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.

It is all change at Tottenham this evening, with striker Dimitar Berbatov looking almost certain to join Manchester United and Blackburn midfielder David Bentley nearing a move to White Hart Lane. Both moves have been rumoured for weeks now as Juande Ramos looks to freshen up things at the North London club.



There was little doubt that Berbatov was going to leave Spurs this summer but the question was to who and how much would he go for. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to splash out £28 million on the 27-year old Bulgarian as he prepares for life without Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, some good news for Spurs fans is that David Bentley looks certain to join them for a fee believed to be £17 million. The former Arsenal academy player has impressed during his time at Ewood Park, earning himself an England call-up in the process. Spurs saw off competition from Aston Villa for the 23-year old's signature.

Spurs are making a £11 million profit out of these two deals and I feel that is terrific work by Ramos. Berbatov is 27 now and Bentley is only 23 and although they play in different positions I think Bentley will provide the same quality as Berbatov has done for the previous two years at White Hart Lane.

Zenit St Petersburg, this hour, have said that they are looking for more than £16 million for their playmaker Andrei Arshavin.

The Russian international has been the subject of much transfer speculation this Summer after his eye catching performances for in Euro 2008. Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs have all been linked with the 27 year old, although none of them have yet had bids accepted.

It has been unveiled this morning that the Russian outfit Zenit, are looking for at least £16 million for the midfielder according to reports from BBC Sport. This almost seems like a steal for a player of Arshavin's quality and there's no doubt that he will be able to cope well in England.

Spurs defender Younes Kaboul looks set for a move away from the London club this week with Portsmouth as favourites to snatch up the Frenchman.
The 22 year old joined Spurs in 2007 from Auxerre and has made 21 first team appearances for Juande Ramos' side. However after breaking into the first team during Martin Jol's reign at the club, the defender was soon found out. A string of below par performances lost Kaboul his place in the side and now Pompey are looking to reignite his career on the south coast.

Juande Ramos is thought to be looking for £6 million for the French U 21 international, money which could be used in a bid to snatch up Russian international, Andrei Arshavin. I personally think that £6 million is too high an evaluation of Kaboul but it would be interesting to see how he manages away from White Hart Lane.

Tottenham are today preparing an £11 million move for Spartak Moscow striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. The Russian international starred in his countries terrific European Championship which saw Russia reach the semi-finals. (Mail on Sunday)



Spurs have also been linked with Pavlyuchenko's national team-mate, Andrei Arshavin, but it is now thought that Spurs are also keen on Pavlyuchenko coming to White Hart Lane. The 26-year old has been linked with several of Europe's top clubs including Scottish Champions Celtic. He was named in the 23-man team of Euro 2008 leading to intense speculation over his future at Spartak.

Pavlyuchenko would be superb signing for Spurs and would provide excellent cover for Man United bound Dimitar Berbatov. He has scored over 70 goals during his time at Spartak and is referred to as many English fans as the man who ruined summer (referring to Pavlyunchenko's double against England last October in the European Championship qualifiers).

Many people have tipped Liverpool for this seasons Premier League title, but in this post I will outline the main reasons why these people are quite simply wrong. It seems as though every July/August many pundits and fans alike tip Liverpool for the title and every May they are left with pie on their faces.



Reds boss Rafa Benitez has already talked up Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier League title this season, claiming his sides stability will give them the advantage this season. He claims whilst other clubs are struggling to hold onto their top players, he is fully focused on bringing in new signings.

It is a known fact that Liverpool, constantly underachieve in the league, everyone knows it. They do well in Europe, decently in the cups and fail miserably when it comes to the league. Last season they finished just 11 points off United in first place, a success for them considering they finished 21 points behind United the season before.

When it comes to spending his transfer budget Benitez never spends his money wisely. Ok, I admit the signing of Fernando Torres from Atletico Madrid last summer was terrific but look at some of his other signings in recent months and years. Benitez spent £5 million on Yossi Benayoun from West Ham last summer, who in my view, should be playing for someone like Wigan, with all due respect to Wigan.

He spent £8 million on Jermain Pennant a few years back, who has never shown any kind of consistent spell of form, yet Benitez sticks by him. When you look at the signings of some of Benitez' main rivals, for instance Sir Alex Ferguson at Man United. Ferguson spent £7 million on Nemanja Vidic two years ago and look how good that purchase has turned out.

Ferguson buying Cristiano Ronaldo for £12 million three years back was surely one of the best signings ever. Benitez pulls off the odd transfer coup but he doesn't sign good players on a consistent basis. Another reason why Liverpool won't win the Premier League this season is that they rely too heavily on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

The pair scored a massive 53 of Liverpool's 116 goals last season. That's nearly a half of all Liverpool's goals in the 2007/2008 campaign. They need to go out and buy another Fernando Torres and the talk at the moment is that Robbie Keane could heading for Anfield. Keane is good but personally I don't think he's anywhere near as good as Torres.

My last reason for thinking Liverpool won't win the title next season is their failure to perform in the big matches, ie, Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United. Last season they picked up a massive 4 points out of a possible 18 in all six games against the rest of the "Big 4". Now I don't know about you, but that doesn't make very good reading for Liverpool.

Liverpool are currently 13/2 with most bookies, however I feel they may as well be 33/1. Yes, I am afraid it's going to be another promising season for Liverpool that will inevitably fizzle away to a miserable 4th place finish in the league, a Champions League quarter-final, a semi-final appearances in the FA Cup and an early exit from the Carling Cup.

Tottenham are lining up a potential replacement for Manchester United bound Dimitar Berbatov in the shape of Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz. Spurs boss Juande Ramos is resigned to losing Berbatov to United and he is now ready to splash some of the cash from that sale on Santa Cruz. (News of the World)



The Paraguayan international has impressed immensely during his first season in the Premier League, scoring over 20 goals in the process. The 26-year old is likely to cost Ramos as much as £15 million as Rovers boss Paul Ince looks to scrape every penny out of the former Bayern Munich man.

Santa Cruz would provide excellent cover for Berbatov. Roque will score just as many goals as the Bulgarian next season if he is to move to Spurs and another good thing for Spurs fans is that Santa Cruz is two years younger than Berbatov. I would be surprised though if Arsenal don't come in for him at any stage.

Arsenal are reportedly lining up bids for Premier League trio Obafemi Martins, Niko Kranjcar and Gareth Barry.
The Gunners have already lost a couple of key players so far this summer and there are also the rumoured exits of Emmanuel Adebayor and Alexander Hleb. So there is no doubt that Arsenal have to make some big signings to be in with a chance of challenging for the title next season.

Gareth Barry's move to Liverpool is now in doubt after a falling out between the two clubs and The Gunners are now supposedly ready to swoop in with an £18 million bid for the England international.

With Adebayor most likely on his way out of The Emirates, Arsenal will have to bring a new front man. Obafemi Martins is thought to be on top of Arsene Wenger's shopping list but he will come at a cost of £10 million.

And finally, Niko Kranjcar is another man being linked with a move to the Londoners. The Portsmouth and Croatia midfielder has impressed in the Premier League over the last few years and so he has a valuation of about £15 million.

Tottenham are tonight to launch an £18 million bid for Zenit St Petersburg play maker Andrei Arshavin. The Russian international has attracted interest from all over Europe after his terrific European Championships, with Barcelona, Chelsea and Arsenal all linked with the player in recent weeks.



The 27-year old admitted it was his dream to play for Barcelona but since those remarks a few weeks back, his agent has claimed he would also be interested in a move to the Premier League. Arshavin also starred in Zenit's successful UEFA Cup campaign last season and it is understood that Zenit will hold out for as much as £24 million for the player.

Arshavin would be a tremendous signing for Spurs. He is such a talent and I am sure every Spurs fan will be hoping and praying that they can lure him to White Hart Lane. With Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane linked with exits, Spurs really need to start signings some top quality players and Arshavin would certainly fit the bill.

Manchester United are today preparing a £20 million bid for Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian international is likely to leave Spurs this summer after Juande Ramos admitted last month that he may not be able to hold onto this summer.



The 27-year old was linked with a move to the Premier League Champions in January but for whatever reason nothing ever materialised. Now Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to start some serious spending this summer and Berbatov is among his top targets. Berbatov has been at White Hart Lane for over two years now becoming an instant fan favourite at the club.

I would not be at all surprised to see Berbatov at Old Trafford next season. United will have to rebuild if Cristiano Ronaldo does eventually leave and I feel a signing like Berbatov would ease some of the United fans pain. This is obviously bad news for Spurs considering another striker, Robbie Keane could also be on his way out of the club.

Arsenal are today planning a £18 million bid for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry after weeks of speculation about the Villa captain's future. Barry has been linked with Liverpool for some time now as Rafa Benitez has had several bids rejected for the 27-year old but Arsene Wenger is now looking to snatch Barry from Liverpool's grasps.



The England international has angered Villa boss Martin O'Neill by admitting his desire to leave the club and O'Neill did admit recently that it was more than likely Barry would not be at Villa Park next season. Barry has made over 325 appearances for the Premier League outfit in over 10 years at the club.

Personally, I feel Barry would be better off joining a side like Arsenal due to the fact that Liverpool already have half a dozen central midfield players and he may not be guaranteed a starting place at Anfield. But at Arsenal, they recently lost Matthieu Flamini and Wenger would certainly be using Barry in his starting eleven every weekend.

Peter Crouch has today finally left Liverpool after three years at the club, mainly spent on the bench. Crouch joined the Reds back in 2005 for £7 million from Championship side Southampton and has since then only made just over 100 appearances, most as a sub.

It amazes me that Liverpool have managed to make a profit out of the 27-year, considering they never really gave him a real run in the team. Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has splashed out £11 million for the England international and in my view that's £5 million to much.

Crouch said: "It's fantastic to be back. I believe Harry gets the best out of me and think the best years of my career can be here.""This club is going places and they can match my ambitions.

"The chance of regular first team football was part of the appeal. I know I'll have to work hard to prove myself in training, but I believe my best years are in front of me.

Newcastle United have today agreed a fee to sign Liverpool midfielder Danny Guthrie. The 21-year old spent the whole of last season on loan at fellow Premier League side Bolton, impressing Kevin Keegan during his spell at the Reebok Stadium.



Guthrie will now travel to Tyneside to open talks with Newcastle and a deal could be done as early as next week. The English midfielder has never really made an impression in the Liverpool first team since joining from Manchester United when he was 15 and manager Rafa Benitez has today to sell.

Liverpool's head of press Ian Cotton told the club's official website: "We have agreed a transfer fee with Newcastle United for the transfer of Danny Guthrie. "We have now given Newcastle permission to speak directly with the player."I personally believe Newcastle should be looking at someone a bit better than Guthrie, with all due respect. At Bolton he was good, but not amazing and that was in a side that was nearly relagated.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez today admitted he is interested in signing Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, but he also ruled out any move for Valencia striker David Villa. It was reported earlier in the week that Benitez was keen to bring Villa to Anfield after a superb Euro 2008 but he has denied the rumours today.



Meanwhile, he did admit to wanting to bring Spurs striker Robbie Keane to the club. Keane, 28, spoke of his desire to play for Liverpool next season after supporting the club as a kid. However, Spurs boss Juande Ramos is keen to hold onto the Republic of Ireland international, but he could be tempted by the £18 million bid Liverpool are to make.

I personally think Keane would be an excellent signing for Liverpool. He has been at several clubs in his career but wherever he has been he has scored goals. I feel if Liverpool were to sign Keane and maybe one or two other players they could realistically push for the title next season.

Newcastle are chasing Switzerland midfielder Gokhan Inler according to reports in the Daily Mirror today.
Inler is currently playing for Udinese after joining in 2007 from FC Zurich. The 24 year old has now established himself as a first team regular for teh Serie A outfit. He has also made 15 appearances for the Swiss national side.

The midfielder caught the eye of Kevin Keegan at Euro 2008 when playing for the host country and it looks now as though the Geordie boss is attempting a £5 million swoop for Inler.

Keegan is thought to be on the hunt for new midfielders with Emre gone, Joey Barton being his troublesome self and the rumoured exits of Charles N'Zogbia and James Milner.

Arsenal and Man United look set to lock horns as they fight for the signature of River Plate star Ramadel Falcao.

The Colombian international came up through the youth system at the Argentine club and now sees himself as the clubs top striker. After bagging 38 goals in 58 games it's no surprise that the likes of Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson are chasing the 22 year old. Falcao has also made 7 first team appearances for the Colombian national side bagging 2 goals in the process.

The River number 9 could be the subject of the next transfer saga this Summer as the Premier League's biggest rivals go head to head in trying to sign him. It is thought that the South American outfit are looking for about £8 million for the youngster who is very highly rated in that part of the world.

Tottenham are closing in on Espanyol star Luis Garcia after agreeing a fee for the Spaniard. Don't worry lads he's no the same one who played for Liverpool!

The midfielder come striker joined the La Liga outfit in 2005 from Mallorca and has managed 24 goals in 79 appearances for the Periquitos. The 27 year old has even earned himself a call up to the Spanish national team for which he has made one appearance.

Juande Ramos has had to fend off challenges from Benfica to secure his fellow countryman and now he will take a medical at the club in the next few days. And the Spurs boss is thought to be interested in bringing several more players from Espanyol to White Hart Lane this year, including Daniel Jarque and Carlos Kameni.

Chelsea have today been told they will need to cough up £30 million in order to sign Real Madrid striker Robinho. The player has been linked with a move to the Premier League giants for the past few weeks as Luis Phillipe Scolari looks to rebuild his squad at Stamford Birdge. (Daily Star)



Chelsea are only prepared to pay £24 million for the Brazilian international but Real president Ramon Calderon has told Roman Abramovich to cough up £6 million more. Robinho has spent over three season at the Bernabeu and in many peoples view he has never fulfilled his early promise which he showed at Santos.

The 24-year old has worked with Scolari before and it is thought that the player himself would be very keen for the relationship to start back up again. Personally I don't feel Robinho is worth £30 million, maybe £22 million at most but I don't foresee Chelsea spending that kind of money on a player like Robinho.

Arsenal are to rebuild their midfield this summer by selling Alexander Hleb and Gilberto Silva and bringing in Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin. Barcelona are said to be close to signing Hleb, whilst Gilberto is now wanted by Greek side Panathinaikos and Arsene Wenger plans to bring in Marseille ace Samir Nasri and Zenit St Petersburg star Andrei Arshavin. (Various)



Hleb, 27, has long been linked with a move to Barca after it was reported last month that he couldn't settle in London, however he has since denied the claims. Meanwhile, Gilberto, 31, said last year that he would consider leaving the club due to the lack of first team football.

Samir Nasri, 20, has been close to signing an £11.5 million deal at Arsenal several times but for whatever reason nothing has yet materialised. Andrei Arshavin, 27, has been linked with a host of top European clubs after his magnificent displays in the European Championships last month but so far Zenit are asking for too much.

It is thought that if Arsenal are to bring in Nasri and Arshavin, it will set them back at least £30 million, which Wenger is prepared to cough up, if the likes of Hleb leave. It has been rumoured that Hleb could leave for anything between £12 million and £15 million but Wenger will obviously be hoping it is nearer the top end of that estimate.

Tottenham are preparing a move for Real Mallorca winger Juan Arango, who today admitted he would be interested in a move to the Premier League. The Venezuelan international has spent over four seasons in La Liga with Real Mallorca has caught the attentions of Spurs boss Juande Ramos who is keen to bring him to North London.



"The transfer window will close his doors in two months and many things can happen," he told ABN. "I am aware of many rumours but nothing has been decided yet. "I owe respect to my current club; as a consequence, speaking of my preference would not be correct.

Arango, 28, had a magnificent campaign for Mallorca last season and has caught the attentions of several Premier League sides but Spurs are said to be leading the chase. If Arango does indeed arrive at White Hart Lane he will offer Spurs some much needed width and he will become their fifth summer signing after most notably Luka Modric last month.

As most of you will be fully aware, Manchester United star player Cristiano Ronaldo has been heavily linked with Real Madrid all summer long and I am personally sick of it. It's so boring waking up to the same old headlines every day.


"Ronaldo to stay at United", "Ronaldo off to Madrid". When will it bloody end? Many people have speculated he will eventually join Madrid before the summer is over, whilst many other experts say United will persuade him to stay.

To be perfectly honest I couldn't care less. If he goes, there's no doubt United will be a worse off team and the Premier League will miss his quality. But if he stays he will probably have a below average season at United and everyone will say United should of sold him. The only thing I'm hoping is that the matter is resolved quickly because it's doing my head in.

Liverpool have this evening moved one step closer to signing Gareth Barry from Aston Villa. This is down to the fact that it has been confirmed that Steve Sidwell has passed his medical at the Midlands club and Villa will complete the £5 million signing of Sidwell tomorrow, which in turn opens the way for Barry to leave Villa Park.



Barry, 27, has been linked with an £18 million move to Anfield for weeks now after he confirmed his desire to move to the Premier League giants, much to the anger of Martin O'Neill. Rafa Benitez has had several offers rejected for the England midfielder but O'Neill admitted today a deal could be imminent.

After Xabi Alonso's move to Juventus collapsed last week I personally don't see much point in Liverpool signing another central midfield player. They already have Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso and Leiva for those positions and I am sure many Reds fans would rather see the money spent on bringing in the likes of David Villa.

Man United and Arsenal are supposedly preparing bids for Dutch striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar according to reports in the Daily Mirror today.

The striker has long been linked with a move away from Ajax and United and Arsenal are thought to be the front runners in the hunt for the Dutch international's signature. The 24 year old's exit is looking ever likelier now, as reports today indicate that the number 9 has turned down a new contract at the Eredivise club.

The £18 million rated striker is thought to be more attracted to Old Trafford because of his "love" of the club. However the lure of living in London could also be a factor in the Dutchman's decision.

Rafa Benitez has admitted that Valencia striker David Villa is one of his top Summer transfer targets according to reports on BBC Sport today.

Liverpool are now on the hunt for a replacement to Peter Crouch, as his move to Pompey looks set to be completed in the next few days, and Villa would be an ideal candidate after proving his ability to partner Fernando Torres in Euro 2008. The pacy striker is thought to be a much sought after player though with Arsenal, United and Chelsea all said to be interested in signing him this summer.

However if the Reds were to sign the Valencia number 7 it would almost certainly mean that Rafa Benitez would have to differ from his favoured 4-5-1 formation. He is thought to be valued somewhere in the region of £20 million and even Benitez admits "it will be difficult" to sign him.

Manchester United and Arsenal have today both been given a boost in the race to sign Ajax striker Klass Jan Huntelaar. The player has today stated that he will not renew his contract with the Dutch club and would like to leave as soon as possible, which could spark a mass bidding war from United and Arsenal. (Daily Mirror)



The Dutch international has been linked with a move to England for over a year now after impressing at both club and national level. The 24-year old joined Ajax back in 2005 from SC Heerenveen and has since then scored just under 100 goals in 115 games for the Dutch giants, alerting both Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.

Although I do feel Huntelaar is a terrific player I still think he has the potential to flop. £18 million is a lot to be paying for so young, but having said that you can't argue with his goalscoring record. I would be surprised if only United and Arsenal were going to bid for him and I would excpect clubs from all around Europe to fight it out for his signature.

Liverpool have made their fourth signing of this Summer's transfer window after securing the young Hungarian Zsolt Poloskei on a season long loan.

The 17 year old playing for MTK Hungaria, joins Andrea Dossena, Philip Degen and Niko Saric on the Reds' list of new signings. The Hungarian U 17 international was on a three week trial with the Merseysiders and the coaching staff at Melwood were obviously very impressed with Poloskei's ability.

The midfielder will spend the season in the reserves now where he will meet former MTK players Peter Gulacsi, Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon who have all joined the Reds over the last few seasons.

I have seen the large majority of the new Premier League kits and I must say I do like a lot of them. The Tottenham home kit is a personal favourite, whilst the Newcastle away one isn't, but what I want to know, which jersey do you fancy?



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Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City have today all been hit with massive blows after it was confirmed that Brazil had included Liverpool's Lucas Leiva, United's Anderson and City's Jo in their 23-man squad for the Olympics next month.



That now means that all three players will miss the start of the new Premier League season leaving Benitez, Ferguson and Hughes with big headaches. On a personal point I feel it's disgraceful that the players will miss the start of the new season. I feel mostly for Man City, who only recently signed Jo for a club-record fee of £19 million and now they won't see him for two months or so.

Man United midfielder Anderson said: "It is a very special moment in my career. "It is even more special after the excellent season that I had with Manchester United. "I am certain that my move to English football helped me to develop. "I am delighted that my work is being recognised." I have a funny feeling Sir Alex Ferguson won't be sharing Anderson's joy at the call-up.

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Liverpool are planning to make an £18 million bid for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane in order to replace Peter Crouch, who is to join Portsmouth later this week. Keane admitted last week that if Liverpool were to make a move for him he would be very interested as he supported the club as a boy. (Daily Post)



Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is keen to bring Keane to Anfield as soon as possible to replace a Crouch and he is willing to pay as much as £18 million to convince Spurs to sell. Tottenham boss Juande Ramos is keen to hold onto Keane, who is widely regarded as one of the clubs finest players, and with the possible departure of Dimitar Berbatov, they may have no strikers left at White Hart Lane before long.

One thing you can promise with Keane is goals. He has scored bag fulls of goals wherever he has been and I personally feel he would be a terrific signing for Liverpool. He averages just under a goal every other game for Ireland and has scored over 100 goals for Spurs in just over 250 games.

Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb has today moved edged closer to an exit from the club after admitting he wanted to join Barcelona. The Belarus international has been linked with a move away from the Emirates for weeks now after admitting he wasn't finding it difficult to live in London.



Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona have all been linked with Hleb has today admitted he would definitely fancy a move to the Camp Nou. A £12 million move has been rumoured, but after the departure of Matthieu Flamini last month, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger will hoping to squeeze even more money out of Barce to fund his summer spending.

The 27-year old will be a big miss for the Premier League giants and I feel they will struggle to replace him. He has had three terific seasons with the North London club and I am sure every Arsenal fan will appreciate what he has done for them.

Once Peter Crouch completes his move to Pompey this week Liverpool mightn't waste time in spending the funds as Rafa Benitez is reportedly eying up fellow Spaniard David Silva.

Peter Crouch's time at Anfield is probably going to come to an end this week and I know for a fact that he will be missed greatly by the Anfield faithful. However we have to move on and what better way than by splashing out on a new face.

That new face could be Valencia winger David Silva. The 22 year old impressed greatly for his national side in their successful Euro 2008 campaign earlier this Summer. And so Silva has been linked with the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal. Valencia are thought to have an asking price of about £15 million for the winger.

Tottenham are looking to swap Anthony Gardener, Paul Robinson and Darren Bent in exchange for Blackburn winger David Bentley according to reports in The Guardian today.
The England international had a great season for Blackburn last season and so he has been the subject of much transfer speculation with Liverpool, Spurs and Aston Villa all looking to snatch up the 23 year old.

However new Rovers manager Paul Ince has slapped a £17 million price tag on the former Gunners star. Spurs boss Juande Ramos is reportedly looking to lure Ince into accepting a player exchange deal with Anthony Gardener, Darren Bent and Paul Robinson all heading towards Ewood Park.

Martin O'Neill is ready to accept Liverpool's new offer for Gareth Barry after Villa virtually securing the signature of former Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell.

The Reds' offer consists of £15 million plus full back Steve Finnan in exchange for Barry's services. However, do Liverpool really need the England international? Now that it looks as though Xabi Alonso is staying, it seems pointless having players go to waste in that position.

As well as that does no one else think we're getting done out of it by giving Steve Finnan plus £15 million. O'Neill is milking us for all we're worth by selling a player which he can no longer use after they had a falling out.

Second choice Liverpool keeper Charles Itandje looks set for a move to Galatasary according to reports in the Daily Mail today.

The French international joined the club in 2007 but has failed to get past his initial tagline of second choice keeper. The 25 year old is ready to move on now especially with the likely introduction of Brazilian shot stopper Diego Cavalieri.

The family of Osama Bin Laden have today been linked with a buy-out of Premier League side Newcastle United. It has been rumoured in recent weeks that Mike Ashley may leave the club this summer after only one year in charge.

It was claimed in a newspaper article, the Saudi Binladen Group, whose chief executive is Osama's half-brother Bakr bin Laden, was the shock front-runner to buy the club from owner Ashley, although the club have moved quickly to deny these rumours.

Derek Llambias, Newcastle managing director said "At a time when everyone at Newcastle United is working hard to prepare for the new season ahead, it is annoying that we have to correct inaccurate stories. "Whoever is putting these stories around is clearly trying to destabilise the club. "Those actions speak louder than any words. "I'm sure supporters see these stories for what they are - utter nonsense."

Valencia have today agreed an £8 million fee which will see Tottenham defender Pascal Chimbonda join the La Liga giants. Chimbonda has struggled to nail down a place in the Spurs starting eleven ever since Juande Ramos took charge last year, Alan Hutton taking his place at right-back.



Chimbonda joined the North London club back in 2006 after a very successful season at Wigan. The 29-year old made just over 70 appearances for Spurs during his time at White Hart Lane. It is thought now that he will join up with the rest of the Valencia squad for pre-season training on Thursday.

Aston Villa and Newcastle were also both linked with the French international but Chimbonda will now find himself in Spain next season. Valencia were said to experiencing financially difficulties of late but they have managed to splash out £8 million on what I can only describe as a tremendously average player.

Liverpool striker Peter Crouch is finally set to leave Anfield after months of speculation about his future. Crouch has been linked with an exit from the club since, pretty much when he arrived back in 2005, with Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp always said to be keen on the 27-year old England international.



Crouch has only made just over 100 appearances for Liverpool, many of them as a sub, during his three year spell at the club and many Reds fans felt that Rafa Benitez never gave him a fair chance to prove himself. Crouch recently admitted his frustration at sitting on the bench at the Premier League giants and he would be interested in a move away this summer.

A spokesman confirmed on Liverpool's official website: "We have reached a verbal agreement with Portsmouth and have given them permission to speak with Peter." Crouch should and I think will be a terrific signing for Pompey as they embark on their first season in Europe. The height of Crouch and the smallness of Defoe in the attack, what a partnership!

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has today moved even nearer a move to Italian giants Inter Milan after weeks of uncertainty over the players future. Lampard has admitted he is not happy at the current contract offer Chelsea have offered him and he is now keen to link up with former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan.



Inter reportedly bid £6.5 million for Lampard last weeks which was rejected, although the Blues may have to accept a bid soon if Lampard persists in rejecting the contract offer. Lampard, 29, has the option of leaving the club next summer on a free if he does not accept a new deal at the club.

New Chelsea boss Luis Phillipe Scolari has already signed a new attacking midfielder in the shape of Barcelona ace Deco for £8 million earlier this month. Many people feel that the signing of Portuguese international Deco all but ensures Lampard's exit from Stamford Bridge this summer and join up with Mourinho at the San Siro.

Xabi Alonso's move to Juventus could be taking a U-turn as the Serie A giants seem unwilling to meet Liverpool's £16 million price tag on the midfielder according to reports on Football 365 today.

The Spaniard looked set for an exit from Anfield especially with the imminent arrival of Gareth Barry from Aston Villa. However Rafa Benitez has put Juve off the defensive midfielder after slapping a £16 million price tag on The Reds number 14.

Personally as Liverpool fan, I would be more than happy to see Xabi Alonso stay at the club and should he stay, it may see the end of the Gareth Barry to Liverpool transfer saga. The £18 million rated England midfielder would then be left in limbo where neither Villa nor Liverpool need him.

Arsenal and Man United are set to battle it out for the signatures of either Roque Santa Cruz or Klaas Jan Huntelaar as both clubs may be set to lose their top goal scorers from last season.

Barcelona are reportedly set to up their bid to £30 million to try lure Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor to the Nou Camp. Should Arsenal accept the offer from the La Liga Runners Up, it will undoubtedly see Arsene Wenger in pursuit of a new hitman for the Gunners. Ajax's Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Blackburn's Roque Santa Cruz are thought to be top of the Frenchman's shopping list for the Summer.

However Man United boss Alex Ferguson is also thought to be interested in the two strikers
as he could be about to get a £75 million transfer injection with the rumoured transfer of Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid. Santa Cruz and Huntelaar are valued at about £12 million and £18 million respectively.

Tottenham, Arsenal and Aston Villa are set to battle it out for the signature of Spanish midfielder Ruben De la Red according to reports in the Daily Mail today.

The 23 year old transfered to Getafe at the start of last season but returned at the end of the campaign due to Real Madrid's option to take back the Spaniard. De la Red impressed greatly during his time at Getafe and the winger even caught the eye of Premier League managers Martin O'Neill, Arsene Wenger and Juande Ramos.

It is rumoured that Madrid will not let De la Red go for anything less than £10 million but even that figure could rise as we might see the start of a bidding war between the Premier League trio.

Tottenham are to step up their efforts to sign Blackburn Rovers midfielder David Bentley after weeks of speculation over the players future. Bentley has been linked with several moves away from Ewood Park after admitting he wanted to leave the club to fulfil his European ambitions.



New Rovers boss Paul Ince is desperate to hold onto the England international who has been one of Rovers top performers over the past few years. He joined the club back in 2006 after leaving Arsenal for a fee believed to be just a £1 million. It is thought now that Spurs boss Juande Ramos is will splash out the £15 million price-tag placed on Bentley by Blackburn.

If the 23-year old were to arrive at White Hart Lane during this transfer window that will undoubtedly see Aaron Lennon heading for the exits with Everton a likely destination. Bentley would be a superb signing for a promising looking Spurs side that could well challenge for a top four birth next season, provided they hold onto their star players like Berbatov and Keane.

Arsenal have today joined Manchester United in the race to sign Ajax striker Klass Jan Huntelaar. The Holland international has been linked with a move to the Premier League for years now and Arsenal and Man United are both reportedly ready to meet Ajax's £18 million valuation of Huntelaar.



United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to add another striker to the Old Trafford ranks with Louis Saha likely to depart in the next few weeks. Arsene Wenger is bracing himself for the departure of Emmanuel Adebayor to either Barcelona or AC Milan and has targeted Huntelaar as a perfect replacement.

It will be fascinating to see how this battle works out. If I was favouring anyone at the moment to land the 24-year old I would probably choose United. "I love clubs with great history like Ajax, I also love United," Huntelaar told Dutch reporters. "It's a club that makes me dream, especially as Ruud van Nistelrooy played there and did great things with them.

Liverpool are supposedly set to reignite their interest in Spanish winger Albert Riera according to reports in The People today.

The Reds reportedly had a £9.5 million plus Sebastian Leto bid rejected for the Espanyol winger. The Spanish outfit are thought to be holding out for a deal closer to about £13 million. The 26 year old caught the eye of Rafa Benitez with his solid performances over the past few seasons which have also seen him earn several call ups to the Spanish first team.

It is still unknown whether Liverpool will up their bid to the La Liga outfit's asking price. One of Rafa's main intentions this Summer was to bring in wingers and although the majority of Liverpool fans might prefer the likes of David Bentley or David Silva, the Spaniard seems to have is heart set on Riera.

Liverpool duo Steve Finnan and Scott Carson could be making exits from Anfield this Summer in order to make way for Gareth Barry and Diego Cavalierei.

Gareth Barry's move to Liverpool is looking ever likelier as the England international was fined and asked to sit out of preseason because of his poor media relations over the past few weeks. Steve Finnan may be used in a player plus cash deal with Aston Villa in order to secure the signature of the 27 year old.

Diego Cavalieri is another player who may be brought in this Summer, as back up for Pepe Reina. With the introduction of the £3 million Brazilian shot stopper that will almost certainly see the end of Scott Carson's time at Anfield. Premier League new boys Stoke City are thought to have an interest in signing the previously £10 million rated keeper.

Liverpool have finalised the move of Philip Degen from Borussia Dortmund but have lost Harry Kewell to Turkish outfit Galatasary. Long time reserve member Anthony Le Tallec has also completed a move away from Anfield to Le Mans while The Reds look to snatch up Gareth Barry and Andrea Dossena over the next few days.

Known for being an attacking minded defender, Degen joins Liverpool on a free transfer from the German side. He will be looking to cement a place in the right back position where he is competing for places with Steve Finnan and Alvaro Arbeloa.

Harry Kewell has left Liverpool also on a free transfer for Galatasaray where he has agreed a three year deal. Despite his previously stunning form for Leeds prior to his Anfield move, Kewell failed to make a big impact at the Merseyside club mostly down to an injury riddled five seasons.

Gareth Barry was fined and told to sit out of pre-season training by Martin O'Neill, so his move to Liverpool looks to be a certainty at this stage. After having a £15 million bid rejected for the England international, with their next bid they plan on putting in extra clauses to convince Villa to take the offer.

Barry's move may finally put an end to Xabi Alonso's transfer saga with Juve as the Spaniard could find it difficult to secure a regular place in the Liverpool eleven with Barry, Lucas and Mascherano competing for the holding midfield roles.

As a replacement for John Arne Riise who joined Roma last week, Liverpool's hunt for Udinese left back Andrea Dossena looks set to be complete in the next few days in a deal thought to be worth about £8 million.

Chelsea trio Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Claude Makelele all look as though they could complete moves away from Stamford Bridge in the next few weeks.

Drogba is thought to be a top target of Real Madrid manager Bernt Schuster this transfer window with the La Liga Champions looking to splash out up to £20 million on the striker. Despite Drogba saying he wants to stay at Chelsea his agent has been quoted in saying the he would consider a move to Real Madrid.

Frank Lampard is another Chelsea player whose future remains in doubt. The Blues supposedly offered the midfielder a £140,000 a week contract to stay in London but the draw of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to Inter Milan may just tempt the England international to the Serie A side.

And finally, Claude Makelele is being offered a route back home to France as PSG are looking to snatch up the 35 year old. Former Rangers manager Paul Le Guen has already secured the signature of Lilian Thuram this Summer and is looking to add Chelsea star to his squad as well.

My email account has hacked into recently and has been used by scammers in an attempt to solicit money from people I'm sometimes in touch with. Knowing I would notice the break-in sooner or later, the scammer set up another email address from which he or she will now try to work from. So, a warning: if anybody receives any emails from football.corner@yahoo.com, simply ignore them.

Liverpool have taken Hungarian trio David Kelemen, Norbert Ode and Zsolt Poloskei,16,16 and 17 respectively, on loan according to MTK Bucharest.

The Merseysider's scouts spotted them when watching the Hungarian U17 side in a friendly. The three youngsters are thought to be on a three week trial with the Reds reserves where a decision will be made on their future at the club. Keleman and Ode are defenders while Poloskei plays in midfield

Tottenham are still in contention to sign Bayern Munich star Lukas Podolski according to reports in the Daily Telegraph today. If the German international was to link up with Juande Ramos' side that could see Robbie Keane's rumoured move to Liverpool go through.

The 23 year old who is currently playing in the Bundesliga is thought to be one of Juande Ramos top Summer transfer targets, especially after his eye catching performances for Germany in Euro 2008.

Although Podolski has struggled to cement a starting place in the Bayern side whilst competing with Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose for a place in the strike force, he has clearly shown his capabilities with his national side.

Podolski's move to White Hart Lane could open the door for Republic of Ireland star Robbie Keane who is thought to be interested in a switch to Rafa Benitez' Liverpool. Peter Crouch may be offered to the Londoners in exchange for Keane in a player plus cash deal.

Amaury Bischoff's move from Werder Bremen to Arsenal is imminent according to the player.

Bischoff is yet to break into the first team at the Bundesliga club but has greatly impressed in the U 23 squad where he has made over 60 appearances. He is yet to decide whether to play for France or Portugal on an international level as he has trained with both squads at youth level.

Arsene Wenger has reportedly been tracking the 21 year old since he was a youngster at Strasbourg and the Arsenal manager is obviously pleased with the progress he has made as his move to the Gunners is expected to be completed in the next few days.