-20. Hopefully things will materialise in a day or so."
12.04 BST: Celtic striker Morten Rasmussen has joined German club FSV Mainz on a season-long loan deal. Rasmussen, 25, joined Celtic from Brondby in a £1 million deal in January but has been unable to impose himself on the first team.
11.49 BST: Ipswich manager Roy Keane has confirmed that striker Pablo Counago is close to sealing a loan move to Crystal Palace. Keane said: "Pablo is in talks with Crystal Palace and there is a chance that could go through on Friday."
11.33 BST: Krisztian Nemeth looks set to join Olympiakos from Liverpool, according to FIFA. The talented Hungarian youngster is highly-rated on Merseyside, however the 21-year-old is keen on a move to Greece – where he spent last season on loan.
11.24 BST: Dirk Kuyt's agent has confirmed that Rafa Benitez is interested in bringing Kuyt to Inter Milan. "Dirk is being professional," Rob Jansen told Voetbal International. "Yes, there is real interest from Inter, but Dirk has not decided yet whether he does want to leave Liverpool. He must think carefully before leaving.
11.10 BST: Bournemouth striker Brett Pitman has rejected the initial offer of personal terms at Blackpool, according to Sky Sports. Pitman has been holding talks regarding a move to Bloomfield Road after Blackpool saw a reported £600,000 offer accepted by Bournemouth earlier in the week.
10.52 BST: Middlesbrough are set to offer former Arsenal and Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright a way back into football. Gordon Strachan is looking for a new keeper after Brad Jones joined Liverpool.
10.41 BST: Croatia striker Nikica Jelavic is in Glasgow to complete a medical ahead of his move to Rangers from Rapid Vienna. The Evening Express report that Jelavic is expected to agree personal terms with the Ibrox club today. The move follows the loan signing of Vladimir Weiss from Manchester City on Thursday.
10.22 BST: Roberto Di Matteo has told the Birmingham Mail that is hoping to complete the double signing of Peter Odemwingie and Somen Tchyoi in time for West Brom's game against Sunderland on Saturday.
10.09 BST: Emile Heskey has been linked with a return to the club where he made his name, Leicester City. The Foxes were taken over by Thai businessman Vichal Raksriaksorn last week and he is believed to providing coach Paulo Sousa with £10 million in transfer funds.
10.00 BST: Edgar Davids tweets: "On my way to Crystal Palace training ground Selhurst"...
09.55 BST: Serbian winger Milos Krasic told Tuttosport that he is the "happiest man in the world" as he prepares to join Juventus from CSKA Moscow in a deal worth a reported €15 million.
09.44 BST: West Ham are to tempt Bolton Wanderers with a £2m offer for winger Matt Taylor. Hammers boss Avram Grant told the Bolton News is need of a specialist set-piece taker and sees Taylor as a good option. The two clubs meet at Upton Park on Saturday afternoon.
09.30 BST: Diego Forlan has laughed off suggestions that he was ready to quit Atletico Madrid to join Inter Milan this summer. Reports have suggested the former Manchester United forward was ready to quit Spain to join the Italian and European champions. “They were just rumours,” said the Uruguayan striker. “I didn’t receive any offer. I’m not moving anyway – I have three years on my contract and I’m happy.”
09.21 BST: Reports in L’Equipe suggest that Real Madrid are interested in buying Michel Bastos from Lyon and will offer Royston Drenthe in part exchange. Bastos played at left back for Brazil but is a winger at club level. He is basically a much better version of Drenthe.
09.15 BST: West Ham have confirmed they will accept an offer of £6 million for defender Matthew Upson, although the club are still hopeful of tying him to a new contract,
08.47 BST: Rafael van der Vaart has given an interesting interview in which he suggests he would welcome the chance to move to Manchester United. But do United want him?
08.31 BST: It is reported that former Barcelona, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan star Edgar Davids is travelling to England to hold face-to-face talks with Crystal Palace. This could really be happening.
08.14 BST: We know Alberto Aquilani is leaving Liverpool on loan andCorriere dello Sport reports that Juventus will be his destination.
07.46 BST: Here are the best transfer tales from the morning's newspapers...
The Guardian: Robinho is close to agreeing a move to Turkish club Besiktas. It is believed he will cost £16 million, with a further £10 million in add-ons, which represents a sizeable loss. Birmingham manager Alex McLeish will not confirm an interest in Wigan star Charles N’Zogbia, but says: “[We may need] a couple more. They are out there, but can we get them over the line with some of the prices?"
The Independent: Arsenal view Fulham’s £5 million valuation of goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer as unrealistic. Gunners defender Armand Traore could join Benfica in a £3.5 milliion deal though.
The Telegraph: Reporter Jason Burt details how agents tried to orchestrate a swap deal involving Liverpool’s Javier Mascherano and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, which seems hugely unlikely given Real have about five holding midfielders already.
Daily Mail: It looks like being a busy end to the transfer window for Tottenham, who in addition to William Gallas have targeted Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra (another man with Chelsea and Arsenal on his CV) and Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar.
Daily Star: Another Spurs target, and yet another former Arsenal player, is Alexander Hleb. The Belarus international will leave Barcelona this summer but Sevilla are also interested in a possible deal.
07.31 BST: Right, let's have a look around the papers and see what is making the headlines this morning...
07.25 BST: Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has confirmed that Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani will be allowed to leave the club and go on loan to his native Italy. He hasn't exactly impressed following his £20m move last summer has he?
07.16 BST: There has been some bad news for Chelsea overnight with Neymar snubbing interest from Stamford Bridge to agree a new deal with Santos. Will the Blues have to go back in for a new striker? Let us know below...
07.01 BST: Good morning and welcome to any day of transfer news and rumours. Quite unbelievably, William Gallas could complete a move to Tottenham today. Yes, that's the same William Gallas who has played for both Chelsea and Arsenal.

Redknapp confirms Gallas to sign for Spurs

2010-08-20T20:17:00.002+07:00

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed that William Gallas is on the brink of joining the club, describing the signing of the former Arsenal captain as a "no-brainer".

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William Gallas is available on a free transfer

Gallas left Arsenal on a free transfer in June having failed to agree a contract extension with the club he joined from Chelsea in 2006. The French defender made 145 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 17 goals.

Following France's disastrous World Cup campaign, Gallas was targeted by Panathinaikos but could not agree personal terms with the Greek side.

Despite reservations over the reaction of Tottenham fans to a former Arsenal captain arriving at the club, Redknapp is determined to strengthen his defensive options with Jonathan Woodgate a long-term injury victim and Ledley King often unable to play two games in a week.

Gallas will undergo a medical on Friday afternoon before making Tottenham the third club he has represented in London.

"He's a no-brainer on a free transfer," Redknapp said. "He's never asked for big money here. The chairman's agreed a one-year contract with him and the wages are more than reasonable."

In recent seasons, David Bentley, Rohan Ricketts and Jamie O'Hara have all crossed the North London divide, while Sol Campbell famously made the reverse journey in 2001.

Liverpool flop Aquilani set for Italian loan

2010-08-20T20:15:00.000+07:00

Alberto Aquilani is likely to join an Italian club on loan after new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgsonrevealed Rafael Benitez's £20 million signing isn't in his first team plans.

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Rafael Benitez signing Alberto Aquilani isn't in Roy Hodgson's plans

Injuries helped prevent the midfielder from living up to his hefty price tag last season after joining from Roma a year ago and although he didn't say Aquilani's Liverpool career was over, Hodgson admitted the club was looking to farm out the 26-year-old Italian.

Benitez was criticised for his work in the transfer market during his Liverpool reign and the signing of Aquilani, who was injured long-term when he arrived at Anfield, as the expensive replacement for Xabi Alonso, was widely considered to be a bad piece of business. Aquilani showed some promise when he did take the field but those occasions were too few and far between for a key summer purchase.

Aquilani was not included in Liverpool's squad for Thursday night's Europa League play-off against Trabzonspor and discussions are underway over a possible move.

Hodgson said: "At the moment we are considering possibly loaning him to an Italian club, but nothing is sure about that yet so I don't have anything definite to report. I didn't want to use him (against Trabzonspor) just in case the loan goes through, because for Aquilani this year it's very important that he plays regular football, every week, as the number one man on the teamsheet.

"I can't promise him that here so if a loan move to Italy could help him in that respect it might be good for all parties. It would certainly be what he needs, it would certainly protect the value of the player and when he does return to Liverpool no doubt we will see the Aquilani that we signed before he came here injured last year.''

Aquilani had a history of injury problems when he joined Liverpool and it was more than two months into last season before he made his debut for the club. Hodgson has given no indication as to which Italian club he could join but he was linked with Juventus - from whom Liverpool have just signed midfielder Christian Poulsen - earlier in the year.

Latest Transfer gossip: August 19

2010-08-19T19:50:00.002+07:00

Is William Gallas on his way to Spurs? © Getty Images

13.51 BST: We've just received this comment from Ashwin:

I think the Squillaci deal is good news for all Arsenal fans and players.. what with Koscielny suspended and Djourou injured.. I would not like to see makeshift Song play at CB or some untested youngster even if it's Blackpool.. !! and for the GK situation... what's keeping you Professor.. Given and Schwarzer have shown clear interest.... GO FOR IT

13.41 BST: Rapid Vienna star Nikica Jelavic has told the club he will not play for the club as he looks to win a move to Rangers. Rapid president Rudolf Edlinger told the Croatian Times: "Against our expectations, Nikica Jelavic informed us this morning that he does not want to perform for Rapid any more. This is a shock for the whole ‘Rapid family’. Rapid is a club with a lot of passion and emotion."

13.37 BST: A blogger is claiming that Robinho has signed for Besiktas. No proof of that little rumour.

13.32 BST: Real Madrid will trim some members of their squad, after a summer of more new arrivals at the Berbabeu, according to Real Madrid's general manager Jorge Valdano. He told Marca: "We have 26 players right now, so we need to lighten the squad and it will happen in the coming days. This position does not affect the Spanish players currently on our books."

13.27 BST: Arsenal full-back Armand Traore looks set to be leaving for Benfica. The 20-year-old signed from Monaco in 2006 but has not been able to break into the first team on a regular basis and spent a season's loan at Portsmouth. With the emergence of England international Kieran Gibbs, the left-back appears set for a move to the Portuguese champions in a reported £3.2 million deal.

13.10 BST: Santos have reportedly offered a new deal to striker Neymar in an attempt to hold off interest from Chelsea. Santos president Alvaro Luis De Oliveira was quoted as saying: "I hope that before the weekend his agent will give us a definitive answer but we are not pressing. I do not know what will happen - the decision is in Neymar's hands now."

12.51 BST: Spurious rumour here from bdog:

I heard from an unnamed source that when Blackburn get their 100 million pounds in transfer money they are going to spend it all in a swoop for Messi.

12.45 BST: Krisztian Nemeth's agent has confirmed that the player is about to leave Liverpool for Olympiakos. "We can confirm that there have been talks between the two clubs," Viktor Kovsedi told Pepsifoci. "What is more they agreed about the details verbally, but there are numerous teams which want to sign Nemeth so his future is not decided at all."

12.29 BST: Wolves have swooped to sign 18-year-old Irish defender Matt Doherty. He moved across from Bohemiams and follows Jake Cassidy into Molineux. That's in the Express & Star.

12.17 BST: The news that Loic Remy will be staying in France has led West Ham to be linked with Robbie Keane.

12.06 BST: Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has played down reports Charles N'Zogbia could leave the club before the closure of the transfer window. He said: "Charles is a Wigan Athletic player and that is the top and bottom. He has been working really hard and been training well. We will have to get used to speculation and rumours and we need to take it as a compliment when other clubs want to take our players. Unfortunately this is the instability the window brings to a club like ours."

12.03 BST: Juventus will move for a left winger before the end of the transfer window, after director general Beppe Marotta admitted that they will not spend money on any other position. The club have been involved in a long chase for CSKA Moscow's Milos Krasic for most of the summer, with Hamburg's Eljero Elia also linked with a move to Turin lately.

11.52 BST: Sevilla have confirmed that Arsenal made a bid for their central defender, Sebastien Squillaci. A statement on the website read: "Sebastien Squillaci has his future in the air. This was recognised away from the microphones by the sporting deputy general, Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo Monchi, who said at the airport in Oporto that the club had an offer from Arsenal, and the player said before the [Champions League] meeting [with Braga on Wednesday evening] that he was not able to play."

11.49 BST: Rumours now that Fulham want Carlos Vela as part of any deal that would see Mark Schwarzer move to Arsenal.

11.44 BST: Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has suggested he is prepared to let Shay Given, Robinho and Roque Santa Cruz leave the club. "If Robinho, Shay or Roque want to stay, I'm happy because they are fantastic players, but it is most important the players are happy," the Italian explained.

11.32 BST: Marseille have confirmed they have reached an agreement in principle with Nice for Remy. Nice accepted Marseille's offer which, according to reports, was
in the region of 15million euros (around £12.4 million).

11.24 BST: Striker Loic Remy is about to have a medical at Marseille, which seems to put to an end talk of a move to England.

11.12 BST: Hold fire on that Ivelin Popov story because Blackburn Rovers have denied that a deal has been done. Rovers chairman John Williams said: "He is one of a number of strikers currently under consideration. We have not made an offer to his club."

11.03 BST: Crystal Palace manager George Burley has played down suggestions that they are about to sign Edgar Davids.

10.51 BST: Blackburn have completed negotiations for Litex Lovech striker Ivelin Popov and the 22-year-old Bulgarian will move to the club next week if he is granted a work permit. Popov, 22, has around a one in three strike-rate for the club and is also a Bulgarian international, for whom he has bagged three goals in 16 games.

10.35 BST: Shay Given is reportedly unsure what to do over his futureat Manchester City as he has been left on the sidelines since manager Roberto Mancini gave Joe Hart the No. 1 spot. A source close to Given told the Manchester Evening News: "Shay is confused and torn over what to do. He only joined City 18 months ago and wanted to win things after 10 years at Newcastle. But he just wants to play and he doesn't see Roberto Mancini leaving Hart out now, even if he makes a mistake. He'll want to stand by his man."

10.21 BST: Inter are hoping to sign Juventus and Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio, according to Gazzetta. It is reported that Massimo Moratti is sanctioning an offer of €15 million plus defender Nicolas Burdisso.

09.52 BST: Kevin-Prince Boateng is predictably pleased to have completed his move from Portsmouth to AC Milan, saying: “Playing for this club was a dream and now I have realised it. I want Milan with all my power." Sounds like he has been lusting over this move for some time.

09.32 BST: Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has confirmed his interest in PSV Eindhoven striker Ola Toivonen. "We have discussed his name, that's true," Hodgson said. "Like all teams, we are looking at a lot of players."

09.11 BST: Loic Remy has been flouted around the various clubs of Europe by his agent like some form of budding teen pop star but it seems he will be staying in France with Marseille. Story.

09.10 BST: More flesh to the bones on the Sebastien Squillaci to Arsenal story here.

08.53 BST: Manchester City fledgling Vladimir Weiss is headed for a shock loan to Rangers, it is reported on the Daily Record. That will come as a shock for Celtic and VfB Stuttgart. It seems Rangers have offered a higher loan fee and also may yet sign Nikica Jelavic from Rapid Vienna. Story.

08.36 BST Talk of William Gallas joining Spurs grows, if you believe theDaily Mirror. Harry Redknapp supposedly wants Gallas to cover for the perma-injured likes of Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King. If a deal happens then one would suggest it won't happen until Spurs get past Young Boys. And that's a big 'if'.

08.22 BST: Jorge Valdano says that Mezut Ozil will be Real Madrid's last signing in this window.

08.16 BST: Litex Lovech striker Ivelin Popov has agreed terms to join Blackburn Rovers, say Reuters, who say Bulgarian club Litex Lovech will receive 3 million euros for the 22-year-old international.

08.04 BST: Roberto Mancini has responded to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s criticism of Manchester City’s “kamikaze spending” this summer. “All the other teams [like United] spent a lot of money in the past,” Mancini told The Mirror.

07.53 BST: Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson insists Javier Mascherano will see out the remaining two years of his Anfield contract if the club's valuation of the player is not met.

07.30 BST: Roma's Julio Baptista has reportedly turned down the chance to join Turkish giants Galatasaray.

07.00 BST: Some paper gossip for you:

Daily Mirror: Arsenal are close to sealing a deal for Sevilla's Sebastien Squillaci. Bolton left-back Jlloyd Samuel is a loan target for Middlesbrough.

Daily Mail: Mexico winger Andres Guardado is interesting Man Utd at around £12 million. Charles N'Zogbia has been told he can quit Wigan as soon as a bidder matches the Latics' £10m price tag. Former West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson is heading for a surprise return to English football after mounting a rescue bid for Sheffield Wednesday. Tottenham could miss out on Loic Remy after Marseille agreed a £12million fee for the Nice striker

Arsenal target Sevilla defender Sebastien Squillaci

2010-08-19T19:49:00.002+07:00

Arsenal are in negotiations for French central defender Sebastien Squillaci after he asked to be removed from Sevilla's Champions League squad to play Braga.

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Sebastien Squillaci is the subject of interest

Squillaci would be cup-tied to play for any other club if he played in the final qualifying round tie and, according the Spanish club's website, the Gunners made an offer for the 30-year-old while they were en-route to Portugal.

A statement on the website read: "Sebastien Squillaci has his future in the air. This was recognised away from the microphones by the sporting deputy general, Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo Monchi, who said at the airport in Oporto that the club had an offer from Arsenal, and the player said before the [Champions League] meeting [with Braga on Wednesday evening] that he was not able to play."

"The player asked us not to play this game due to an important offer from a team, although for the moment, we consider the bid to be inadequate and Squillaci remains a Sevilla player," said Sevilla director Ramon Rodriguez after the game.

Squillaci is valued at around €8 million and made his name in France with Monaco and Lyon before moving to Spain. He would bolster the Arsenal backline after the departures of William Gallas, Mikael Silvestre, Philippe Senderos and Sol Campbell as Arsene Wenger has already been rebuffed in a move for German centre-half Per Mertesacker.

Wenger signed Laurent Koscielny from Lorient for a fee of around £10 million earlier this summer, and appears keen to add another French star to his squad.

Arsenal full-back Armand Traore, meanwhile, looks set to be leaving for Benfica. The 20-year-old signed from Monaco in 2006 but has not been able to break into the first team on a regular basis and spent a season's loan at Portsmouth.

With the emergence of England international Kieran Gibbs, the left-back appears set for a move to the Portuguese champions in a reported £3.2 million deal.

Traore's agent Richard des Voeux told Lisbon-based newspaper A Bola: "A number of European clubs were interested in Armand, but the Benfica option is more important in many aspects. The interest is real and we are at a sensitive stage (of negotiations).

"Armand is aware of contacts between Benfica and Arsenal. Benfica are a wonderful club that would interest any player. Obviously, Armand is very interested and excited about the possibility of coming to play at Benfica. Nothing is finalised, but things can be decided very soon."

Liverpool boss Hodgson stands firm on Mascherano

2010-08-19T19:48:00.002+07:00

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson insists Javier Mascherano will see out the remaining two years of his Anfield contract if the club's valuation of the player is not met.

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Javier Mascherano could be heading out of the club.

Mascherano, 26, has made it clear to Liverpool that he wants a move overseas in order to be reunited with his family, with his wife refusing to move to England.

He has been linked with Inter Milan - coached by former Reds boss Rafael Benitez - but Hodgson says the player is going nowhere unless the club receive the correct amount for him or until his contract expires in 2012.

''We haven't had an offer for him. We want an offer that meets what we think is his value, and Javier is perfectly happy with this,'' Hodgson said.

''He doesn't expect the club to just let him walk out of here. He hopes that a club comes in where he could be reunited with his family, which is the major problem for him, that offers us what he is worth and we accept that.

''But he has also made it clear that he doesn't regard it as a hardship to play for Liverpool Football Club. In fact, it's the reverse. It's because of family matters that he wants to go.

''He is resigned to one of two possibilities - either a club doesn't come along and offer us his valuation, in which case he stays, or we have an offer that meets his valuation, in which case he may go.''

Meanwhile, Hodgson has confirmed he is keeping tabs on PSV's Swedish striker Ola Toivonen.

"We have discussed his name, that's true," said Hodgson. "Like all teams, we are looking at a lot of players. I do know the player and think he is a good player, but can't give you any further indication.

"That doesn't mean we are going to rush in and buy him tomorrow. But he is a player who has come up, we have watched him and we know about him."

Latest transfer gossip: August 18

2010-08-18T19:57:00.002+07:00

Jack Rodwell: Leaving Goodison? ©Getty Images

13.53 BST: Spurs have sold French defender Dorian Dervite to Villarreal. Dervite arrived at White Hart Lane in July 2006 but failed to establish himself in Spurs' first-team squad, spending time on loan at Southend United towards the end of the 2008-09 campaign.

13.41 BST: Turkish club Kayserispor say they pulled out of a deal to sign wantaway Middlesbrough striker Mido due to the player's poor attitude.

13.34 BST: Blackpool have signed Israel defender Dekel Keinan on a one-year contract from Maccabi Haifa.

13.29 BST: Marseille boss Didier Deschamps may turn to former Arsenal and Manchester united defender Mikael Silvestre to plug the holes in his leaky defence. The reigning Ligue 1 champions have lost both of their openeing two fixtures this season.

13.16 BST: El Mundo Deportivo claims Manchester City have held talks with Barcelona over a move for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but the player rejected the chance to be reunited with former boss Roberto Mancini and has said he will only leave Barcelona for AC Milan.

13.05 BST: Reader Wilson James has added his voice to the ever increasing numbers of fans who believe Neymar would be an excellent signing for Chelsea:

"It will be good move if Chelsea go ahead to signing a good striker like Neymar. It is a big boost to the squad's attacking options and enhances our chances of wining champions league. Chelsea really need to win champions league and i believe Carlo can make history for the club, please buy Neymar!"

12.53 BST: West Brom boss Roberto Di Matteo has confirmed the club have agreed terms with Lokomotiv Moscow forward Peter Odemwingie. Di Matteo said: "He's got a great CV and he's a good player. We need a few new faces and it lifts everyone when you see a player like him coming in."

12.41 BST: Uruguay captain Diego Lugano could be on his way to Roma according to Il Corriere dello Sport. The newspaper claims that the Giallorossi have become frustrated with Inter Milan's demands for nicolas Burdisso, so will turn their attention to Fenerbahce centre-back Lugano. He impressed during Uruguay's run to the World Cup semi-finals and it's thought that Schalke are also interested in acquiring his services.

12.30 BST: Ajax Cape Town have completed the signing of striker Thembinkosi 'Terror' Fanteni, who returns to the club having left in 2008 for spells with Maccabi Haifa and Orlando Pirates.

12.21 BST: Stoke boss Tony Pulis is the latest person to reveal that he failed in an attempt to sign Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy. Pulis told the Sentinel: "We inquired about Craig. But unfortunately for us his main concern was getting back to Wales to be close to his young family. It would have been nice if we could have sorted something out because we all know what an asset he can be as a player."

12.14 BST: Aston Villa caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald says he expects the part exchange deal involving James Milner and Stephen Ireland to be completed on Wednesday.

12.00 BST: The fantastically named reader Wocka Watson has been left stunned - and not in a good way - by Liverpool's being linked with a move for Fulham left-back Paul Konchesky:

"How could Liverpool even consider a player as marginal as Konchesky? The lunatics have definitely taken over."

11.50 BST: Maccabi Tel Aviv have announced the signing of Montenegro defender Savo Pavicevic Montenegro. The 29 year old defender arrives from Greek club Kavala and goes straight into the squad to face PSG in the Europa League.

11.41 BST: Our man in the know, Harry Harris, reliably informs us that Cardiff are paying just £6,000 a week for Craig Bellamy's services, with Manchester City still stumping up the rest of his £90,000-a-week wages.

11.34 BST: Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell has revealed the club agreed a deal to sign Craig Bellamy on loan, only to be rejected by the player as he chose to join Cardiff City.

11.23 BST: Bulgaria forward Ivelin Popov has started a trial at Blackburn Rovers as Sam Allardye looks to add to his attacking options. The 22-year-old, who can operate on the right of midfield or as a support striker, currently plays for reigning Bulgarian champions Litex Lovech.

11.12 BST: Dynamo Kiev defender Pape Diakhate, could return to France with Lyon for a fee of around 4 million euros, according to Le Parisien. The Senegal international played for Nancy for six years before moving to Ukraine and was on loan at St Etienne for the second half of last season.

11.01 BST: Jose Mourinho revealed that Anderlecht wonderkid Romelu
Lukaku will not be moving to Real Madrid...at least, not this season. The 17-year-old striker has attracted longing glances from the Bernabeu but with a host of attacking talent at his disposal - the Special One will not be snapping up Lukaku yet. Mourinho said: "His father is very intelligent and will not let his son go now. [But] We will see next season.''

10.52 BST: Giorgio Chiellini will hold contract talks with Juventus this week with the Bianconeri thought to be ready to offer the centre-back a new €3.5 million a year. Italy international Chiellini has been linked with a host of clubs over the summer including Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

10.41 BST: Francefootball.fr is reporting that St Etienne striker Sebastien Grax is on trial at Crystal Palace. The 26-year-old former Monaco frontman was loaned to Guingamp last season, and has been told that he once again doesn't feature Christophe Galtier's plans this time around.

10.34 BST: Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has denied having a bust-up with Charles N'Zogbia, but admitted the player will be free to leave if an acceptable bid is made. Martinez said: "The situation with him is the same as with any other player. If a club comes in with an offer that matches our valuation - and the player wants to move - then he will be allowed to go."

10.23 BST: Inter Milan are believed to be weighing up a move for Tottenham forward Giovani dos Santos, who made his first start for Spurs in 11 months in the Champions League defeat to Young Boys on Tuesday.

10.18 BST: Tuttosport is reporting that Juventus will swoop for promising Netherlands winger Eljero Elia, who currently plies his trade for Bundesliga side Hamburg.

10.06 BST: Werder Bremen say it will be "impossible" to replace the departed Mesut Ozil by bringing Brazilian playmaker Diego back to the club from Juventus. Werder director of sport Klaus Allofs said: "Sure, he was happy here, but he was given the chance to play at Juve and earn far more money and they are wages that we cannot pay."

09.55 BST: Ajax financial director Jeroen Slop has admitted that the club may have to sell stars like Luis Suarez, Jan Vertonghen and Maarten Stekelenburg to balance the books, according to Sport.co.uk

09.41 BST: Inter’s efforts to sign Genoa striker Giuseppe Sculli have hit a stumbling block, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, with Genoa reportedly unimpressed by the Nerazuurri's offer of 5 million euros plus Victor Obinna.

09.32 BST: Neymar's proposed move to Chelsea has been big news this morning, and reader jwchew believes the transfer should go through - though his reasons appear a tad questionable:

"Chelsea please buy Neymar because your squad is sufficient to retain the EPL but still lack a spark to capture the Champions League. I am still waiting for this transfer so that I can print No.9 instead of No.7 Ramires for the new away shirt."

09.25 BST: After Mesut Ozil's departure to Real Madrid, Werder Bremen are in the hunt for a creative midfielder and have targeted the in-demand Hatem Ben Arfa, according to L'Equipe. Werder join a long list of clubs reportedly interested in the former Lyon star - and are prepared to offer 8 million euros to secure his services.

09.19 BST: Liverpool reserve goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri has signed for newly-promoted Sere A side Cesena, according to a report inTuttoPalermo. Brad Jones' arrival at Anfield signalled the end of the line for Cavalieri, who made a grand total of zero league appearances for the club in his two years on Merseyside.

09.07 BST: Stuttgart are interested in Manchester City starlet Vladimir Weiss, according to the Bundesliga club's general manager Fredi Bobic. Weiss recently said that he would "love" to join Celtic on loan but Bobic is hoping to convince the Slovakia winger to move to Germany. Bobic told Deutsche Presseagentur: "We are in talks and we would like to sign Vladimir Weiss. The player would like to come over, but there are other clubs also interested in his services. We have yet to agree a move as the other clubs involved have other ideas."

08.58 BST: Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi is determined to step up the club's pursuit of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, according to Corriere dello Sport, while the newly committed Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart (see 08.40 entry) is also on the radar. FC Koln striker Lukas Podolski and wantaway Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa are also reported targets.

08.51 BST: Another player going nowhere is Barcelona striker Bojan Krkic, who has stressed his desire to stay at the Nou Camp, despite the arrival of David Villa over the summer. Bojan told Sport: "I must try to step forward and take responsibility in this team. I hope to play and participate. Last year I showed I can be in there at the decisive moments."

08.40 BST: One person not worried by Ozil's arrival - perhaps a touch surprisingly - is Rafael van der Vaart. The Netherlands midfielder scored in Real's 1-1 friendly draw with Standard Liege on Tuesday and insisted afterwards that he is ready to stay and fight for his place at the Bernabeu. With Sami Khedira, Angel Di Maria and Sergio Cananles also added to the Merengues squad over the summer, he is certainly a brave man!

08.32 BST: Remember to keep your comments coming in using the tool below. Leche did just that, telling us that he is a little confused by Mesut Ozil's decision to leave Werder Bremen for Real Madrid:

"Horrible move by Ozil. If Sneijder and Robben couldn't make it at the Bernabeu, how does this kid ever plan to? Hope he enjoys his time accompanying Karim Benzema on the bench."

08.27 BST: L'Equipe is reporting that Gabon striker Daniel Cousin is set to return to Larissa from Hull, but this time in a permanent deal. Cousin was on loan with the Greek side last season and will sign a one-year contract having been told he can leave the Tigers - who want his salary off their wage bill.

08.08 BST: Chelsea are hoping to sign Brazilian starlet Neymar before the close of the transfer window but he has been told by his national coach to stay at Santos.

07.34 BST: Here are the stories doing the rounds this morning...

Daily Mail: Chelsea are considering a move for Everton star Jack Rodwell, with Carlo Ancelotti saying: “Rodwell of Everton is a good player.” Meanwhile, Aston Villa have made an approach for Poland winger Kamil Grosicki, who plays for Jagiellonia Bialystok - a club that sounds like an Everton defender appearing in The Producers.

Daily Mirror: Everton are hoping to sign Russian winger Marat Izmailov from Sporting, while Blackpool are hoping to take James Vaughan from Goodison in a loan deal. Neighbours Liverpool could sell Ryan Babel to Wolfsburg for £9 million and Paul Konchesky could arrive at Anfield from Fulham for a fee of £3 million.

The Sun: Roque Santa Cruz is poised to leave Manchester City on loan and join West Ham for the duration of the 20010-11 season, with the option for a permanent move.

07.16 BST: Of course, we will also keep you up to date on the crazy rumour that Edgar Davids could be signing for Crystal Palace. A lot of the newspapers seem convinced. Speaking of which, we will round-up the headlines doing the rounds in a few minutes...

07.03 BST: Well it was a busy day for Manchester City yesterday, what with a deal being done for James Milner, Stephen Ireland and Craig Bellamy leaving the club and Roque Santa Cruz being told he has no future at Eastlands. I wonder what will happen today? Stick with us for all the latest news.

Anelka 'dying with laughter' after 18-game ban

2010-08-18T19:56:00.002+07:00

Nicolas Anelka says he is "dying with laughter" after learning that the French Football Federation has banned him for 18 international matches, and claims his career with les Bleusis already at an end.

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Nicolas Anelka attracted intense scrutiny following his expulsion

The FFF announced the severe punishment after a hearing on Tuesday that dealt with Anelka's World Cup expulsion and the squad's subsequent strike action in Knysna, with captainPatrice Evra receiving a five-match suspension and Franck Ribery and Jeremy Toulalan banned for three and one games respectively.

Anelka was sent home from South Africa in disgrace following a dressing room dispute with coach Raymond Domenech and his team-mates refused to train before the country's final group game against South Africa in a show of solidarity for the Chelsea striker.

After being informed of his punishment, Anelka mocked the FFF and underlined he has no intention of representing his country following the events of the World Cup.

"For me, this whole commission thing is a nonsense, a charade not to lose face," Anelka toldFrance-Soir.

"The so-called punishment has no relevance whatsoever because, for me, the French national team was an issue which ended on June 19 when I was kicked out of the training centre at Knysna.

"This is just to entertain the public, to turn the page because Laurent Blanc needs to be able to work in peace. These people are clowns. I am dying with laughter."

Anelka, Evra, Ribery, Toulalan and Eric Abidal were all called to the meeting on Tuesday, although Ribery and Anelka only sent representatives.

New France coach Laurent Blanc imposed his own punishment on the rebellious players by excluding all 23 players from the first squad he picked as les Bleus boss.

Neymar following famous footsteps

2010-08-18T19:54:00.002+07:00

To say that Brazil has a history of unearthing young talent would be considered quite an understatement. When a country counts the likes of Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Robinho among its former teenage prodigies, you can rest assured that it knows a thing or two about developing young players.

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Neymar made his debut aged 17 for Pele's club Santos.

While reaching the level of Pele remains the aspiration for every young Brazilian player, the Samba stars seem to bring through a new Wunderkind every few years, with Santos' Neymar the latest to attract attention from Europe.

Despite his tender age, with the ball at his feet, there are few better; his pace and dribbling skills have earned him worldwide praise, while a goalscoring record of 27 in 30 games since the start of the year has catapulted him into the global consciousness. A supporting striker with a desire to drift in from the flanks, he has, of course, been compared to both Pele and Robinho because of his playing style and club attachment, but suggestions that a move to Chelsea could put him among the best in the business may be premature.

Pele was 15 when he made his debut in a 7-1 win for Santos in 1956 and the inevitable comparisons were set in stone as soon as a 17-year-old Neymar set foot on the pitch for his debut in March 2009. However, to mention the forward in the same breath as Pele already would be churlish. Few players in the history of the game will ever come close to emulating the achievements of the 'greatest of all-time' and Neymar would be better served by being judged against contemporaries who are still playing.

Over the past 16 years, three players of a similar style have placed themselves among the pantheon of Brazilian football. In a World Cup year, each was 18 (like Neymar) and were just embarking on the path to success with their clubs. If the new Santos sensation can achieve anything like them, he will have done well.

In 1994, a striker by the name of Ronaldo earned himself a move to Dutch side PSV Eindhoven having netted 12 goals in 14 appearances for Cruzeiro in his first professional season. A $6 million transfer gave notice of his potential and he used the Eredivisie as a stepping stone to further success with Barcelona, Inter and Real Madrid, as he scored 30 goals in 33 games in his first year.

Ronaldo was called up to the Brazilian 1994 World Cup-winning squad, although failed to make an appearance as the likes of Bebeto and Romario kept him out of the side. The experience would serve him well though as he picked up almost every trophy and personal award there is to win during the rest of his career.

The World Cup also missed out on the next Brazilian Wunderkind, Ronaldinho, four years later in 1998. Having made the breakthrough at Gremio that year, his elevation to the world stage took a lot longer as he was protected (some may say too much) by his club, but the potential was still there to be seen from an early age - especially with his performances in that year's Copa Libertadores.

With just five games under his belt in the first-team, 1999 proved to be his chance to shine as he starred in the World Youth Championship for Brazil, but it took another two seasons before he moved on to Europe and French club PSG for $5 million. Eventually, aged 23, he reached his full potential with Barcelona in a five-year spell from 2003 that saw him acclaimed as the best player on the planet for two successive years.

Robinho - the final superstar to have been placed in the Pele mould - then followed in the footsteps of the other two 'R's and made his bow in Brazilian football (also at the age of 18) in 2002. During his first season with Santos he played in 24 games, scoring nine times and creating many other chances for his team-mates, but he stayed in Brazil for three more years and did not move on to Real Madrid until he was 21.

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The youngster is attracting attention.

Of all three stars, Robinho's is perhaps the example that Neymar should pay most attention to. Having been on the verge of signing for Chelsea himself - before opting for a British-record £32 million move to Manchester City - Robinho's failures to achieve success in England can be attributed to well-documented personal problems that created a barrier to achieving his potential. Ultimately, his questionable temperament saw him return to Santos on loan - a warning of what the worst excesses of fame and fortune can do to a young player - and Neymar should take heed.

Certainly a move to Europe would bring the immediate financial rewards that all young Brazilian players crave, however Neymar may do well to learn from his predecessors, develop his game in his homeland and then move on in a few years time.

It is no accident that Ronaldo and Robinho are now plying their trade back in Brazil, while the greatest of them all, Pele, only left the country towards the end of his glittering career, having notched up well over a thousand appearances for Santos.

Neymar certainly has the potential to follow in the footsteps of the greatest in the game and, by the time the 2014 World Cup in Brazil rolls around, will certainly be plying his trade at one of Europe's elite. However, he should be aware he is treading a well-worn path.

Golden oldies on form for United

2010-08-17T19:15:00.000+07:00

Dimitar Berbatov repaid the faith of Sir Alex Ferguson by sending Manchester United on their way to a comfortable season-opening Premier League win over Newcastle, but it was Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs who stole the show.

PA Photos
Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes were both in fine form
SCORING SUMMARY
Manchester United Newcastle United
Dimitar Berbatov (33)
Darren Fletcher (41)
Ryan Giggs (85)
MATCH STATS
Manchester United Newcastle United
Shots (on Goal) 18(4) 8(4)
Fouls 9 7
Corner Kicks 5 3
Offsides 4 0
Time of Possession 66% 34%
Yellow Cards 2 2
Red Cards 0 0
Saves 4 1
MATCH INFORMATION
Stadium: Old Trafford, England
Attendance: 75,221
Match Time: 19:00 GMT
Official(s):
C Foy (Referee)
TEAMS
Manchester United Newcastle United
1 Edwin van der Sar 1 Steve Harper
23 Jonathan Evans 2 Fabricio Coloccini
15 Nemanja Vidic 6 Michael Williamson
3 Patrice Evra 3 Sanchez Jose Enrique
22 John O'Shea 14 James Perch
18 Paul Scholes 7 Joey Barton
24 Darren Fletcher 17 Alan Smith
17 Nani 4 Kevin Nolan
25 Antonio Valencia 18 Jonás Gutiérrez
9 Dimitar Berbatov 10 Wayne Routledge
10 Wayne Rooney 9 Andrew Carroll
Substitutes
16 Michael Carrick Shola Ameobi 23
11 Ryan Giggs Ryan Taylor 16
29 Tomasz Kuszczak Xisco 19
21 Rafael Tim Krul 26
12 Chris Smalling Nile Ranger 30
27 Federico Macheda Haris Vuckic 29
14 Javier Hernández James Tavernier 44
Substitutions
Javier Hernández for Wayne Rooney (63) Shola Ameobi for Kevin Nolan(71)
Ryan Giggs for Nani (71) Xisco for Jonás Gutiérrez (81)
Rafael for Patrice Evra (87)
Yellow Cards
Paul Scholes (52) Joey Barton (18)
Darren Fletcher (56) James Perch (22)
· Club Squads: Manchester United | Newcastle United

Berbatov was handed a starting berth alongside Wayne Rooney and responded by drilling home an excellent 33rd-minute effort at Old Trafford.
The Bulgarian should have had another goal after half-time but, after Darren Fletcher had doubled the Red Devils' advantage shortly before the break, it was evergreen substitute Giggs who extended his remarkable record of scoring in every Premier League season when he latched on to Scholes' inspired pass and sent a first-time volley bouncing past Steve Harper.
It was part of another masterclass from man-of-the-match Scholes, who with every game must make Fabio Capello cringe at his failure to lure the 35-year-old out of international retirement for World Cup duty in the summer.
The only real disappointment for United was another blank day for Wayne Rooney, who has now gone 13 matches for club and country since he last scored, against Bayern Munich in March.
Questions will continue to be asked of Rooney until he starts to show the form that established himself as one of the world's leading players last season. His performances in South Africa were almost too bad to be believed, the nadir coming in England's terrible draw against Algeria in Cape Town.
Yet at times, it almost feels as though Rooney is trying too hard. His work-rate remains impressive but too often shots are snatched. He succeeded only in battering a free-kick into the Newcastle wall with one obvious opportunity, then skied Berbatov's nod-back high over the bar when far better was expected.
Even his part in United's second goal was accidental as he failed to control Patrice Evra's low cross and succeeded only in prodding the ball towards Fletcher, whose smart turn and finish brought an admiring nod of approval from the unselfish England man.
Since his club record £30.5 million arrival from Tottenham, Berbatov has often found himself as the man being sacrificed by Sir Alex Ferguson in the biggest United games.
With Javier Hernandez threatening to take Old Trafford by storm and Michael Owen's lack of match practice costing him a place on the bench, Berbatov knew he must start to impress on a more consistent basis.
He certainly showed Rooney the way to goal when Antonio Valencia showed admirable determination in getting back to win possession for his team which John O'Shea quickly moved forward to Scholes.
The old master wasted no time in pushing the ball towards the Bulgarian, who was marginally onside and profited further when Jose Enrique nudged the ball further forward as he attempted to tackle. Berbatov steadied himself before drilling a shot from an acute angle into the far left corner.
It was the first harsh lesson of top-flight life for Newcastle, who surprised many, including Ferguson, by bouncing back from the Championship quite so soon.
Young striker Andy Carroll was one of the major factors in their promotion. But after getting away from Nemanja Vidic with a superb run across the United box, he should have buried Joey Barton's corner instead of nodding a golden chance to put Newcastle ahead tamely wide.
Later, with the points effectively secure, United set about boosting their goal difference. Rooney may be struggling to locate the net but there was plenty to be admired about his delicate touch to find Berbatov after Scholes had played the initial bullet pass.
It was a better chance than the one Berbatov had converted earlier. Again he beat Harper, but this time also put the ball wide of his left-hand post. For Rooney, it was his last meaningful involvement before he was replaced by Hernandez.
At least he is another hour closer to the 600 minutes of playing time Capello thinks he needs to achieve top form, although the process would surely be accelerated if he could find the net.
Anything would do, including the bizarre one off his face that Hernandez managed in the Community Shield. That goal ensured the Mexican was not searching for his first competitive goal as he chased about.
But it was the tracer-bullet accuracy of Giggs that proved to be the difference late on after he had been picked out by his old friend Scholes.

Latest transfer gossip: August 17

2010-08-17T19:11:00.002+07:00

Jermaine Jenas: Heading to Serie A? ©Getty Images

13.11 BST With Craig Bellamy heading to Cardiff, it is being suggested that Hull City could come in for Ross McCormack. They tried to sign him last summer.

13.06 BST The Guardian is reporting that James Milner's move to Manchester City is a done deal, for £18 million plus Stephen Ireland going to Aston Villa.

13.02 BST Manchester City's official website have confirmed that Craig Bellamy has signed for Cardiff City on loan for the season. Amazing scenes.

12.50 BST Kevin-Prince Boateng has reported arrived at AC Milan's traning ground ahead of his move from Genoa. Don't worry, we're as confused as you as his move to Genoa from Portsmouth has not yet been officially confirmed.

12.41 BST There seems to be a two-way fight on for the services of Cristian Ledesma. The Lazio player is said to be wanted by both Juventus and Inter Milan.

12.33 BST Dynamo Kiev striker Artem Milevskiy is reportedly being tracked by Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson as he looks to boost his forward line.

12.17 BST Corriere dello Sport is reporting that Fiorentina are set to sign Eduardo Salvio on loan from Atletico Madrid.

12.13 BST Palermo will no longer be signing Anton Ferndinand from Sunderland. Palermo sporting director Walter Sabatini said: "Anton Ferdinand and Bacinovic were offered to us, but even though they are two good players we have not considered their purchase. Anton Ferdinand is a physically strong defender that we like, but we decided to give up because we don’t need another central defender.”

12.06 BST Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan says "I don't see myself leaving" this summer.

12.03 BST Osama Pai has sent us a message about the Arsenal goalkeeper situation:

Dear Wenger, please buy Shay Given. I can not see Arsenal winning anything without a world class goalkeeper. We cant afford anymore defensive line and goalkeeping errors and for that we need Given even if you have to pay a little more, Arsenal Till I Die.

11.55 BST Could Big Sam be boosted by a transfer budget of £100 million? That's the claim in the press.

11.51 BST Jay Simpson is set to join Hull City on loan from Arsenal. He did well at QPR last season.

11.42 BST The Birmingham Mail thinks that Lokomotiv Moscow striker Peter Odemwingie will sign for West Bromwich Albion in the next 24 hours. He has already passed a medical ahead of a £2.5 million move. “I’ll be a West Brom player soon,” Odemwingie said. “I opted for West Bromwich because for a long time I have wanted to play in England."

11.29 BST A new line in the Mesut Ozil story, with the player's father saying he will join Real Madrid on a free next summer if a fee cannot be agreed before the end of the month. "We promised (Real Madrid president) Florentino Perez that if Bremen did not let Mesut go now, then next year he would come for free when his contract expires," his father Mustafa told Turkish paper Hirriyet.

11.17 BST One-time Birmingham target Mauro Camoranesi would be willing to move from Juventus to AC Milan, so says his agent. Sergio Fortunato said: “Obviously it would be a pleasant destination, but at the moment no one from the Rossoneri have got in touch with me. I consider it only a simple piece of journalistic indiscretion."

11.06 BST Reports are suggesting that Craig Bellamy WILL sign for Cardiff later today. Amazing stuff.

11.03 BST Schalke have ruled out a move to bring Diego back to Germany from Juventus. "We are not signing Diego," said Schalke manager Felix Magath. "We don't have any chance of that."

10.52 BST Wolves have signed promising Welsh striker Jake Cassidy from Airbus UK Broughton for an undisclosed fee.

10.39 BST Dutch paper Elf Voetbal says that Everton are in the box seat to sign FC Utrecht midfielder Dries Mertens for £3.2 million, but they could face competition from PSV Eindhoven and Dutch champions Twente Enschede.

10.26 BST Greece's Euro 2004 hero Angelos Charisteas has left Nurnberg to begin a new adventure with French Ligue 1 side Arles-Avignon.

10.16 BST David Guiza, who won Euro 2008 with Spain, is being linked with a move home to Hercules from Fenerbahce.

10.04 BST The local press in east London claims that West Ham are at the head of the queue to sign Roque Santa Cruz from Manchester City.

09.56 BST Simon Davies has signed a new three-year contract at Fulham. The 30-year-old midfielder, who retired from international football with Wales earlier this month, is now tied to Craven Cottage until the summer of 2013.

09.45 BST Interesting talk on the Mesut Ozil front. Werder Bremen general manager Klaus Allofs claims the club will not leave him out of their Champions League squad tomorrow if a sale has not been agreed. If Ozil gets on the pitch against Sampdoria he will not be able to play for another club in the competition this season. He told theDeutsche Presseagentur: "The facts are pretty clear. If a club is looking to sign Mesut to play Champions League, then that club needs to make a decision before Wednesday. If Mesut Ozil is a player of Werder Bremen on Wednesday, we are going to play him against Sampdoria. We have not lined up any plan to not do that for whatever reason. It would be up to Real Madrid to show up with the right answer to this all."

09.31 BST Glasgow Rangers have taken Etienne Esajas on trial. The winger flopped at Sheffield Wednesday.

09.22 BST Canal+ believes that Marseille have jumped in front of Loic Remy's Premier League suitors to be in pole position for his signature.

09.03 BST Goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa is training with Spurs in a bid to win a loan move to the club. “He’s with us for a week or so, just to see how he is,” Redknapp told Sky Sports News. “If he’s fine and he’s okay, he’ll join us. He’ll give us good competition and good cover in that position.”

08.44 BST Stoke City are reportedly prepared to break the club's transfer record once again with a £9 million bid for Wigan Athletic forward Hugo Rodallega - beating the £8 million the Potters paid for Kenwyne Jones.

08.27 BST Chelsea target Neymar will decide today whether to complete a £24m move to the Premier League, according to The Sun. Santos are holding out for the £29.6m buy-out clause in his contract.

08.00 BST Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is still hopeful of keeping want-away midfielder Javier Mascherano at the club but admits they have a verbal agreement with the player to allow him to leave if a decent bid is received. Full story.

07.45 BST Celtic are hoping to announce their second signing in 48 hours as they bid to wrap up the transfer of Honduras left-back Emilio Izaguirre.

07.30 BST A frustrated James Milner has set a Thursday deadline for Manchester City to secure his transfer from Aston Villa. Full story.

07.15 BST We start, as always, with a round up of the UK press and the news that Jermaine Jenas is set to join Juventus. According to theDaily Mirror, the Tottenham midfielder is going to Serie A on loan for the season with a view to a full-time £10 million switch.

But The Sun claim it's Turkish club Galatasaray that heads the queue to sign Jenas and are hoping to fight off interest from AC Milan to land the Englishman.

Also in the Daily Mirror: Chelsea target Neymar, the 18-year-old Santos forward, will decide today whether to complete a £24m move to the Premier League. And Manchester City are hoping to sell flog Robinho to Schalke 04 to raise some cash to buy Benfica defender David Luiz.

The Daily Mail reports that Harry Redknapp has urged Craig Bellamy not to throw away his career by dropping into the Championship to play for Cardiff. Plus, Man City will offer new deal to benched goalkeeper Shay Given to keep him at the club.

The Guardian cliam that Everton have joined the lengthy queue of clubs hoping to sign Craig Bellamy even though they can't match his Man City salary.

Soccernet Widgets

2010-08-17T19:10:00.000+07:00

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Werder issue Ozil warning to Real Madrid

2010-08-17T19:08:00.002+07:00

Werder Bremen have warned Real Madrid that Mesut Ozil will play for the club in the Champions League on Wednesday evening unless a deal is agreed in the next 24 hours.

GettyImages

Mesut Ozil: Germany playmaker

Werder have already rejected a €9 million offer for Ozil, who starred for Germany at the World Cup finals earlier this summer, and unless Real return with an improved bid the playmaker will be cup-tied for the Champions League.

Klaus Allofs, the Bundesliga club's general manager, said: "The facts are pretty clear. If a club is looking to sign Mesut to play Champions League, then that club needs to make a decision before Wednesday. If Mesut Ozil is a player of Werder Bremen on Wednesday, we are going to play him against Sampdoria.

"We have not lined up any plan to not do that for whatever reason," Allofs told the Deutsche Presseagentur. "It would be up to Real Madrid to show up with the right answer to this all."

It is reported that Werder are seeking €16 million for Ozil, who has also attracted interest from Barcelona and Manchester United this summer.

However, Ozil's father, Mustafa, claims that his son has already agreed a deal with Real and will be playing at the Bernabeu either this season or next.

"Mesut and I stayed at the chalet of Florentino Perez in Madrid, he invited us there and everything was resolved quickly. We were impressed by his willingness to help my child play for his club," Ozil's father told Turkish newspaper Hurriyet.

"We promised that if Bremen keep Mesut for now, next year he will join for free."

Mustafa Ozil also said that Inter Milan had made a better offer to his son but it was rejected in favour of a move to Madrid.

Milner agrees Man City deal

2010-08-17T19:07:00.000+07:00

Aston Villa midfielder James Milner has agreed a deal to join Manchester City and will undergo a medical at Eastlands on Tuesday afternoon, according to reports.

The £18 million deal will also see City midfielder Stephen Ireland move in the opposite direction to Villa Park.

More follows...

Uniteds hungry for redemption

2010-08-16T19:08:00.000+07:00

Both Manchester United and Newcastle United go into the new season with something to prove. Sir Alex Ferguson's 11-time Premier League champions are desperate to regain the title and have looked in imperious form during pre-season, while Chris Hughton is aiming to consolidate his side's status as a top-flight club on the Magpies' return to the big time.

GettyImages

Javier Hernandez, Paul Scholes and Jonny Evans

Next Five Matches in Competition
Manchester United		Newcastle United
8/16	H: Newcastle United	8/16	A: Manchester United
8/22	A: Fulham	8/22	H: Aston Villa
8/28	H: West Ham United	8/28	A: Wolverhampton Wanderers
9/12	A: Everton	9/11	H: Blackpool
9/19	H: Liverpool	9/18	A: Everton
· Club Fixtures: Manchester United \| Newcastle United

Having relinquished their crown to Chelsea, and narrowly missed out on a chance to overtaking Liverpool's total of 18 league titles in the process, Ferguson's side have plenty of motivation ahead of the new season. They made a statement of intent in last Sunday's curtain raiser - beating reigning champions Chelsea 3-1 in the Community Shield - and with Wayne Rooney ready to be unleashed - the stirker looking to atone for a poor showing in South Africa - it could be a case of wrong place, wrong time for newly-promoted Newcastle.

Hughton has thrown out the big egos and sculpted a squad that is low on narcissism and high on team spirit. But having strolled to the Championship title, Newcastle can take nothing for granted on their return to the Premier League. While the signing ofJames Perch raised some eyebrows, the arrivals ofDan Gosling and Sol Campbell could prove astute and the key for Hughton is motivating the players who remain from the club's last stint in the top flight to prove they deserve to be back at English football's top table.

Hughton was certainly dealt a cruel draw by the fixture computer, and without a win at Old Trafford since 1972, the Magpies will have their work cut out to improve on a record of three victories from their last 11 Premier League opening day fixtures.

Manchester United player to watch: Javier Hernandez. There were plenty of cries of "Javier who?" around Old Trafford when Sir Alex Ferguson snapped up Chicharito before the World Cup. But fast forward two months and there is one name on the lips of the United faithful, who have been impressed with what they have seen from the Mexico striker. Just how much he will be used remains to be seen but following a sensational World Cup and pre-season, Hernandez' pace, enthusiasm and impressive finishing will have struck fear into United's Premier League opponents.

Newcastle United player to watch: Andy Carroll. The Gateshead-born frontman emerged as a real prospect during Newcastle's ill-fated 2008-09 season, scoring three goals in 14 Premier league games as the club were relegated. But it was last season in the Championship that Carroll proved to be an indispensable player for Newcastle - plundering 17 goals to spearhead the club's return to the top flight. This season is the acid test for the England Under-21 international, as he aims to prove that he can cut it with the big boys, and there is no better opportunity for him to demonstrate his goalscoring credentials than against United.

Key battle: Wayne Rooney v Fabricio Coloccini. Two years ago, on his Newcastle debut, Coloccini did a good job of shackling Rooney at Old Trafford as the Magpies held United to a 1-1 draw. Since then, he has been one of Newcastle's most consistent performers through the most unstable time in the club's recent history. He will need to be at his experienced best again as he tries to keep the 2009-10 Player of the Year at bay; Rooney will be like a caged animal going into this game, and will fight tooth and nail to make amends for his disappointing World Cup showing.

Trivia: This is the fifth season in succession that Manchester United have begun the season with a game at Old Trafford.

Stats: Steve Harper had the best saves to shots ratio in the Championship (80 per cent), while Edwin van der Sarhad the best rate in the Premier League (81 per cent).

Odds: Man Utd (1.25), Newcastle (15.00) and the draw (5.50) are available with Bet 365. Javier Hernandez to score the game's last goal is priced at 5.50.

Prediction: Newcastle will be determined to prove they are no walkovers on their return to the top flight, but Manchester United have looked irresistible in pre-season and their superior quality will come to the fore at Old

Ferguson backs 'cocky' Macheda to shine at United

2010-08-16T19:06:00.000+07:00

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson claims that there was "no chance" of him ever letting Federico Macheda go out on loan, and insisted that his "cocky" striker will be one to watch this season.

GettyImages

Federico Macheda impressed in pre-season, scoring twice in a 5-2 win over MLS All Stars

After a sensational breakthrough at Old Trafford, in which he scored a last-minute winner against Aston Villa to help United to the 2008-09 Premier League title, Macheda has struggled for first-team opportunities.

The Italy Under-21 international started just three games last season - though he struggled with injuries throughout the campaign - scoring just one goal, in the 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea in April.

There had been reports that Macheda, 18, would be sent out on loan to gain more experience, with clubs in both the Premier League and Serie A thought to be interested in signing him.

But that thought had never entered Ferguson's head, and the United boss believes Macheda will prove his worth this season.

"He is one we have to keep a close eye on," Ferguson told Sky Sports. "He has a cocky arrogance about him. He will argue with players in a training session and he will compete for his ego.

"But he's only 18, he's not 19 until October and we keep forgetting that. He is an exceptional talent and he is tough. He does not get bullied in games.

"He gives as good as he gets. There was no chance of us ever letting him go on loan - he stays here. We need to keep an eye on him."

Latest transfer gossip: August 16

2010-08-16T19:04:00.002+07:00

12.49 BST: In-demand defender David Luiz will not be leaving Benficaunless they receive an offer in excess of €40 million according to the Portuguese club.

12.14 BST: Mick McCarthy won't be making any new signings. The Wolves manager told his club's official website when asked if he will make any more significant signings: "I don't think so. Although we will keep looking because sometimes things can happen and it can be a moveable feast. There's still a bit of time to go, but we're not forcing anything.''

11.50 BST: So close they do everything together... twin brothers Dmitri and Kirill Kombarov have joined Spartak Moscow from Dinamo Moscow for an undisclosed fee.

11.39 BST: Brad Jones has been given the green light to move to Liverpool. Middlesbrough have agreed a fee, believed to be in the region of £2.3 million, for the Australian goalkeeper to leave and he's heading off for contract talks today.

11.25 BST: Werder Bremen look keen to take Julio Baptista off Roma's hands. The striker has already been the subject of interest from Galatasaray, Genoa, Olympiacos and Hamburg this summer.

11.12 BST: Wolves are set to seal a deal for Airbus UK striker Jake Cassidy. Airbus secretary Phil Bailey told the Express & Star: "We are currently in negotiations with Wolves and there could be further developments early next week. We will not be publishing the amount of the offer, but there will be performance-related sums based on appearances built into any agreement. He's due to undergo medicals prior to any agreement being finalised.''

11.05 BST: Manchester City have reportedly given Craig Bellamy permission to train with Cardiff City, meaning the Welshman could be set to join the side on loan.

10.55 BST: Fiorentina (and boss Sinisa Mihajlovic) are being linked with another Balkan player, namely Wolfsburg's Zvjezdan Misimovic. If Juve's Diego makes the move back to Germany then expect this one to happen very quickly.

10.36 BST: Despite Pep Guardiola and Zlatan Ibrahimovic himself claiming that he would be staying at Barcelona, the striker is still being linked with a loan move to AC Milan. Aside from being a former Inter player and having no desire to leave Spain, this one is a real goer.

10.21 BST: Liverpool are reportedly weighing up a £5 million move for PSV Eindhoven's Swedish striker Ola Toivonen. Maybe David Ngog's form will persuade them not to bother after all.

10.17 BST: Bayern Munich's Uli Hoeness claims that the club will sign a left-back. “We still have time, the transfer window is still open,” he toldBild. “Maybe we'll do something and if it works we will take someone who will defend the left side, but we will not pay an unreasonable sum. In the worst case, we might react when the market reopens this winter.”

10.09 BST: Blackpool manager Ian Holloway admits his side still needs strengthening, despite an opening day thrashing of Wigan. "It was like waiting for a bus last week and all of a sudden six players turn up. Hallelujah," he said in The Sun. "Normally the players already at a club are worried but not my lot. They welcomed them. We've just been catapulted into this and I have to say it's just mad. It's like being in Big Brother. I need a few more players but they're all so expensive - it's a shock.''

09.43 BST: Emilio Izaguirre has vowed to be a success at Celtic. The Honduras international arrived in Glasgow at the weekend and is undergoing a medical ahead of a reported £600,000 move. ''I thank God I have been given this chance and I hope and pray I can be a success. I will not waste this opportunity. It will make me a better footballer and a more experienced one.''

09.27 BST: Scott Parker will sign a new bumper five-year contract on Tuesday to end all the speculation that he will be going to Spurs or Liverpool.

09.05 BST: West Ham are not planning on selling Scott Parker anytime soon. Chairman David Sullivan has said: "I have told Spurs again that he's not available and not to bother us any further or we'll report them to the Premier League."

08.43 BST: Inter midfielder Thiago Motta looks like he's staying at the San Siro for the future as his agent has claimed: "Thiago Motta will remain in Milan, and there will be no problems as to this."

08.15 BST: Reports in France suggest Marseille may be ready to give up on signing Luis Fabiano and turn their attention to Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko instead.

08.00 BST: Arsenal are likely to step up their pursuit of a goalkeeper with Shay Given firmly on the radar. But the Irishman will only be allowed to leave City on loan, according to the Telegraph.

07.52 BST: Mesut Ozil will complete a move from Werder Bremen to Real Madrid in the next few days but the club are yet to completely agree on a fee. The Spanish giants are unwilling to match the 18 million euro asking price but may well part with 14 million to sign the Germany star. That's all according to not-always-reliable Spanish dailyMarca.

07.44 BST: L'Equipe is reporting that Schalke will make a move to re-unite Robinho with former Real Madrid team-mate Raul, with Felix Magath ready to pay 25 million euros to bring the Brazilian to the Bundesliga.

07.38 BST: Remember to let us know your thoughts on the latest rumours by posting below. That's what Richmond Amartey has done, telling us that he believes Chelsea should snap up another Brazilian.

"I think Chelsea needs a better striker who can dribble like Neymar because he has a VERY bright future"

07.15 BST: First things first, let's have a look around the English press at their latest news and transfer musings.

The Sun: Charles N'Zogbia is on strike at Wigan until he gets a move away from the DW Stadium - he refused to play against Blackpool at the weekend; Spurs have made an official £12 million bid for in demand Nice striker Loic Remy; Included as part of the deal to take Mario Balotelli to Manchester City was an agreement not to sell the striker on to Inter Milan's cross-city rivals AC.

Daily Mirror: Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is weighing up a move for Toulouse striker Xavier Pentegote to bolster his attacking options, though he suffered a knee injury at the weekend; Harry Redknapp is still in pole position to sign Craig Bellamy from Manchester City; Hull boss Nigel Pearson is trying to sign Cardiff striker Ross McCormack – in a swap deal for Daniel Cousin.

Daily Mail: Cardiff are ready to offer Craig Bellamy a way out of Manchester City and the Wales striker is thought to be keen on a move home; Chelsea will return to Stoke with a £4.5 million offer for goalkeeper Asmir Begovic - who the Potters only signed earlier this year; Algeria World Cup defender Rafik Halliche is on his way to the Premier League, and will have a medical with Fulham ahead of a £1.3 million move from Benfica - but Newcastle could make a last-ditch attempt to hijack the move.

07.10 BST: Happy Monday everyone and welcome to a brand new week of transfer gossip and speculation - with a few actual moves thrown in there for good measure. It's a big week in the transfer market as there are Champions League qualifiers aplenty; players who play for their teams in those matches (such as Werder Bremen's Mesut Ozil) will be ineligible to play for another team in the competition.

Hodgson stands by Cole and Reina

2010-08-16T19:02:00.002+07:00

Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has backed Joe Cole and Jose Reina after the pair's red card and goalkeeping blunder conspired to allow Arsenal to snatch a point from their season opener at Anfield on Sunday.

CliveBrunskill/GettyImages

Joe Cole gets his marching orders

Cole's Premier League debut for Liverpool ended shortly before half-time as he was dismissed for a lunging challenge on Arsenal new boy Laurent Koscielny but the Reds managed to take the lead early in the second half through David Ngog.

Liverpool looked like holding on for victory with resolute defending until late in the match when Reina first mis-handled a cross onto the post under pressure from Arsenal strikerMarouane Chamakh and then fumbled the rebound into his own net.

Hodgson refused to blame either player for the result, insisting that Cole was unlucky to have seen red for his challenge. Cole launched with two feet in attempt to block Koscielny's clearance but the block became a dangerous tangle of legs on the accidental follow through.

"(Cole) will be a big loss if he is suspended,'' said Hodgson, facing up to the fact his big-name summer signing now faces a three-game ban. "We will look at the video again, maybe try to find out from the referee and experts if we do have a case for appeal. I don't want a frivolous appeal but Joe Cole has an unblemished record in his career. He has never been sent off and has very few yellow cards. Anyone who has watched Joe play will realise he is not the guy that goes in for blood-curdling tackles. Replays suggest he was a little bit unlucky.''

Reina's howler came minutes after he had produced a fine fingertip save to keep out a brilliant Tomas Rosicky shot.

Hodgson said: "I thought he played well considering he didn't have an awful lot to do, but what he did came spasmodically. There were an enormous number of positives but the unfortunate negative was that he let in a goal which under normal circumstances he would have kept out.''

The loss of Cole loss didn't detract from Liverpool's defensive shape, although it gifted Arsenal the lion's share of possession, allowing the visitors to build the pressure that led to the equaliser. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger praised Liverpool's defensive effort and said Cole's dismissal proved frustrating to the overall pattern of the match.

"When we were playing against 10 men it became very difficult as they defended very deep," Wenger said. "In fairness to them, they defended very well and took some fluency out of the game. But I give credit to my team because we kept going and kept going and in the end we got the equaliser. Considering we are at Liverpool, it is a decent result.''

Latest transfer gossip: August 15

2010-08-15T16:23:00.002+07:00

09.33 BST: Time to delve into the Sunday papers for the best of the rumours.

THE PEOPLE: Barcelona will move ahead of Inter Milan in the race for Javier Mascherano this week when they offer Liverpool £15million plus Alexander Hleb.

SUNDAY MIRROR: Harry Redknapp has stepped up his pursuit of Scott Parker after tabling a £12million offer to West Ham.

DAILY STAR SUNDAY: Shay Given is on the way out at Man City after losing his place to new England number one Joe Hart, who stole the show at White Hart Lane. Charming Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck last night ridiculed Liverpool by declaring: "Joe Cole has gone to a smallish club somewhere north of the M25".

SUNDAY TIMES: After the biggest spend in history, Manchester City are organising football's biggest giveaway. The hyper-rich club are prepared to cut their losses on record signing Robinho by selling him to Fenerbahce for little more than half the £32.5m the Brazilian cost two summers ago.

SUNDAY EXPRESS: Arsenal could move for dejected Manchester City keeper Shay Given, who watched from the subs' bench as England's new number one Joe Hart stole the show in the goalless draw at Spurs.

Wenger: 'Ridiculous' squad rules will ruin EPL

2010-08-15T12:22:00.002+07:00

Arsene Wenger has reiterated his stance on the Premier League's "ridiculous" new squad rules, even blaming them for Stephen Ireland's sensational pay-off demand from Manchester City.

GettyImages

Arsene Wenger believes agents are becoming 'mercenaries'

• Wenger to commit to Arsenal
• Arsenal face injury crisis
• New Schwarzer bid?
• Play Premier League fantasy

Arsenal manager Wenger has rejected the idea that the England national team will be assisted by the new rules as planned while insisting they are "paralysing" the transfer market due to higher financial demands from players and their agents.

The boards of the 20 Premier League clubs last year unanimously agreed that squads should be limited to 25 players, eight of which must be 'home-grown' in order to promote English players. But Wenger is far from happy with the changes and believes they will jeopardise the Premier League's status as the world's best.

"Instead of asking 'we have the best league in the world, how can we make it greater?' they wonder 'how can we make it smaller?' The rules they decide are a disaster for this country. Ridiculous. They are all artificial and have nothing to do with top-level sport," he said.

The Frenchman reckons the home-grown rule gives too much power to players and their agents and will lead to an increase in financial demands which are already "paralysing the market''.

He said: "I read that (Stephen) Ireland wants to go only if Man City gives him £2million. That's because the new rules transform, even more, the agents into mercenaries. It is absolutely ridiculous and it is paralysing the market. Nobody buys. It is a joke. But they will create more rules like that, the home-grown rule, which is rubbish. It is not linked with quality. Do you really think it will remain the best league in the world? No chance. The Premier League have to decide: are they here to prepare the national team, so let's kick everybody out? Or are they here to be the best league in the world?''

Wenger said the limitations on foreign players would only harm England's national team by reducing the quality around them, blaming poor coaching, not imports, for England's failures.

He said: "You have as many foreign players in Spain as in England. You can sign players from all over the world in Spain. Why do they still produce players and we do not? It's down to the coaching. I've been educating players since I was 25 and I know one rule. The first thing you do to develop a player is to put him with another good player. If you are a great player, you want to play with great players.''

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has sympathy for Wenger but believes the rules are designed for the correct reasons and will have a positive impact.

"In some ways I agree. For 12 years I argued for an open system," Scudamore told the BBC. "But there is a point at which you have to do something for the greater good.

"What we're trying to do is get young players through. It's not about the top superstars. They can have as many Under-21s as they like. It's not restricting the number of players - we're restricting the number of over-21s. What we're trying to do is make the marginal decisions go the other way.

"If you're about to decide whether to give a young player a contract or buy a foreign player then all of a sudden you think maybe we'll err on the side of the young player. I think Arsene, much as I respect him, has got a little bit emotive on this one.''

Kanoute at the double

2010-08-15T12:18:00.002+07:00

Sevilla claimed first-leg honours against Primera Division champions Barcelona as they fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 in the Supercopa.

CristinaQuicler/GettyImages

Frederic Kanoute celebrates against Barca

Zlatan Ibrahimovic put Barcelona ahead, but Luis Fabiano levelled and substitute Frederic Kanoute scored twice to give Sevilla a commanding lead ahead of next week's Nou Camp clash.

Ibrahimovic gave visitors Barcelona the lead after 20 minutes when he received a pass from Maxwell and shrugged off the attentions of two defenders before firing beyond Andres Palop.

The Swedish striker has been frequently linked with a move away from Barcelona, and speculation persists that he will not be with the club on September 1.

However Barcelona were worthy leaders with him on the pitch tonight, and it was only when he departed, replaced by Lionel Messi, that Sevilla began to play.

Messi was not to blame for Sevilla taking control though. Barcelona's line-up had been weakened by the absence of their Spanish World Cup stars, who were allowed to rest, and Pep Guardiola included four players from the club's B team.

It was inevitable they would not be able to play at a high level for the full match, and another striker who could be leaving his current club, Luis Fabiano, hauled Sevilla level in the 61st minute.

The Brazilian, coveted by Marseille, was put in by Luca Cigarini and smashed a low shot past Mino in Barcelona's goal.

Kanoute came off the bench three minutes later and converted a pass from fellow substitute Alvaro Negredo in the 72nd minute, and then the Malian headed in Sevilla's third goal in the 82nd minute from a cross by Diego Perotti.

The teams meet again next Saturday evening, at the Nou Camp, when Guardiola is expected to include the stars of Spain's World Cup triumph in an effort to turn the Supercopa around.

Capello backs Rooney to rediscover form

2010-08-15T12:17:00.000+07:00

Fabio Capello believes it will be the beginning of September before Wayne Rooney finds his form again.
GettyImages
Wayne Rooney is in need of a goal or two
Rooney is still looking for his first goal since March after failing to find the net in either of his two 45-minute pre-season appearances for Manchester United, or the hour he featured for England in their 2-1 win over Hungary in midweek.
It has been a frustrating period, which started with the ankle injury that forced him to miss what turned out to be the Premier League title decider against Chelsea, and the World Cup when, like so many top strikers, Rooney failed to make any impression.
Capello remains convinced of the 24-year-old's talents, and has no fears about the contribution he will make to England's Euro 2012 qualifying campaign. However, for those hoping Rooney will make an explosive start to the season, the England coach has some words of caution.
"I expect Wayne Rooney to have a good season but he needs to play,'' said Capello. "I studied him, along with a number of other players, for three years when I was a club manager, working out how long you needed to find normal form.
"It was 500-600 minutes minimum. At the moment he has played 150. For this reason. I think he needs to play a minimum of three more games to find his correct level.''
Rooney applauded all four sides of Wembley when he was substituted in midweek. It was interpreted by some as a sarcastic reaction to the booing he had been receiving which, given his controversial comments immediately after England's failure to beat Algeria in South Africa, have led to people wondering if he was about to quit the international scene altogether.
"No. I spoke with him. He is OK,'' stressed Capello. "I don't think Wayne Rooney would consider quitting England. He is a really good boy. He likes to stay with us. He won't be badly affected by what happened at the World Cup. We know it is possible that he wouldn't play well. But he has to forget. It is part of the job. You have to move forward.
"The reaction of the fans was normal. They want to see the best Rooney and the best team. Everything is best, best, best. But it is not possible all the time. You have to wait for him.''
Rooney played the first-half up front on his own before Bobby Zamora was introduced as his partner at half-time. Both moves worked to some extent, even if Capello's view is that Rooney's form is the key to how well each tactic fits together.
"He can play on his own or with someone else,'' said Capello. "The thing is, when you are in good form you can do anything. If you are not you can't play with anyone.''

Chelsea 6 - 0 West Bromwich Albion

2010-08-15T12:15:00.000+07:00

Drogba hits hat-trick

NeilTingle/GettyImages

Chelsea celebrate after Drogba scored his second against West Bromwich Albion

SCORING SUMMARY
Chelsea	West Bromwich Albion
Florent Malouda (6)
Didier Drogba (45)
Didier Drogba (55)
Frank Lampard (63)
Didier Drogba (68)
Florent Malouda (90)

MATCH STATS
	Chelsea	West Bromwich Albion
Shots (on Goal)	19(12)	11(1)
Fouls	12	10
Corner Kicks	3	2
Offsides	3	1
Time of Possession	60%	40%
Yellow Cards	1	0
Red Cards	0	0
Saves	1	6

MATCH INFORMATION

Stadium: Stamford Bridge, England
Attendance: 41,589
Match Time: 16:30 GMT
Official(s):
Mark Clattenburg (Referee)

TEAMS
Chelsea	West Bromwich Albion
1 Petr Cech	19 Scott Carson
26 John Terry	30 Gabriel Tamas
33 Alex	6 Pablo Ibañez
3 Ashley Cole	4 Marek Cech
19 Paulo Ferreira	36 Gonzalo Jara
12 John Mikel Obi	11 Chris Brunt
8 Frank Lampard	21 Youssuf Mulumbu
5 Michael Essien	9 Roman Bednar
15 Florent Malouda	17 Graham Dorrans
11 Didier Drogba	14 Jerome Thomas
39 Nicolas Anelka	7 James Morrison
Substitutes
10 Yossi Benayoun	Boaz Myhill 13
40 Henrique Hilario	Steven Reid 12
21 Salomon Kalou	Nicky Shorey 20
18 Yuri Zhirkov	Giles Barnes 8
2 Branislav Ivanovic	Ishmael Miller 10
23 Daniel Sturridge	Jonas Olsson 3
38 Patrick Van Aanholt	Simon Cox 31
Substitutions
Branislav Ivanovic for Paulo Ferreira (60)	Ishmael Miller for Roman Bednar (67)
Yossi Benayoun for Frank Lampard (65)	Simon Cox for Graham Dorrans (67)
Salomon Kalou for Didier Drogba (70)	Giles Barnes for Jerome Thomas (84)
Yellow Cards
Paulo Ferreira (56)
· Club Squads: Chelsea \| West Bromwich Albion

Updated: August 14, 2010, 7:31 AM GMT

Double winners Chelsea fired an early warning to their Premier League title rivals as Didier Drogba smashed a hat-trick in their opening-day thrashing of new boys West Brom at Stamford Bridge.• Ancelotti not getting carried away
• Premier League round-up
• Premier League Gallery
Florent Malouda set the Blues on their way after only six minutes, with Drogba's free-kick extending the lead on the stroke of half-time.
It was more one-way traffic after the restart, as the Ivory Coast striker netted from close range with Frank Lampard making it 4-0 just after the hour.
Drogba's deflected effort and a last-minute strike from Malouda sealed an emphatic win for the champions, who put last week's 3-1 defeat by Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley firmly behind them.
Despite being outplayed, West Brom and their manager Roberto Di Matteo, the former Chelsea midfielder, deserve credit for continuing to display some good passing football, but which tellingly lacked a cutting edge in the final third.
Chelsea had got off to a flying start when they took the lead after only six minutes.
Malouda was tripped by Pablo Ibanez on the edge of the West Brom box.
Keeper Scott Carson spilled Drogba's free-kick straight to John Obi Mikel, whose follow-up effort was blocked. The ball then dropped straight to Malouda, who could not miss.
The champions were in full flow, with Ashley Cole whipping a low ball across the six-yard box after another surge down the left.
However, the conditions worsened, and fit again Chelsea keeper Petr Cech had to be at full stretch to touch away Graham Dorrans' deflected effort.
The visitors, who finished second behind Newcastle in the Championship last season, continued to try to take the game to Chelsea, putting together some promising passing moves.
Czech striker Roman Bednar smashed a fine finish into the roof of the Chelsea net on 18 minutes, but the offside flag had already gone up for what looked a marginal decision.
Cole then drew some predictable jeers from the travelling fans when he went to take a throw-in - but the boo-boys were soon drowned up by the home faithful showing the England defender their full support.
After a drop in tempo, Chelsea slowly started to find their rhythm again.
Gabriel Tamas fouled Drogba, giving Chelsea another chance to deliver a ball into the West Brom box.
Lampard struck his 20-yard shot well and Carson parried, but this time Malouda could not keep his follow-up on target as he sent a looping header over.
It was, though, 2-0 just before the break.
Youssouf Mulumbu tripped Michael Essien and this time Drogba smashed his free-kick through the wall and into the bottom corner.
The conditions improved for the second half, allowing both teams to pass the ball quickly.
On 53 minutes, Scotland midfielder Dorrans chipped a free-kick over the wall, but the ball dropped onto the top of the net.
Chelsea then moved 3-0 ahead when Drogba bundled in his second.
John Terry flicked Malouda's inswinging corner goalwards and Mulumbu hacked it off the line, but the ball was not cleared and Drogba, who won the Golden Boot with 29 goals last season, was alert to smash it in from close range.
Lampard walked in a fourth on 63 minutes after a clever exchange between Nicolas Anelka and Cole down the left.
The England midfielder, who had been carrying a slight ankle problem, was then replaced by Yossi Benayoun, as the Israeli made is debut following a summer move from Liverpool - who were described as a "small club somewhere north of the M25'' by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck in his programme notes, hitting back at comments by Joe Cole following his free transfer summer move to Anfield.
On 68 minutes, Drogba completed his hat-trick with a 20-yard effort which cannoned off Tamas and flew into the bottom corner past a wrong-footed Carson.
The Ivory Coast striker was then given a well-deserved break when he was replaced by countryman Salomon Kalou.
Malouda whipped a 20-yard free-kick over the wall and bar, while Alex flicked a rising shot from Chris Brunt over the bar to deny the visitors a late consolation.

Ancelotti not getting carried away

Carlo Ancelotti described Chelsea's resounding 6-0 win over West Brom to open the defence of their title as "nothing special'' - and insisted there was more to come from the champions.
Ancelotti said: "We did our job, nothing special. This team can show this kind of play, scoring a lot of goals. We had a difficult pre-season, but now everything has come back to be OK. We played a good game with a lot of goals and I am happy.
"We kept a high tempo, but West Brom were in the game until the second goal, and then it was more easy because there was more space. Players who were at the World Cup can improve their condition and in two weeks, we will be 100%.''
Drogba won the Golden Boot last season with 29 goals and feels after summer surgery on a troubling hernia, there is more of the same to come. Ancelotti praised the Ivory Coast striker.
"He did a fantastic job, not just because he scored, he worked really hard for the team,'' said the Italian coach. "It is very important to have this mentality from all our strikers. Last season he scored a lot of goals, and he has started very well, I think he can do the same again.''
The Chelsea boss rejected suggestions players were unhappy at the decision by owner Roman Abramovich to cut bonuses.
"I have not spoken to the players about this, but I am not interested in it because it is a deal between the players and the owners,'' Ancelotti said. "They did not speak with me about it and if I have to watch how they play, I would not say they are unhappy about it.''
West Brom manager Roberto Di Matteo always felt it was going to be a daunting return to his former club. The Italian said: "Playing the champions away on the first day of the season, you know it is going to be a tough day for you but I thought the scoreline was a bit harsh.
"There are not a lot of teams which come away from Stamford Bridge with much. We know we will have to learn very quickly, but on the upside, we will not be playing Chelsea every week. Not every team has the quality this one does.
"I would have preferred to get something for my team, a point maybe. It was great to see they don't forget you, but tomorrow is another day and I will be focusing on doing a job for West Brom.''

Latest transfer gossip: August14

2010-08-14T21:38:00.002+07:00

15.08 BST Cardiff City boss Dave Jones has all but ruled out a move for Craig Bellamy that looks unlikely at best. "On a scale of one to 10 we would be one, or even on a minus," Jones told the South Wales Echo.

13.23 BST Nothing concrete in this but Shay Given's presence on the Manchester City bench and a so-far fine showing from Joe Hart will surely start the speculation. Arsenal and Fulham bound to be linked.

12.41 BST: An agent claims Giovani dos Santos would be prepared to leave Tottenham if an offer arrives from Italy. “I spoke recently to his father, who became his new agent, and he said Giovani would only move if an offer came in from Italy,” Lodovico Spinosi told Calciomercato.

12.24 BST: Juventus manager Luigi Del Neri appears to have rejected suggestions that Diego will be leaving the club, to join either Wolfsburg or Schalke. “Is Diego on his way out? We never considered him like that,” said the boss.

11.55 BST: Manchester City confirmed the signing of Mario Balotelli on Friday evening but it appears the young forward did not want to leave Italy.

11.29 BST: Again, it's not strictly transfer news but we thought you might like to know that Arsene Wenger has signed a new contract until 2014.

11.03 BST: This may be stretching the definition of transfer news but it is a great story... Mikel Arteta could be on the brink of making a sensational move to... the England national side. Well, Steven Gerrard certainly hopes it happens.

10.42 BST: It is a bit of a poor morning on the rumour front as the papers all focus on the big kick-off today, but here are a few interesting snippets...

The Mirror: Kenwyne Jones turned down Liverpool in order to link up with Tony Pulis at Stoke City. Meanwhile, Manchester City would rather sell Shay Given to Celtic than allow him to join Arsenal.

Daily Mail: Joe Hart has been given the nod for Manchester City’s game against Tottenham, meaning Shay Given will seek to leave the club before the close of the transfer window. Birmingham are closing in on the £2 million signing of Sunderland defender George McCartney.

10.31 BST: On the European side of things, Werder Bremen haverejected an offer from Real Madrid for Germany international Mesut Ozil. So Fergie might still have a chance of signing him then...

10.16 BST: We will get those paper rumours to you shortly, we promise, but there is a fair bit of news around this morning! Mark Hughes has confirmed that Mark Schwarzer has handed in a transfer request at Fulham, for starters.

Incidentally, The Guardian reports that if Shay Given is left out by Man City against Spurs today, Hughes will attempt to purchase him as Schwarzer's replacement.

10.07 BST: Here is the full story regarding Harry Redknapp's interest in free agent William Gallas.

09.31 BST: We will be looking through the morning papers to bring you the best transfer lines.

09.15 BST: It might be the first day of the new Premier League season but that does not mean we will be neglecting the transfer gossip today. To kick things off, Harry Redknapp has said that he is pursuing a move for William Gallas and Mark Hughes has confirmed Mark Schwarzer has handed in a transfer request at Fulham.

Ferguson explains Bebe signing

2010-08-13T21:32:00.001+07:00

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed Manchester United made a quick decision on the signing of Bebe as other clubs were beginning to show interest.

Associated

Real Madrid were also said to be keen on Bebe

Bebe, 20, is joining from Portuguese club Vitoria de Guimaraes after United agreed to pay his release clause, believed to be in the region of £7 million. He had signed from Estrela da Amadora in the Portuguese third division only five weeks earlier.

However, it was reported that Real Madrid were keen on the player and, after Ferguson received a recommendation from Portugal bossCarlos Queiroz, he decided United should make their move.

"It's one of these things that when you identify someone of potential we normally would assess over a longer period but we do scout Portugal and he's very bright and he's got tremendous instinct," he said. "He's two footed and he's very quick. There's material there.

"Other clubs were starting to hover on the boy and so we made a quick decision and said, 'Well, why don't we go for it?' He's got material and I'm sure we can work with that. He's young and we're good at young players really, so that's the reason."

Bebe played football in a homeless team during a brief spell on the streets and Ferguson added: "It is a fairytale when you read about his background, but it is one of those things that happens when you identify someone with potential.

"He doesn't speak any English, so that needs to be addressed, and we need to allow him to settle in, but sometimes you have to work on an impulse."

Hughes keen to retain Schwarzer

2010-08-13T21:31:00.001+07:00

Mark Hughes admits goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer wants to join Arsenal but said Fulham would not be encouraging further bids.

GettyImages

Mark Schwarzer wants to join Arsenal

•Arsene Wenger is keen to sign a new goalkeeper this summer to give Manuel Almunia and Lukasz Fabianski further competition, and they had a bid for 37-year-old Schwarzer - believed to be worth £2 million - rejected earlier this summer.

Fulham are said to have put a £4 million price tag on Schwarzer, but Hughes says Arsenal have yet to return with an improved offer and insists he has no interest in allowing him to leave Craven Cottage.

"From our point of view, the situation has not changed," he said. "There was interest from Arsenal in May. Their bid was refused. We have not had any more bids and we wouldn't encourage any.

"Mark sees it as an opportunity with the current stage that he is at in his career. I can appreciate that but he has to understand that we have to protect Fulham too.

"At the moment it wouldn't be right for Fulham football club. He is an outstanding goalkeeper. It's only when you work with players that you realise how good they are.

"It would be difficult to replace him. It's difficult to get the right quality into your football club. We have a top-class keeper in our squad and we would like to keep him."

Tevez reveals retirement plans

2010-08-13T21:29:00.001+07:00

Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez has revealed he is eager to retire from football and plans to return to Argentina within three years.

GettyImages

Carlos Tevez has revealed he no longer enjoys football

Tevez, 26, has enjoyed a successful career in South America and England, winning trophies with Boca Juniors, Corinthians and Manchester United before joining City in a big-money deal last summer.

However, he has now revealed that he is feeling homesick and, after Argentina's humiliating 4-0 defeat to Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals, he admits he has fallen out of love with the game.

"There is only a little time remaining before I retire," he told TyC Sports. "It is very difficult to play football if you are not happy. I am finding it very difficult to recover since the World Cup.

"I dreamt of returning to Argentina with the trophy. There were no fights in the World Cup, everything was positive, but it was the hardest thing that I've ever had to experience. Every day I have less will to continue playing in Europe and to carry on playing football. I will be there for two or three more years and then I will think about heading back to Argentina."

He added: "For the last year, I haven't lived with my daughters. They are growing up and I'm getting worn down. After returning from South Africa, I thought about quitting football, but I have a large family and now I have to continue.

"Football doesn't make me as happy or as fulfilled as before. It becomes difficult to play like this."

City to sign Balotelli and Milner

2010-08-13T21:28:00.001+07:00

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini expects to sign Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli "today or tomorrow" and admitted the deal was "close" to completion on Friday.

GettyImages

Mario Balotelli has travelled to Manchester for a medical

Balotelli has been on City's radar all summer and flew into Manchester to undergo a medical on Friday, a day after it looked as though the deal may have stalled.

But after talks between the two clubs on Thursday, the negotiations progressed and the Italian striker now looks set to move to the Premier League in a deal Gazzetta dello Sport reports is worth €28 million.

"We are close with Balotelli," Mancini told a press conference on Friday morning. "Hopefully today or tomorrow. Mario is on his way here today."

Balotelli's Inter team-mate Marco Materazzi admits it is not good news for the team's chances this season. "I am happy for Mario, but we will be weakened by his departure," he toldGazzetta.

Mancini also said James Milner was close to signing from Aston Villa, although they are still sorting out the details of the deal. "I think it will be okay but we need another two or three days," he said. "When you do a deal, everything must go in a good way for everybody, so we probably need another two or three days for this situation."

It is reported that the Milner deal is being held up because Stephen Ireland - who is due to be part of a part-exchange deal - is demanding a £2 million pay-off. Asked whether that was the case, Mancini replied: "I don't know about that."

Aston Villa caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald said on Friday: "The latest about Milner is that talks are still ongoing. Nothing can be done today in terms of him being signed in time to play tomorrow. James has been put in the squad and will be available to play for Aston Villa against West Ham."

Mancini was non-committal about Robinho's chances of remaining at Eastlands, but there is no place in his plans for Craig Bellamy, who is attracting interest from Fulham, Tottenham, Sunderland and Celtic. "I have to choose 25," Mancini said. "The rest must find another team. Craig is out of the list."

Bellamy this week claimed he had not spoken to Mancini in several months, but the Italian said: "What he has said is not important because it is false. I speak with the players every day and Craig always played for me last year. This year I choose other players. I am the manager and it is my choice."

Mancini also rejected suggestions City are set to buy Benfica defender David Luiz and Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with Balotelli and Milner set to represent the final deals of the summer. "After these two players - finished," Mancini said.

Latest transfer gossip: August 13

2010-08-13T21:27:00.000+07:00

15.23 BST Bordeaux have confirmed Nice's France Under-21 international Anthony Modeste has signed a four-year contract at the Stade Chaban Delmas.
14.59 BST SPL giants Rangers have agreed a deal to sign former England striker James Beattie from Stoke City. Full story.
14.53 BST Roy Hodgson insists Christian Poulsen was not brought to the club as a replacement for Javier Mascherano and says he does not expect the Argentina captain to leave Liverpool in the imminent future.Full story.
14.48 BST Chelsea look set to complete the signing of Benfica midfielder Ramires by the end of today. "Ramires is doing medical tests again and we hope that he will sign a contract,'' said Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti.
14.42 BST West Ham United midfielder Scott Parker, who has been linked with moves to Liverpool and Tottenham over the summer, is close to signing a new five-year contract.
14.21 BST Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp insists there is no chance he will sign Aston Villa winger Ashley Young this summer. "There's no truth in that one," he said.
13.58 BST Aiden McGeady has joined Spartak Moscow from Celtic on a four-year contract, the Scottish club have confirmed.
13.46 BST The father of Santos star Neymar has urged the Brazilian club to accept Chelsea's improved £21 million offer for his son."The opportunity to leave Brazil is there. What I believe is that we have to think about valuing the player, not just the finances," he said.
13.01 BST Not strictly transfer news, but according to TalkSport Bob Bradley has quit his job as USA coach. He has of course been linked with the Aston Villa job.

12.48 BST: Ossie Ardiles tells Soccernet why Javier Mascherano wants to leave Liverpool
12.41 BST Anton Ferdinand has not been given a squad number for the new season by Sunderland, casting doubt on his future at the club.

12.09 BST Although Aston Villa seem willing to let James Milner go, they are keen to keep Ashley Young and will reportedly offer him a new and improved contract to ward off interest from other clubs.
11.55 BST Motherwell have added two strikers to their squad ahead of the SPL opener against Hibernian after signing Spaniard Esteban Casagolda and taking Blackburn's Nick Blackman on loan.
11.28 BST Hull City have completed the signing of midfielder Robert Koren on a free transfer following his release by West Brom this summer.
11.05 BST Belgium forward Moussa Dembele is making advances towards Fulham, claiming the Cottagers are "a really nice club" as he attempts to seal a move to the Premier League.
10.43 BST It's all happening at Manchester City, with Roberto Mancini now saying that he expects a deal to sign Aston Villa's James Milner to go through in "another two or three days".
10.29 BST Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini expects to sign Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli "today or tomorrow" and admitted the deal was "close" to completion.
10.13 BST Fulham manager Mark Hughes has declared his interest in signing Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy for a third time. Hughes signed Bellamy for both Blackburn and City and worked with him during his stint as Wales manager.
10.01 BST Mario Balotelli has flown into Manchester to undergo a medical and Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport are reporting the two clubs have agreed a fee of £23 million.
09.53 BST: Skysports.com is reporting that Birmingham are lining up a loan move for former Blackburn Rovers striker Matt Derbyshire.
09.42 BST: Stoke are considering a move for Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia. He requested a transfer yesterday...but to Stoke? Really?
09.36 BST: Mario Balotelli is on a plane on his way to England. It is believed the Inter Milan striker will have a medical at Manchester City today.
09.33 BST: Any deal for in demand Germany star Mesut Ozil may depend on whether he plays in Werder Bremen's Champions League qualifier next Wednesday. If he is involved in the game it would make him ineligible to play for another team in the compeition.
09.28 BST: Marseille president Jean-Claude Dassier, says Hatem Ben Arfa is going nowhere, amid interest from Newcastle, Benfica, Hoffenheim and Genoa. Dassier said: "Hatem is part of our squad and it will stay that way. There is no serious offer from Newcastle. It's a crazy situation."
09.13 BST: Manuel Almunia will quit Arsenal if Arsene Wenger signs Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, according to the Star.
09.07: The agent of Mauro Camoranesi has blamed Birmingham's Italian representative for the Italian's proposed move to St Andrew breaking down. He said: "If I organise a meeting in Turin and they tell me a figure, then I meet with Juve and come to an agreement with them, then I go to England and they tell me another number then the deal is blown."
08.56 BST: L'Equipe is expecting West Ham to launch a bid for PSG midfielder Stephane Sessegnon. The 26-year-old Benin international still has three years left on his contract with the Ligue 1 side.
08.48 BST: Aston Villa winger Ashley Young is reportedly a target for Liverpool and Spurs, but he will apparently wait until the new Villa boss is appointed before making a decision about his future.
08.39 BST: Don't forget, you can add your thoughts in our comments section below.
08.32 BST: Naughty naughty Chelsea. Allgedly of course. Santos have accused the Blues of tapping-up Neymar and the Brazilian club's president is not impressed. Remember Chelsea were handed a transfer ban for indiscretions in their pursuit of Gael Kakuta and they could find themsleves in trouble if the accusations turn out to be true.
08.28 BST: Marseille fans will be waiting anxiously for news of Luis Fabiano's proposed 18 million euro move from Sevilla today, as talks will resume between the clubs and the player in the next few hours, according to L'Equipe.
08.21 BST: The Mail is reporting that Steve Bruce will use the £8 million from the sale of Kenwyne Jones to fund a move for Ghana World Cup star Asamoah Gyan,.
08.13 BST: Carlos Tevez looks like he will be heading out the Manchester City exit door...but only in a few years time. The Argentina striker admits that he is homesick and dreams of returning to Argentina in the future. He said: "Every day I have less will to continue playing in Europe. I will be there for two or three more years and then I will think about heading back to Argentina. Football doesn't make me happy or as fulfilled as before."
08.00 BST: Stephen Ireland's demands for a pay-off appear to be scuppering the part-exchange deal with Villa for James Milner. Morehere.
07.42 BST: According to El Mundo Deportivo, club sources at Barca have confirmed they are trying to sell Ibrahimovic to City but it depends on the striker's willingness to leave.
07.40 BST: Ole claims Barca will sign Javier Mascherano from Liverpool for €15 million plus Alexander Hleb.
07.35 BST: Good morning and welcome. Here's the transfer gossip from this morning's national papers.
The Sun: Manchester City have offered Zlatan Ibrahimovic a four-year deal worth £96million, Tottenham have beaten a host of English clubs to sign 17-year-old Honduras whizkid Anthony Lozano, Steve Coppell quit Bristol City after two games because he didn't want David James.
Daily Mirror: City will pip Chelsea to Benfica defender David Luiz, Blackburn want to sign Stoke striker James Beattie despite Rangers making their move this week, Hatem Ben Arfa will go on strike to secure Newcastle move.
The Guardian: Chelsea have been given the go-ahead to complete the signing of Benfica midfielder Ramires, Manchester City are in talks with two clubs - perhaps Besiktas and Schalke - over a £20 million-plus Robinho deal, Manchester United do not expect to sign Mesut Ozil due to the player's indecision.
Daily Mail: Robinho is reluctant but willing to stay at City and fight for his place, Anton Ferdinand - linked with Palermo - has had a bust-up with Steve Bruce.

Comments (4)

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Latest transfer gossip: August 24

Mourinho: City have more financial clout than Real

Technical of Balotelli

Latest transfer gossip: August 23

Milan chief Galliani claims Ibrahimovic talks

Van Nistelrooy ruins Raul debut, Bremen battered

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Latest transfer gossip: August 21

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Latest Transfer gossip: August 20

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Kanoute at the double

Capello backs Rooney to rediscover form

Chelsea 6 - 0 West Bromwich Albion

Drogba hits hat-trick

Latest transfer gossip: August14

Ferguson explains Bebe signing

Hughes keen to retain Schwarzer

Tevez reveals retirement plans

City to sign Balotelli and Milner

Latest transfer gossip: August 13

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