Football Corner

Blackburn Rovers are lining up a move for Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant as a replacement for David Bentley. Pennant has been linked with a move to Paul Ince's men for weeks now but so far nothing has materialised.

After receiving £18 million for the sale of Bentley to Spurs, Paul Ince is keen to rebuild his squad. Pennant, 25, has spent two seasons at Anfield, struggling to nail down a first team spot. He has made over 50 appearances for the Merseyside club, scoring three times in the process.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if this move does indeed go through. Pennant has only been a part player at Liverpool and I feel it would be in the best interests of himself and Liverpool if they were to part company. It is thought that Rovers will have to pay as much as £6 million to secure the former Birmingham winger's signature.

Tottenham have today confirmed they have held preliminary talks with Spartak Moscow striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. The Russian international has been linked with a move to the Premier League for several weeks now after his terrific displays in the European Championships which saw Russia reach the semi-finals.

Spurs boss Juande Ramos has targeted the 26-year old as a possible replacement for Robbie Keane who left for Liverpool earlier this week. After a mass exodus at White Hart Lane in recent weeks, it is now thought that Ramos will begin the rebuild the squad for the new campaign.

Following the arrival of David Bentley at the club today, it now looks likely that Pavlyunchenko will be the next in the door at Spurs. I personally believe that the signing of Pavlyuchenko would be one that sees Spurs a much stronger outfit. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to see Pavlyuchenko's international team-mate Arshavin follow suit and join the North London giants.

Tottenham demolished League One side Leyton Orient tonight to continue their terrific pre-season campaign. Juande Ramos' men strolled to a 5-1 victory after conceding an early first-half goal before putting five past the Orient keeper Glenn Morris.

Darren Bent scored a second hat-trick in three days to give Spurs the victory. Luka Modric and Aaron Lennon also got on the score-sheet for the Londoners. Meanwhile, North London rivals, Arsenal beat German side Stuttgart 3-1 as they continued their build up to the new season.

After falling behind after the break they stormed back to put three past former Gunners keeper Jens Lehman. Nicklas Bendtner, Carlos Vela and Gunners teenager Jack Wilshere all getting on the score sheet for Arsene Wenger's men.

Liverpool and Villarreal played out a goalless draw in Spain tonight. The highlight of the night had to of been the debut for Liverpool's new £20 million striker Robbie Keane. He showed some good touches and was close to getting off the mark for Liverpool but neither side in truth deserved to win and the game finished 0-0.

midfielder Joey Barton. Nike have today pulled the plug on their sponsorship deal with Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton. The England international recently received the backing of Magpies boss Kevin Keegan following his release from prison yesterday.

Barton, 25, has a long history (so long I can't even remember) of off field trouble and it comes as no surprise to me that (scum bag) Barton has finally lost the sponsorship deal. The £40,000 annual boot sponsorship deal ended back in May and an Nike spokesperson has confirmed that they don't plan to re-sign him.

A spokesman said: "We have provision in all our sponsorship contracts that take into account any actions by an athlete that bring the brand into disrepute. "While Joey is a talented footballer, we cannot condone or accept what he did."Back in May when he was found guilty, we immediately terminated his contract. "We certainly have no plans to re-sign him now that he has been released."

Arsenal have today completed the signing of Weder Bremen midfielder Amaury Bischoff. The French-born Bischoff has signed for the Gunners for an undisclosed fee after weeks of speculation about the 21-year old's future at Bremen.

The Portuguese under-21 international admitted earlier this month that a chance to join the Premier League giants would be too good to turn down and so that has proved. He will link up with his Arsenal team-mates when the squad return from their pre-season tour of Austria.

I feel the signing of Bischoff is vital for Arsenal considering Arsene Wenger has let go of some many midfield players. I have seen bits of Amaury and I have also heard many good things about him so I, along with all the Gunners fans will be eager to see how he progresses at the Emirates stadium.

Liverpool's pursuit of Aston Villa midfielder is over tonight after the Midlands club confirmed the player will be staying at Villa Park. The England international has been linked with a move to Anfield for months now after he confirmed that he was interested in a move to Merseyside club.

Barry, 27, was valued at £18 million by Villa, a price which Reds boss Rafa Benitez felt was too much for the Villa captain. "During talks in the past few days, a final deadline to conclude this episode was set that all parties were aware of and agreed to," said a Villa statement. "This deadline has now passed and so Gareth will remain with Villa."

Villa boss Martin O'Neill was very critical of the way Liverpool pursued their interests in Barry and he has always said their was a chance that Barry would stay at the club. I personally think this is a good thing for both clubs. Villa still have their captain, whilst Liverpool still have £18 million to go out and buy an even better midfield player.

Tottenham are tonight on the verge of signing Blackburn Rovers midfielder David Bentley after months of speculation over the players future. Bentley had linked with a move away from Ewood Park since he admitted last month that he wanted to leave Rovers leading to intense speculation that he would join either Spurs or Aston Villa.

The England international never hid his desire to join the North Londoners and he is to be unveiled at a press conference in White Hart Lane tomorrow. The 23-year old has reportedly set Juande Ramos back £18 million but this is likely to be the catalyst for a number of other signings to go through before the start of the season.

Names like Andrei Arshavin and Diego Milito are likely to follow Bentley in the door at Spurs, following weeks of departures from the club. I personally feel Bentley will turn out to be a magnificent signing for Spurs. He is young and extremely gifted and I am sure he will become a firm fan favourite with the Spurs faithful.

Man City are supposedly ready to table a bid of £6 million for Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun according to reports in the Daily Mail today.

Since joining Liverpool in 2007 from West Ham, Yossi Benayoun has made 30 appearances for The Reds but has been used a lot in Rafa's rotation policy. Towards the conclusion of last season Benitez became more and more fond of his new 4-5-1 formation. However after the introduction of Robbie Keane earlier this week and the inevitability of playing a second striker, Benayoun's playing time looks as though it may have just taken a blow with one less midfielder to play with.

The Israeli international has previously been linked with a move to The Eastlands despite his so far, short stay at Anfield. And the rumours have reignited again today after Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane completed his £19 million move to Merseyside a few days ago. Mark Hughes is reportedly going to make an enquiry about the midfielder in the next week or so.

Real Madrid will complete the signing of Dutch ace Rafael Van Der Vaart according to reports in the Spanish newspaper Marca today.

Currently playing for Hamburg, Van Der Vaart is well above his depth at the Bundesliga club, and has been linked with a move away from them for some time. Liverpool and Chelsea have also been mentioned along with Madrid amongst the clubs vying to snatch up the 25 year old.

The former Ajax midfielder's move to the Bernabeu looks a near certainty now and he will join fellow Dutch international's Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder, Royston Drenthe and Arjen Robben when he arrives at the home of the La Liga Champions. The deal thought to be worth in the region of £8 million is expected to be completed later next week.

Aston Villa have made a bid for Spanish midfielder Ruben de la Red according to Spanish newspaper Marca today.

The 23 year old joined Getafe from Real Madrid last year in a deal which gave the La Liga champions an option to take the Spaniard back after the conclusion of the season, which they have since done.

Despite claims that Bernt Schuster wants to give the youngster a chance in the first team, it is still expected that De La Red will move away from the Bernabeu this summer with Spurs and Arsenal thought to be leading the race for the Spanish international. However it appears Villa have made the first move with an offer thought to be worth up to £9.4 million

Tottenham have today sold Robbie Keane to Liverpool, but they are certainly not waiting around to sign a replacement striker. They will use the majority of the money from the Keane sale on Arsenal and Chelsea target Andrei Arshavin.

The Russian international has been linked with a move to White Hart Lane for weeks now as speculation mounts the player is ready to make the move to England. The Zenit St Petersburg star player, admitted after the European Championships that his dream move would be to Barcelona but they seemed to of cooled their interests leaving Spurs in the clear.

The signing of Arshavin would no doubt make Spurs fans feel a lot better about themselves. It is never easy losing a star player like Robbie Keane, but I have no doubts if they were to sign Arshavin he would do just as good a job, if not better, as Keane did for Spurs over the past few years.

Liverpool have today completed the signing of Tottenham striker Robbie Keane for a fee that could rise to £20 million. The Republic of Ireland international has been linked with a move to Anfield for weeks now after Rafa Benitez admitted his interest in the player, whilst Keane expressed his interest to join the club.

Keane, 28, has played for Inter Milan, Wolves, Coventry, Leeds and Spurs in a career which has seen the Dubliner score more than 160 goals in all competitions. Benitez had made it clear that he was desperate to sign a new striker after the departure of Peter Crouch earlier this month to Portsmouth.

I personally feel Keane is a terrific signing, however I feel £20 million is a bit much to be paying for a 28-year old. He will no doubt score a lot of goals at Liverpool and will get the fans hopes up of maybe lifting the Premier League trophy come the end of May, but I don't think that is really going to happen.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has today switched his attentions from Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov to Barcelona front man Thierry Henry. The former Arsenal striker has been linked with United in the past after an average first season in La Liga and it now thought Ferguson is ready to bid £15 million for the Frenchman. (Daily Star)

Henry, 30, said he would never sign for any other Premier League club other than Arsenal, which seems to rule out a move to Old Trafford. But Ferguson is confident of persuading the former Juventus striker back to the Premier League in order to bolster his attacking options.

I personally couldn't see Henry going to United but stranger things have happened. He is an exceptional player who I feel would fit right in at United but wheter or not he wants the move is another matter. The former Gunner made over 250 appearances for Arsene Wenger and I am sure all Arsenal fans will be hoping he doesn't move to the Red Devils.

Man United are lining up Spurs' assistant manager Gus Poyet according to reports in the Mail on Sunday.

The Uruguaian coach joined the club just last year and has proved an instant hit at the club for which he previously played. Second in line to Juande Ramos, this is already the 40 year old's third job in his short coaching career after spells at Swindon and Leeds. After Carlos Queiroz left Man United a few weeks ago Sir Alex has been on the hunt for his new number 2.

Spurs' Poyet and Swansea manager Roberto Martinez both initially laughed off the suggestions of joining Sir Alex at Old Trafford. However the rumours of Poyet have now been reignited and there's no doubt that a small part of him will be tempted to snacth at the opportunity.

Spurs haven't wasted anytime in lining up a replacement for Paul Robinson as the Londoners are supposedly ready to bid for Swedish keeper Johan Wiland according to reports on Sky Sports today.
After Robinson's exit to Blackburn last week, Spurs are on the hunt for a new shot stopper at White Hart Lane with the 27 year old, who is currently playing for Elfsborg, thought to be one of the club's top Summer targets.

The club has already signed PSV number 1 Heurelho Gomes and it is expected that he will be the club's first choice. The Spanish gaffer still feels though that more personnel are needed in that area of the pitch. Spurs have made an official enquiry about the Swedish international today.

Newcastle are planning a Summer swoop for Inter Milan defender Nicolas Burdisso according to reports in todays papers.

It's publicly known and hoped for by Newcastle fans that Kevin Keegan is looking to recruit new defenders at St.James. The likes of Anton Ferdinand, Richard Dunne and Fabricio Coloccini have all been linked with The Geordies but a move is yet to materialise.

Nicolas Burdisso is thought to be unsettled at his current club of Inter Milan and King Kev is expected to offer him a route out of the San Siro with a £4 million swoop for the Argentine international. The 27 year old is also a target for his orginal club, Boca Juniors where he says he wants to finish his career.

Liverpool are today preparing to forget about signing Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry and instead move for Valencia winger David Silva. Reds boss Rafa Benitez has been chasing Barry for months now but he has been priced out of a move for him by Villa boss Martin O'Neill. (The Sun)

He has now decided to move for Spanish international David Silva, who has been linked with a whole host of Premier League clubs in recent weeks as it becomes more and more likely he will leave Valencia this summer. That is down to the fact that the La Liga club have massive financial trouble and they are looking to sell some of their prized assets.

Silva, 22, would be a magnificent signing for Liverpool and I feel he would fit right in at Anfield. He is a quick a skillful winger that loves shooting from long range. I think Liverpool would be getting a fair deal at £16 million for the player who can play on either side of midfield.

The transfer merry-go round has continued today with Aston Villa completing the signing of Blackburn Rovers keeper Brad Friedel whilst Tottenham have sold keeper Paul Robinson to Blackburn.

The Brad Friedel deal was put on hold until Rovers boss Paul Ince had completed the signing of Spurs' Paul Robinson. Manchester City made a last ditch attempt to sign Friedel but it was too late with the big American shot-stopper signing for a fee believed to be £1.5 million.

Meanwhile, Robinson completed his £3.5 million move to Ewood Park late last night after agreeing personal terms and completing a medical. I feel the signing of Robinson by Blackburn could turn out to be a quality bit of business. All the England international needs to do is gain some confidence and he will prove to be a terrific signings.

Manchester United are set to sign Carlos Tevez on a permanent basis for a fee believed to be £35 million. All the money from the sale will go to Tevez' owner Kia Joorabchian, who is the head of Media Sports Investments.

Tevez made a big impression at Old Trafford last season scoring 18 goals since his move from fellow Premier League side West Ham. If the £35 million deal does go through, Tevez will become the most expensive player in British history, smashing the record by a whole £5 million, since Chelsea signed Andrei Shevchenko two years ago for £30 million.

I understand Tevez is a terrific player and nearly every manager in Europe would love him in their sides but I wouldn't be paying £35 million form him. More like £26 million for the little Argentine would be a fairer estimate of his ability. The 24-year old must be worth a look at for this seasons "You The Manager" (through the link at the top) and at £7 million he is most definitly a bargain.

That's the opinion of our readers anyway. In a recent poll run of Football Corner, we asked you, the readers, to tell us who you think will win the Premier League title this season and in our closest poll to date Arsenal just came out on top.

They won by just a mere three votes to Liverpool in second, in a poll that saw 2,634 express your opinion. In third place was champions Manchester United and interestingly enough other came out ahead of Chelsea in the vote.


Full result of Poll:

Arsenal - 815 (votes) 30%.
Liverpool - 812 (votes) 29%.
Man United - 392 (votes) 16%.
Other - 312 (votes) 13%.
Chelsea - 303 (votes) 12%.

Be sure to vote in our latest poll, which three sides will be relegated from the Premier League this season.

Tottenham appear to be leading the race to sign Andrei Arshavin according to reports in the Daily Mail today.

After helping his club side of Zenit St.Petersburg to UEFA Cup success and bringing Russia to the semi finals of Euro 2008 after initially being outsiders, Andrei Arshavin is one of the most sought after players by Europe's big guns this Summer.

The Russian international has been the centre of one of the biggest sagas this transfer window with Chelsea, Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid all vying to snatch up the highly rated attacking midfielder.

However reports today suggest Juande Ramos looks favourite to sign the 27 year old after the players agent said that he would be interested in a move to White Hart Lane. Zenit are thought to be valuing Arshavin at about £24 million, however Spurs arelikely to make an opening bid about £5 million less than that.

Liverpool are to complete a £18 million move for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane within days. The Republic of Ireland international has been linked with a move to Anfield for weeks now after he admitted the chance to move to Liverpool would be too good to turn down. (Daily Telegraph)

Spurs boss Juande Ramos was keen to hold onto the 27-year old, with fellow Spurs front man Dimitar Berbatov also looking likely to leave White Hart Lane this summer. It is believed now that Keane only has to agree personal terms and a medical before completing his £18 million move to the Premier League giants.

This will inevitably force Spurs to go out and buy a new top class triker and that is likely to come in the shape of Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz. As for Liverpool, I personally think Rafa Benitez will be chuffed with this bit of business because there is no doubt Keane could well prove to be a superb strike partner to Fernando Torres.

Newcastle are considering a move for Deportivo defender Fabricio Coloccini according to reports in The Independent today.
The 26 year old joined the Spanish outfit in 2004 after spending several seasons on loan away from AC Milan. His international career took off in 2003 when he made his first appearance for Argentina, he has since added 26 more caps to his collection for the South American side.

Kevin Keegan reportedly believes that Coloccini is the answer to Newcastle's defensive problems and it is expected that the Geordie boss will put in an initial bid of around £7 million for the Deportivo number 5.

Tranmere have snatched up Liverpool youngster Godwin Antwi on loan move until January 2009.Antwi joined the Reds in 2006 from Real Zaragoza and made an immediate impact helping The Reds to FA Youth Cup success in his debut season on Merseyside.

After loan spells at Accrington and Hartlepool over the past few seasons, Antwi joins local side Tranmere where he is the sixth signing for the club this Summer. The League 1's side boss Ronnie Moore said that he has had his eye on Antwi for a while now.

"Godwin is a very talented young defender who we've been watching for some time... When I heard he had become available on loan I jumped at the chance of bringing him in to play right-back."

Arsenal are to make a £12 million bid for Manchester City midfielder Michael Johnson. The England under-21 international has been linked with moves to Tottenham and Everton all summer as word spreads that he is unhappy at the City of Manchester stadium. (Premiership Latest)

Johnson, 20, has made a huge impact at Man City in recent years after progressing through the club's renowned academy. He has made over 40 appearances for the Blues and has just one cap for the England under-21's.

With Arsenal's lack of numbers in midfield and Johnson's apparent unwillingness to stay at City this could be a deal waiting to happen. Johnson is unhappy at the way former City boss Sven Goran Eriksson was treated and reports are that he is now ready to leave the club in search of a bigger challenge.

Is Johnson good enough for your fantasy football team? If so register now for the Daily Mirror's, You The Manager, fantasy football game(through the link at the top) and buy the player for just £3.5 million! Now that's a bargain!

The mass exodus from White Hart Lane has continued today with Anthony Gardner joining Premier League newcomers Hull City. Pascal Chimbonda also completed his move to Sunderland, with Younnes Kaboul to follow him out the door at Spurs to join up with Roy Keane's men.

Teemu Tainio also left London earlier this week to join Sunderland. Steed Malbranque could follow suit within days as Sunderland look to tie up a deal worth £23 million for the quartet. The recent departure of many of Juande Ramos' squad has left Spurs fans wondering just who has the Spaniard got lined up?

Well it is now thought Ramos has finished clearing out the shite at the club (with Paul Robinson to join Blackburn later this week) and he will now look to start spending all the money received from Sunderland, Aston Villa and Hull City.

Names like Roque Santa Cruz, David Bentley, Andrei Arshavin and Vagner Love have all been mentioned, however I have heard of very few defenders linked with the club in recent weeks. Just think about it. They are letting go of Kaboul, Gardner and Chimbonda, all crap defenders, but that only leaves them with half a dozen defenders in Dawson, Bale, Gunther, King, Woodgate and Gilberto.

Now what I think and I am sure a lot of other Spurs fans think is that Ramos needs to go out and buy one or two top quality defenders to give himself some options in defence. I mean they were hardly a defence to be feared last year, so if they were to go out and buy someone like Micah Richards from Manchester City they would certainly look a lot stronger outfit.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes had today said he will retire from football in two years time. The United veteran has spent his whole career at Old Trafford and he has admitted today he will give up the game in just two seasons time.

The 33-year old has one year left on his current deal at United but he is hoping for that to be extended soon. "How long will I go on? I'd think two years at the most," said Scholes.

"I have one year left on my contract and hopefully I'll get another one but I suppose it all depends on how you're feeling and how you're playing. "At the moment I just think two years would be about right."

Scholes is considered by many as a model professional. You never see Scholes making the headlines in the papers for the wrong reason and he is a role model for thousands of youngsters. A career that has spanned 15 years, playing over 400 times for the Red Devils and 66 times for England, Scholes will always be remembered for his pin-point passing and his terrific long range shooting.

Is Scholes good enough for your fantasy football team. If so sign up for the Daily Mirror's, You The Manager (through the link at the top) and sign the ginger magician for just £4.5 million!

Newcastle United have reportedly missed out on the signing of Atletico Madrid striker Jose Antonio Reyes. The former Arsenal ace had been targeted by Magpies boss Kevin Keegan but it now appears as though French side AS Monaco have beaten the Premier League side in the race to sign Reyes.



The Spanish international is likely to complete a £5.5 million move to Monaco within the next few days. The 24-year old has only been at Atletico for just over a year now but he recently admitted he may leave the La Liga club this summer. Reyes apparently rejected personal terms at St James' Park.

Reyes would of been a decent signing for Newcastle but I feel they can do better. Keegan really needs to start splashing the cash or he could find his side having another mediocre season. I personally thought Reyes was worth a bit more than £5.5 million, so Monaco are getting a bit of a bargain.

Liverpool midfielder Sebastian Leto is on the verge of joining Greek outfit Olympiakos on a season long loan move.

Leto joined Liverpool in 2007 but has failed to make an impact in the first team and spent the majority of his time in Gary Ablett's reserves. The Reds were supposedly trying to use the Argentine in a part exchange deal for Albert Riera earlier in the season, but the reds offer was shot down by Espanyol.

The 21 year old knows he's down in the pecking order at Anfield and a move to the Greek side should do him some good. He has been in talks with Olympiakos and had this to say to Greece's Sportday, " I spoke with the people of the club [Liverpool] and our decision is to leave the club and to play somewhere else on loan for one season,".

Tottenham have today turned their attentions to CSKA Moscow striker Vagner Love after admitting defeat in the race to sign David Villa. Love has been linked with a move to the Premier League before, with Chelsea said to be interested in him in the past. (footylatest)

The Brazilian international has attracted the attentions of Spurs boss Juande Ramos over the past few months with his performances for CSKA and Brazil. The 24-year old is likely to cost Spurs a massive £23 million and he is seen by many as a terrific replacement for the Manchetser United bound Dimitar Berbatov.

There is no doubt Spurs have to start preparing for life after Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov because when clubs like Liverpool and United come looking for a player they usually get them. CSKA recently lost striker Jo to Manchester City so they will be holding out for a big transfer fee if they are to let go of Love.

West Ham United have today signed Lazio midfielder Valon Behrami for a fee of £5 million. The Switzerland international impressed many with his displays in the European Championships this summer despite the Swiss being knocked out in the group stages.



Behrami had been linked with several other sides from all over Europe before signing for the Hammers this summer. The 23-year old can play on the right-side of midfield and defence and the signing could see Lucas Neill leave the club within the next few weeks.

The Lazio regular has signed a five-year contract at Upton Park after completing a medical at the club. Behrami could prove to be a quality signing for the London club and one which many Hammers hope leads to a massive influx of signings at the club.

Valencia midfielder Edu has today confirmed he is not interested in a move back to the Premier League. The former Arsenal midfielder has revealed that he has rejected several offers to return to England after three years at Valencia.

Edu has had a shocking three years at the La Liga giants since joining from the Gunners back in 2005. His first two years where spent on the sidelines at the Mestalla due to knee ligament damage.

"I received some offers over the summer, above all from England, because people knew I had recovered, but I want to stay with Valencia and to have a good season and be a success here," he told AS.

"I do not want to think about anything other than Valencia. I took care of myself during the holiday and I am looking forward to what will be a very important season for me. I personally would of liken to see Edu back in the Premier League. He was a terrific player for the Gunners who I feel would of been a superb acquisition for many top flight sides.

Liverpool have completed the signing of Spanish 18 year old Emmanuel Mendy. The full back joins the Reds on a three year deal.

Mendy joins The Reds as the third full back they have signed this Summer with Andrea Dossena and Philip Degen already arriving from Udinese and Borussia Dortmund respectively. Mendy was playing for Spanish outfit Deportivo Murcia and his favoured position is right back, however his versatility allows him to play on both sides.

West Ham and Man City look set to battle it our for the signature of former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse according to reports in today's papaers.
Man City fans woke up to the news this morning that Zimbabwean international Benjani will be out for the first month of the season with a thigh strain. That has triggered rumours that Mark Hughes is preparing to bring a new striker to the Eastlands with the likes of Craig Bellamy and Djibril Cisse being linked with the Blues.

The 23 year old Marseille striker spent three seasons in the Premiership with Liverpool but a lot of that time was spent on the injury table after having a broken leg on more than one occasion. West Ham are also thought to be interested in the French international who is valued at about £9 million.

Liverpool are supposedly ready to reignite their interest in Newcastle midfielder James Milner according to reports in The Times.

The England U 21 international has impressed up at St James over the past few seasons and although overage now he alson managed to cement his place in the England U 21 side. The former Swindon winger has made 92 appearances for Newcastle since joining in 2004 from Leeds.

Rafa Benitez is thought to be determined to bring in a wide player this Summer with names like David Silva and David Bentley being linked with a switch to Anfield. However now it's Newcastle's James Milner who is the subject of transfer speculation with The Reds reportedly ready to offer up to £7 million for the 22 year old.

Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea are all to make moves for Valencia midfielder David Silva after the Spanish club admitted they would listen to offers. It is thought that Valencia are now looking to sell Silva along with team-mates David Villa and Joaquin in order to balance the books at the Mestalla. (Premiership Latest)



Silva, 22, had a magnificent European Championships for Spain last month, which saw his country lift the trophy. It is thought now that Rafa Benitez, Juande Ramos and Luis Fillipe Scolari will all bid £16 million to try and tempt Valencia to sell one of their prized assets.

There is no doubt Silva is a quality winger who would no doubt improve any of the three sides in question. The asking price of £16 million is a fair assessment of the player's ability. I would be extremely surprised if any other side from Europe's elite group of clubs don't come in for Silva.

Liverpool are closing in on the signing of David Ngog from Paris Saint Germain in what is rumoured to be a £1.5 million deal.
The Frenchman is one of the most sought after youngsters in Europe and Liverpool have managed to snap him up for a reported fee of just £1.5 million. Rafa has already brought in a few other youth players, like Niko Saric who is likely to spend most of the season in the club's reserves.

However it has bee speculated that Ngog if he does sign for Liverpool, he could go straight in a the deep end into the first team. Its expected that the 19 year old will have a medical at the club later this week before finalising the move. He will then join up with the squad after they return from their training camp in Switzerland.

Espanyol winger Albert Riera has said it would be madness to turn down a move to Liverpool this Summer if he was given the chance.
The 26 year old has been the subject of much transfer speculation this Summer as he has been linked with fellow Spaniard Rafa Benitez' Liverpool side. Riera spent a while on loan in England with Man City but failed to make a permanent move to the Eastlands.

Liverpool are thought to be interested in signing the winger but have already reportedly had a £9.5 million plus Sebastian Leto bid rejected for the Spanish international. Despite this, the player himself seems fairly certain that he would snatch at the chance to join the Reds if given one.

In an interview with Sport Riera said, "I know English football and it is an attractive option for players... If Espanyol do finally receive an offer I do not want to miss the opportunity to go to Liverpool. The option to join a super-club doesn't come every day... To reject the possibility of a move would be madness."

Chelsea target Robinho has today committed his future to Real Madrid after weeks of uncertainty over his future. The Brazilian international looked likely to join up with Luis Phillipe Scolari at Stamford Bridge after it was confirmed that the two clubs were close to agreeing a deal for the player.



It has been widely rumoured that the 24-year old would join the Premier League giants for £35 million later this week, but the deal now looks dead in the water. "I want to stay at Real Madrid for a long time," he told Spanish newspaper Marca. "I'm very happy and I want to continue. My head is calm, I want to have a good pre-season with Real Madrid and continue here."

I was personally looking forward to seeing Robinho in the Premier League. Although he hasn't been amazing for Real in recent seasons, he still is a very talented player that any club would love to have in their side. His skill on the ball is second to none and I am sure Scolari will be annoyed by his decision to stay at the Bernabeu.

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Overall, there is £275,000 in prize money to be won, with prizes ranging from first prize, £100,000 to 10th place, £250. I have selected my team, who I think will win me the massive first prize, but do you think you can bring the money home by selecting your own Premier League XI.

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Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele has today bowed out of the Premier League after four years in England. He signed for the Londoners in 2004 from Real Madrid for a fee of £16.8 million and has since then become a firm fan favourite at Stamford Bridge. The French star has signed for Paris St German after a very successful spell at the Blues.



Always a player to have a smile on his face (even when tackling someone) he today admitted "I wanted this so much that Chelsea gave me the chance to finish my career in my own country". I am sure many rivals fans weren't avid fans of the 5ft 7in defensive midfielder, but he made thousands of fans during his time in the country.

Even though, he was at times a poor tackler, he never purposely went into a challenge trying to hurt anyone. Maybe he was just clumsy sometimes, but no one can say that Makelele wasn't a quality player. His distribution of the football was spectacular and I am sure Chelsea will miss the French midfielder next season.

Zenit St Petersburg have today claimed that Tottenham have made a bid of £15.9 million for playmaker Andrei Arshavin. The Russian ace is among the most sought after player in Europe at the moment after a terrific European Championships, which saw Russia progress to the semi-final's. (Russian Press)



Arshavin, 27, is wanted by Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona and several other of Europe's big names by Zenit are thought to be holding out for as much as £20 million. Spurs boss Juande Ramos is keen to add to his attacking ranks at White Hart Lane with Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane likely to leave the club in the coming weeks.

The signing of Arshavin for Spurs would only be good for the club. With the club likely to lose some of their big names in the coming weeks, the signing of Arshavin would certainly ease some of the Spurs fans pain. I could also see the likes of Diego Milito and David Bentley arriving at the North London club in the next few weeks.

Liverpool, Everton and Aston Villa look set to battle it out for the signature of Man City midfielder Michael Johnson according to reports in The Express today.

The England U 21 international has impressed immensely over the past few seasons for City and there's no doubt Mark Hughes will want to hang onto the 20 year old. However the Eastlands club may just have to let a few big names go to make way for Summer signings like Jo.

Liverpool were heavily linked with the player last summer but no move ever materialised. The £10 million rated star is now also being linked with Villa and his former youth club Everton. Michael Johnson is certainly a name you will be seeing in the full England set up in a few years and it's no surprise that he has a host of clubs looking to snatch him up.

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has today been linked with a move to Italian giants Inter Milan. The Spanish international looks more and more likely to leave Anfield this summer as Rafa Benitez sets his sights on bringing in a new central midfield player to replace Alonso. (Press Association)



With Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard looking as though he will stay at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho looks to now change his attentions to Alonso. The former Real Sociedad midfielder looked set to join fellow Serie A side Juventus earlier this summer, but for whatever reason a £16 million move collapsed.

I personally think Alonso is a quality player who I feel Liverpool should seriously consider keeping. The 26-year old has been a terrific player for Liverpool over the past four years and I am sure every Liverpool fan will be sad to see him leave, if he does indeed decide to go.

Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar looks set to stay put at Fratton Park after supposedly turning down a £12 million move to Monaco according to reports in The Sun today.
Kranjcar joined Pompey from Hajduk Split in 2006 for a reported fee of £3.5 million. However because of his promising performances for both club and country at the age of just 23, Pompey's rumoured asking price for the midfielder is about £15 million.

After the departure of Alexander Hleb from the club earlier this week, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is undoubtedly chasing some new midfielders. The Croatian international was thought to be one of the Frenchman's top transfer targets this Summer but it appears now as though he is staying put with Harry Redknapp's side.

Sevilla winger Diego capel has reportedly said that he would considering leaving the Spanish outfit if he was to "grow as a footballer".

Juande Ramos, Capel's former boss, is thought to be targeting the winger in a £10 million swoop this Summer. The 20 year old has spent his whole career with the La Liga side and his pace, acceleration and ball control mean he is one of the most sought after wingers in Europe.

There's no doubt Ramos is in the market for a winger with David Bentley also being heavily linked with a £15 million move to White Hart Lane. The Londoners are looking to add either Capel or Bentley to their collection of Summer signings which already includes; former Barca star Gio Dos santos and Croatian Luka Modric, both who I think will be world class players.

Arsenal are to join Manchester United in the race to sign Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero. The Argentine striker has been linked with a move to the Premier League for some time now with Man United boss Sir Alex Ferguson always said to have a keen interest for the 20-year old, but it is now understood that Arsenal could also make a move for the player.



Aguero is likely to cost as much as £35 million for whoever wants to sign him and his agent has confirmed that an English side is interested in him. “I’ve had interest from a leading English team and they’ve asked me to approach Atletico with a bid,” Jose Segui is quoted as saying. “I can’t say more until I’ve spoken to the club about the offer. “All I can tell you is that it’s one of the best teams in Europe and it’s not Chelsea.”

These comments would appear to rule out one of the sides, but who to rule out is a tricky one. Aguero can play on either wing or as an out and out striker and is often compared to the likes of his fellow countryman, Lionel Messi. I have seen Aguero a few times myself and I must say he looks very promising although I would value at more like £25 million rather than the Atletico asking price of £35 million.

Liverpool are ready to sell midfielder Xabi Alonso to Arsenal in order to fund a move for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry. Alonso was said to be close to joining Juventus earlier this summer but for whatever reason that move fell through leaving Liverpool with Alonso and without the £16 million on the table from the Italian giants.(Metro)



It now appears as though Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to give Liverpool the £16 million for Alonso to allow Benitez sign Gareth Barry from Villa. Alonso, 26, is more than likely to leave Anfield this summer after more then four years at the club, which produced a Champions League medal for the Spanish international.

If Arsenal were to sign Alonso then Rafa Benitez is alomst certain to spend all that money on England international Gareth Barry. The player has been linked with Liverpool for months now after the 27-year old admitted his interest in joining Liverpool. Villa boss Martin O'Neill has already admitted that his captain is likely to leave the club this summer.

Newcastle are certainly going with an Argentine theme in this Summer transfer window. After securing the signature of Jonas Gutierrez last week, the Geordies are looking to snatch up Real Zaragoza's Pablo Aimar and Liverpool youngster Emiliano Insua.
Aimar has also been linked with Sunderland and Benfica over the last few days but it is expected that the Argentine international will complete his move to Newcastle in the next 48 hours after agreeing on a £7 million fee.

Liverpool's promising, young full back Emiliano Insua, could be joining his fellow countrymen at St.James Park as he is also being linked with a move to Kevin Keegan's side. There's no doubt that Insua has a bright future ahead of him and I think Liverpool would be wise to hold on to him even if it does mean competing for a place with new signing Andrea Dossena.

Spurs have joined Arsenal in the race to sign Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz according to reports in The Guardian today.
Santa Cruz joined Rovers last year from Bayern Munich and had an outstanding debut season in the Premier League bagging 19 goals, for then Mark Hughes' side. New boss Paul Ince has vowed to try and cling onto the Paraguayan international, despite Santa Cruz saying he is open to offers.

Tottenham may well need to recruit a new striker in this transfer window if not two, as both Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov are being heavily linked with moves to Liverpool and Man United respectively. Spurs face stiff competition, though for Santa Cruz' signature with Arsenal also in the hunt for the £12 million rated 26 year old.

Chelsea are preparing bids for Brazilian duo Ronaldinho and Robinho while The Blues' full back Wayne Bridge looks set for a move to Pompey.Ronaldinho has been the subject of one of the biggest transfer sagas this summer as AC Milan, Man City and now Chelsea are all trying to capture the unsettled Brazilian. Despite his severe drop in form last season the likes of Mark Hughes and his former Brazil boss Felipe Scolari, hope to bring him back to full fitness and back to his best.

Real Madrid have reportedly received a £48 million bid for Robinho from Chelsea as Scolari is looking to link up with another of his former players. The pacy winger come striker has had a very successful few seasons with the La Liga side, bagging the league title two year's in a row.

Harry Redknapp is looking to snatch up out of favour Chelsea full back Wayne Bridge for a cut price of £5 million. The left sided player is currently second choice to Ashley Cole at Chelsea, however he would certainly make it into any team outside the "Big Four".

Arsenal veteran Gilberto Silva looks set for a move away from the Emirates this week to Greek outfit Panathanaikos as the Londoners look to secure the signature of Russian midfielder Andrei Arshavin.

The 31 year joined the Gunners in 2002 and played a vital part in the club's success. However this season he has struggled to break into the first eleven with the presence of Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas. Despite Flamini's departure from the club this Summer, Samir Nasri has come in as a replacement and could even be followed by Andrei Arshavin in the next few weeks.

Gilberto is expected to complete a move to Greece on Wednesday when he returns from holidays. Everton were also rumoured to be in the hunt for the Brazilian but still remain as outsiders to capture the Gunners number 19.

Liverpool are to sell Scott Carson and Jermaine Pennant in order to fund a deal for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane. The pair have both been linked with exits from Anfield all summer as Rafa Benitez looks to rebuild his side for a title challenge this season.



Scott Carson will complete a £6 million move to Premier League newcomers Stoke City, once he has passed a medical. The England international spent last season on loan at Aston Villa and has been linked with several other top flight sides in recent weeks but it now looks as though Stoke have won the battle for the 22-year old.

Meanwhile, Jermaine Pennant looks set to link up with Paul Ince at Blackburn. Rovers have prepared a £4 million bid for the 25-year old but it is thought that Rafa Benitez will hold out for his £6 million valuation of the former Arsenal player. If Liverpool were to get the £12 million they want out of Carson and Pennant it will certainly go towards bringing Spurs striker Robbie Keane to Anfield.