Football Corner

Since the arrival of my new Celtic away jersey (08/09) I have been impressed by it's surprising comfort. Whether you are out playing football with friends or just lounging around your home the new Celtic away jersey does the trick.

The dri-fit technology which Nike have incorporated into the jersey helps to wick perspiration to keep you dry and comfortable when exercising. The vibrant yellow and green colours go really well together to make this one of the nicest jersey's on the market.

The Celtic away jersey also supports the original Nike style which can be seen in many other jersey's produced by this brand. Usually when I buy football jerseys I seem to always find loose pieces of tread hanging from the sides of it within days.

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So go now to soccerpro.com and order your Celtic away jersey for just $66.50 (£37.00).

The Football Association have today rejected an appeal by Everton against the wrongful dismissal of midfielder Tim Cahill during Saturday's derby game against Liverpool. Cahill, 28, was shown a straight red card for a tackle on Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso and will now miss the Toffees next three Premier League games.

The Australian international appeared to ignore referee Mike Riley when he was trying to call him back. Personally, I feel this may of led to Riley pulling out the red rather than the yellow card. Cahill will now miss Everton's games against Newcastle, Manchester United and Arsenal, three massive games for manager David Moyes as he looks to turn the club's form around.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has today significantly reduced the asking price for the club to just £300 million. Ashley had been looking for as much as £481 million when he first put the club up for sale about two weeks ago but he must now realise that the club is not worth that amount of money and has therefore reduced the asking price.

Following the announcement that the Nigerian consortium interested in buying the club had officially made an offer, many people have speculated as to how much they have actually offered Ashley for the club. From what I can gather, it is obvious to me that the consortium only bid somewhere in the region of £200-£250 million which has led to Ashley's rethinking of his first asking price.

Anyway let's hope one way or another the club is indeed sold so that we can get Ashley out of the Premier League. It was obvious from the minute he walked in the door at St James' Park that he couldn't run a football club and so has proven the case. I think most Magpies fans will agree with me here, Get rid of Ashley and bring back Keegan.

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has today claimed that he and manager Rafa Benitez did not have a bust-up following the Champions League qualifying tie against Standard Liege. Agger has rarely featured in the Liverpool starting eleven this season, leading to speculation that a bust-up may of occurred between the pair.

The Danish international has only made two appearances this season, neither of which have come in the league. Agger has been unable to win back his place in the Liverpool first team due to the form of both Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel but he has denied it is because of a possible bust-up with Benitez.

"Of course there are things that Benitez was not satisfied with after Liege," Agger told Danish TV station TV3. "We didn't play a good match, but it is a big lie to say we had an argument. I certainly hope it is only football reasons why I am not playing. The 23-year old went on to say that "I'm not satisfied with the fact that I'm not playing but I have to cope and accept it. "I'm happy at Liverpool."

Before his injury last season, I personally felt Agger was one of Liverpool's best players at the club and he was a guaranteed starter. I personally would rather have Agger than Skrtel any day, but obviously Benitez doesn't agree for whatever reasons. I would no be at all surprised to see Agger leave Anfield come January because he is certainly better than just a Cup player.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has today praised referee Rob Styles. United profited from an extremely poor penalty decision from Styles during their 2-0 win against Bolton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo was taken down by Bolton defender Jlloyd Samuel, however replays clearly showed Samuel getting a touch on the ball. Ronaldo stepped up himself and put United ahead, to leave Bolton boss Gary Megson furious at ref Styles.

Styles has since apologised, an apology which has been met with praise by the United manager Ferguson. "It's good that Rob's done that. I think it presents him in a different light, It shows character. It presents him that he's big enough to do that. So I think he takes all the credit for that."

It comes as no surprise to me to see Ferguson come out with these statements because someone has to show some support for Styles and who better to do so than the man who profited most from the decision. I would believe the comments more if they had come from Bolton boss Megson, but I shall think he is still fuming from the shocking decision.

The sale of Newcastle United has moved one step closer today with the news that the Nigerian consortium interested in the buying the club have now lodged a bid. Since the departure of Kevin Keegan from the club earlier this month, there has been severe pressure on owner Mike Ashley (who happens to look rather like Bobby from King of the Hill) to sell the club.

Ashley did confirm almost two weeks ago that he was in fact ready to sell after "getting the picture" in relation to the angry fan protests outside St James' Park. This news should come as some relief to Newcastle fans after the side slumped to second last in the Premier League after yet another defeat on Saturday.

Chris Nathaniel, the man fronting the bid from the Nigerian consortium, refused to comment on the size of the bid : "We can't at this stage, that's confidential between ourselves and Newcastle, but a bid was put in on Friday evening ... There's been no timeline given by Newcastle but we hope it will be sometime soon."

Newcastle have become the laughing stock of the Premier League (Spurs are close by) in recent weeks. First the confusion surrounding the departure of Keegan, then all the protests outside the stadium and now they have appointed Joe Kinnear as interim manager. It is a real shame to see such a massive football club be treated like this and the sooner Ashley is gone the better.

Maybe the Nigerians will like Keegan and bring him back. I know that's what most Magpies fans want.

Everton have today lodged an appeal to the FA over the dismissal of Tim Cahill during Saturday's derby game against Liverpool. The Australian midfielder was shown a straight red card, for what looked like a pretty innocuous challenge on Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.

A decision is likely to be made no sooner than Wednesday, were Everton will find out if they will be without one of their best midfielders for the next three games. Cahill appeared to ignore referee Mike Riley when he was being called back after the challenge.

Toffees manager David Moyes has argued the point that if Riley sent him off for the combination of the tackle and the ignorance of Cahill, then it should only of been two yellows, not a straight red. That would then only rule out Cahill for the game against Newcastle next weekend and not the following league games against Arsenal and Manchester United.

After Chelsea's successful appeal over the John Terry red card a few weeks back, I personally think this appeal should also end successfully. Terry's was definetly more of a red than Cahill's and I certainly won't be pleased to see Cahill's stand after Terry had his one rescinded, although it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has today admitted he was offered £15 million for midfielder Lassana Diarra on transfer deadline day, but he turned it down. The French midfielder has become an integral part of the Pompey starting eleven but Redknapp has admitted he could of sold the player.

"At the moment I don't want to sell anybody. I turned down a £15 million bid for Diarra on transfer deadline day. I'm not saying who from - he might want to go there," claimed Redknapp. "But he is worth more than that.

One club who were repeatedly linked with a move for Diarra, 23, was Premier League strugglers Tottenham. Juande Ramos was believed to be keen to add to his midfield options before the window closed and it had been widely speculated that he wanted to bring Diarra to White Hart Lane.

Diarra is a quality player and I am sure all Pompey fans will be delighted to see him still at Fratton Park. Redknapp could of easily sold Diarra and then gone out and tried to sign two or three average players. With Diarra's performance today against Spurs for Pompey, I am sure Ramos would of been wishing he had of snapped up the promising French international.

Rivals Manchester United and Manchester City are to lock horns in a battle to sign Lyon striker Karim Benzema. The French international has become of of Europe's hottest properties in recent months and he has caught the eye of both Mark Hughes and Sir Alex Ferguson in particular.

Lyon recently said they would not let Benzema leave for anything less than £80 million, a price that City could certainly meet now they are super rich. Benzema, 20, has scored 42 goals in just 99 games for the French giants Lyon since breaking into the first team almost four years ago.

There is no doubting Benzema's talent and I really think he would be an excellent signing for either club in question but is he really worth £80 million. United currently have three top class strikers at Old Trafford in Berbatov, Rooney and Tevez and I see no reason for them to go out and buy another one in the shape of Benzema, so City would have to be favourites in my book.

Source : News of the World

Tottenham remain bottom of the Premier League after yet another defeat. This time they have been beaten by Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth to leave them with just two points from a possible eighteen, leaving manager Juande Ramos under severe pressure at the helm.

It was two former Spurs strikers that bagged all three points for Pompey. Jermain Defoe scoring from the spot before the break and Peter Crouch sealing the win with half-an hour left. In truth Spurs never really looked like getting anything from the game, although they may feel harshly done by, with the ref failing to award them a penalty fifteen minutes before Pompey doubled their lead.

It wouldn't surprise me one bit to see Ramos leave White Hart Lane during the week. Spurs have simply been awful since the season started and Ramos' new signings clearly haven't worked. David Bentley looks half the player he was while he was a Blackburn player, Giovanni, although he hasn't got much of a game, looks out of his depth in the Premier League.

What do you think should happen, tell us your views below.

Hull City have this evening beaten the might of Arsenal in their own backyard. It is, undoubtedly the result of this season's Premier League and Hull manager Phill Brown can take a tremendous amount of credit for it.

Brown started with a very attacking line-up, a move that many people felt would see Hull be humiliated but that was far from the case. The sides went in level at the break with Arsene Wenger's men probably having the better chances to go in front but it all kicked off in the second 45.

The Gunners took the lead just after the interval when Theo Walcott delivered the ball into Cesc Fabregas who saw his shot deflected off Paul McShane into the Hull net. But, to everyone's amazement, Hull equalised just fifteen minutes later through a superb 25-yard striker from summer acquisition Geovanni.

It was another summer signing that won the game for newly promoted Hull. Former Rangers striker Daniel Cousin headed home a Andy Dawson corner to send the travelling Hull fans crazy. Arsenal captain William Gallas nearly earned a point for the hosts late on, but he saw his header cannon off the bar.

Outstanding. This is one of the most incredible results of Premier League history. The might of Arsenal being defeated by the newly promoted Hull. This isn't really what Wenger had in mind considering he rested his good players for Tuesday's cup tie with Sheffield United to save them for today.

Elsewhere in the Premier League it finished : Manchester United 2-0 Bolton, Everton 0-2 Liverpool, Stoke City 0-2 Chelsea, Fulham 1-2 West Ham, Newcastle 1-2 Blackburn, Aston Villa 2-1 Sunderland, Middlesbrough 0-1 West Brom.

Liverpool overcame local rivals Everton to go top of the Premier League table. Everton finished the game with ten men after Tim Cahill was shown a straight red for a challenge on Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool keeper Jose Pepe Reina didn't have one save to make all game and in truth the result never looked in doubt once Fernando Torres scored his first goal since the first game of the season. The Spaniard volleyed home a lovely Robbie Keane cross just after the hour mark to give this visitors the lead.

Torres doubled his and Liverpool's tally on the day after he finished coolly from all of ten yards to leave the Toffees without a point at home this season. Australian international Tim Cahill was sent off soon after for what looked like a pretty innocuous challenge on Alonso.

All in all a good result for Liverpool. After drawing 0-0 at home to Stoke City last week it was crucial for the club to bounce back and what better way to do it away against Everton. For David Moyes the struggle goes on at home and they will have to be at their best to beat Newcastle at Goodison Park next weekend.

Final Score : Everton 0-2 Liverpool.

Yes, Manchester City striker Robinho has today claimed he has not peaked yet. The Brazilian international made a shock move to Eastlands on transfer deadline day and has since proven a massive hit in the Premier League scoring two goals in two games.

The former Real Madrid striker told the Daily Star : "In a few weeks' time fans in England will start to see the real Robinho, I have already noticed at City there is a far better atmosphere in the dressing room then we had at Real Madrid.

"I want to do as well as we can this year and then try and play in the Champions League as quick as possible. We know that will be difficult but we have to have ambition." After signing for City on September the first for a British record transfer fee of £32.5 million many people in the game questioned the move but it has proved to be an excellent one so far.

There is no doubting that Robinho is an outstanding player and he has certainly shown some jaw-dropping stuff since coming to England but I just hope he can keep it up. If Robinho is serious and he can produce even better performances that what he has already shown then this is obviously worrying times for Premier League defenders.

The draw for the Carling Cup Fourth Round was made this afternoon and it has certainly not disappointed. It has thrown up some mouth-watering ties which will be played the week commencing 10th of November.

The tie of the round is obviously the game to be played at White Hart Lane. Cup holders Tottenham will entertain Rafa Benitez' Liverpool. Spurs have been in shocking form in the Premier League sitting rock bottom whilst Liverpool are riding high in third.

Meanwhile, Premier League and Champions League Champions, Manchester United will face Championship side QPR at Old Trafford. And the most promising team in the third round, Arsenal will host fellow Premier League side Wigan Athletic at the Emirates.

Elsewhere in the draw ; Sunderland V Blackburn, Chelsea V Burnley, Swansea City V Watford, Stoke City V Rotherham United, Brighton & Hove Albion or Derby County V Leeds United.

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has today admitted he may consider leaving Barcelona if he does not get more first-team action.

The French international has made just over 50 appearances for the La Liga giants since joining last summer, however he has admitted he may consider leaving in January.

"For now, it is not a topical matter but if things stay the same, of course we will have to talk about this." said the 31-year old. Henry spent over seven years at Arsenal, scoring an impressive 226 goals in all competitions for the Gunners and he has been linked with several returns to the Premier League in recent months.

I think it would be great for Henry to come back to England. It is clear for all to see that it hasn't really worked out for him in Spain and I feel a move to Manchester City or Arsenal could be on the cards come January.

West Ham United striker Carlton Cole has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving. The former England under-21 player was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday morning and did not take part in the club's Carling Cup tie with Watford that evening due to a foot injury.

Cole, 24, took a road-side breath test and was then taken to a nearby police station. He was then bailed and he must now answer bail at a London police station in November. The former Chelsea striker has made over 60 appearances since joining in 2006.

Ah Carlton you muppet. I hate seeing this. Players like this are suppose to role models for the younger generation of footballers and things like this don't really help.

Tottenham have tonight progressed to the fourth round of the Carling Cup after seeing off a late rally from the hosts Newcastle. Goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jamie O'Hara helped ease the pressure on manager Juande Ramos after a shocking start to the new Premier League season.

Michael Owen gave the Magpies some hope late-on however it wasn't enough and the holders go on to the next round. The first-half was simply appauling. Both sides look extremely poor and it was no surprise to see the second-half improve because quite frankly it couldn't of been any worse than the first 45 minutes.

Spurs showed signs of the kind of form that saw them win the competition last season, however they still have a long way to go if they want to winning it this season. This finally provides some respite for Ramos and the rest of the Spurs staff because they have come if for some strong criticism in recent days. The misery continues for Newcastle.

One other thing to note from tonight's game was the pathetic attendance at the ground. As most of us will know, St James' is one of the biggest stadium's in the country holding 52,000 at capacity. Tonight saw just under 20,000 turn up for the game, clearly a knock-on affect from the Kevin Keegan saga.

Jamie O'Hara has just doubled Tottenham's lead in their Carling Cup tie against Newcastle United at St James' Park. This follows Pavlyuchenko's opener just minutes earlier and it would appear now as though the holders are going through to the next round.

Roman Pavlyuchenko has just put Tottenham ahead in their Carling Cup third round tie against Newcastle United. The Russian striker joined the club on transfer deadline day earlier this month but this is his first goal for the North London club.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has today claimed he is confident of landing Zenit St Petersburg striker Andrei Arshavin come the opening of the January transfer window. The Russian international was heavily linked with a move to White Hart Lane during the summer window however nothing was ever agreed between the two clubs. (Daily Mirror)

Spurs boss Juande Ramos was keen to land the 27-year old, with a possible £20 million move being rumoured however, Levy is now confident of signing the Zenit ace for just £15 million in January. During the summer saga, Arshavin's agent always maintained that his client wanted to join the North London club and he also didn't rule out a possible move come January.

I am pretty surprised to see Levy come out with this statement at this tough time for the club. Many Spurs fans felt the club didn't try very hard to land Arshavin, with Spurs repeatedly coming short of the Zenit asking price. I personally would of loved to see Arshavin come to the Premier League however I don't see that happening come January considering how poor a start Spurs have had.

Yes, Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the goals after a summer of uncertainty over his future at the club. The Portuguese international returned to the United first team last week against Villarreal following a summer of speculation that he was going to move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Now he's back and he's back in the goals. Ronaldo set United on their way into the next round of the League Cup by netting in the 25th minute. Sir Alex Ferguson's men went on to win 3-1 against Gareth Southgate's Middlesbrough but United's fans were just chuffed to see Ronaldo back on the score sheet again.

Hopefully now we see Ronaldo go on from this and have another outstanding season although I personally can't see it being as good as the last. There is no doubting he is an amazing talent but for me last season can never be matched. Like come on he can't really beat 42 goals in all competitions, can he?

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has done it again. It would appear he has signed yet another terrific young talent in the shape of Carlos Vela. The 18-year old Mexican scored a hat-trick on his full debut tonight against Sheffield United in the League Cup third round.

Vela has spent three seasons on loan at Celta Vigo, Salamanca and Osasuna while the player waited to receive a work permit in the UK. This season he was given the all-clear to begin his career at the Emirates and boy has he got off to an impressive start.

He was the man of the match as Arsenal demolished Championship side Sheffield United 6-0. I had seen several quality clips of Vela before tonight's game but I have I was extremely surprised with his performance tonight. He was incredible. His second goal was simply outstanding and there is no doubt now he is ready for a successful career at Arsenal.

Newcastle United's problems continue today as Mike Ashley has now appointed London-based investment bank Seymour Prince to help push through the sale of the club. Magpies owner Ashley confirmed last week he is keen to sell the club after a nasty fan backlash to Kevin Keegan departing the club two weeks ago.

Keith Harris, the chairman of Seymour Prince, has been involved in some of the biggest deals in the Premier League in recent years including the sale of Chelsea to Roman Abramovich and Randy Lerner buying Aston Villa.

A Newcastle statement said: "The board of Newcastle United can confirm it has appointed the London-based investment bank Seymour Pierce to act on the potential sale of the club.

"All matters relating to the sale of the club, including inquiries from interested parties, should go through Seymour Pierce. "The club will be making no further comment at this time." I personally hope this will push through any deal for Newcastle because it is such a shame to see such a big club being dragged through the dirt like this.

Chelsea have today been hit with the news that Portuguese pair Deco and Ricardo Carvalho could both face weeks on the sidelines after picking up injuries at the weekend. Deco tore a muscle in his upper thigh in the warm-up for the game against Man United.

That could see the former Barcelona man out for at least weeks whilst Carvalho could face double that time out after picking up knee ligament damage during the game at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Obviously this is a big blow to Luis Filipe Scolari considering both players are regulars in his starting eleven. I would imagine Alex will slot in to replace Carvalho whilst the Brazilian midfielder Mineiro may now be brought in by Scolari after weeks of speculation over his future to cover for Deco.

Tottenham remain bottom of the Barclays Premier League table after only picking up a point at home to Wigan Athletic today. At the start of the season, many fans and pundits felt they could break into that elusive top four, but that looks a distant memory now.

They are still without a win this season and it is now their worst start to a top flight season in 34 years. Juande Ramos has blamed their poor start to the season on the fact Dimitar Berbatov left the club so late in the summer transfer window, thus leaving the club with little time to find a suitable replacement.

This is obviously worrying times at White Hart Lane. They travel to Portsmouth next week and that will be no easy task considering, Pompey will be looking to avenge the 6-0 humiliating result they picked up at Manchester City today. I am not a Spurs fan myself, but I am interested to hear what you think? Leave your comments below.

Manchester City have today demolished Portsmouth 6-0 at the City of Manchester stadium. Mark Hughes' men put on a quite a show today which makes quite a statement to the rest of the Premier League.



It was a case of some samba beat at Eastlands today with Brazilian trio Elano, Jo and £32.5 million man Robinho running the show for the whole game. Jo got his first Premier League goal while Robinho bagged his second to send City fifth in the league.

Wright-Phillips, Evans, Dunne and Fernandes also got on the scoresheet today but it was the Brazilians that stole the show. After it was announced before the game that the Abu Dhabi group had signed the deal to complete their £210 million, City fans had every right to feel optimistic.

Following his move from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day, Robinho has been the centre of attention in Manchester and he certainly hasn't disappointed so far. If today's performance is anything to go by, this kid is a real bargain at £32.5 million.

Today's big game in the Premier League saw Chelsea and Manchester draw 1-1. In truth both Luis Filipe Scolari and Sir Alex Ferguson will be reasonably happy with the point although with Chelsea being at home, Scolari may feel a little upset.

Man United's Ji-Sung Park put the visitors in front after Chelsea keeper Peter Cech parried Dimitar Berbatov's straight into the path of the on-rushing Park.

Chelsea's Florent Malouda had a claim for a penalty mid-way through the first-half when he was taken down by Van Der Sar although replays showed the Dutchman got a touch on the ball.

The second-half saw Chelsea press for an equaliser but it wasn't until the final ten minutes that Scolari's men grabbed an leveller. Salomon Kalou headed in from all of six-yards from a John Obi Mikel free-kick.

I feel Ferguson will obviously be the happier manager. He got a point and he saw his star player, Cristiano Ronaldo come on and look very promising. So, Chelsea move up to second with their point whilst United climb one place to 14th in the Barclays Premier League.

Manchester United may miss out on striker Carlos Tevez, with rivals Manchester City ready to pounce. The Argentine international has yet to sign a permanent deal at Old Trafford and now City's new owners are ready to bid big to land the player. (News of the World)

Tevez, 24, has been a real hit at United since joining from West Ham a year ago. City have been linked with a whole host of strikers since the takeover of the club by foreign investors last month, but they see Tevez as a realistic acquisition with the player still not officially a United player.

Although I would love to see this move happen (because I am a City fan) I just can't. Tevez is a quality player who has been magnificent since coming the to the Premier League a few years back, but I couldn't see him joining City. I would expect the Tevez' permanent move to United to be complete before January.

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Liverpool and Everton are both preparing moves for Newcastle United striker Michael Owen. The England international has had a torrid time at St James' Park since joining from Real Madrid three years ago but it may be about to end. (News of the World)

Both Rafa Benitez and David Moyes are aware that Owen, 28, could be allowed to leave Newcastle for as little as £4 million come the January transfer window, due to his contract expiring next summer. Owen was linked with a move back to Liverpool a year ago but for whatever reason nothing ever materialised.

I personally think Benitez would be mad not to splash £4 million on the Anfield legend. I know a lot of Liverpool fans would love to see him back at the club after so many years away but could Owen be tempted to join the team he supported as a boy Everton.

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Arsenal have today beaten Bolton Wanderers 3-1 to move to the top of the Premier League table. The home side took a surprise lead after just 15 minutes at the Reebok when Kevin Davies headed in a Joey O'Brien corner.

But the lead didn't last long. After some intense pressure from the Gunners, Emmanuel Eboue scored his first goal for the club getting onto the end of a Nicklas Bendtner ball through, although replays suggested he may of been offside.

Arsenal were ahead just a minute later when Bendtner got on the scoresheet after a superb ball in from Denilson. There were no further goals in the game until the final five minutes when Denilson scored his first goal of the season to send the travelling Gunners fans home happy. On a sour note, Gael Clichy was taken off injured at half-time for Arsenal.

Good fight back from Arsene Wenger's men. Bolton gave a good account of themselves, with their fans doing everything in their power to encourage the side but unfortunately for them, they couldn't find the equaliser.

Elsewhere it finished : Liverpool 0-0 Stoke City, West Ham 3-1 Newcastle, Blackburn 1-0 Fulham, Sunderland 2-0 Middlesbrough.

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We have gone for, Liverpool to start off with a handicap of minus 3 and to still go on and win the game @ 4/1 @ Paddy Power (follow the links on the side). So if Liverpool win 4-0, you win the best or 5-1, you win the bet.

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Chelsea manager Luis Filipe Scolari has been quoted in several papers today as saying he would love to sign Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo.

The pair worked together during Scolari's time as the Portuguese national team manager and supposedly had a great relationship. With the game between Chelsea and United fast approaching, this will certainly add spice to what already is going to be fantastic match.

Ronaldo, 24, had been linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid for the best part of three months during the summer transfer window and he is also now apparently a target of the world's richest club Manchester City.

I know that Chelsea and now, Man City have a lot of money, however I can never ever see Sir Alex Ferguson allowing Ronaldo to leave for another Premier League club.

There is no doubt Ronaldo is the best player in the world at the present moment and I think he will remain at Old Trafford for at least another two years before joining Real Madrid.

Stan Kroenke, the American businessman who owns 12.4% of Arsenal has today been appointed to the board of the Premier League giants. He is officially now a non-executive director of the club after receiving an invitation from the board earlier this week.

"We are delighted to welcome Stan to the Board of Arsenal," said Peter Hill-Wood, Arsenal chairman, on the club's official website. "He brings with him a wealth of experience through his direct involvement in sports clubs in the US and we expect to benefit from his commercial insights and knowledge."

Obviously I don't know the whole in's and out's of this deal, however I don't think every Gunners fan will be overally happy about this appointment. I know several Arsenal fans and I always get the impression that they are proud not to have foreign money being pumped into the club, so this news won't excite them too much.

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt has today admitted he would love to move to German giants Hamburg and link up with manager Martin Jol. The Dutch international has been linked with a possible move to the Bundesliga side all summer and now it is claimed Kuyt may be interested in a possible move come January. (The Sun)

The former Feyenoord front man has become a vital part of Rafa Benitez' starting eleven in recent months following a difficult first year or two at Anfield. He has made 100 appearances for Liverpool since joining the club in 2006, scoring 26 goals in the process.

If Hamburg were to make a £10 million bid for Kuyt, I personally think that would be a good offer. Kuyt works very hard for the Reds and almost every Liverpool fan would agree with that, however, for me he just doesn't score enough goals and I think Benitez may sell him and try and sign a proven goalscorer.

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Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has today admitted he turned down a move to Premier League giants Arsenal.

The brother of Arsenal defender Kolo has today claimed both Arsene Wenger and his brother were trying to persuade him to move to England and sign for the Gunners but Yaya wasn't interested.

The 25-year old has been at the Camp Nou for two years now since joining from French side AS Monaco.

He was seen by many as a perfect replacement for the former Gunners holding midfield player Matthieu Flamini who joined AC Milan this summer. "Both Wenger and my brother told me in the summer that I should join Arsenal, but I told them that I am very happy at Barcelona," he said on RAC-1 radio.

I personally am a big fan of the Ivorian international. He plays in, what many people call, the Claude Makelele role just in front of the defence and I think he would of been a real hit at the Emirates.

Dimitar Berbatov. Yes Tottenham manager Juande Ramos is today blaming the club's bad start to the Premier League season on former striker Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian international left White Hart Lane two weeks ago for Champions Manchester United in a club record £30 million deal.

But now we are four games into this new season and Spurs have yet to win a game. Ramos blames the confusion surrounding Berbatov's on-off deal to United as the main factor in their poor start to season. He claims that he should of got rid of him earlier to allow time for him to find a replacement, but that can't be the only reason why Spurs are lying rock bottom in the table.

Ok maybe Ramos has a point about the first game of the season, when he put Berbatov on the bench against Middlesbrough, but to lose at home to both Aston Villa and Sunderland is very poor. I don't care what the Spaniard says, the Berbatov saga should not affect you so much that you fail to pick up a point at home this season.

You can sign Berbatov for just £7.5 million in this year's "You the Manager" (above). With fantastic monthly and weekly prizes to be won and a special offer of 2 teams for the price of 1, now is a great time to get your team together.

Arsenal and Liverpool have missed out on Manchester City midfielder Michael Johnson after the player signed a new long-term deal at Eastlands. The England under-21 international had been heavily linked with a move to either Anfield or the Emirates but the chances of a move now are dead.

Johnson, 21, has made a major impact at the City of Manchester stadium since breaking into the first team almost eighteen months ago. Both Rafa Benitez and Arsene Wenger were extremely keen to persuade Johnson to leave City, with a £12 million bid being rumoured by both sides.

I am delighted to see Johnson opt to stay at City, largely down to the fact that I am a City fan myself. I also think it is a very intelligent decision from the player who will benefit greatly from this decision because if he had opted to leave he would not of been guaranteed a first team place at Arsenal or Liverpool.

After yesterday's success with our Champions League Bet of the Day, I would strongly recommend you get a few quid on tonight's tip. Today's Bet of the Day involves all three home nations and @ 3/1 it is a cracking price.

Get on Celtic (1/2), Arsenal (5/6) and Manchester United (8/15) all to win their respective games tonight @ Paddy Power (follow the link below). Make sure to watch all tonight's action on Sky Sports from 7:45.

Sir Alex Ferguson has today launched a scathing attack on the FA after they decided to rescind the red card which Chelsea captain John Terry picked up on Saturday. If the appeal had of been turned down, Terry would not of been allowed to play in Chelsea's clash with Manchester United on Sunday but as it is, he is free to play.

Yesterday, Football Corner gave their opinion on the matter and surprise surprise, Ferguson agrees with us. The United manager is furious at referee's chief Keith Hackett claiming that he "would never have done this for us". Chelsea boss Luis Filipe Scolari has also admitted he was surprised at the decision.

In my view, red cards are rarely rescinded but when the England captain comes looking for his red card to be cancelled, sure enough he gets it. I just can't wait until the next club appeal their players red card and it is rescinded, could you imaging Rio Ferdinand has a conterversial red card given against him and any appeal is turned down.

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has put the club up for sale for £481 million. Following the departure of Kevin Keegan from the club last week, Ashley's position at the club has been under severe pressure and it appears now he is making serious plans to sell the club.

There has been several rumours about who will now come into takeover the club, with take of a Dubai based consortium interested in buying from Ashley however city sources doubt there is genuine interest from Dubai. "In reality Newcastle have been up for sale for the last six months. If there had been interest from Dubai it would already have surfaced.

"What makes it even more difficult is that Newcastle do not appear as a very saleable asset at the moment - the club has no manager, the fans are protesting and the team are struggling." This has all happened so quick at St James'. First Keegan departs, then the fans protest and then Ashley puts the club up for sale for a massive £481 million. What will happen next?

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard inspired Liverpool to a 2-1 victory away at Marseille this evening. It was the first night of Champions League since Man United won the trophy back in 2008 and it certainly lived up to it's billing.

Marseille got off to a flyer, Lorik Cana putting the French side ahead early after breaking Liverpool's off-side after a superb ball through by Benoit Cheyrou. Rafa Benitez' men hit back straight away with captain Gerrard bagging his first of the night with a terrific finish from all of 25-yards.

Ryan Babel, the hero of Saturday when Liverpool beat Man United, was taken down inside the penalty area just minutes after the equaliser to give Gerrard the opportunity to double his tally on the night. After the referee ordered Gerrard to re-take the penalty, the England international confidently placed the ball in the same corner.

Marseille had several chances to equalise during the second-half but they also left themselves short at the back at times. Ryan Babel had a chance to increase the lead near the end but as it was, the Reds held onto their advantage. Terrific come-back by Liverpool, which should set themselves up nicely for a first place finish in Group D.

Elsewhere it finished : Chelsea 4-0 Bordeaux, PSV 0-3 Atletico Madrid, Roma 1-2 CFR Cluj, Werder Bremen 0-0 Anorthosis Famagusta, Basle 1-2 Shakhtar Donetsk, Panathinaikos 0-2 Inter Milan, Barcelona 3-1 Sporting Lisbon.

Manchester United have today been rocked by the news that midfielder Michael Carrick will be out for up to six weeks. The England international picked up the injury during the side's 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday and now Sir Alex Ferguson will be without him for the foreseeable future.

The 27-year old broke a bone in his foot following a collision with Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun and was seen on the touchline at Anfield with crutches during the second-half. He will now definetly miss United's crucial Premier League game against Chelsea on Sunday, so a start for Darren Fletcher is not out of the equation.

Obviously this is a big blow for United considering Carrick has become an integral part of the United starting eleven. Following his arrival from Tottenham three years ago, Carrick has developed a superb partnership with Paul Scholes in the centre of the United midfield and this could well have a serious affect on the side's form over the next few weeks.

Chelsea captain John Terry has had his red card he picked up against Manchester City on Saturday rescinded, but why am I not surprised? It was a rugby tackle on City's Jo that earned the England captain the red card and there was no surprise to see the Chelsea players doing the usual, surrounding the referee after the decision, what ever happened to respect the ref?

Terry, 27, is now free to face Manchester United next weekend and this will obviously be a huge relief for Chelsea boss Luis Filipe Scolari. It comes as no surprise to me to see the red card rescinded. Although red card's are rarely rescinded, he is the England captain and the FA would of rescinded the card anyway, even if he had of broken a players leg.

I am telling you now, if it had of been any other player in this situation, the FA would not of rescinded the card.

Yeah, the Champions League returns tonight! To celebrate we have picked out a Bet of the Day for one of tonight's games and I am telling you now it is worth getting on. The bet comes from the game between Chelsea and Bordeaux.

We have gone for Chelsea to start with a handicap of minus 2 and still win the match @ 12/5 @ Paddy Power (follow to link below). So basically, if Chelsea win 3-0, you win the bet. If they win 4-1, you win the bet. Make sure to watch the game live on ITV tonight at 7:45.

Tottenham fell to their third defeat out of four games in the Premier League last night to leave them sitting rock bottom. Many people had speculated that this season could see Juande Ramos' men break into the top four, due to signings like Giovani Dos Santos and David Bentley but unfortunately for the North London club the reverse has happened.

Two 2-1 defeats at White Hart Lane and another 2-1 defeat away to Middlesbrough leaves Spurs on one point. That one point was earned at Stamford Bridge, a terrific point really considering Chelsea's form this season.

So just what has gone wrong? Too many players coming in, finding it hard to gel? Can't cope without Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane? I am really shocked and surprised by the start Tottenham have made. It will be interesting to see how they bounce back from this latest set back at home to Wigan next weekend.

Arsenal and Manchester United are to battle it out for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso come the opening of the January transfer window. The Portuguese international was linked all summer with a move to the Premier League but for whatever reasons nothing ever materialised. (News of the World)

The 22-year old has caught the attentions of both Gunners boss Arsene Wenger and Manchester United man Sir Alex Ferguson over the past 18 months with his superb performances for Sporting. It is understood that either side will have to cough up at least £16 million if they want to secure the services of Veloso.

I would be delighted to see this promising holding midfielder move to England. He is a superb talent who I feel, under the right guidance will prove to be one of Europe's best midfield players. I would be extremely surprised not to see any of Europe's elite not make an approach for Veloso during January.

Chelsea are planning a January move for Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry. The England international has been linked with a move to Liverpool for months now, but following Barry's admission a couple of weeks back that he will be staying at Villa for the rest of this season at least, Liverpool's interest went cold. (The People)

With the summer transfer window firmly shut Chelsea will obviously have to wait til the New Year to make any attempt to sign the 27-year old and I am sure Villa boss Martin O'Neill will be keen to hold onto his man. Valued at £18 million, Barry previously admitted he would be interested in a move to a Champions League side and obviously Chelsea could offer him that.

It will be very interesting to see how this one develops. Obviously if Chelsea do make a move for Barry come January, I feel there will be several other sides also interested. The likes of long-term admirers Liverpool and indeed Arsenal who have also previously admitted an interest in signing Barry.

Sign Barry for just £6 million in this year's "You the Manager" (left). A definite bargain.

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley has today confirmed he wants to sell the club after angry protests from the club's fans yesterday. Ashley has been under pressure to quit the club ever since the departure of Kevin Keegan last week, with many fans angry at the reasons for Keegan's departure.

It is understood Keegan quit due to goings on behind the scenes at St James' Park. It was claimed Dennis Wise (Sporting Director of Newcastle, appointed by Ashley earlier this year) was trying to offload the likes of Michael Owen, Alan Smith and Joey Barton on transfer deadline day behind Keegan's back.

Yesterday saw thousands of the fans venting their fury with angry protests before and after the defeat to Hull City. I am personally happy to see Ashley has finally got the message. He is obviously not wanted their and I am sure many Magpies fans will be praying that whoever comes in now ill re-appoint Keegan.

Robinho finally got his Premier League career under way today after what has seemed a life time since he has joined Manchester City. The Brazilian international sensationally joined the Blues on transfer deadline day two weeks ago for a British transfer record fee of £32.5 million and today made his debut against Chelsea, a team whom were also interested in him.

He couldn't of got off to a better start. A stunning free-kick inside fifteen minutes put Mark Hughes men ahead, which was followed by his trade-mark sucking of the thumb celebration. The City fans were on cloud nine, their new star man putting them in the lead against the might of Chelsea.

But as the game wore on and Luis Filipe Scolari's men took a firmer grip on proceedings, the flamboyant Robinho faded out of proceedings. He had his occasional step over, the odd good pass or two, but, for me, he looked a bit lost. I am a City fan myself, and seeing Robinho score early on was amazing.

He did run back to help defend on occasions but the one thing I wasn't happy about was his attitude at times. Whenever one of his team-mates lost the ball, he didn't encourage, he just threw his eyes up to heaven and that is no what I like to see from a top class player. He is coming to the club with a massive reputation and he knows he is the best player their, but I didn't like his attitude at times.

Anyway, Let's look forward to Thursday when City face Omonia from Cyprus in the UEFA Cup first round, shall we.

Liverpool have today finally beaten Manchester United at Anfield today after seven years without a victory against the Premier League Champions. The Merseyside giants came into today's game unbeaten in the Premier League along with their rivals, but were desperate to secure three points after several years without a victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's men.

The game got off to the worst possible start, if you were a Liverpool fan. United took the lead after just three minutes when United's new £30 million striker, Dimitar Berbatov, cleverly laid the ball back for Carlos Tevez to coolly finish.

However Liverpool responded well, with Dirk Kuyt nearly levelling the scores soon after. It was a goalkeeping error that got Liverpool back into the match, when Edwin Van Der Sar punched the ball against the on-coming Wes Brown, only to see the ball roll into his own net.

Liverpool continued to impress and went close again soon after the break. Robbie Keane played a superb ball into Yossi Benayoun couldn't capitalise on the promising position. It was substitute Ryan Babel who secured all three points for Liverpool. Javier Mascherano forced Ryan Giggs into a mistake, leaving the Argentine international a simple lay off to the on-rushing Ryan Babel who duly finished.

A terrific result for Liverpool which keeps them level with Chelsea at the top of the Barclays Premier League table on 10 points. A average debut by new United signing Dimitar Berbatov, but hey, he's only just got their, he will take time to settle in and I am sure he will prove to be a huge success.

Elsewhere is finished; Blackburn 0-4 Arsenal, Fulham 2-1 Bolton, Man City 1-3 Chelsea, Newcastle 1-2 Hull City, Portsmouth 2-1 Middlesbrough, West Brom 3-2 West Ham, Wigan 1-1 Sunderland.

Today's Premier League Bet of the Day comes from the Liverpool V Manchester United match. Both sides will be desperate to continue their decent starts to the season so this could be some a cracker.

I have gone for new United striker Dimitar Berbatov to score at anytime @ 5/2 @ Paddy Power (Below, and follow the links). I think with him up front on his own and with Rooney and Tevez supporting he is bound to get on the score sheet. Make sure to get your money on qucik because the game starts very soon on Sky Sports 1.

Chelsea are to join the race to sign Arsenal target Steven Appiah. The former Fenerbahce midfielder left the Turkish club earlier this summer and is keen to come to England, with Arsene Wenger and now, Blues boss Luis Fillipe Scolari keen to offer him that chance to come to the Premier League.

The Ghana international could fit straight into Scolari's starting eleven with current holding midfield player Michael Essien likely to be out for up to six months. The 27-year old has earned the nickname "Tornado" due to his dominance in the midfield and is widely regarded as one of Africa's finest talents.

If either side were to sign Appiah it would be magnificent. He is a superb player who, I feel would prove a massive hit in the Premier League and his price-tag isn't bad, £0. I think Arsene Wenger is very short in the midfield department and he should do all he can to capture the former Juventus man.

Here I have compiled a Football Corner Dream Team and I am eager to hear what you think about my selections (leave a comment). I an going with a 4-4-2 formation and I hope you agree with my selections.

GK: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid) (Captain)

DR: Dani Alves (Barcelona)
DL: Gael Clichy (Arsenal)
DC: N.Vidic (Man United)
DC: John Terry (Chelsea)

MR: Cristiano Ronaldo (Man United)
ML: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
MC: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)
MC: Rafael Van Der Vaart (Real Madrid)

FC: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid)
FC: Fernando Torres (Liverpool)

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has today been handed a massive boost ahead of the Premier League clash with Manchester United tomorrow. Both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have been declared fit to play after injury concerns.

Gerrard missed England's two World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Croatia with a groin injury sustained whilst playing for Liverpool and was serious doubt for tomorrow's match. Meanwhile, Torres had a hamstring strain and was also considered a serious doubt for the big game at Anfield tomorrow but Reds boss Benitez has confirmed the pair are fit and ready for action.

"They are both much better," Benitez told the club's official website. "They came through a full training session this morning. It wasn't a very hard session, but they will both be in the squad. "It's important for us to have these two players of quality who can change a game. "I'm not surprised they are available because the medical staff have done a good job and the players have been working really hard with the physios to get fit."

Obviously this is a massive boost for Liverpool's chances of beating Sir Alex Ferguson's United. It is a hard task as it is but if Torres and Gerrard had of been ruled out it would of been even tougher. Anyway, with Gerrard and Torres I feel Liverpool are super bet for the game tomorrow @ 2/1 (below).

According to a recent poll run on Football Corner, you the readers, think that Alan Shearer will be the man to replace Kevin Keegan as Newcastle United's new manager. The reasons for Keegan's resignation last week has led to uproar at St James' Park, with protests planned for the weekend, but could Shearer really be heading back to the club he is considered a legend at?

Here are the results of the poll:

Alan Shearer - 53 votes (26%)
Other - 33 votes (16%)
Dennis Wise - 31 votes (15%)
Gus Poyet - 27 votes (13%)
Roberto Mancini - 27 votes (13%)
David Moyes - 13 votes (6%)

Total Votes : 201.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who voted in the poll and I would encourage everyone to vote in our latest poll : Will the big four change at all this season?

It would appear all is not well at Liverpool. Defender Jamie Carragher has revealed in his new book , Carra : My Autobiography, how he truly feels about the club's American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and as you will see in a moment, it's not very complimentary.

The former England international has many harsh words to say about Hicks and Gillett throughout the book. The 30-year old says: "For richer or poorer, we'd sold Liverpool to two ruthless businessmen who saw us as a money-making opportunity,"

"They didn't buy Liverpool as an act of charity; they weren't intent on throwing away all the millions they'd earned over 50 years... They wanted to buy us because the planned stadium offered a chance to generate tons of cash and increase the value of the club.

"Think how many world-class players that £200million could have brought to the club. Instead if Gillett and Hicks did sell, they or their banks would make a huge profit. "I felt ill thinking about it."

With the big game against Manchester United coming up at the weekend this really couldn't of come at a worse time. Carragher goes on to talk about how the owners have treated manager Rafa Benitez and many other things including his early life and how he became the great player that he is today.

Will Carragher be the man to win you £10,000. Sign-up for this year's "You the Manager" (below) and sign the player for just £6 million, but be quick because their is a deadline set for Saturday 12:00 for the September monthly prize. Join now and receive two teams for the price of one.

Theo Walcott has just completed his hat-trick to put England 4-1 ahead against Croatia. The young Arsenal striker has scored his first, second and indeed third goal for the England senior team to inspire Fabio Cappelo's men to a memorable victory.

New Tottenham striker, Roman Pavlyuchenko has this evening helped Russia to an opening win in their first World Cup qualifier against Wales. The £14 million man put the Russians ahead mid-way through the first-half when he calmly put the ball beyond Wayne Hennessy from the spot.

Meanwhile, Spurs left-back Gareth Bale unfortunately missed a penalty just before Pavlyuchenko put the Russians ahead. His penalty was superbly saved by Russia keeper Igor Akinfeev. The game finished 2-1 with Bale grabbing an assit for Joe Ledley's strike during the second-half.

Gianfranco Zola has been confirmed as the new West Ham United manager. The former Chelsea striker has been heavily linked with the job at Upton Park ever since Alan Curbishley left last Wednesday.

The Italian magician is regarded by many as a Chelsea legend and some Hammers fans have spoke of their unrest at Zola's appointment. Many have claimed they would of preferred West Ham legend Paolo Di Canio to return to the club.

Zola, in my view, is a good appointment for the East London club. He done a excellent job during his time as the Italy under-21 international and I feel if he gets the fans backing early he could prove to be a real success.

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has today signed a pay-as-you-play deal at with Blackburn Rovers after months of speculation over his future. The former England international has been out of a job since leaving Cardiff City during the summer and he has been linked with a whole host of clubs in the process.

Norwegian side Brann Bergen had approached the 33-year old about a possible move, however Fowler's massive wage demands put them off. Blackburn chairman John Williams : "We have agreed in principle a three-month pay-as-you-play deal and we hope to have it tied up by the end of the week,". "If we go ahead on that basis and get it registered then if the manager wants him he would be able to be in the squad against Arsenal on Saturday."

I'm not sure what to make of this move by Rovers boss Paul Ince. It is clear to see that Fowler's best days are most definetly beyond him and I don't think a club like Blackburn should be taking a backward step like this. Fowler is 150/1 to be the Premier League's top goalscorer this season, brilliant odds!

Chelsea and Manchester United are to do battle for Brondby defender Nicolai Boilsen. The 16-year old centre back has been compared to Liverpool defender Daniel Agger, high praise for such a young player. (Daily Express)

Boilsen has gone on record as saying: “It will be fantastic to come to United because they are my favourite club.” “For now, I am just coming to England to train with United and Chelsea.” Boilsen is the captain of the Denmark under-17 squad and Boilsen is already plying his trade in the first team at Brondby.

Former Real Madrid and Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes has today admitted he would be interested in a move to Tottenham, if they were to approach him. The Valencia front man left the Premier League two years ago after spending just a season at Anfield, where he struggled to reproduce his best form. (Daily Mirror)

The former Spain international is believed to be keen on leaving Valencia come the opening of the January transfer window and Junade Ramos is ready to offer him an exit route. After the departures of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane during the summer it obvious now that they must bolster their attacking options come January.

I personally feel signing Morientes would be a backward step for Spurs. They brought in a lot of young talent during the summer and I think bringing a 32-year old to White Hart Lane would not be a smart move. I think if Spurs were to re-ignite their interest in Andrei Arshavin would be a smarter move by the North London club.

Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia has today admitted he will consider his future after been left out Rafa Benitez' plans for the Champions League. The Finland international has been omitted from the club's 25-man panel for the Champions League group stages, weeks after the club rejected an offer from Stoke City for the player.

Hyypia, 34, said : "The manager's decision to leave me out of the squad is a big disappointment. "I understand it's partly because of the Uefa regulations, but the news came as a surprise to me and a shock too." Hyypia has spent over nine years at the club, making 446 appearances in the process and now doubt this will come as a big surprise to the Reds fans.

I can't really understand this. If Benitez wasn't going to include the Finn in his 25-man panel, which clearly means he is not part of the Spaniard's plans, then why didn't he cash in on him during the summer. It's sad, but this could be the end of Hyypia's days at Anfield.

Here is the 25-man panel for Liverpool in full:

Cavalieri, Reina, Dossena, Agger, Aurelio, Arbeloa, Carragher, Degen, Darby, Kelly, Irwin, Skrtel, Gerrard, Reira, Alonso, Benayoun, Pennant, Mascherano, Leiva, Spearing, Keane, Torres, Kuyt, Babel, Ngog

Chelsea's title ambitions have today been been dealt a severe blow after it was revealed that Michael Essien will face several months on the sidelines due to a serious knee injury. The Ghana international is to have an operation on his anterior cruciate ligament after injuring it in his country's World Cup qualifier against Libya on Friday.

The 25-year old moved to Stamford Bridge back in 2005 when Jose Mourinho was at the helm. Since then he has become a vital part of the Chelsea starting eleven and there is no doubt that the side will be worse off without the former Lyon midfielder.

A Chelsea statement read: "Michael has ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and will undergo an operation as soon as the majority of the swelling has subsided. We expect this to happen in a week's time. "In the meantime, Michael has started rehab in the aqua therapy centre at Cobham which will improve the condition of the knee prior to surgery. A return to full fitness is not expected for several months."

Obviously this is a massive blow for Luiz Felipe Scolari's men. Essien is a major part of the Chelsea side and I feel they will struggle to find someone to perform as well as Essien does in his holding midfield role. I am sure Scolari will not be too pleased about the fact Essien was injured whilst on international duty.

New Tottenham striker Fraizer Campbell has today admitted he doesn't see his future at the North London club. The England under-21 international joined Spurs on loan on deadline day as part of the Dimitar Berbatov deal but he has today said he doesn't expect his move to be made permanent.

Campbell has been quoted as saying he is still in Sir Alex Ferguson's plans: "I've had various meetings with him and I'm in his plans for the future. "Hopefully I can get some experience, come back and get a place in his team."

However he did admit he is looking forward to a good season at White Hart Lane"It's an exciting time for me, it's a great loan move that I've managed to get on," he said. "Hopefully I can get in the team and hold down a regular first-team place and score a few goals, but most importantly learn from the experience."

I personally think Campbell could prove to be an excellent loan signing for Juande Ramos. He is quick and is a quality finisher, however I do think with the array of talent at Old Trafford in the striking department, Campbell will struggle to nail down a first team place in the coming years.

You can sign the England under-21 international for just £2.5million in this year's "You the Manager" so sign up now (below) and receive two teams for the price of one and register your team in time for September's £10,000 manager of the month prize.

Manchester City have today been linked with a January move for Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. The England international is understood to be one of City's new number one targets along with Fabregas, Torres, Kaka, Ronaldo, Buffon etc; (News of the World)

Man City boss Mark Hughes will have a whooping £600 million to spend in January, if you are to believe the papers and he has now been linked with almost every player in the world. Gerrard, 28, was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea a few years back, but in the end he opted to stay at Anfield.

It would appear now that the club labelled the "New Chelsea" are ready to spend big on Gerrard but will Benitez be tempted at all if City were to bid £60 million +. As a City fan myself, I am obviously over the moon with everything that is happening at the club, being linked with big names but it is getting a bit ridiculous now, Gerrard will never join us, simple as.

You can sign Gerrard for just £8 million in this year's "You the Manager" so sign up now (below) and receive two teams for the price of one and register your team in time for September's £10,000 manager of the month prize.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has today confirmed he has absolutely no intention of leaving the club to join Manchester City. The Spanish international is believed to be one of Man City's number one targets after the club was taken over on the final day of the deadline window, but Fabregas is not interested in a possible move.

The 21-year old told the Telegraph: "It would be suicidal for my career at 21 years of age to move to City. It would make no sense." Fabregas has been linked with a whole host of exits from the Emirates over the past 18 months or so with Barcelona and Real Madrid both extremely keen to bring him back to his homeland.

There is no doubt Fabregas is one of the best players in the world and it came as no surprise to hear City's new owners picking him out as a possible acquisition, but frankly it ain't going to happen. As much as I would love it to happen (because I am a City fan) I just can't see it and I think he will have several more happy years at the Gunners.

You can sign the Spaniard for just £7 million in this year's "You the Manager" so sign up now (below) and receive two teams for the price of one and register your team in time for September's £10,000 manager of the month prize.

Gianfranco Zola has today emerged a front runner for the West Ham job after Alan Curbishley parted company with the club on Wednesday. The former Italian international is now considered one of the favourites to take the hot seat at Upton Park, after the likes of Stuart Pearce and Slaven Bilic ruled themselves out of the running last night.

Zola, 42, retired three years ago and has since then been involved with the Italian under-21 team. "Zola not only has impressive credentials but also came across incredibly well in our talks," a source close to the club told the Press Association. After spending seven very successful years at Stamford Bridge with London rivals, it sure would be strange to see Zola move to the East part of London.

There is no doubting that Zola was quite simply a magician during his time at Chelsea. Some of his skill on the ball was breath-taking and I think the Hammers could do a lot worse than Zola, although I do question his experience as a manager of such a big club. Expect an announcement from Upton Park about the vacant managerial position early next week.

Mike Ashley is preparing to sell Newcastle United after losing his popularity with the fans, by forcing Kevin Keegan out the door earlier this week. It all looked so promising for the club when Ashley took over just a year ago, with many Magpies fans happy to see the new owner mixing with the supporters on Newcastle's away trips, but now it looks inevitable he will be forced out by the same fans he mingled with every week. (Daily Mirror)

Wearing his replica jersey's to every game, Ashley was seen by many as a die hard Newcastle fan who was a fan first and then an owner second, but sadly that opinion seems to be fading rapidly. The billionaire retail entrepreneur promised to invest heavily in the club when he took the reins last July, but sadly for the Newcastle fans, the biggest signing they saw come in the door at St James' Park was Fabricio Collocini for a fee of £10 million.

Now that sounds like a big signing but considering Manchester City's recent activity in the market (buying Robinho for a whopping £32 million) I personally think Ashley may of invested a bit more than what he has done. So what next for the club, well it was reported earlier this summer that a company owned by family members of Bin Laden were interested in taking over the club, so there may be a renewed interest from them after hearing this news.

Arsenal are considering offering Steven Appiah a contract after the player admitted he would relish a move to the Premier League. The Ghana international is now a free agent after being released by Turkish side Fenerbahce and can still sign for any outside the transfer window.

Arsene Wenger is keen to add to his midfield options after missing out on Gareth Barry and Xabi Alonso during August and Appiah looks a suitable candidate. The 27-year old has also been linked with a move to West Ham United in recent days but as yet nothing has materialised and Appiah has welcomed the interest from the Gunners.

"There are contracts, there are talks – I can't say anything yet," said Appiah. "I am not going to put people off, my agents are talking so I have nothing else to say." I personally think Appiah is a tremendous midfield player who would benifit a lot of sides in England, including Arsenal. He wouldn't cost the club a penny (apart from his wages) and I feel he could prove to be an excellent signing.

Manchester City are determined to sign Real Madrid striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy come January after missing out on the Dutch international on deadline day. The former Manchester United goal machine is high up on City's January wish-list which also includes Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas.

Van Nistelrooy, 32, was apparently subject of a blank cheque offer from City's new owners on transfer deadline day on Monday, an offer which Real Madrid immediately rejected. Van Nistelrooy made a total of 217 appearances for United during his time at the club, scoring an impressive 149 goals in that time.

There is no doubt Van Nistelrooy is a magnificent player, however I personally wouldn't like to see the Dutchman heading for Eastlands. He is 32-years old now and I feel it is best that the City owners concentrate their efforts on bringing younger front men into the club, come the opening of the January window.

Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has resigned after days of uncertainty over his future. This has led to much uproar at St James' Park with the fans protesting against the owner, Mike Ashley and executive director of football at the club Dennis Wise, who the fans believed was part of the reason Keegan left.

After only coming back to the club he is adored so much at eight months ago, Keegan has decided enough is enough and has now decided to walk after days of uncertainty over his future. It was announced on Monday that Keegan had parted company with the club, only for it to be confirmed on the club's official website that he was in fact still their manager.

But now we all know he is gone and what next for the club. Well expect a massive backlash from the club, with a possible boycott for their next home game against Hull City. I personally believe Ashley may have to balls to appoint Wise, who the fans seem to hate so much.

Former West Ham striker Paolo Di Canio has this afternoon confirmed he is interested in the vacant position at Upton Park. The Italian legend spent five very successful years at the East London club, where he became a firm fan favourite during his time at the club.

After Alan Curbishley's departure on Wednesday, several of the bookies favourites have ruled themselves out of the race for the managerial post, including Slaven Bilic and Stuart Pearce. Di Canio is currently the 9/2 second favourite with the bookies and that now sounds like great value, considering his admission he now wants the job.

I think it would be great to see Di Canio return to the Upton Park, and indeed the Premier League after five years away. After leaving the Hammers he joined Charlton and then returned to his homeland and signed for Lazio before making his final move to Cisco Roma.

Its simple. Who do you want to see replace Alan Curbishley as the manger of West Ham?

Well have your say on the poll at the top right of the blog!

Personally Id love to see Bilic get it. I think he is a very good manger and is an interesting character to say the least! Unfortunately I don't think he will take the job. He has recently came out and said will see out the rest of his contract with Croatia which lasts until the end of the world cup in 2010, but then again you never know...

Stuart Pearce today ruled himself out of the vacant manager’s position at West Ham. The England Under-21 boss was one of the favourites to succeed Alan Curbishley at Upton Park, but the former Hammers defender revealed he will honour his contract with the FA and stay with the Under-21s. (the sun)

Pearce, 46, said: “I’m a man of my word and the way the game flits in and flits out at the moment disappoints me greatly. “I gave my word to the FA when I took the job that I would certainly honour my contract. “If we go out of the Under-21 qualifying campaign that might change but other than that happening, I will honour my contract no matter what’s dangled under my nose financially. “This group of players need to know that I’m their manager from start to finish and that’s the sort of loyalty players need to see nowadays.”

Croatia manager Slaven Bilic remains favourite to replace Curbishley in the Upton Park hot seat, but the former West Ham hero remains coy on talk of him taking over the reigns at his old club. Bilic said: "I am always being asked about the West Ham job but there is nothing I can say. "I have a contract with Croatia until the World Cup ends in 2010."

Personally I feel Stuart Pearce was a fantastic Manager for Man City and hes been great for the under 21s. He would be perfect for west ham but its a job with anyone in the right frame of mind wouldnt take. The pressure from the board and fans is very high. The team the new manager will inherit is also average at best.

Brazilian striker Robinho appears not to actually know who he has joined. The former Real Madrid frontman signed for Manchester City on Monday is one of the most unexpected transfers in the history of the modern game, but he still hasn't fully realised who he has joined.

Robinho was quoted as saying "On the last day, Chelsea made me a great proposal and I accepted it," but when a reporter replied: "You mean Manchester right?". "Yeah, Manchester, sorry!" answered the 24-year old.

Obviously it may take a while for a big money move like this to set in on such a young player, but I would still fully expect him to know which team he has actually joined. There is no doubt money was a massive factor in this deal and I am sure the player's mind was made up when he say how much City were willing to spend on him, but comments like these don't help.

His move to Eastland (or Middle Eastlands as it is now known) has been met with great excitement amongst the Blues fans but many people in the rest of the footballing world have questioned Robinho's decision to join the Premier League side.

Former Real Madrid and Brazil coach Wanderley Luxemburgo:
"I was quite shocked by the news, ... The media was talking about moving to Chelsea but he finally moved to Manchester City ... If you want to become the best, you need a team with possibilities to shine and I don't think City will achieve that this season ... I don't know if his football or his career will go back at Manchester City."

Valencia striker David Villa:
"I don't want to criticise Robinho because I don't know his situation, but I wouldn't have done it."

Brazilian legend Pele:
"Chelsea are lucky. This is a boy who needs serious counselling. In my view, he has been badly advised."

As a City fan myself, I am obviously chuffed to see the club signing the likes of Robinho, although I will admit I am still very surprised by his decision. Never in a million years did I think a player of the calibre of Robinho would be joining us, but the saying "money talks" applies to a lot of players nowadays and obviously that appears to apply to Robinho.

Slaven Bilic could be heading for the Premier League after West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley resigned this afternoon. The Croatian manager is the bookies favourite to succeed Curbishley as the Hammers boss and I, along with many others, would be delighted to see Bilic come to England.

Bilic spent a season at Upton Park where he made 48 appearances and is now likely to return to the East London club but this time as manager. He is widely regarded as one of the hardest men in football. His touchline antics, along with his ear piercing will be a welcome sight in the Premier League should he eventually take the hot seat at the club.

Argentina international Diego Milito has today admitted he turned down a move to Premier League side Tottenham in favour of joining Italian side Genoa. The former Real Zaragoza striker was subject of bids from Genoa, Torino and Spurs on deadline day and in the end he opted for Genoa.

After losing Dimitar Berbatov to Manchester United on deadline day Spurs were desperate to add to their striking options and Milito was seen as a perfect replacement for the Bulgarian. "I know I've made the right choice, this is my home and these are my people," said the 29-year old. "I was against a move to Tottenham. I beat my fist on the table in order to wear this shirt again."

I personally was looking forward to seeing Milito move to England but for Milito's own personal reasons it didn't happen. This is obviously bad news for Spurs fans, considering they couldn't tempt the player to pick Spurs over an average Serie A side (with all respect to Genoa) .Ah well, there is always January to try and re-ignite a move for Andrei Arshavin.

Liverpool have confirmed today that they rejected a £50 million bid for their Spanish striker Fernando Torres on transfer deadline day. The former Atletico Madrid man was subject of a massive bid from the world's newest richest club, Manchester City.

Torres, 24, has been linked with Chelsea also in recent months with rumours claiming that Roman Abramovich was also willing to bid £50 million for the Euro 2008 winner. With City's new owners now willing to bid millions for any player Mark Hughes wants who knows how much they will bid for Torres in January.

Obviously Rafa Benitez will do everything in his power to keep Fernando at Anfield but if City made a ridiculous offer of something like £100 million for the player come the opening of the window in January, how could he refuse. As a City fan myself I must admit I am a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing with the new Arab owners.

West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley has today resigned. The former Charlton boss has been at Upton Park for just under two years now since taking over at the club back in January 2007.

Curbishley is supposedly unhappy at the way the club handled transfer deadlings behind his back and has decided enough is enough and he has now gone. No wonder he was the bookies favourite to be the first Premier League manager to leave their post this season, I am not one bit surprised to see him go.

Manchester united have finally got their man as Dimitar Berbatov signed for Manchester United for a fee of 30.75 million pounds.

The Bulgarian international striker, 27, has signed a four-year contract after joining from Tottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee.

As part of the deal, United striker Fraizer Campbell will spend the rest of the 2008/09 season on loan at White Hart Lane.

Upon becoming a United player, Dimitar told the club website: "Joining Manchester United is a dream come true for me. I look forward to playing my part in helping this club win more honours in the years to come."

Sir Alex Ferguson was delighted to finally capture the elegant striker and admitted: "This is a key signing. Dimitar is one of the best and most exciting strikers in world football. "His style and ability will give the team a different dimension and I’m sure he will be a popular player with the fans."

Newcastle United have completed the signing of Spain under-21 striker Francisco "Xisco" Jimenez Tejada. The 22-year-old has penned a five-year deal at St.James' Park and joins from La Liga side Deportivo La Coruna.

Xisco, who will wear the No.19 shirt, joins former Depor team-mate Fabricio Coloccini on Tyneside after the Argentine became the most expensive defender in the club's history last month.

Mallorcan-born, the pacey frontman made his Deportivo debut at the end of the 2004/05 season and was loaned out to UC Vecindario in 06/07 where he netted 13 times from 27 outings for the Segunda Division outfit.

Manchester City have pipped Chelsea to the signature of Robinho from Real Madrid. The fee, believed to be a British record £32.5million, was lodged in a frenetic deadline day for the newly owned club. And his agent Wagner Ribeiro said: "It's confirmed. He has signed a four-year contract with Manchester City."

Danny Higgnbotham has rejoined Stoke from Sunderland on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. The 29-year-old returns to the Britannia Stadium after just one year with the Black Cats following a £3million move in the summer of 2007.



Everton have also made another late signing, bolstering their goalkeeping reserves with the signing of Carlo Nash from Wigan.

Make sure to stay tuned to Football corner for all the last minute transfer deals!

Tottenham target Diego Milito is understood to have wrapped up a move to Italian side Genoa from Real Zaragoza.

Meanwhile, Rangers striker Daniel Cousin who scored in the week-ends old firm derby, has sealed his move to Hull City from Rangers with three-year deal.



Stay tuned for transfer news as it happens on football corner

Manchester City's day of transfer madness looks set to continue with the club making bids for Valencia striker David Villa and Stuttgart frontman Mario Gomez. Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, who is heading up new owners new owners Abu Dhabi United Group, claims the pair are being targeted along with Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov.( The sun)

He said: “I am hopeful about Berbatov, but I need to speak to our colleagues in England to see what the latest is. “We have bids in for three players. There is Berbatov, but there is also David Villa and Mario Gomez. We have bids in for Villa and Gomez and I am waiting to hear whether we have been successful with those (offers)."

Villa was top scorer at Euro 2008, netting four goals in Spain’s triumphant campaign, while Gomez scored 22 goals in all competitions last season. Al-Fahim has also backed boss Mark Hughes to continue his role as manager, despite the club's change in ownership. And the group have promised to back him both today and in the next transfer window.

He added: “I don’t want to put a figure on what will be available, like £100million, because more than that might be needed. “We are happy with Hughes. We need to sit down with him and discuss his targets. He has our support and we will give him the authority to sign the players he wants to sign. “Funds are available, and transfers such as these show we are serious.”

I don't think there is anyway we will see David Villa in a City shirt. I will never write for this blog again if we do, and thats a promise! The lad is a top quality striker and belongs at the likes of Man United, Real Madrid or another big club. I would hate to see such a talent not getting to win trophies and play in European competitions.

As for Gomez, I think he is settled in Germany and doing well there so I don't see any reason for him to move to a team like Man City.

Make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner as we bring you all the news from every club on the last day of this very exciting transfer window!

Tottenham are tonight preparing a move for Wigan Athletic striker Emile Heskey to replace Manchester bound Dimitar Berbatov. The England international has been heavily linked with a move to White Hart Lane this summer as Spurs look to reshape their strike force with Roman Pavlyuchenko also arriving.

The former Liverpool front man is understood to be interested in a move to the North London club although they will have to hurry because the deadline is just under four hours away. Heskey, 30, has been at Wigan for just two seasons since joining from Birmingham back in 2006 but now he could be on the move again.

It would be a big shock to me to see Heskey at Spurs tomorrow. He has been a very good player for Wigan in recent years but I personally feel he is not Spurs material but Juande Ramos doesn't seem to agree with me. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest news coming through on this deadline day.

Liverpool have this evening completed the signings of Brazilian striker Vitor Flora and Spanish winger Albert Riera. Flora arrives at Anfield on a free transfer from Botafogo and Riera has completed his £8 million move from La Liga side Espanyol after weeks of speculation over his future.

Flora, 18, has an Italian passport and consequently didn't need a work permit to move to Liverpool. Meanwhile, Riera has finally completed his £8 million move from Espanyol after completing the formalities of his move today. The former Manchester City midfielder has been signed by Rafa Benitez in order to fix his left-side of midfield problems.

Although I have never seen Flora play, I have heard many good things about the young Brazilian. Obviously the Liverpool fans will be hoping he proves to be a superb signing by Benitez but only time will tell. On the Riera deal, I personally don't rate him but, who knows he may prove to be a decent buy by Benitez. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest news on this deadline day.

Both Andriy Voronin and Steve Finnan have left Liverpool today for Hertha Berlin and Espanyol respectively but still there is no sign of Reds target Albert Riera completing his move to the club. The Espanyol midfielder has been linked with a move to Anfield all summer and it is only now that Liverpool are getting their skates on to sign him.

Voronin, 29, only joined Liverpool last summer from German side Bayern Leverkusen but has struggled to nail down a first team place at the club. It is understood he has joined Hertha Berlin on an initial one-year loan deal, with a view to a permanent deal come the end of the season. Also Reds defender Steve Finnan has left Liverpool to join Spanish side Espanyol. Finnan, 32, has signed a two-year deal with the La Liga outfit after spending five years on Merseyside.

Meanwhile, Espanyol midfielder Albert Riera has yet to complete his move to Liverpool. The Spanish international is in Liverpool at the moment trying to finalise his £12 million move to the club but as yet there has been no official confirmation from the club. Interesting exits from Liverpool but I am sure not too many Liverpool fans will care about Voronin and Finnan leaving.

There has been an amazing development in the Dimitar Berbatov sage with Spanish giants Real Madrid apparently ready to table a £36 million bid for the Tottenham striker. The Bulgarian international has been linked with both Manchester City and Manchester United today but it would appear now they will face competition from Real.

Berbatov, 28, was quoted as saying a couple of weeks ago that it was his dream to join Sir Alex Ferguson's United. He is apparently in Manchester at the moment, talking with Ferguson and reports claim that he will talk to Mark Hughes as well this evening before the close of the transfer window tonight.

This has to be the most amazing transfer saga EVER. The facts at the moment are: Man City have had a £30 million bid accepted for Berbatov, the player is in Manchester and he has been talking with United. Surely Real couldn't complete a move for Berbatov with only seven hours left, could he? Stay tuned to Football Corner.

Manchester United have today sold Louis Saha to Everton for an undisclosed deal. The former Fulham striker has struggled in recent months with injury at Old Trafford and Sir Alex Ferguson has now decided to call time on the Frenchman's United career.

With Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney now the only two recognised strikers at the Premier League champions, could there be another striker on the way? Well there are fresh reports this afternoon that Ajax striker Jan Klass Huntelaar could be a possible acquisition for the Red Devils.

With United set to miss out on Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov after Manchester City agreed a fee for the Bulgarian, Ferguson is desperate to bring in a new frontman. A possible £22 million move for Huntelaar has been rumoured but as yet nothing has been agreed. Stay with Football Corner for all the latest breaking news.

Click here as one Man City fan puts news of their new dawn in lyrical terms. People are calling this one of the biggest days in Premier League history. A takeover and possible British transfer record all on the last day of the transfer window? What a day for this to happen! Stay with Football Corner for all the latest news.

Chelsea defender Paulo Ferreira is heading across London to West Ham United to complete the formalities of a move to the Hammers. The Portuguese international has struggled to nail down a first team place in the Chelsea first team since the arrival of fellow countryman Jose Bosingwa at Stamford Bridge this summer.

Ferreira, 29, was signed by former Blues boss Jose Mourinho four years ago for a fee of £13.2 million. West Ham boss Alan Curbishley is keen to add to his defensive options after seeing Anton Ferdinand leave Upton Park for Sunderland last week and Ferreira is believed to be high on his list of targets.

I personally believe Ferreira could prove to be a terrific signing for West Ham. I feel Ferreira is a terrific player and I think it is vital for him to play first team football in the Premier League week in week out. Make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner throughout this deadline day for the latest gossip and transfers.

Tottenham are certainly getting busy on deadline day. They have completed the signings of both Roman Pavlyuchenko and Vedran Corluka after weeks of speculation over the players' future. In total this has set back Spurs a massive £22 million, but it looks increasingly likely that the club will recuperate (and then some!) with the sale of one Dimitar Berbatov - but to which club exactly remains to be seen: Man United or rivals Man City?

Corluka was close to signing for the North London club earlier this summer when it was speculated that the Croatian international had already agreed terms and passed a medical. Now the 23-year old has put pen to paper over a six-year deal at White Hart Lane, after Man City accepted a £8.5 million bid for him.

But with Corluka in, this could, I repeat could, see Dimitar Berbatov heading in the other direction. Yes, the Bulgarian international is understood to be the subject of a bid in excess of £30 million from Mark Hughes' City. Berbatov has been linked with a move to City's rivals Man United all summer but know after the incredible take over of City by Arab investors, it is almost impossible to tell what side of Manchester he will ply his trade for the rest of the season.

It is understood that in the last hour or so, the 28-year old left his home near White Hart Lane for Stanstead Airport. More news on this story and more as deadline day unfolds here at Football Corner.

Tottenham have this morning completed the signing of Spartak Moscow striker Roman Pavlyuchenko after weeks of speculation over the player's future. The Russian international has signed a five-year deal at White Hart Lane after the two clubs agreed a £13.8 million fee for the player.

Pavlyuchenko, 26, flew into London on Friday to complete his move to Spurs and thankfullly for him and the club all went well with his medical. This move could now be the catalyst for Dimitar Berbatov's move to Manchester United, however Juande Ramos may want to bring in another striker before the deadline tonight.

Speaking about his move Pavlyuchenko said: "Everything has happened very quickly so I could not even say goodbye to my team-mates," he said. "I could not decide if I wanted to go to England at first - first yes, then no. "The only thing that stopped me from leaving was my family. But now all doubts are behind me and I decided to sign a contract with Tottenham."

The signing of Pavlyuchenko is a terrific one for Spurs. Ok, he's not Arshavin, who the majority of Spurs fans wanted but he is a terrific goalscorer who I am sure will be a massive hit in the Premier League. Make sure to stay tuned to Football Corner all day for all the latest gossip and transfers going through on deadline day.