Transfer news...

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[h=1]Everton not tempted by Leicester City's £3m bid for Jermaine Beckford[/h] • City and Nottingham Forest interested in 27-year-old
• Everton unlikely to sanction Beckford's departure

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• Andy Hunter
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 17 August 2011 17.00 BST Article history
  
  
  Jermaine Beckford, seen here playing against West Ham last season, is interesting Leicester City. Photograph: Alex Morton/Action Images
  
  Leicester City will have to improve their £3m offer for Jermaine Beckford to tempt Everton into selling the 27-year-old only a year after his arrival at Goodison Park.
  Everton rejected a bid that could eventually rise to £3m from the Championship club on Friday and there have been no further offers for a striker who scored 10 goals in his debut Premier League campaign last season, despite rival interest from Steve McClaren at Nottingham Forest.
  Beckford arrived at Everton on a free transfer from Leeds United last summer and, despite initially struggling to adapt to the Premier League and starting mostly on the bench, his form improved in a side that struggled for goals.
  David Moyes has again been unable to improve his forward options this summer and it would be a surprise if he sanctioned Beckford's departure, particularly given the doubts over Everton's ability to finance a replacement and the manager's desire to sell Yakubu Ayegbeni.
  Yakubu and Joseph Yobo have not featured in Moyes's pre-season plans and both played for the reserves against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday. Yakubu scored in the 2-2 draw and was watched by scouts from several Championship clubs.
  
  

 

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[h=1]Spanish players' strike set to go ahead after negotiations break down[/h] • Strike still on after talks with union fail
• Action set for first two weekends of season

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• Reuters
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 17 August 2011 12.19 BST Article history
  
  
  Spanish players' union president Luis Rubiales (centre) announcing strike action on 11 August. Photograph: Juan Carlos Hidalgo/EPA
  
  Talks between the Spanish football league and the Spanish players' union have failed to avert the strike action called for this weekend.
  The league's president, José Luis Astiazarán, said: "We haven't reached any kind of agreement. The AFE [union] have dug their heels in. There are important differences, but we will have to continue moving forward."
  The AFE has called strike action for the first two weekends of Spain's top two divisions, which are scheduled to kick off on Saturday, demanding greater protection for players' wages at clubs which have gone into financial administration.
  The AFE president, Luis Rubiales, this month said the situation was "lamentable". "As it stands we are at the bottom of the pile in Europe. We don't want more money, we want the clubs to honour the contracts they sign with their players.
  "We don't want palliative measures. We have put forward proposals which exist in Holland, Germany, France and England which are preventative. In these countries if a club shows it can't pay its players the club doesn't compete."
  
  

 

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[h=1]Cesc Fábregas starts with a night to remember at Barcelona[/h] Debutant makes his mark off the bench as Real Madrid are beaten 5-4 on aggregate in the Spanish Super Cup

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• Sid Lowe at Camp Nou
• The Guardian, Thursday 18 August 2011 Article history
  
  
  Lionel Messi, centre, is congratulated by Cesc Fábregas, right and Seydou Keita after scoring the winning goal. Photograph: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images
  
  Cesc Fábregas's first big night out since returning to his home town ended in a fight but it also ended in celebration. The former Arsenal captain has collected his first trophy as a Barcelona player, just two days after joining the club. It was 1am when he was parading round the Camp Nou pitch with new team-mates and old friends carrying the Spanish Super Cup, snatched from Real Madrid's grasp in dramatic fashion. At last the clásicos were something approaching a classic – some way from the four games in 18 days that these teams played last season.
  Fábregas was on the pitch for a little over 10 minutes but he packed in enough incident for five times that. As he stood on the touchline waiting to come on with just over 10 minutes remaining, he saw his first trophy appear to slip away before his eyes. Barcelona were 2-1 up, 4-3 on aggregate, and Cesc was hopping up and down when a poor corner from Kaká was only half cleared by Adriano. Turned back in, Karim Benzema brought it down on his chest and smuggled it beyond Víctor Valdés.
  Suddenly it was 2-2 on the night, 4-4 on aggregate. A superb first half had given way to a bitty second and Barça appeared to have lost their way. There had been few genuine opportunities although Sergio Busquets had headed over and Andrés Iniesta had seen Ilker Casillas block. The best chance had fallen to Madrid's Sergio Ramos from another corner – only for him to head wide from the edge of the six-yard box.
  If Fábregas had hoped to enjoy the final minutes, he had a job to do. And he certainly did it. His first touch was a simple, inconsequential pass for Eric Abidal but there was a key contribution to be made. The truth, though, was that the greatest impact would be made, yet again, by Lionel Messi – the Argentinian, who scored in the first leg, got two more here and made the other with a sumptuous assist. This time he was helped by Fábregas.
  There were three minutes remaining and this match, which had kicked off at 11pm, was heading for a late finish. Fábregas's slick ball across to Messi from the right was instantly turned into the path of Adriano. Messi continued his run and Adriano's ball fell for him to hit a clean left-footed volley into the net to make it 3-2 and 5-4 on aggregate. Although neither he nor his team has been able to dominate as is their custom, Madrid's intensity making that impossible, ultimately Messi's contribution would prove colossal.
  Like the first leg, this was another fast, intense match, with both teams squeezing each other high up the pitch, forcing the pace ever faster – the ball whizzed about and the challenges did too. At times the precision, at such pace, was mind-boggling. At others, the sheer athleticism was. Often the entire game appeared to be played in a 20-metre strip as each side sought a way to spring the lock and race into the open field beyond.
  On the quarter-hour Leo Messi had produced an assist that was almost a carbon copy of the one provided for David Villa when Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5-0 last November. Dropping the shoulder and shifting his weight with the speed and imperceptibility that made it impossible to react to, he cut inside and away from Sami Khedira, before threading an immaculate pass through the gap for Iniesta to run on to. There was still a long way to goal and Casillas to beat. Breath was held but Iniesta put the brakes on, paused and clipped it over the keeper.
  Madrid deservedly equalised, Ronaldo nudging Benzema's shot past Valdés following a corner. It was the first time he had scored in five trips to the Camp Nou and, astonishingly, it was his 100th Real Madrid goal. And, if he barely touched that one, he thumped the next when, five minutes later, he sent a shot screeching towards goal, off Valdés's fists and against the bar.
  Ronaldo was active but again Messi proved decisive, giving Barcelona the lead when he chested a corner into the path of Gerard Piqué and ran on to the central defender's clever backheel, finding space in a congested penalty area just before half time. One touch, two, and the third was a delicate dink over Casillas as Ronaldo skidded in on his knees.
  Madrid's second equaliser in the 79th minute, as Fábregas waited, forced Barcelona to act. It forced the man coming on to do so too. His pass helped set up the winner and even then there was more drama. Almost immediately afterwards he was sent crashing to the floor by an angry, frustrated tackle from Marcelo. The Brazilian was handed a red card and suddenly it flared up on the touchline as players and officials waded in. José Mourinho appeared to clash with a Barcelona assistant and José Morais came springing out of the technical area to confront another. Gonzalo Higuaín grabbed at the throat of Barcelona's substitute goalkeeper José Pinto. Mesut Ozil, Villa and Marcelo were all sent off. All around people lost their heads and confrontations sparked but Fábregas, as he lay on the floor, could afford to smile. It had been quite a night.
  
  

 

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[h=1]Chelsea step up the pace in chase to prise Juan Mata from Valencia[/h] • Arsenal and Spurs fall behind in pursuit of 23-year-old
• Winger joins Modric and Meireles as Blues' target

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• Dominic Fifield
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 17 August 2011 22.30 BST Article history
  
  
  Chelsea are anxious to add natural width to their team and believe Juan Mata is the man for the job. Photograph: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images
  
  Chelsea hope to succeed where Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur failed earlier this summer by prising the Spain winger Juan Mata from Valencia as André Villas-Boas's side step up their attempts to add to their squad before the transfer window ends.
  Mata has joined Luka Modric and Raul Meireles as a target for Chelsea, who are understood to have made an informal inquiry to the Spanish club as to the 23-year-old's potential availability. The player had effectively been on the market for €25m (£22m) until 31 July but a buyout clause in his contract expired then, allowing Valencia to dictate the fee.
  Spurs had indicated a willingness to meet the €25m price before the cut-off only for Mata to show no interest in moving to White Hart Lane as he wishes to play Champions League football. Arsenal, for their part, were unable to table an acceptable bid in time while talks over Cesc Fábregas's prospective move to Barcelona dragged on. Arsène Wenger's team still technically have an offer on the table for Mata, though Chelsea appear to have leapfrogged them in the pecking order for the winger.
  Their initial hopes of securing him for a similar fee to the original buyout clause appear to have been rebuffed, with Valencia pushing for €30m before they will release the player.
  Yet that would be within Chelsea's reach and Villas-Boas is anxious to add natural width to his line-up. Interest is also retained in Modric, still the team's principal target, and the Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles, who is in effect available at Anfield and would add to Chelsea's midfield options with Yossi Benayoun still expected to move on before the end of the month.
  
  

 

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[h=1]Defensive injury crisis leaves Carl Jenkinson in line for Arsenal start[/h] • Injuries to Djourou and Gibbs leave Arsenal short
• Teenage signing from Charlton expected to start

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• Dominic Fifield
• guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 17 August 2011 22.30 BST Article history
  
  
  The Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson, centre, is expected to start against Liverpool after an injury crisis. Photograph: Ian Nicholson/PA
  
  Arsenal's resources have been left so stretched for Saturday's visit of Liverpool that Arsène Wenger is expected to hand the teenage defender Carl Jenkinson, who has made only seven career starts, all in League One, a Premier League debut for the game at the Emirates.
  Wenger lost both Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou to hamstring injuries during the 1-0 Champions League qualifying victory over Udinese on Tuesday night, following Armand Traoré limping out of a reserve-team victory over Manchester United after nine minutes on Monday. None of the trio is likely to be available against Liverpool, leaving Jenkinson, a £1m signing from Charlton Athletic this summer, on the verge of a first top‑flight start.
  The teenager impressed upon replacing Djourou – himself a half-time substitute for Gibbs – for the last 34 minutes against Udinese, though the elevation into the first team for such a key early-season league fixture, potentially to confront Luis Suárez, represents something of a daunting introduction.
  Jenkinson arrived at the Emirates earmarked as a highly rated player for the future but his career to date has amounted to only eight league appearances for Charlton Athletic, one as a substitute, and four games in the Conference on loan at Eastbourne.
  Yet, while Wenger continues to search for reinforcements for his depleted squad, there is a lack of viable alternatives at present. Arsenal are also weakened in midfield with Samir Nasri on the verge of joining Manchester City for around £22m, Cesc Fábregas sold to Barcelona and both Abou Diaby and Jack Wilshere still in rehabilitation over ankle injuries. Their absence has been compounded by the three-game suspension incurred by Alex Song for a stamp on the leg of Joey Barton during the draw at St James' Park on Saturday.
  The midfielder accepted a charge of violent conduct on Wednesday over that incident and will now join the new signing Gervinho, who was sent off for slapping Barton later in the game, in missing the league games against Liverpool, Manchester United and Swansea City. Add to that the sales of Emmanuel Eboué to Galatasaray, Carlos Vela's loan to Real Sociedad and Nicklas Bendtner's anticipated imminent departure and Arsenal's squad appears in a state of flux. Indeed, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, an 18-year-old whose experience also does not extend beyond League One level, could also feature against Liverpool.
  "We've had a couple of injuries and we have to hope they are not too bad," acknowledged Theo Walcott, who scored the team's winning goal against Udinese to offer some much needed encouragement. "We have got a fairly big squad but we don't want the squad to get lower and lower. Gibbsy and Johan have come off but the boss knows what he is doing and hopefully those players will be fit and ready to go again soon.
  "It is important to have a mixture of experience and young players. The boss has picked off great players who we don't know where they have come from, so only time will tell what he is going to do. The mood is very good. We got a very good result at Newcastle (0-0) after going down to 10 men, a clean sheet tonight which was very good and we had young players come on and gain a bit of experience in the Champions League. Now we have got another very tough game against Liverpool at the weekend."
  Wenger is unlikely to face censure from Uefa over communicating with his bench despite being suspended for Tuesday's game at the Emirates and the governing body is expected merely to issue a warning later on Thursday. The Arsenal manager appeared to breach the conditions of his one-match touchline ban – a legacy of a row with the referee Massimo Busacca during last season's exit to Barcelona – by contacting his assistant, Pat Rice, via phone calls made by the first-team coach, Boro Primorac, at his side.
  Article 70 of Uefa's disciplinary regulations state that any banned manager may sit in the stands but "may not enter the dressing room, tunnel or technical area before or during the match, nor may he communicate with his team". Uefa will scrutinise the reports submitted by the referee and match delegate on Thursday but are expected to accept there had been a misunderstanding over the issue, though they could yet fine Wenger for failing to attend his post-match media duties.
  
  

 

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• Sport
• Football
• QPR

[h=1]Tony Fernandes announced as new owner of Queens Park Rangers[/h] • Malaysian businessman buys Bernie Ecclestone's 66% stake
• Fernandes expected to invest £10m in club for new signings

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• David Conn
• guardian.co.uk, Thursday 18 August 2011 13.34 BST Article history
  
  
  Tony Fernandes has become the new majority owner of QPR alongside the Mittal family, who retain their 33% stake. Photograph: Lai Seng Sin/AP
  
  The Malaysian airline entrepreneur Tony Fernandes is the new majority owner of Queens Park Rangers having bought the whole of Bernie Ecclestone's 66% stake in the club for around £35m. The price is understood to equal the total which Ecclestone and his fellow investor Flavio Briatore have paid into QPR, in shares and loans, since they took over the club in 2007, and does not amount to a huge profit for the Formula One personalities.
  "I've always wanted to be involved in football and the appeal of a London club like QPR was too good an opportunity to turn down," Fernandes said. "QPR is a raw diamond and hopefully I can contribute into turning it into a diamond. I want the fans to be proud of what we're doing and be involved as much as we can."
  Lakshmi Mittal, the Indian steel magnate, is understood to be retaining his 33% stake, although there had been discussions about increasing it by 10%. Mittal's son-in-law, Amit Bhatia, who won respect from Rangers fans as chairman last year before stepping down after season-ticket prices were increased and his own takeover offer was rebuffed, is expected to rejoin the board and work closely with Fernandes.
  Fernandes is expected to pledge around £10m further to invest for new players the manager, Neil Warnock, wants to sign in this transfer window to give Rangers a more solid prospect of surviving in the Premier League. Scott Parker, the West Ham and England midfielder, is likely to be one of Warnock's targets.
  The new owner does not, however, intend to bankroll the club with his own millions every year, but instead believes that on the Premier League's vast TV income, it can grow within its means if run sensibly and with a strong youth policy.
  He will also not hide the intention to promote his own companies, the low-cost airline AirAsia, or Malaysian Airlines, in which he and his partner recently bought a 20% stake, with marketing initiatives, probably including sponsoring the Rangers shirt.
  Team Lotus, the Formula One team of which Fernandes is the owner and team principal, is sponsored by AirAsia, which also sponsored last year's British Grand Prix, and he has concluded that sport is a very profitable marketing vehicle for his businesses.
  Fernandes's 66% acquisition comes only two months after his second offer to buy West Ham, the club he supports, was rebuffed by the Hammers' co-owner, David Sullivan, who described it as "derisory". Fernandes then was approached to buy QPR by Ecclestone, who has never seemed fully engaged or happy owning the club. He and Briatore became bitterly unpopular with many fans after announcing steepling ticket price rises as soon as Rangers won promotion in May, and they looked for a sale and an exit route.
  Fans who have become sceptical about the businessmen arriving as saviours to buy their club are expected to be reassured that Fernandes is paying cash, not borrowing to take over, and he is understood to want the existing loans in the club, including from the Mittal family, to be converted into shares.
  Born in Kuala Lumpur and educated in England, at the Epsom College boarding school then the London School of Economics, Fernandes qualified as an accountant and worked in the music industry for 14 years before doing the deal which has made his real fortune – buying the then debt-laden AirAsia, with three partners, for a token one Malaysian ringgit (20p) in 2001.
  He said he mortgaged his home and had only £250,000 initially to invest in AirAsia, which was then reshaped into a low-cost airline flying 18m passengers to 65 cities in Asia and around the world, turning over £790m and making a pre-tax profit of £200m, according to its most recent annual report. The company Fernandes and his partners formed to buy the airline, Tune Air, still owns 26% of AirAsia, and sources close to him say he has sold shares in AirAsia to release the cash to buy into Rangers. Two of his partners in Malaysia are understood to be investing in the club alongside him.
  Rangers began the season on Saturday with a 4-0 home defeat to Bolton, playing in a shirt without a sponsor, which club sources suggested then was because it was being left ready for AirAsia's name. QPR fans can expect a smiling, clubby style of ownership from a businessman who appears to relish all his activities, and believes in modern communication, including via his energetic Twitter account. There are suggestions that he wants to meet and talk to fans, then actually reduce the ticket prices to a more reasonable increase on what they were in the Championship last season.
  If he makes good on his promises of investment without debt, and is open with and approachable to supporters, he should win friends among fans who grew miserable over the summer. It is, though, fiendishly difficult to give a small club a fighting chance in the Premier League without overspending, and once the deal is concluded, the hard work will begin.
  
  

 

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[h=1]Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech faces month out with ligament injury[/h] • Villas-Boas says Cech will miss up to four weeks
• Goalkeeper injured knee during training session

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• Press Association
• guardian.co.uk, Thursday 18 August 2011 13.14 BST Article history
  
  
  Petr Cech has suffered a knee ligament injury. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images
  
  The Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech faces up to a month on the sidelines after suffering a medial ligament injury in training.
  The 29-year-old Czech Republic international, who played in Chelsea's opening day 0-0 draw away at Stoke, will miss the Premier League matches against West Brom, Norwich, Sunderland and potentially Manchester United – with the match at Old Trafford taking place on Sunday 18 September.
  The Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas said his staff were extremely concerned when they saw Cech falling awkwardly at the end of training on Wednesday.
  Villas-Boas said: "It was the end of training, a normal training incident. He fell awkwardly with his weight on top of him. We expected much worse when we saw the incident."
  
  

 

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• Rumour Mill

[h=4]Series: Rumour Mill[/h] Previous | Index

[h=1]Football transfer rumours: Kevin Doyle to Arsenal?[/h] Today's tittle-tattle is small but beautifully formed

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• • Barry Glendenning
  • guardian.co.uk, Thursday 18 August 2011 09.02 BST Article history
  
  Is Kevin Doyle of Wolves about to become Kevin Doyle of Arsenal? Photograph: Andrew Fox
  
  That suspicious looking unmarked white van parked outside Kevin Doyle's house contains Arsène Wenger and assorted other Arsenal colleagues, who are apparently "monitoring" the Wolves striker, with a view to bringing him to the Emirates to fill the pink boots of Nicklas Bendtner. The confident Danish striker could spend the foreseeable future being quite promising but nowhere near as great as he claims to be for Paris Saint-Germain.
  Elsewhere in France, Lille's president Michel Seydoux has taken up his pricing gun anddabbed "£30m" tags all over his star Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard, who is also wanted by Arsenal. Hazard isn't the only Belgian being pursued by an English club at the moment, as Chelsea are interested in securing the services of private detective Hercule Poirot, Scrabble-playing popster Plastic Bertrand and Racing Genk midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.
  T'riffic players ... great fellas.
  Meanwhile, in Milan, Wesley Sneijder is prepared to forego round-the-clock opportunities to visit the Duomo, the church of Santa Maria della Grazie and £60,000-per-week to help ensure that he gets a move to Manchester United. The Dutch midfielder had been demanding a stipend of £250,000 a week, but, according to today's Sun, is prepared to try and scrape by on £190,000 if it means getting to line up alongside Darren Fletcher on a weekly basis while simultaneously living nearer the People's History Museum. The Sun also reports that Manchester City will "block any attempts by Alex McLeish to take James Milner and Adam Johnson on loan", presumably by placing an impenetrable cordon comprising four holding midfielders, six defenders and a goalkeeper between the Aston Villa manager and the intrepid duo.
  The princely sums of £2m up front and £45,000 per week is all it will cost Newcastle United to take full-back Wayne 'Bridgey' Bridge on loan from Manchester City for the season. According to the Sun, the Magpies would have to pay a £2m fee to bring the former England international to St James' Park, then pay half of his £90,000-per-week wages for the duration of any loan spell. If the Rumour Mill's maths are correct – and there's every chance they are not – this seems pretty much the same as Newcastle paying no fee up front and all the defender's wages ... but who on earth are we to suggest that the kind of people who run football club's might not know what they are doing.
  In other Manchester City outcast news, Shaun Wright-Phillips is keen on a move to Bolton Wanderers, but not so keen that he's prepared to take the accompanying pay-cut unless he gets a large slice of the £2m transfer fee to make up the difference. And Kia Joorabchian, general money sponge and agent of City central defender Nedum Onuoha, has stated that Everton, Blackburn Rovers and QPR have all expressed an interest in signing his client.
  Wigan Athletic want West Bromwich Albion's striker Peter Odemwingie to come and play for them, although Harry Redknapp also likes the cut of his jib. Having failed in their comedy bid to sign Raúl,Blackburn Rovers have decided to bring a World Cup winner to Ewood Park instead. Juventus and Italy forward Vincenzo Iaquinta is currently being lined up in their cross-hairs. Speaking of World Cup winners, eager not to be outdone by Arsenal, Chelsea have become the latest Premier League club to have a huge offer for playmaker Juan Mata turned down by Valencia.
  
  

 

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[h=1]Nasri set for City - but wants to join United[/h] Published 23:01 18/08/11 By David Anderson & John Cross

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http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...to-join-Manchester-United-article787040.html#

Samir Nasri is joining Manchester City - but he would PREFER to sign for their bitter rivals Manchester United.
Nasri has told friends that his dream was to sign for United, who were his preferred destination - along with Real Madrid and Barcelona - when he made his mind up to quit Arsenal this summer.
Despite City's FA Cup success last season, and qualification for the Champions League, Nasri feels United are still the country's top team and offer the best chance of winning the top honours.
The midfielder was understood to be so keen on a move to Old Trafford that he was willing to sit out the last year of his contract at Arsenal and join United on a Bosman next summer.

However, Sir Alex Ferguson did not firm up his initial interest with an offer and neither Real nor Barca made a move, leaving City as Nasri's only option.
The 24-year-old is happy to join City in a £22million move, however, and knows they are better placed to win trophies than Arsenal.
The Blues are also prepared to treble his wages to £180,000-a-week and will offer him a five-year contract.
City boss Roberto Mancini has been championing the deal which now, much to the Itaian's frustration, is dragging on, with the latest delay understood to be down to agents' fees.
The City hierarchy are determined to change the perception that they are a soft touch in negotiations and are taking a tough line in the talks.
Nasri has yet to undergo his medical and the deal may not be completed before Sunday's top-of-the-table clash with Bolton.

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[h=1]AVB OKs new Chelsea bid for Modric[/h] Published 23:01 18/08/11 By John Cross

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http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...-him-as-its-not-his-money-article787030.html#

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas wants them to make a fresh bid for Luka Modric.
He admitted, however, that the potential deal will come down to whether Blues owner Roman Abramovich is prepared to break the bank for the Tottenham midfielder.
Villas-Boas made it clear on Thursday that he would like to bring in Modric to give his squad additional star quality.
"It depends on a lot of things," he said. "It depends on the club's decision, if they are willing to go forward or not, up to which value and to decide whether they want to keep the interest in the player.

"It depends on what you have available. On the price, and availability, on the age of the player that you get, on everything. Luka, on this particular occasion, is a young player, but there would be for sure a sensible price to pay.
"I make the technical decisions, of course. But it doesn't depend on me - it's not my money! We have to take sensible decisions, no? Or else we end up being criticised for other stuff."
Chelsea have already had two bids for Modric turned down and Abramovich is now expected to go as high as £35million.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has given the Blues encouragement by admitting he may have to sell Modric to fund his own summer signings.
Redknapp wants to do a loan deal for Manchester City's misfit striker Emmanuel Adebayor and is also eyeing midfielders Scott Parker (West Ham) and Lassana Diarra (Real Madrid).
However, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has insisted they will not sell Modric and he would have to do a complete U-turn for that deal to happen.
Villas-Boas is also keen on Valencia winger Juan Mata and would like to bring in the Spanish international - dealing a blow to the plans of London rivals Arsenal, who have also been tracking the player - before the summer transfer window shuts.
Genk midfielder Kevin de Bruyne is also on the Blues' radar.

 

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[h=1]Blackburn set for double swoop (with video of both targets)[/h] Published 22:59 18/08/11 By Alan Nixon

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http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...ukcevic-could-sign-Friday-article786991.html#

Blackburn boss Steve Kean has agreed a £6million deal for Bosnian striker Vedad Ibisevic.
The Hoffenheim star had a medical on Thursday after Kean switched his search for more threat in front of goal to the highly-rated 27-year-old.
Rovers will pay around £3.5million for Ibisevic, a strong, 6ft 2in front-man who was born in Bosnia but fled that war-torn country for first Switzerland and then the USA's college-sports system.
Ibisevic will need a work permit, but that should be routine because he has over 30 international caps.

Kean has been chasing and missing targets throughout a difficult summer, but the way the Ibisevic deal is set up ticks all of Rovers' boxes.
Blackburn are also poised to swoop for Sporting Lisbon and Montenegro attacking midfielder Simon Vukcevic.
Kean hopes to tie up a surprise move for the unsettled 25-year-old, who can join them in a bargain deal after falling out of favour, on Friday.
Vukcevic has been linked with previous moves to the Premier League, but is expected to agree terms at Rovers - and could be in line for an instant debut.
Here's some video of Ibisevic in action:


And here are a few clips of Vukcevic (with crowd-surfing!):

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...ukcevic-could-sign-Friday-article786991.html#

 

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Wenger: I may pick 'committed' Nasri Published 13:59 19/08/11 By MirrorFootball (6) Recommend (4) samir-nasri-arsenal-waving-cropped Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger would have no problem picking contract rebel Samir Nasri against Liverpool tomorrow and urged Gunners fans not to jeer the France international. Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini today remained hopeful a deal to sign the midfielder could be tied up "very quickly", with discussions between the two clubs believed to have been going on for some time. However, Wenger maintains while the 24-year-old - who has yet to sign a new deal and could leave for nothing next summer - is still an Arsenal player, there is no reason to leave him out now he is fully fit after a bout of illness. Nasri, though, could be in for a hostile reception from some sections of the home support, with the midfielder using his Twitter account to hit out at the "disrespectful" chants during last weekend's game at Newcastle. Nevertheless, Wenger - who this week saw captain Cesc Fabregas sold to Barcelona - told a news conference: "One thing I don't question is the commitment of Samir Nasri to this club. "Every day since he has arrived here, every day in pre-season, he has worked with a fantastic spirit in training." Wenger added: "The fans will want Arsenal to play well and win the game. They do not make an individual case of each player in each position. "They want good players and to win the football game." Wenger maintains the views of a minority of hard-core supporters grabbing headlines should not be taken as the general stance from the stands. "You have to be careful," the Arsenal manager continued. "We live in a modern democracy where everybody has a right to have their opinion, but it does not mean always that a few opinions represent the majority. "The unfortunate thing is that the extreme opinions get more media attention than people who have normal common sense and intelligence. "Because a few people have a bad opinion of one person, it does not necessarily represent the majority of our fans. "The majority of our fans are behind our players and I think they will show that tomorrow." The expected sale of Nasri would bring in around another £22million to add to the £30million Barcelona paid for Fabregas. Arsenal have been linked with a string of players this summer, including the likes of England defensive duo Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill. Wenger accepts given injuries his squad are now a bit light in midfield, as well as at the back. However, the Arsenal manager said: "We have lost big players, but number-wise we should be capable of doing well. If we find quality we will add quality to our squad and we work very hard on it." Wenger, however, maintains not signing proven Premier League talent is "nothing to do with the money", and again urged Arsenal supporters to keep the faith. "I believe I have shown in my 15 years here I am capable to make the right decision for the right players - you have seen more world class players here, or as many as anywhere else," he said. "You have to trust my judgement - one day somebody else will make the decisions in my place and we will have to trust him." Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, meanwhile, has certainly been busy in his rebuilding programme at Anfield - spending millions on Englishmen Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing and Scotland's Charlie Adam. "They were hyperactive in the market," Wenger said. "They bought many players. You can basically say it started in January - they have bought eight or nine players since so they fight very hard to come back to the top four, that shows you it is not easy as everybody thinks." Read more: Transfer news: Arsenal ready to pick Samir Nasri to face Liverpool before Manchester City move - News - MirrorFootball.co.uk Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here

 

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Fabregas claims he had stagnated at Arsenal Published 18:12 19/08/11 By MirrorFootball Recommend cesc-fabregas-barcelona-cropped Cesc Fabregas knows he has a fight on his hands for first-team opportunities at Barcelona but insists he had to leave Arsenal because he had "stagnated". The Catalan midfielder returned to Barca this week to conclude one of the most protracted transfer sagas in world football. Barca paid an initial 29million euros to sign their youth team product from the Gunners after he made it clear he wanted to return to the Nou Camp. Fabregas has spoken of his delight at completing the move but admits he faces the biggest challenge of his career now. "The easiest thing would have been to stay at Arsenal," he told Barca TV. "I'm the captain, playing every game, we are always in the Champions League, always fighting for titles. "For all that, and the tough competition here, perhaps now might be the worst time to return to Barca. It's going to be really tough to make the starting XI, but I needed a new challenge in my life. "I thought I'd stagnated a bit, and needed a change of scenery. I needed a special motivation to bring the best out of myself." Fabregas will fight for a midfield place with Xavi and Andres Iniesta, as well as youngster Thiago Alcantara. His signing is viewed as a long-term acquisition with a view to him taking over from Xavi in the future but Fabregas played down the suggestion. "I don't know," he insisted. "I think that Xavi still has some years left in him! He does things you wouldn't believe! "I haven't come to retire Xavi. I came here to play with Xavi, to compete with Xavi, and to win with Xavi. "What I'm saying about Xavi also goes for Andres and Thiago. I think altogether we make a very good group. I know what we'll do. With the great group we are, we'll do great things together." The 24-year-old is simply relieved the saga is over after spending much of the summer in limbo hoping the move would happen. "The last months I've been under a lot of pressure," he admitted. "Mentally it's really tiring, but it finally happened and I'm very happy to be back at Barca. "It is partly my fault that it has been so complicated, for having left. "Not in my wildest dreams had I imagined that one day I would play for the Barca first team. Not as a child, nor playing with Arsenal had I thought I'd live a day like Monday."

 

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Warnock: I need four or five players Published 14:48 19/08/11 By MirrorFootball Recommend neil-warnock-qpr-cropped QPR manager Neil Warnock believes his side can give Everton a "good game" this weekend, but admits reinforcements are needed if they are to stave off relegation this season. The west Londoners' 15-year absence from the Premier League came to an end last weekend, although they got off to the worst possible start against Bolton. Warnock's charges were trounced 4-0 at Loftus Road, while summer signing Kieron Dyer picked up an injury and veteran defender Clint Hill received a red card. Both will be missing for tomorrow's trip to Everton but Warnock believes his side can put in a decent performance on Merseyside. "It is a difficult one," he said. "I won't have any new players by this weekend so we're going to have to really [raise our game]. "They are a good side, Everton. They didn't play last week so they will be desperate to start off well. "If you look at their team it is full of [good players]. I know they've not signed anybody but I think they are one of the best eight clubs in the country. "So it is always difficult but there's always a great atmosphere down at Goodison Park. "I am looking forward to going there and I am sure we can give them a good game. "Unfortunately, we won't have any new players but there are another 10 days after that [to bring players in]." Warnock has endured a frustrating summer in the transfer market as he looks to build a side capable of avoiding relegation from the Barclays Premier League. The former Sheffield United boss has managed to bring in six new faces but hopes for up to five more before the transfer window closes. Warnock's hopes of further strengthening the squad were boosted yesterday as Malaysian business tycoon Tony Fernandes completed his takeover of the west London club. Fernandes' company Tune Group has bought a 66% stake from previous majority shareholders Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone, which Warnock believes heralds a potentially season-changing moment. "It has been difficult [this summer] but I don't think we need to worry about the past now," he said. "We've got to look forward. "We've still got nearly two weeks left of the [transfer] window and we have got to try and get the players in that I think we need to stabilise ourselves. "Managers want good players and the Premier League is a cruel place if you haven't got them so to be able to hopefully get another three, four, five players before the end of the window is an exciting time for us. "We're looking to get the best players we can for whatever we've got. "I am sure the rest of the squad will really be happy as well that I'm getting these players in because it will help them as well. "[This time in two weeks] I would like to have got four or maybe five players in. "Then I will really be looking forward to the international break so we can get ready for Newcastle in the next home match, which if we can get these players in I am sure it will be a great evening."

 

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Cesc Fábregas is the best midfielder the Premier League has seen Arsenal have lost a rare talent who played chess while all around were concentrating more on draughts Share185 reddit this Comments (316) David Lacey David Lacey guardian.co.uk, Friday 19 August 2011 13.45 BST Article history Cesc Fabregas lit up the Premier League Arsenal will miss Cesc Fábregas's ability to plot a course through a crowded midfield and think several moves ahead. Photograph: Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images When Cesc Fábregas left Arsenal for Barcelona this week the Premier League lost the finest midfielder ever to play in English football: discuss. Which is roughly what a group of football writers were doing at a pre-season dinner when the subject of outstanding midfield players was raised. The consensus was that in the 19 seasons since the First Division clubs broke away to form the Premier League the two best midfielders have been another Arsenal player, Patrick Vieira, and Manchester United's Paul Scholes, both of whom have just retired. Fábregas was almost up there with them but he is 24 and now that he is back at the Camp Nou something even better may be yet to come. That Barça, already blessed with Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta, have spent a succession of summers pursuing Fábregas suggests that they are of the same mind. Just how good he has been for Arsenal will be gauged by how they cope without him. Even if they were able to hold on to Samir Nasri this was always going to be a problem for Arsène Wenger, the considerable potential of Jack Wilshere notwithstanding. Selling Fábregas is the footballing equivalent of having a frontal lobotomy. Players of this cerebral quality are about as easy to replace as brains, especially at a time when clubs with serious Champions League ambitions are realising that the standards set by Barcelona are not going to be reached by a reliance on pace and muscle alone. So this summer has found Chelsea waving ever-increasing millions in front of Tottenham's noses as they try to persuade them to part company with Luka Modric, Manchester United clinging to the hope of signing Internazionale's gifted Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder and Manchester City closing in on Nasri. Meanwhile, Liverpool trust they will be able to mount a challenge for the top four by complementing the inspired athleticism of Steven Gerrard, the Great Groin Strain, with the more thoughtful style of Charlie Adam. This surely represents a spot of revisionism in football thinking. Over the past 20 years, as the game has become ever faster with an increasing emphasis on counterattacks, the more profound players, those who put a foot on the ball and weigh up their options, have been in danger of disappearing amid the rush and bustle. When Glenn Hoddle was England's manager in the 90s he admitted that his style of footballer was becoming a thing of the past. Relaxing the application of the offside law has had the effect of stretching the play because defenders can no longer push up on the assumption that any stray opponents will be ruled offside. Teams have to cover more ground between the penalty areas and so the coaches' prophecy that easing up on offside would lead to a proliferation of athletes with footballs has steadily been borne out. Vieira was a superb athlete but he also had an astute footballing brain. In the matter of superlatives, however, a personal choice would put Fábregas ahead of the rest because of his ability to plot a course through the milling throng in front of him and to think several moves ahead. Fábregas played chess for Arsenal when his opponents were concentrating more on draughts. Scholes has been the best English midfielder of his time and arguably the best footballer to boot. In assessing situations and making the right decisions, all in a matter of seconds, the United man has had few equals. This is not to ignore Frank Lampard, with his prolific scoring record for a midfielder, or Gerrard, the beating heart of Liverpool through some difficult years. There have been quite a few forwards who have combined the scoring of goals with a rare ability to create them as well. Eric Cantona and Dennis Bergkamp come into this category but they were not midfielders in the strictest sense. Neither is Ryan Giggs. Nor were David Beckham, Paul Gascoigne, Kenny Dalglish or, if it comes to that, Bobby Charlton. The genuine midfield player spends as much time in his own half as the opposition's and likes to have the play in front of him. Liam Brady and Johnny Giles are memorable examples of the breed, along with Dave Mackay and Duncan Edwards. They were called inside-forwards or half-backs, but did the same job in the engine room as their successors do now, albeit in less frenetic surroundings.

 

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Tottenham Hotspur hopes of buying Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra rise • Daniel Levy said to be putting together substantial offer • Harry Redknapp signed France midfielder at Portsmouth Share10 reddit this David Hytner guardian.co.uk, Thursday 18 August 2011 19.19 BST Article history Lassana Diarra playing for Real Madrid Lassana Diarra, playing for Real Madrid last year, has previously played for Harry Redknapp, at Portsmouth. Photograph: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images Tottenham Hotspur have made a breakthrough in their protracted pursuit of Real Madrid's Lassana Diarra and they are now confident of concluding what would be an eye-catching signing before the end of the month. Harry Redknapp is a confirmed admirer of the France midfielder, having signed him from Arsenal for £5.5m in January 2008 when he was manager of Portsmouth and he attempted to take him to White Hart Lane from Madrid last summer. It feels as if a transfer window cannot pass without Tottenham making an inquiry about Diarra only for them to encounter a familiar problem in the shape of his wage demands. The 26-year-old earns £120,000 a week at the Bernabéu. Yet the Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, under pressure from Redknapp, has sought to put together the most attractive package possible for Diarra, featuring bonuses and a large signing-on fee, and hope has turned to conviction in recent days that a deal can be struck. Tottenham want the arrival of a player of Diarra's calibre to send a message about the scale of their ambition to Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, who is eager to move to Chelsea. Levy is adamant that Modric will stay. If Diarra does complete his transfer, he would follow the Tottenham defender William Gallas in having played for Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. Redknapp is also confident of signing the former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor on loan from Manchester City, while he is keen on the Bolton Wanderers central defender Gary Cahill.

 

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Attacking talent leaves Mancini with headache Published 16:41 19/08/11 By MirrorFootball Recommend (1) Roberto Mancini-Manchester City cropped Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini admits he could have trouble accommodating all his attacking options this season. Mancini has bolstered his already-considerable forward line with the club record £38million signing of Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid during the current transfer window, and a deal for Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri is thought to be nearing conclusion. The Italian also has big-money acquisitions David Silva, Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko at his disposal, while Aguero's fellow Argentina international Carlos Tevez remains with City despite expressing his desire to leave this summer. The competition for a starting berth looks set to be fierce and Mancini knows it may not be easy to keep all his stars happy. "Silva, Tevez, Aguero, Dzeko, Balotelli - it is difficult," Mancini said. "I think probably during the games there will be some moments when we can try to put all these players on the pitch. "But it is difficult and we have to have a good balance for the team." He added: "All these players are professionals and it is important that they are not happy when they don't play. "If there is a player who is happy when he doesn't play, this is not good. They must be ready." With discussions between City and Arsenal believed to have been going on for some time, it had been expected Nasri might be confirmed as a Blues player this week. No such announcement has been made as yet, but Mancini - whose side face Bolton in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday - wants to see the transfer wrapped up swiftly. "I hope we can close it very quickly now, but I don't know the last news about him because my concentration is on the game," Mancini said. "But I hope - also because the market finishes in the next 10 days." Asked why there may have been a delay in proceedings, Mancini said: "I don't know - this is not my job. "I don't know why, but it is probably because Nasri is a good player, or because there is some problem." In terms of potential outgoing personnel, one player who seems certain to depart City is Emmanuel Adebayor. Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp this week revealed the London outfit were in talks with the Blues about a move for Adebayor, although Mancini would only say today that it was "possible" the striker was about to be sold. Meanwhile, Tevez could be set to make his first appearance of the season for City in this weekend's clash at the Reebok Stadium. After a fraught summer, during which he handed in an official transfer request and was unsuccessfully pursued by his former club Corinthians, Tevez returned to training with the Blues last week. Inter Milan have been linked with the 27-year-old, but it appears no further bids have been forthcoming. He did not feature in Monday's 4-0 win over Swansea at the Etihad Stadium, but Mancini has already made it clear he would be happy for Tevez to stay and will consider him for the game on Sunday. "He will probably be available, although I want to wait until tomorrow to make a decision," Mancini said. "He has worked very well in these two weeks. "When Carlos plays, he always plays very well and gives 100%. I think maybe he is not 100% fit, but his mind is okay." Mancini must also decide whether or not to hand a first start to Aguero, who came off the bench against Swansea to score twice and set up another goal in a sensational debut. Read more: Manchester City news Roberto Mancini admits difficulty choosing between attacking options - Manchester City - MirrorFootball.co.uk Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here

 

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Sport Football Samir Nasri Complications could delay Samir Nasri's Manchester City debut • Midfielder will receive double his Arsenal wages • Arsène Wenger faces selection problems for Liverpool game Share93 reddit this David Hytner guardian.co.uk, Thursday 18 August 2011 23.00 BST Article history Samir Nasri Samir Nasri will follow Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Adebayor and Gaël Clichy in moving from Arsenal to Manchester City. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images Samir Nasri is unlikely to be cleared to make his debut for Manchester City at Bolton Wanderers on Sunday, as the fine details on his £22m transfer from Arsenal have not yet been ironed out. The two clubs have reached the basis of an agreement, under which Nasri will follow Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Adebayor and Gaël Clichy from Arsenal to City, and the midfielder has long been satisfied with the financial terms on offer. He ignored Arsenal's proposal of a new contract worth £90,000 a week, to replace one that expires next summer, and he stands to double the figure at City. But there are final complications to be resolved, which include the payment of fees to the agents involved. Arsenal's contract offer would have made Nasri one of the highest paid players in the club's history and there has been exasperation in north London at his refusal to sign, particularly as it was believed that he was ready to do so in February. The case also illustrates City's ability to dwarf rival clubs in the financial stakes. When the deal does go through, Nasri can be expected to argue that he is more likely to win silverware at City than Arsenal. Arsène Wenger has discounted Nasri from his plans for the Premier League visit of Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime, even though the Arsenal manager has been confronted by a selection crisis in midfield. He will be without the suspended Alex Song and Gervinho, together with the injured Jack Wilshere and Abou Diaby, while Tomas Rosicky, who played with a groin problem against Udinese in the Champions League on Tuesday night, is a doubt. In defence, Kieran Gibbs could yet feature despite limping off with hamstring trouble against Udinese and Armand Traoré is also not as badly injured as was feared, when he went off for the reserves with groin trouble. For Nasri to play for City at Bolton, the paperwork on the transfer would need to be completed and him registered with the Premier League by midday . It is more likely that his debut will come in City's following fixture, which would carry added spice for him. City play at Tottenham Hotspur next Sunday. Wenger, meanwhile, has criticised Uefa for a lack of clarity over their rules regarding whether it is permissible for a suspended manager to communicate from the stands with his bench. He served a touchline ban against Udinese and he relayed his orders via his assistant Boro Primorac, who was seated alongside him in the stands. But at half-time, he was ordered to stop. "It was difficult because you didn't really know what the rules were," Wenger said. "They told us first we could communicate through my assistant and at half-time it was not like that. It was a bit confusing. It is a real concern because up to what level can you stop someone doing their job?" Wenger appeared to continue relaying orders in the second half and Uefa has not yet announced whether it will take the matter further.

 

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[h=2]Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8pm Monday 22 August[/h] [h=1]Sir Alex Ferguson puts faith in his young Manchester United defenders[/h] • Ferguson to persist with David de Gea against Spurs
• Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans also set to play

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• guardian.co.uk, Friday 19 August 2011 22.15 BST Article history
  
  
  The Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, insists that he has faith in his young defence. Photograph: Julian Herbert/Action Images
  
  Sir Alex Ferguson has reiterated his belief that David de Gea will recover from his difficult start at Manchester United and insisted he was not worried about playing the Spaniard behind a new, experimental defence now that Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are both injured.
  Ferguson intends to keep faith with De Gea despite the goalkeeper's mistakes in the Community Shield and last weekend's game at West Bromwich Albion, with the £18.3m goalkeeper lining up against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday behind a defence featuring Chris Smalling at right-back with Phil Jones and Jonny Evans in the centre-half positions.
  That quartet have an average age of 21 years and five months going into a run of eight games that will also feature Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool, but Ferguson has a long record of placing his trust in the club's younger players and he is backing them to show they can cope.
  "The responsibility will lie with Jones, Evans, Smalling and De Gea," he said. "They are young, they don't have the experience of Ferdinand, Vidic and [Edwin] van der Sar, but they have the potential and they have the temperament and the courage to play."
  De Gea, he said, will have learned "by experience of the games he has had so far" and there was a vote of confidence, too, for Evans, whose last season was difficult. "Evans has got ample experience, he's been at the club since he was 12. He's played plenty of first-team games."
  Jones, the youngest player at 19, will be making his first start for United in a competitive match, with Vidic expected to be out for five weeks because of a calf injury. The prognosis for Ferdinand is better, his hamstring strain is not as serious as first thought and he could be back against Arsenal next weekend and even has an outside chance of facing Tottenham, an update thatwill also represent good news for the England manager, Fabio Capello.
  "Top level players with experience are vital but we don't have them [Ferdinand and Vidic] and we are confident in the players who are replacing them," Ferguson continued. "Jones has experience of playing for Blackburn last season. He and Smalling, I thought, were the stars of the European Under-21s [Championship]. Smalling had a fantastic season last year and has continued his progress so I have absolutely no issues whatsoever.
  "I don't see it as a challenge for these young players; it is a responsibility. It is an important position they are in but they have the ability and the temperament, so I don't see it as a worry for me at all. I see it more as something I am looking forward to, rather than worrying about it.
  "At some point when the young players may hit a pocket there will be enough experience to augment the challenge we're after this year. It is a very young team at the moment, but it's one full of energy and of great ability, and I'm enjoying watching them."
  
  

 

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[h=1]Joel Campbell completes move to Arsenal[/h] Published 17:49 19/08/11 By MirrorFootball

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http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/tra...vo-Saprissa-in-Costa-Rica-article787467.html#

Arsenal have signed highly-rated Costa Rica forward Joel Campbell from Deportivo Saprissa, the Barclays Premier League club have confirmed on their website.
Campbell, 19, had been linked with a move to the Emirates for some time and has now completed his transfer after representing Costa Rica the the Under-20 World Cup in Colombia.
Despite his age Campbell already has six full international caps and becomes Arsene Wenger's fourth summer signing following the acquisitions of young defender Carl Jenkinson, Lille forward Gervinho and Southampton starlet Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Campbell is not expected to feature for the Arsenal first team straight away, but he told the club's official website he is looking forward to developing under Wenger's tutelage.

He said: "It is a dream come true to play for such a big club in England and I want to do well for myself and Costa Rica.
"I am ready, I am very happy to be here and I want to focus on doing well for Arsenal.
"Arsene Wenger is a manager of immense quality. He knows how to use youngsters' ability. I have been watching Arsenal play since I was a kid and I took this decision because I know I have a possibility to become a better player here.
"I'm good in one-on-ones and I am a player who knows how to score goals. I play forward and I can play on both sides.
"I am going to learn a lot from the players here because they are experienced players who are very skilled."