Football Corner

Julien Faubert has today become the latest player to leave West Ham this month after he agreed to join Real Madrid on a 5-month loan deal. The French international has failed to make an impact at Upton Park after signing for the Hammers back in 2007 and the club have now decided to let him join Real on loan with a view to making the deal permanent.

It is understood that the Spanish giants have paid West Ham £1.5 million for the loan deal and they will have to pay an additional £4.5 million in the summer if they want to make it permanent. Faubert, 25, made just over 30 appearances for West Ham during his time at the club, which was marred by an achillies injury which he suffered just weeks after signing.

Not a bad bit of business by West Ham. They recieve nearly £2 million for a player that has done, lets be honest, nothing since arriving in the Premier League. I am sure all Hammers fans will be hoping that Gianfranco Zola goes out and buys another midfield player before the transfer window closes on Monday because they could really use another player in that department.

Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest transfer news over the coming days.

Wigan are set to be joined by Tottenham in the race to sign Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt. The Republic of Ireland international is likely to leave the Madjeski before the transfer window closes on Monday evening after it was revealed that any club who wanted to sign him only had to cough up £5 million.

Hunt is widely regarded as one of the best players currently playing in the Championship and both Steve Bruce and Harry Redknapp have been impressed with the 27-year old. It is understood that Hunt is keen to move back up to the Premier League after being relegated with Reading last season.

I have always been a massive fan of Hunt's and I think he would be a quality signing for either Wigan or Spurs. Wigan have let go of a few key players in recent weeks and I feel they will be desperate to bring Hunt to the JJB as soon as possible. On the other hand, Spurs could really use a left-sided midfielder right now and I think Hunt would be the perfect candidate to arrive at White Hart Lane.

Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest developments on this and much more in the coming days.

Tottenham are on the brink of selling £9 million summer signing Giovani Dos Santos to Portsmouth. The Mexico international has had failed to make an impact in North London since his summer move from La Liga giants Barcelona and now Spurs are ready to sell him for £7 million to Pompey.

The 19-year old was brought to White Hart Lane by former Spurs boss Juande Ramos and unfortunately for him, he has only made a handful of appearances under current Spurs boss Harry Redknapp. It was speculated earlier this month that Dos Santos may move back to Mexico, however Pompey boss Tony Adams looks set to welcome him to Fratton Park before the transfer window closes on Monday.

It is a real shame that it didn't work out for the lad at Spurs. When he signed for the club in the summer, I must admit, I was tipping him for big things in the Premier League, however that hasn't really happened. You never know, with first team football at Pompey virtually guaranteed, he may still prove his critics wrong in England. I for one hope he does.

Dos Santos costs just £4.5 million in this season's "You the Manager". Follow the link below to put him in your team.

Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin is on his way to London to discuss personal terms with Arsenal. The Russian international has been linked with a move to the Emirates ever since the transfer window opened on January 1st, however Arsenal's reluctance to cough up the £15 million needed to sign the player has seen the deal drag on for quite a while.

It was reported yesterday that Arsenal had already applied for Arshavin's work permit. That was accepted and now a move looks to be gathering pace. The 27-year old has always maintained he would love to leave Zenit and move to the Premier League and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger would be delighted to have him at the club.

"He's a guy who can go past people in the final third ... He can have the key, individually and collectively ... He is an experienced player, 27, a good age and we are a very young side. We will not have Fabregas in the next six to eight weeks, we will not have Walcott in the next five weeks, Rosicky in the next eight weeks."

Personally, I think this is great news for Arsenal fans. It it is clear that they are a little short in the midfield department and I feel Arshavin's arrival will go a long way to fixing that. I have always been a massive fan of Arshavin's and I must admit I am delighted to finally see him coming to England. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more in the coming days.

It has been rumoured this morning that Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe could be out for a lot longer than expected. The England international was ruled out for three weeks on Friday evening with a foot injury, however there are fears this morning that he may not play again this season.

Defoe, 26, recently re-joined Spurs for a fee of £15 million from Portsmouth and it hasn't taken him long to start banging in the goals. He has already scored three goals since his move on the 7th January and this news will obviously worry Harry Redknapp.

With Spurs currently sitting just 3 points off the bottom of the Premier League table, this news will be a massive blow for the club's chances of survival. I know that may sound a bit extreme, however I firmly believe Spurs are in a relegation battle. Should Defoe miss a large chunk of the season I think Redknapp will move quick to bring a new striker to White Hart Lane before the transfer window closes on Monday.

Just to let you all know I (Cathal Breathnach) will be featuring in this week's version of the Premier Talk Podcast. I must admit it is a big honor for me to be featured on the show and I would reccomend you tune into the show which is aired at 6:30pm on Sunday. That's 1:30 pm in America. So follow this link to go onto the site now and make sure you tune in on Sunday.

Tottenham have this evening made an enquiry to bring Liverpool striker Robbie Keane back to White Hart Lane. The Republic of Ireland international has fallen way down the pecking order at Anfield and Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez may be ready to cash in on Keane before the transfer window closes next Monday.

Harry Redknapp confirmed earlier this week that he would love to bring Keane back to North London after the player left last July. Keane, 28, signed for Liverpool for a fee of £20 million in the summer, however he has failed to impress during his time in Merseyside, scoring just 4 goals in the process.

Manchester City are also believed to be monitoring Keane's situation at Liverpool, however the player is understood to prefer a possible move to Spurs rather than Eastlands. Very interesting news indeed. It is clear for everyone to see that Keane is not wanted at Liverpool and I feel a move back to Spurs would be the right option for all parties involved. I would be surprised if Spurs have to pay anything more than £16 million to bring Keane back because lets be honest, he hasn't done much in the last six months or so.

Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more in the coming days.

Tottenham are preparing to make a shock £18 million bid for Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz. Spurs recently missed out on Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones and Harry Redknapp is desperate to add another frontman to his squad before the transfer window closes next Monday.

Santa Cruz, 27, has been strongly linked with a move away from Ewood Park this month after Manchester City boss Mark Hughes admitted he would love to sign the player. However, City have so far failed to reach an agreement with Rovers and now Spurs are ready to join the Blues in the race to sign the former Bayern Munich striker.

Sam Allardyce has always maintained his desire to keep Roque at Blackburn but the player has admitted in the past he would be interested in leaving the club, should a more ambitious club come in for him. Personally, I would be extremely surprised to see Santa Cruz arrive at White Hart Lane before the window closes.

He is a cracking player who would no doubt improve the Spurs attack but I think if he is to leave Blackburn during this window, it will be to Man City. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest developments on this and much more in the coming days.

Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier League title this season have taken a massive set-back after they were held to a 1-1 draw away at Wigan. Tonight's result was Liverpool's third draw in a row, which has seen them relinquish their lead at the top of the table to Manchester United.

Rafa Benitez' men took the lead at the JJB just minutes before the break when Yossi Benayoun finished brilliantly from a near impossible angle. The visitors were in control and it looked as though they would rejoin United at the top of the table, however with just seven minutes remaining, Wigan's new signing Mido slotted home a penalty after Jason Koumas was brought down by Lucas Leiva in the Reds box.

Just after the penalty was scored, Benitez made a rather strange substitution. He replaced club captain Steven Gerrard with Robbie Keane with no sign of any injury for the England midfielder. Disappointing result for Liverpool, considering all their main tital rivals won tonight and last night. They now face Chelsea at the weekend and it will be interesting to see how they pick themselves up from this.

Meanwhile, at Goodison Park, Arsenal snatched a point at the death. David Moyes' Everton led for quite a while after Tim Cahill put them in front on the hour mark, however it wasn't until stoppage time that the visitors grabbed the equaliser. A superb striker from Robin Van Persie ensured Arsene Wenger's men didn't leave Merseyside empty handed. I am not surprised by this result. Moyes has really got Everton firing this season and I feel they were unlucky not to take all three points on the night.

Elsewhere in the Premier League it finished : Blackburn 2-2 Bolton, Chelsea 2-0 Middlesbrough, Man City 2-1 Newcastle, West Ham 2-0 Hull City.

Manchester City are on the brink of signing Newcastle United keeper Shay Given after it was revealed that the player has been left out of Joe Kinnear's squad to face City this evening. The Republic of Ireland international has been strongly linked with a move to Eastlands ever since the January transfer window opened nearly four weeks ago and it would appear that City are now very close to signing Given.

It is thought that City will have to cough up at least £14 million to have any chance of landing the 32-year old, however as we have all seen, money isn't a problem for City nowadays. Earlier today Magpies boss Kinnear had this to say on the matter : "I have bent over backwards to keep him - I've tried to make him stay,"

"He wants a new challenge and he wants to speak to Manchester City." Given has spent nearly twelve years at St James' Park, becoming a legend amongst Newcastle fans. The former Celtic youth keeper has made over 450 appearances for Newcastle and there is no doubt he will be sadly missed on Tyneside.

As a City fan myself, I must admit I would be over the moon to see Given come to the club. He is without doubt one of the best Premier League keepers of all-time and I think he would be a cracking signing for Mark Hughes. Should Given join City, it will surely see Newcastle enter the market for a new keeper because, with all due respect, Steve Harper isn't great.

The second edition of the Football Corner Interviews sees EPL Talk's Johnathan Starling answering the questions. This is the second part of the Football Corner's new series and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Johnathan for taking the time out to give his answers and once you have finished reading this, I would recommend you take the time out to look at EPL Talk.

Q : Well Johnathan, you have been a member of the EPL Talk team for a number of years now. Are there any major highlights that stand out in your mind during your time writing on the site?

A : Actually it wouldn't be a particular blog I wrote, but instead a few highlights when doing other things for the site. The first would have to be during the 2007 FA Cup Final while in the EPL Talk Chat. During the match days, I would open up a microphone and for reasons I never really understood, people would get a kick out of me just going mental when I saw the team I support (Chelsea) play. Well when Chelsea scored in injury time to beat Manchester United, I just lost it. Someone made a video of the day and I'm thankful it's never made it onto youtube.

The other moment would have to be the interview I just did with Martin Tyler for the EPL Talk Podcast. To just have the opportunity to speak with such a broadcasting legend is something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Q : Are there any football sites out there at the moment which you really admire? If so what are they and why?

A : The two I like going to are www.soccerbase.com and www.soccerway.com. I enjoy Soccer Base because it's just a data base on all things football. Just going to get information on particular games or players is a great bonus to me. I like Soccer Way because at any time, you can find out scores from the vast amount of leagues they follow.

Q : Do you remember your first ever post for EPL Talk? If so what was it about?

A : Strangely I do. It was right after Petr Cech suffered his horrific skull injury and I wrote about not putting the blame on Stephen Hunt because when two players are going after the same target, those things are bound to happen.

Q : What should it be called? Soccer or football?

A : I call it football. It's always an arguement in my house when I say football that everyone else will go in unison 'SOCCER!'

Q : Apart from Cristiano Ronaldo, who do you think is the best player in thePremier League?

A : That's a tough question. A few stick out in my mind. Cesc Fabregas for the way he controls a midfield. I also think Gabriel Agbonlahor and Steven Gerrard can be put in that argument.

Q : Do you have a favourite Premier League game of all time? If so what is it?

A : As much as it pains me to say this, last season's 4-4 Tottenham/Chelsea game would have to go down as one of my favourite games.

Q : Do you have a favourite Premier League goal of all time? If so what is it?

A : I don't have a particular goal that stands out as my favourite goal.

Q : Who do you think will win the Premier League this season?

A : I think this title is Manchester United's to lose. While they started slowly, they know when it's time to find that second gear and make the other clubs sweat around them.

Q : Should goal-line technology be brought into the game?

A : Only if it can be brought into all levels of the game. I would love to see it, but I don't think we'll see it anytime in the distant future.

Q : The white Premier League ball or the yellow one?

A : Give me the yellow ball.

Thanks again Johnathan and best of luck in the future.

If you are interested in featuring on Football Corner Interviews, please e-mail football.corner@gmail.com

If you want to read to first every Football Corner Interview with Premiership Talk's Brian Lofrumento, just click here.

Boy weren't Manchester United impressive last night? Sir Alex Ferguson's men simply destroyed West Brom at the Hawthorns last night, beating the Premier League's bottom side 5-0 to move three points clear at the top of the table.

Despite a relatively slow start to the season, United have gone on a magnificent run since their 2-1 away defeat to Arsenal. Since November 8th, United haven't conceded a single league goal which has played a major role in the side's climb to the top of the table.

Edwin Van Der Sar deserves a lot of credit. Many have been quick to criticise to Dutch keeper in the past, however he has certainly proved his critics wrong this campaign. United have conceeded just 10 goals in 22 league games this season and along with Van Der Sar, I feel Nemanja Vidic also deserves a great deal of credit for that.

The big Serb has been outstanding this season and if United are to claim their 11th Premier League title this season, they need to keep him fit. In midfield, you have the likes of Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick, who have been in tremendous form of late and who could forget about Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese winger has had a very very quiet season so far, but despite that he has still managed 10 league goals, which is a brilliant return for any midfield player. I will be completley honest here and say that I have been impressed with Dimitar Berbatov over the past few months.

During the first few weeks of his time at Old Trafford, I must admit I was quick to cristice to former Tottenham man, however he has shown his quality over the past few months and I think he desrves a lot of praise. With United only really hitting fourth gear right now, my question to you is, can anyone stop them from claiming yet another Premier League crown? Personally, I think not, but I would love to hear what you have to say. Leave your comments below.

Tottenham have today missed out on Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones after the player agreed a new long-term deal at the Stadium of Light. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was desperate to bring the Trinidad & Tobago international to White Hart Lane before the transfer window shuts next Monday, however he has wasted little time in switching his attentions to Lyon striker Fred.

The Brazilian international has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League over the past 18 months or so but for whatever reason he remains a Lyon player. The 25-year old has fallen out of favour with the French giants and is apparently keen to leave the club before transfer deadline day next week.

It is thought that Spurs will have to bid just £5 million to secure Fred's services due to the player's contract expiring in the summer. Personally, I think Fred would be a great signing for Spurs. He wouldn't cost that much and for me, would add a lot to a side which is currently struggling in the wrong half of the Premier League table. Stay tuned to Football Corner for the latest developments on this and much more in the coming days.

What do you think? Do Spurs really need another striker? Leave your comments below.

It's been, without doubt, the most annoying transfer saga this January. Arsenal's pursuit of Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin. The Russian club have so far rejected Arsenal's first bid of £12 million for the player, however it Zenit have still to accept or reject Arsenal's improved bid of £15 million for Arshavin and I don't know about you, but I am finding the whole situation a bit annoying.

It happened in the summer as well. Arsenal's North London rivals Tottenham were interested in the player for a long time and when they finally started making bids for the player, Zenit kept asking for more nd more until Spurs eventually cooled their interest. It is clear for everyone to see that Arshavin wants to leave Zenit and I think the club should do the sensible thing and accept the Gunners bid for the player.

Arshavin is now 27-years old and I feel it is time for him to move to a major league like the Premier League. There is no doubt Arsene Wenger could really use a midfielder right now, with Cesc Fabregas currently out injured, and I am sure he is getting quite annoyed at the situation. There are now only seven days left in the transfer window and if Arsenal fail to land Arshavin, it leaves them little time to find another player of that quality.

So what I want to know from all Arsenal fans is, should Wenger forget about trying to sign Arshavin or should he continue to pursue the Russian international? Leave your comments below.

Manchester City striker Robinho returned to training today after spending last week in Brazil dealing with a "family matter". The Brazilian international left City's training camp in Tenerife last Tuesday after it was revealed that his international team-mate, Kaka would not be joining the club after AC Milan ended negotiations about a possible £107 million move.

It was claimed at the time that Robinho flew home because he was furious that the deal to bring Kaka to Eastlands had collapsed, however he later said he only flew home to solve some family issues (well really just to celebrate his 25th birthday on Saturday).

The former Real Madrid man claimed that he had permission from City to fly home, however City boss Mark Hughes later admitted that this was not the case and that the club would deal with it when Robinho got back to England.

Well he's back now, so what do you think should happen. Should City fine the player a few weeks wages (not that it would mean much to Robinho) and risk upsetting their star man or should they just leave it be. Personally, I think City should have the balls to fine him something like two weeks wages but in the end I think they will just warn him not to do it again. Have you say by leaving your comments below.

Harry Redknapp has now brought both Jermain Defoe and Pascal Chimbonda back to White Hart Lane but he may not be finished there. He has today admitted he would love to sign Liverpool striker Robbie Keane, who left the North London club last summer for a fee of £20 million.

The Republic of Ireland international has failed to impress at Anfield since his summer move and it has been widely speculated in recent days and weeks that he could be heading for the exit door just six months after arriving.

Manchester City have been linked with the player, however it is thought that Keane, 28, would prefer a move back to Spurs and it would appear Redknapp would love him back. Redknapp had this to say on the matter : "I wouldn't sit here and say I wouldn't like to have Robbie Keane at my football club, I'd be a liar, but he belongs to Liverpool so it is not an option unfortunately,"

"As a player and a person I have a lot of time for Robbie Keane. I think he's fantastic." I have always been a big fan of Keane's and I really feel sorry for the guy. It would appear to me and I am sure most people that he is trying a bit too hard at Liverpool to impress Rafa Benitez and I think maybe he might have to accept that it's just not working out. Would you Spurs fans welcome him back to the Lane? Liverpool fans, should you give Keane a longer chance to show what he's got? Leave your comments below.

The end is near for Robbie Keane's future at Liverpool after he was completley left out of the Reds squad for the FA Cup clash with Everton today. When asked why Keane was not selected in the Liverpool squad today, Rafa Benitez claimed he had 19 players fit and had to drop one and that was Keane.
Benitez was then asked whether or not he thought the Republic of Ireland international had a future at the club to which he replied "I think so".

Keane, 28, has made 25 appearances for the Merseyside club since his £20 million move from Tottenham in the summer, most of which have come as a substitute. He has scored just 7 goals during this time and has most definitely fallen out of favour at Anfield.

With the transfer window open for another week or so, I would not be one bit surprised to see Keane heading for the exit door before the deadline on February 2nd. His former club Tottenham have been linked with a possible £15 million move, however I think it will be the world's richest club Manchester City who could make a move for him in the coming days.

Despite his poor form since joining Liverpool, I still feel Keane is a quality player who would certainly be a great signing for a side like City. There is no doubt Keane needs to be playing first team football and I think a move to City would suit all parties. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest developments on this and much more in the coming days.

Here is the draw for the 5th round of the FA Cup :

Sheffield United V Hull City
Watford V Chelsea
West Ham V Middlesbrough
Sunderland / Blackburn V Coventry City
Debry / Nottingham Forrest V Manchester United
Swansea City V Fulham
Liverpool / Everton V Doncaster / Aston Villa
Cardiff City V West Brom / Burnley

The matches will take place on the weekend of the 14th February.

Not many exciting ties there but I suppose the possibility of Derby County facing Manchester United again in a cup competition after the sides met in the Carling Cup last week is quite intriguing.

Arsenal are preparing to make a £7 million bid for Manchester City defender Micah Richards. The England international has struggled for form this season and has lost his place in Fabio Capello's squad but now Arsene Wenger is ready to offer him the chance to move to the Emirates.

Before this season, Richards had become one of the most promising young defenders in the Premier League, however a poor run of form this campaign has left City boss Mark Hughes on the look out for a new centre-back. The 20-year old still has four years left on his contract at Eastlands but City may be about to offload him for just £7 million before the transfer window slams shut on February 2nd.

Arsenal are keen to bring two new players to the club before the window closes, with Andrei Arshavin and Richards believed to be very high on their wish-list. I have been extremely dissappointed with Richards this season. Since making his City debut back in 2005, I have always thought that he had the ability to become one of the best defenders in Europe.

Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out that way and maybe a move to a club like Arsenal could be the thing to kick-start his career. He is still only a baby and I feel he still has the potential to become a top top player. For all the latest developments on this and much more in the coming days, stay tuned to Football Corner.

Tottenham have today confirmed they have made an approach for Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones. The Trinidad & Tobago international has been heavily linked with a move to White Hart Lane in recent weeks with Spurs understood to be willing to pay as much as £6 million plus Darren Bent for the striker.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is desperate to bring in one or two more faces before the transfer window closes on February 2nd and Jones is believed to be high on his wish-list. Jones, 24, moved to the Stamdium of Light back in 2007 after spending nearly three years at Southampton, where he worked with Redknapp for some time.

When asked about the possibility of Jones arriving in North London this month, Redknapp had this to say : "We have made an enquiry for Jones ... I have no idea how far the chairman has got with it or even whether Sunderland want to do a deal."

Personally, I think Jones would be a magnificent signing for Spurs. He doesn't score too many goals however he makes a hell of a lot of assists and I feel he would prove a valuable asset for Spurs. It will be interesting to see if Ricky Sbragia can keep Jones at the club in the coming days but no matter what happens, you will find out here on Football Corner.

That's the opinion of our readers anyway. Over the last week or so, Football Corner has been asking it's readers where they thought Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez would be next season. The result was, still at Old Trafford, although it was very close between the Premier League Champions and Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The Argentine striker's future at United has been in doubt in recent weeks after the 25-year old admitted himself he would love to play for Madrid next season. United know they need to cough up £32 million to make Tevez' loan move to the club permanent but despite this you (the readers) still think he will be at the club next season.

Here is the full result of the poll :

Manchester United - 29 votes (30%)
Real Madrid - 28 votes (29%)
Other - 15 votes (15%)
Manchester City - 14 votes (14%)
Barcelona - 9 votes (9%)

Total Votes : 95

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who voted in the poll and I would encourage everyone to vote in our lastest poll which can be found on the far right sidebar. The poll asks : Who will win the Carling Cup? Get voting now.

Aston Villa look to have won the race to sign Emile Heskey this afternoon after agreeing a fee with his club Wigan Athletic. The England striker was expected to see out the remainder of his contract which is set to expire in the summer, however Villa boss Martin O'Neill is desperate to bring a new striker to Villa Park before the end of this transfer window.

Heskey, 31, admitted last year that he wasn't interested in signing a new deal at the JJB which alerted the likes of Liverpool and Aston Villa. Since joining Wigan back in 2006, Heskey has made over 85 appearances for the club, scoring just 15 goals in the process.

It is thought that Villa have agreed a fee of around £4 million for the former Birmingham City man and in my view that may turn out to be money well spent. If Villa are to sustain their challenge for a Champions League place this season, I feel it is crucial they bring a new frontman to the club. Heskey is just what they need. A powerful striker who is very good in the air and I think he will be a great partner for Gabriel Agbonlahor in the Villa attack.

The "You the Manager Cup" starts this Saturday with £10,000 going to the winner with a further £10,000 distributed between the losing finalist, semi-finalists and quarter-finalists. The deadline to enter your teams in 12:00 on Saturday morning and the cost to enter your team is just £5.

The "You the Manager" fantasy football game run by the Daily Mirror gives you the chance to win some magnificent weekly and monthly prizes as well as the chance to win a massive 1st prize of £100,000.

I strongly recommend you enter teams right now to give your self a chance of winning the "You the Manager Cup" and pick up a cheque of £10,000. For further information about the cup just follow the link below.

Here are some players who I think you should take a look at before entering your team :

• Brad Friedel (Aston Villa) - £3.5 million
• Jamie Carragher (Liverpool) - £6 million
• Marouane Fellaini (Everton) - £3 million
• Jermain Defoe (Tottenham) - £6.5 million

Arsenal and Tottenham have today been given hope in their attempts to sign Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar after the player admitted he expects to leave the club in the summer. Several big name players have already left Fratton Park in recent weeks and now Kranjcar has admitted he could also be leaving.

The Croatian international has recently opened talks over a new deal at Pompey, however he does now expect to be on his way out once the season ends. The 24-year old has spent two-and-a-half years on the South Coast, making nearly 100 appearances in the process. When asked about his future at the club, Kranjcar had this to say : "I am waiting [for a move] there is no rush,"

"Until the end of the season I will be with Portsmouth ... After that the club will make a decision on what is best, and they will probably sell me - even though we have started negotiations over a new deal."

Tottenham are going to Wembley after beating Burnley 6-4 on aggregate in their Carling Cup semi-final against Championship side Burnley. Harry Redknapp's men grabbed two late goals to book their place in the final with Manchester United on March 1st.

Goals from Roman Pavlyuchenko and Jermain Defoe late on was enough to ensure Tottenham's passage into the final. Burnley had gone 3-0 ahead with goals from Robbie Blake, Chris McCann and Jay Rodriguez forced the match into extra-time but Owen Coyle's men eventually gave in.

How unlucky for Burnley. Let's be honest Spurs didn't deserve to go through. They were awful tonight apart from the last five minutes or so. I am sure Burnley fans will be gutted, however they can be proud that their side took one of the Premier League's biggest clubs right to the wire. I just hope this can help boost Burnley's push for promotion this season because judging by tonight's performance they could really do a job in the top flight.

Tottenham are looking to bring Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini to White Hart Lane to replace Cesar Sanchez who is set to join Spanish side Valencia. Cesar made just one appearance for the North London club since joining from Real Zaragoza in the summer due to the impressive form (haha) of Heurelho Gomes in the Spurs goal.

Harry Redknapp is ready to replace Cesar with Chelsea veteran Cudicini. The Italian keeper has struggled for first team football at Stamford Bridge since the arrival of Petr Cech back in 2004. It is thought Spurs could get their man for as little as £1 million, which in my eyes would be a great bit of business.

I am surprised Cudicini is still at Chelsea. He is now 35-years old and personally I think he should have left a long time ago in order to get first team football somewhere else. Although I feel Cudicini may originally be signed as a back-up to Gomes, I think, given time, he can become the number one at Spurs. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest developments on this and much more in the coming days.

Inter Milan defender Marco Materazzi could be on his way to Tottenham before the end of this transfer window. The Italian defender has been linked with several Premier League clubs since the transfer window opened on January 1st, however Spurs have now made their move to bring the player to White Hart Lane.

Materazzi, 35, is a former World Cup winner with Italy who, as we all know, was the man who was famously head-butted by French legend Zinedine Zidane (left) in the final back in 2006. Materazzi has been spent nearly eight years at the San Siro since his move from Perugia back in 2001, however it is understood that the player may be interested in a move away from the Serie A club.

His agent, Claudio Vigorelli had this to say about a possible move to Spurs : "There is interest in England and I can say that Tottenham in recent days have expressed a real interest in Marco ... We are at a very early stage, they are talking with Inter and presenting something to the player - then it is up to the club and Marco to decide whether to accept or not."

Spurs could defintley use some more defenders and I think they could do a lot worse than Materazzi. He is knocking on a bit now, however maybe a short-term loan deal could suit the North London club. Whatever does happen be sure to find it here on Football Corner over the busy days ahead.

Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin is threatening to buy out his contract at the Russian club after weeks of uncertainty over his future. The 27-year old has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in recent weeks, with Arsenal understood to be in talks with the club, however no fee has been agreed due to Zenit's hefty demands for the player.

It was confirmed several weeks ago that Arsenal had entered negotiations with Zenit about the possibility of taking Arshavin to the Emirates, with Arsene Wenger admitting he is a player he would love to sign. It is understood that Arsenal made a bid of £12 million for the player which was rejected and now Arshavin's agent, Dennis Lachter has had this to say : "Unfortunately in this matter there is no movement,"

"The sticking point is, of course, money and rather the totally unacceptable amount of Zenit's demands for Andrei ... The position of the club remains unchanged and that is the reality that we have faced for a long time ... If the situation remains unchanged we will use Article 17 of the Fifa rules and buy out the contract of Andrei at the club, which could happen as early as November this year."

Lachter added : "If Andrei becomes a free agent, he will get many proposals, from England, Italy and Spain." The sooner Arshavin comes to the Premier League, the better. There is no doubt Arsenal could really use him at the moment and I am sure Wenger is desperate to bring him to the club before the transfer window closes on February 2nd. I think Zenit are being a tad bit greedy in this situation and I hope they accept that they can no longer hold onto the player and finally let him go in the coming days.

Tottenham are this evening on the brink of signing Wigan Athletic midfielder Wilson Palacios after weeks of speculation over the player's future. Spurs agreed a fee for Palacios at the weekend, although it was feared at first that Manchester City could hijack the deal, however the player has spent today in North London discussing personal terms and having a medical.

The Honduran international is likely to complete his £14 million move to White Hart Lane early tomorrow morning. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp admitted on Sunday that he thought Palacios, 24, was a smashing player and that he would love to have him at White Hart Lane. I would have to agree with Redknapp on this one.

Palacios is just the kind of player who Spurs need at the moment. He is a tough tackling holding midfielder he will add much needed steel to a less than impressive Spurs midfield. He is still very young and I feel, in time, will prove tremendous value for money. I would be surprised if Palacios was the last face we see arrive at Spurs this month so make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest transfer news over the coming weeks.

Liverpool's hopes of winning the Premier League title this season have taken a massive set-back this evening. Rafa Benitez' men could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to arch rivals Everton this evening leaving questions marks as to whether or not Liverpool will be the ones lifting the trophy come the end of May.

Personally, I think not.

Liverpool's home form this season has been poor to say the least. They have drawn five games at home this season to the likes of Stoke City, West Ham and Hull City and for me, you can't do that and still expect to win the title.

Many have claimed that Benitez' recent outburst over the FA's treatment of Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was the wrong thing for the Spaniard to do. Since then, Liverpool have played two league games, drawing both of them which has in turn seen them relinquish the lead over United at the top of the table.

Another major issue at Anfield at the moment is the manager's contract situation. Benitez recently rejected a new deal at the club, which can't be good for team morale. I am sure all Liverpool fans will be hoping that the club's American owners move quickly to re-negotiate a deal to keep Benitez at the club for a long time to come. Unfortunately, I don't think that alone would be enough to win Liverpool the title. Ah well, there's always next season.

It has been confirmed tonight by the owner of AC Milan that Kaka will remain at the club despite a £107 million bid being made by Manchester City. The Brazilian playmaker has been the centre of intense speculation in recent days after it was revealed that the world's richest club, Man City were prepared to break the bank in order to sign the player, however the move is now dead.

The 26-year old admitted last week that he wanted to grow old at Milan and even had aspirations to become the club captain one day. City had hoped an offer of £500,000 a-week would be enough to convince the player to move to Eastlands but it would appear money isn't everything in football.

After a day of negotiating in Milan between City officials, Milan officials and Kaka's representatives the news finally broke at about 10 o'clock this evening. Silvio Berlusconi, the club's owner and indeed the Italian prime minister had this to say about the matter : "Kaka is staying with Milan ... For Kaka, money isn't everything.''

This news will obviously come as a massive blow to Mark Hughes' transfer plans but you know what they say, there's plenty more fish in the sea and that is definitely true in City's case. It is now thought that City will focus their efforts on signing Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin. The Russian international has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal in recent weeks, however it was reported earlier today that City had entered the race.

Arshavin, 27, would be interested in a move to the Premier League, with City understood to be his preferred destination. Personally, I am dissappointed that Kaka won't be coming to England after all. In truth, £107 million was just crazy and I think City would be better off spending £17 million of that on Arshavin and then start pursuing other targets around Europe. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more in the coming weeks.

Tottenham have this afternoon missed out on West Ham striker Craig Bellamy after it was revealed that the player has agreed personal terms with Manchester City. The Welsh international has been strongly linked with a move to White Hart Lane in recent weeks, however City have today agreed a £14 million deal for the player.

Bellamy, 29, admitted last week that he would like the opportunity to talk to Tottenham but West Ham denied him permission. That led to his exclusion from the Hammers squad for Sunday's 3-1 victory at home to Fulham and late last night it was announced that City had reached an agreement with West Ham.

City boss Mark Hughes was desperate to bring Bellamy to Eastlands after working with him at both Blackburn and Wales in the past. As a City fan myself, I must admit I am not overly happy with Bellamy arriving at the club. It has been proved in the past that when things don't go Bellamy's own way he is quick to throw his toys out of the pram and I don't think he is what City need right now. The whole situation is quite amusing really. One day it's Kaka, the next it's Bellamy.

Tottenham defender Ledley King is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The Spurs captain was taken off just before half-time in the side's 1-1 draw at home to Portsmouth this afternoon with a torn hamstring.

The England international has been plagued with injury over the past 18 months or so and this news will no doubt come as a blow to Spurs boss Harry Redknapp. Speaking after the game, Redknapp had this to say about the injury : "Ledley King has a torn hamstring and is going to be out long term."

What a shame. The Spurs centre-half has been one of few shining lights this season for the North London club. There is no two ways about it, Spurs are in a relegation battle and losing one of their best players in King could have a major impact on their season. I am sure I speak on the behalf of the majority of Spurs fans, get well soon Ledley.

Manchester United are preparing to make a move for Wigan Athletic midfielder Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian international has been strongly linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid in recent weeks, however United are now ready to make a £15 million bid for the player.

Valencia, 23, has been, without doubt, one of Wigan's top performers this season and has now caught the attention of Sir Alex Ferguson. The Premier League Champions are keen to strengthen their midfield during this transfer window and Valencia is now seen as an ideal candidate to arrive at Old Trafford in the coming weeks.

With Wigan currently sitting nicely in 7th in the Premier League, should Valencia leave, it will no doubt have a negative affect on the Latics position in the league. Personally, I think Valencia would be a decent signing for United. I have been impressed at how well Valencia has adapted to the pace of English football since his arrival at Wigan back in 2006 and I feel should he join the Red Devils he could prove value for money.

If he's good enough for United then he is probably good enough for you. If he is then I recommend you sign him for your "You the Manager" team. He costs just £4 million and in my eyes, that is a real bargain. So follow the link below to enter your team to be in with a chance of winning some cracking prizes.

Arsenal are set to sign Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin in a £17 million deal in the next few days. The Russian international has been linked with a move to the Emirates for some time after it was reported that Arsenal had opened talks with Zenit about the possibility of bringing Arshavin to the Premier League.

The 27-year old has admitted in recent weeks that he would love to move to England during this transfer window and his agent Dannis Lachter has today confirmed that he expects his client will become an Arsenal player sometime this week.

Lachter had this to say : "The deal should go through this week ... Andrei wants to go, Arsenal want him and Zenit accept they have to sell ... It's just a matter of sorting out the sums but the indication is it'll happen soon, perhaps within days."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is desperate to add to his squad this month and Arshavin is his number-one target. Personally, I think this is a cracking signing for the Gunners. I have always been a huge fan of Arshavin's and I feel he will prove value for money, should Arsenal get him for the reported £17 million. Be sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest developments on this and much more in the coming weeks.

Craig Bellamy has today been dropped by West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola for the Hammers Premier League encounter with Fulham this afternoon. Both Tottenham and Manchester City have had several bids turned down for the Welsh striker in recent weeks which has led to Bellamy asking for permission to speak to both clubs.

The 29-year old is keen to leave Upton Park this month after is was revealed that the club would listen to offers for all their players this month. West Ham are in massive financial trouble and it is fullly expected that Bellamy will now leave the club before the transfer window slams shut on February 2nd.

Not one bit surprised to see this happening. It is clear for all to see that Bellamy is desperate to join either Spurs or City and it would of been wrong if Gianfranco Zola had of started him this afternoon. This news should lead to both Harry Redknapp and Mark Hughes making new bids in the coming days and should that happen you will find it here on Football Corner.

Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho is interested in bringing Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo to the San Siro. The FIFA World Player of the Year for 2008 has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford for years, with Spanish giants Real Madrid desperate to bring him to La Liga, however Inter are now ready to challenge Real for the Portuguese winger.

Ronaldo, 23, has always maintained he is happy at United although he has never hid his desire to one day join Real Madrid. It has been claimed that Mourinho met with Ronaldo when the former Chelsea boss flew into England last week to watch United's 3-0 victory over Mourinho's former club.

I would be extremley surprised to see Ronaldo join Inter. Personally, I think Ronaldo would only leave United if Real made a move for him (even though with Manchester City in the market, who knows what might happen). With United set to face Inter in the knock-out stages of the Champions League next month, this will no doubt add even more spice to the tie.

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Barcelona have become the latest club to be linked with Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez. The Argentine striker is expected to leave the Premier League Champions at the end of the season with United reluctant to cough up the £32 million needed to make his move to Old Trafford permanent.

Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal have all been linked with moves for the former Boca Juniors man, however Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola is now ready to enter the race. Tevez, 24, is currently on a two-year loan deal at United which is set to expire at the end of this season.

I personally would be surprised to see Tevez still at Old Trafford next season. There is no doubting his ability, however I don't think Sir Alex Ferguson is too keen to spend such a large amount on a player who sits on the bench most weekends. Tevez himself admitted he would be interested in a move to Real Madrid so I think Barca will find it difficult to bring him to the Camp Nou.

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has today been ruled out for the rest of the season. The England international ruptured knee ligaments during the side's 4-1 vicotry against Southend United on Wednesday night.

More to follow ....

Manchester City are ready to join Tottenham and Manchester United in the race to sign Wigan Athletic midfielder Wilson Palacios. It was reported yesterday that the Honduras international was on the brink of joining Tottenham, however both City and United are preparing to hijack the deal.

Wigan boss Steve Bruce admitted yesterday that it would be very hard to hold onto the 23-year old. It is understood that Spurs have had a £14 million bid accepted for Palacios but Mark Hughes and Sir Alex Ferguson are both ready to match Wigan's valuation of the player, which will leave Palacios with a huge decision to make.

For me, Palacios has been different class this season. I totally agree with what Steve Bruce said yesterday. Bruce claimed that Palacios will be worth much more than £14 million in years to come and I feel whoever does eventually sign him will be getting great value for money. Personally, it wouldn't surprise me to see Palacios arrive at White Hart Lane in the coming days but no matter where he ends up, be sure to find out here on Football Corner.

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With AC Milan playmaker Kaka on the brink of joining Premier League side Manchester City for a world record fee of £107 million, many of the games big names have been having their say on the issue. The recurring message coming from everyone is that City can now sign anyone they want now with all their money, however Juventus president Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has today stated he wouldn't accept £100 million for Juve striker Alessandro Del Piero.

Manchester City's new Arab owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayhed Al Nayhan is desperate to make the City the biggest club in the world and he has promised to invest heavily in the squad in the coming years. Since buying the club, City have signed just two players. Robinho for a British record £32.5 million from Real Madrid and Wayne Bridge for a fee of around £11 million from fellow Premier League side Chelsea.

Speaking about Kaka's proposed move to Eastlands, Gigli had this to say about Del Piero : "No, we would not sell him, not even for £100m. These figures, especially at this moment when the world and football should be reconsidering its finances, are just illogical." It is all well and good hearing Gigli say this, however I feel if City were offer that much (which they won't) for Del Piero, 34, he may be thinking differently.

Many people have questioned Milan for cashing in on one of their most prized assets, however I think it is harsh to criticse AC or even Kaka. You can't just say, Oh I wouldn't take the money, no way. How on earth could a club/player turn down such massive sums of money? The simple answer is, they can't. I would like to see how people like Gigli would actually react if they did recieve an offer of £100 million plus for one of their players.

Tottenham have today set their sights on Inter Milan striker Hernan Crespo after it was revealed that West Ham striker Craig Bellamy has been denied the chance to speak to the North London club.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was keen to bring Bellamy to White Hart Lane this month, however the chances of the Welshman arriving at the club appear unlikely. Bellamy was refused permission to speak to Spurs which puts any potential move in serious doubt. So who will Redknapp move for now?

Well Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has today confirmed that Spurs have enquired about Argentine striker Hernan Crespo. The former Chelsea front man has struggled for first team football at the San Siro since arriving at the Serie A giants back in 2006.

Spurs could really do with a prolific goal scorer right now and I feel signing Crespo on a short-term loan deal may be the answer. I would hope Spurs don't sign him on a permanent basis because I think at 33, Crespo only has a year or two of playing left in him and signing him on a loan deal seems the more sensible option. Make sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more in the coming weeks.

Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant has today moved nearer the exit door at Anfield after the Merseyside club confirmed they have accepted a bid from Portsmouth for him. The former England under-21 international has been strongly linked with a move away from Liverpool in recent weeks and it now appears as though his future could lie on the South Coast.

Pompey boss Tony Adams is keen to bring some new faces to Fratton Park in the coming weeks after letting go of both Jermain Defoe and Lassana Diarra in the last few weeks. Pennant, 26, is understood to be open to the move to Pompey and a deal could be finalised early next week.

Meanwhile, one player who may not be leaving Liverpool after all is Daniel Agger. The Danish international's proposed move to Italian giants AC Milan has today fallen through after the player rejected personal terms at the San Siro. The 24-year flew to Italy for talks with the Serie A club, however the two parties couldn't agree terms and the move now looks dead.

Personally, I wouldn't be too upset if I were a Liverpool fan. Pennant has made just four Premier League appearances this season so his departure won't cause too many problems and in Agger's case, I personally feel he can still play a major role in Liverpool's title challenge this season. Make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner over the coming weeks for all the latest on this and much more.

Manchester United are to battle it out with Tottenham for Wigan Athletic midfielder Wilson Palacios. Spurs had a £10 million bid rejected for the 23-year old on Wednesday evening, however Harry Redknapp is likely to come back with an improved offer in the coming days, however he is now likely to face competition from United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Both United and Spurs are keen to bolster their midfield options during this month's transfer window and Palacios is now understood to be high on both club's wish-lists. The Honduras international has played a major role in the Latics great start to the season which sees them sitting in 7th in the Premier League and it would not doubt come as a massive blow to Steve Bruce should he leave.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said yesterday evening that £10 million was not enough for a player like Palacios and that anyone wanting to sign him would have to pay a lot more. Both United and Spurs are ready make bids thought to be around £14 million, a fee that may be enough to land the former Birmingham City man. Personally, I think Palacios would be a terrific signing for either Spurs or United. He is a superb midfield player who certainly isn't afraid of a challenge.

Manchester City are this evening closing on the signing of AC Milan playmaker Kaka. The Brazilian international has been strongly linked with a move to Eastlands in recent days after it was revealed that City representatives had flown to Milan on Tuesday for talks with the Italian giants about a possible £107 million deal.

City boss Mark Hughes confirmed this afternoon that the club were keen to bring Kaka to the club and that talks were ongoing about a possible move. Despite Kaka, 26, claiming yesterday that he wanted to grow old at the San Siro and one day become the captain at the club it has now been revealed that the player has been cleared to talk to the Premier League club.

Kaka's spokesman Diogo Kotschko had this to say : "Milan has authorized the negotiation with City .... The next step is Kaka's father will talk to Manchester City." It is been rumoured that Kaka could receive as much as £500,000 a week at City and I don't care who you are, you just can't turn that kind of money down.

I have been surprised at how quick this has moved. Personally, I was expecting this move to draw on for a while, however that definitely hasn't been the case. To say I would be happy to see Kaka arrive at City in the coming days is a massive understatement (being a City fan myself). There is no doubt that Kaka is one of the greatest players on the planet and his possible arrival at City would certainly send a message to the rest of the footballing world that City mean business.

Tottenham have today received two set-back's on the transfer front. It appears as though their chances of landing Inter Milan striker Adriano on a six-month loan deal have all but ended after the Italian giants confirmed they weren't willing to let the player leave the club on loan this month.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was in Milan yesterday for talks with Inter representatives about a possible loan move for the Brazilian striker, however Inter informed Redknapp they were only willing to sell the player on a permanent basis. It is unlikely the North London will continue their interest in the 26-year old, which still leaves them short a striker.

Meanwhile, Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has this evening confirmed they have rejected a £10 million bid from Tottenham for midfielder Wilson Palacios. The Honduras international has been strongly linked with a move to White Hart Lane in recent days as Redknapp looks to add another midfielder to the ranks at the club.

Palacios, 24, has impressed since moving to the JJB back in January 2008 and Whelan believes he is worth more than the £10 million which Spurs bid for the player. He had this to say : "For that lad, £10m is not enough. We are definitely looking for more than that, that's for sure." Obviously disappointing news for Spurs fans because I feel both players would of been really good signings. I would be extremely surprised if Spurs didn't make another bid for Palacios in the coming weeks because judging by Whelan's comments, they could well let go of the former Birmingham man.

Manchester City have today had a third bid rejected for West Ham striker Craig Bellamy. City boss Mark Hughes is desperate to bring in new faces at Eastlands this month, however so far he has found it difficult to do so.

Bellamy, 29, is strongly fancied to leave Upton Park during this window after West Ham confirmed they would listen to all offers for their players. It is believed City made a bid of around the £10 million mark, however it was rejected soon after being made, leaving the world's richest club left to go back to the drawing board.

It is clear for everyone to see that Hughes is keen to sign Bellamy, however as a City fan myself, I must admit I find the whole situation quite funny. One day it's £100 million for Brazilian playmaker Kaka and today it's £10 million for Welsh striker Bellamy.

I have never rated Bellamy and I feel signing him would be a backward step for City. Ok, he is probably better than the likes of Jo and Benjani, but if we are to have aspirations to become one of the biggest clubs in the world, I don't think we should be pursuing players like Bellamy. Despite this, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see City make yet another bid for Craig in the coming days, so make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more.

Liverpool will have to wait until the summer before they can sign Wigan Athletic striker Emile Heskey. The England international has been strongly linked with a January move to Anfield, however Rafa Benitez will now have to wait until July before he can get his man after Latics chief-executive Brenda Spencer confirmed the club are very confident of holding onto him (until the summer at least).

Heskey's contract expires in the summer and it was thought that Steve Bruce may look to cash in on the 31-year old, however it looks as though he will now leave for nothing at the end of the season. Liverpool are desperate to bring Heskey back to Anfield after nearly five years away from the Merseyside club and with Heskey also keen to return to the club, it now appears nailed on that the move will happen.

I am sure Wigan fans will be dissappointed to see one of their most prized assets leave for nothing in a few months time. On the other hand, I feel this is a terrific move for Liverpool. There is no doubt Liverpool could use another front man and I think getting Heskey for free will be a cracking bit of business by the club. Be sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more over the coming weeks.

Heskey costs just £4 million in this season's "You the Manager" and is definitely worth a look. Follow the link below to enter your team to be in with a chance of winning some great prizes.

Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has today ruled out any possible move to either Arsenal or Manchester City this month. The Spanish international has been heavily linked with a move away from Goodison Park in recent weeks, however today he has moved to deny the rumours.

When asked about the possibility of leaving the Toffees, the 26-year old had this to say : 'It would never be easy for me to leave Everton. It's not something I'm thinking about, because I've got three years left on my contract and I've been treated well here."

Both Arsene Wenger and Mark Hughes were understood to be preparing £12 million bids for the player, however these comments will no doubt cool any interest in the player. If I was a Everton fan, I would be delighted to hear Arteta make this statement. The former Real Sociedad man has no doubt been one of the club's top performers over the past few years and I feel it is vital for David Moyes to keep him if the club wish to break into the top 4 this season.

Arsenal or City won't be getting Arteta in their team this season but you can. He costs just £5.5 million in this season's "You the Manager" and in my opinion is well worth a look. Follow the link below to enter your team to be in with a chance of winning some cracking prizes.

AC Milan's Kaka may yet be about to arrive at Manchester City this month. The world's richest club have this evening opened talks with Milan about a possible move for the Brazilian international that would no doubt break the world record transfer fee paid by Real Madrid to Juventus back in 2001 for Zinedine Zidane.

The 26-year old is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time and this news will no doubt send out a message to the rest of Europe and indeed the world that City mean business. City have been linked with hundreds of players in recent months following the arrival of Kaka's international team-mate Robinho at Eastlands on the last transfer deadline day.

Oh my god. Wouldn't this just be incredible. As a City fan myself, to say I am excited is an understatement. I know we haven't actually signed the player, however even to hear that we have opened talks about a possible move is terrific. There is no doubting Kaka's ability and I have no doubt he would be a real success in the Premier League.

Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest developments on this and much more over the coming weeks.

Tottenham are ready to make a £10 million bid for Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones. The Trinindad & Tabago international is seen as a perfect partner for new Spurs striker Jermain Defoe and Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is now ready to make his move for the player.

The 24-year old joined Sunderland back in 2007 after spending three years on the south coast with Southampton. He has since gone on to make nearly 50 appearances for the Black Cats scoring 14 goals for the process, however it is his aerial ability which has seen him become one of the most feared striker's in the Premier League.

Spurs have been linked with dozens of strikers in recent months, however for me, Jones is the perfect option for the North London club. It is obvious that Defoe is quite small, so I feel it is vital they bring a top quality striker with a bit of height to White Hart Lane this month and Jones definitley fits the bill. Be sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more over the coming weeks.

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has today admitted Manchester United are the favourites to win the Premier League title this season. United currently lie 5 points behind Liverpool at the top of the table, however Sir Alex Ferguson's men have two games in hand and Torres believes that is enough to make them favourites.

The Spanish international recently returned to first team action after a lengthy lay-off with a hamstring injury and many people think if Liverpool are to have any chance of winning the title, Torres could be the key. The 24-year old had this to say : "They are the favourites and the champions right now and have shown over the years they are a very powerful team"

"They have two more games to play. If they catch up they will be top." Although I do agree with what Torres is saying, I wouldn't be too happy if I were a Liverpool fan. It is clear that they are coming under serious pressure from United and I don't think hearing one of your best players at the club say that the other side are favourites to win the title would fill you with much confidence. It will very interesting to see how these comments affect the team, starting with Liverpool's trip to arch rivals Everton next Monday.

In case you didn't already know, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has this evening been crowned the FIFA World Player of the Year. The Portuguese winger had a magnificent 2008, which saw him win the Champions League, the Premier League and the FIFA World Club Cup.

Going into this evening's award ceremony in Zurich, there was little doubt who was going to take away the main prize. Ronaldo, 23, had been the bookies favourite to take the award for some time now and frankly this news doesn't come as much of a surprise.

The former Sporting Lisbon man saw of competition from Barcelona's Lionel Messi, who came in 2nd place, whilst Liverpool's Fernando Torres finished back in 3rd. Football Corner would like to congratulate Ronaldo on winning such a prestigious award and hopefully now this can be the boost he needs to kick-on this season.

Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins looks like he could be on his way out of St James' Park this month after his agent confirmed the player would consider any offers that came in for him. The Nigerian international has been at Newcastle since leaving Inter Milan back in 2006 and has since gone on to become an integral part of the Magpies starting eleven.

Martins, 24, was strongly linked with a move to Arsenal during the summer, however for whatever reasons he remains a Newcastle player. That may be about to change though. The player's agent Dapo Kujore has today confirmed his client would be open to any offers from different clubs.

Kujore had this to say : "If an offer came for him, of course he would consider it ... But, for now, he is a Newcastle player and he will give his best to the club as long as he is there." Personally, if I was Arsene Wenger, I would be making a bid for the player as soon as possible. It is obvious that Martins isn't happy on Tyneside and I feel he would be a tremendous signing for Arsenal at the rumoured £13 million.

Arsenal could be about to miss out on Zenit St Petersburg play maker Andrei Arshavin with the world's richest club, Manchester City ready to hijack the Gunners move for the player. The Russian international is expected to leave Zenit this month after his agent confirmed that several clubs are interested in his client.

The 27-year old has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates in recent days and weeks, however Arsene Wenger is reluctant to meet Zenit's valuation of £18 million for the player. Man City boss Mark Hughes is now ready to join Wenger in the race to sign Arshavin and with City's billions, who would bet against them winning that race?

Arshavin's agent, Daniel Lachter had this to say : "That is what is going to happen ... There are 10, 15, 20 teams who are interested in him. The question is, can they afford him?" As a City fan myself, I would delighted to see Arshavin arrive at Eastlands during this transfer window. I have always been a huge fan of Arshavin's and I feel he prove a quality addition to a side that have struggled for consistency this season.

Where will Arshavin end up? Make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much much more over the coming weeks.

Manchester United have this afternoon hammered Chelsea to move into third place in the Premier League title. Sir Alex Ferguson's men ran out 3-0 winners at Old Trafford to move just five points behind leaders Liverpool with two games in hand.

Nemanja Vidic opened the scoring with just seconds left in the first-half. Ryan Giggs' corner was glanced on by Dimitar Berbatov at the near post to Vidic who was waiting on the edge of the six-yard box to head home the opener.

United doubled their lead just after the hour mark when Wayne Rooney got on the end of a lovely Patrice Evra cross. And the home side weren't finished just yet. Summer signing Dimitar Bertbatov made it three with just minutes to go when he directed a Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick beyond Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.

Impressive result for United. Personally, I thought this was going to be a close encounter between two terrific sides, however United made it look so easy. Chelsea never really looked like getting anything from the game and this result will no doubt leave the Blues felling humiliated. Elsewhere today, Tottenham were beaten 1-0 away at Wigan.

Tottenham are preparing a £10 million bid for Wigan Athletic midfielder Wilson Palacios. The Honduras international has been one of Wigan's top performers this season and has now caught the attention's of Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.

The 24-year old arrived at the JJB last January after spending six months on loan with Birmingham City. Since then he has made over 40 appearances for the Latics, becoming a real fan favourite in the process, however he may be about to leave for White Hart Lane.

Redknapp is desperate to add another midfielder to his squad in the coming weeks and he has now set his sights on Palacios. I have been really impressed with Palacios since he came to England. He is a terrific holding midfield player who certainly isn't afraid to put in a challenge. Wigan boss Steve Bruce will obviously be reluctant to sell, however I think, should Spurs manage to get their man for the reported £10 million, he would prove great value for money.

It would seem Manchester United are preparing for life without striker Carlos Tevez. It has been reported in several papers this morning that United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has set his sights on a summer move for Lyon striker Karim Benzema which would almost certainly spell the end for Tevez' time at Old Trafford.

As we all know by now, Tevez has only six-month's left of his two year loan deal at United and the Premier League Champions know they will need to cough up £32 million to make the move permanent. With United reluctant to fork out such a massive amount of money on a player who sits on the bench most weekends, it is expected the Argentine will join Real Madrid at the end of the season.

That would leave United short a striker. French international Karim Benzema has long been linked with a move to England, with United understood to be very keen to sign the 21-year old. Just a couple of months ago, Lyon slapped a massive £88 million price-tag on Benzema's head, however it is thought that should United make an offer of £40 million it could well be accepted.

Personally I think this would be a great move for United. Although I am a fan of Tevez', I don't feel he is worth £32 million and I would be extremely surprised to see him still at the club next season. Benzema is without doubt one of the best strikers in Europe and I feel, should he join United he will get even better. Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest transfer news over the coming weeks.

Ok, we all know Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo crashed his Ferrari yesterday, so inevitably this has led to several jokes been brandished around the work place. I have heard several decent ones today, but here are a few which have made the cut.

Q : Why did Cristiano Ronaldo crash his Ferrari ?

A : Because he's no good at corners.

Q : What did Cristiano Ronaldo say when he got out of his crashed Ferrari?

A : They should of moved the wall back ten yards.

If anyone has any more decent Ronaldo jokes to share with me can they please leave a comment below!

Liverpool's chances of signing Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson have today ended after the player signed a new four-and-a-half year deal at the club. Before signing the new deal, the England international had been heavily linked with a move to Anfield, with Rafa Benitez reportedly keen to bring him to Merseyside.

Portsmouth have let go of Lassana Diarra (to Real Madrid) and Jermain Defoe (to Tottenham) in recent weeks and it was thought that Johnson may of been next to head for the exit door at Fratton Park. However, the 24-year old has decided to pledge his future to Pompey, much to the delight of Tony Adams.

Portsmouth boss, Adams has this to say : "I am delighted to have him here. I want him here for a long time ... Glen has applied himself very well - he has been very good for this club and this club has been very good for him."

Although I think Johnson would of been a terrific signing for Liverpool, I am thrilled to see he is staying with Pompey. The club have let go of several big name players in recent weeks (as mentioned) and it was vital that they didn't let any more go. Johnson is, without doubt, one of the best right-back's in the country and I am sure Pompey fans will be delighted to see him staying with the club.

Johnson would be a cracking signing for your team at £4.5 million. Yes he costs just that in this season's "You the Manager" so follow the link below this post to enter your team.

Just to let you all know, we have been running a poll on the site in recent days asking you where you though Johnson would be when the transfer window closes. The poll was quite one sided with Portsmouth grabbing the majority of the votes and with Johnson now signing a new deal at the club, it gives us an opportunity to start a new poll. The new poll asks you : Will Manchester City break the world record transfer fee for a player in January? Get voting (top right of the site).

Tottenham and Aston Villa are in talks with the agent of Newcastle United midfielder Charles N'Zogbia. The French under-21 international is strongly fancied to leave St James' Park this month after he admitted he was considering his options at the club.

N'Zogbia, 22, has always spoke of his desire to one day join Arsenal, however Arsene Wenger is currently not interested in the player so he may have to make do with a move to either Spurs or Villa. It is thought Newcastle will only listen to offers of £5 million plus for the player who has spent more than four years at the club.

Personally, I think N'Zogbia is too inconsistent. There is no doubt, that on his day, Charles is one of the best left-sided midfielders in the Premier League and I feel if Martin O'Neill or Harry Redknapp were to sign him, they would need to work very hard with him in order to get the best out of him. Be sure to stay tuned to Football Corner over the coming weeks for the latest developments on this and much more.

As most of you will know by now, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo was involved in a crash this morning. The Portuguese ace crashed his Ferrari so bad that the car had to be written off. Luckily for Ronaldo he escaped injury and was even picked up by team-mate Edwin Van Der Sar who was following behind in his Bentley.

As you can see by the picture, the car is very badly damaged, which begs the question, how on earth was Ronaldo not injured? Very lucky break for both Ronaldo and indeed Man United. Sir Alex Ferguson's men entertain Chelsea at the weekend in one of the biggest games of the season and obviously, having Ronaldo in the team will greatly improve their chances of winning the game.

It's what we've all been waiting for. Players to start leaving Upton Park.

Yes, Matthew Etherington has today left West Ham to join fellow Premier League strugglers Stoke City for a fee of £2 million. The former Tottenham winger has signed a three-and-a-half year deal at the Britannia after spending nearly six years with the Hammers.

With Etherington now out the door at West Ham, Gianfranco Zola may be about to lose another member of his squad. Calum Davenport is likely to join Bolton in the coming days after Wandererers boss Gary Megson admitted a deal is close to completion.

OK, it's only Etherington and Davenport, however this may just be the start of it for West Ham. It is well known that the club is in serious financial difficulty and despite the club insisting they will look to hold onto their best player's, I fear several more big names will leave in the coming weeks. The likes of Scott Parker and Craig Bellamy have been linked with January exits and I feel it is imperative they hold onto them during this window.

Inter Milan have today set their sights on a possible move for Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Eboue. The Ivorian international has come in for criticism in recent months for his below par performances for the Gunners and a move away from the Emirates may be on the cards this month.

Inter boss Jose Mourinho is keen to add another midfielder to the ranks at the San Siro and the former Chelsea manager is interested in Eboue. Following the interest from Mourinho, Eboue, 25, had this to say about a possible move : "I have been the victim of many injuries and that is why I have not been consistent enough.

"I am happy at Arsenal. Inter are a great club as well but I don't know what will happen. Let's wait and see." I would not be too surprised to see Eboue leave the Premier League this month. It is clear he is having a difficult time with Arsenal at the present moment and a move to Serie A may do him the world of good. Be sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest on this and much more in the coming weeks.

Tottenham are planning to make a £5 million move for Lyon striker Fred in the coming days. The Brazilian international has long been linked with a move to the North London club and was understood to be close to joining them just 12 months ago, but for whatever reasons he remains a Lyon player.

Despite the arrival of Jermain Defoe at White Hart Lane earlier this week, it is still thought that Harry Redknapp will look to bring in one more frontman in the January transfer window. Fred, 25, is now seen as a possible acquisition for Spurs after he admitted : "England is a big league and it is natural for any player to want to go there."

With Fred's contract set to expire in the summer, I would not be at all surprised to see Lyon cash in on him now. There is no doubt that Fred is a good player and I feel at £5 million, he definitely represents good value for money. I think this would be a great move for Spurs and I, personally would be delighted to see Fred come to the Premier League.

Manchester City are preparing to join Real Madrid in the race to sign Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez. It looks increasingly unlikely that Tevez will remain a United player beyond this season after the player admitted he has yet to be offered a new deal at Old Trafford to make his move to the club permanent.

United know they will need to cough up £32 million to make the Argentine striker's move to the club permanent, however, as of now, they have yet to do so. With United stalling on any possible deal to make Tevez' move permanent, both Manchester City and Real Madrid are understood to be monitoring the situation.

City boss Mark Hughes has admitted today he has tabled several bids for players in the past few days, however when asked about the possibility of Tevez arriving at Eastlands during the window, he remained tight-lipped. Personally, I would be extremely surprised to see Tevez a United player beyond this season.

It is obvious that United are reluctant to fork out such a massive amount of money on a player who sits on the bench most weekends. Tevez has himself admitted he would be delighted to play for Spanish giants Real Madrid, however a move to City may be on the cards considering the club's undoubted financial power. Be sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest developments on this and much more in the coming weeks.

Arsenal are closing on Zenit St Petersburg playmaker Andrei Arshavin after weeks of speculation over the player's future. The Russian international has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months after he admitted he would be interested in a move to England.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is desperate to strengthen his squad during this transfer window and Arshavin is his number one target. Arshavin, 27, was on the brink of joining Arsenal's fierce rivals Tottenham during the summer, however Spurs failed to cough up the £20 million needed to sign the player.

Zenit general director, Maxim Mitrofanov, had this to say about the matter : "We have been in discussion with Arsenal now for some time ... They are hoping that a deal will be concluded within the next ten days to two weeks."

Personally, I think this would be a cracking signing for the Gunners. There is no doubt Wenger needs to spend during the window if the club are to have any hope of winning the title this season. I have always rated Arshavin very highly and I feel the sooner he arrives at the Emirates the better.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has today ruled out the possibility of players arriving at Anfield this month. The Spaniard has confirmed he is unlikely to dip into the market this month, despite being linked with several players in recent months.

When asked whether or not he was going to enter the transfer market to sign anyone, Benitez replied : "We do not need to go into the transfer market, we are certainly not desperate to do so ... If we find we need something we will try, but it is always hard in this window and very expensive."

If I was a Liverpool fan myself I would be a little dissappointed to hear Benitez make these comments. Personally, I think Liverpool need to bring in one or two new faces this month to make a serious challenge for the Premier League title this season. Make sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest news from Liverpool and indeed every other Premier League club throughout the window.

AC Milan have today joined Real Madrid in the race to sign Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant. The former England under-21 international has been strongly linked with a move away from Anfield this month with his contract set to expire in the summer and Liverpool are keen to cash in on him now.

The 25-year old was close to joining Real Madrid in a £3 million deal last month, however Reds boss Rafa Benitez asked for more. That led to Real cooling their interest in the player although they are still understood to be monitoring the situation. AC are now ready to step in and have apparently offered the player a pre-contract, which would see Pennant become an Milan player during the summer.

I would be extremley surprised to still see Pennant in the Premier League next season. For me, Pennant has never really done much during his time on Merseyside and I am sure Reds fans won't be too upset to see the back of him. It would be a shame if Liverpool failed to get any money out of Pennant but I think that may be the case.

Manchester City are ready to make a £24 million bid for Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure. The Ivorian international has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months, with Arsenal also said to be interested, however City boss Mark Hughes is looking to steal a march on Arsene Wenger.

The 25-year old has always maintained his desire to stay at Barca following the interest from England. With both City and Arsenal currently in the market for a new central midfield player, Toure is seen as a possible candidate to arrive at either the Emirates or the City of Manchester stadium this month.

It is understood that City are ready to offer Toure a massive £100,000 a week contract (double the amount he is on at the moment) in a bid to prize him away from the Camp Nou. Barca boss Pep Guardiola is desperate to hold onto the midfielder, however with City ready to offer big big money to sign him, Toure may yet be on his way to Eastlands.

I have always been a massive fan of Toure's and I would be thrilled to see him arrive at City. He is without doubt one of the best holding midfielders in Europe and I feel he would add an awful lot to a under-performing City side. It will be intriguing to see how this one pans out over the coming weeks. Make sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest transfer news.

Former Arsenal and Chelsea target Stephen Appiah has today joined Tottenham for a weeks trial after several months as a free agent. The former Fenerbahce midfielder has been strongly linked with a move to the England since leaving the Turkish giants back in August and now Spurs have given him a chance to impress.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is keen to strengthen his squad this month and Appiah has now been brought to White Hart Lane in an attempt to add steal to the midfield. Appiah, 26, is widely regarded as one of Africa's best players and is the captain of the Ghanaian national team.

Personally, I think this is a cracking move for Spurs. They are getting a terrific holding midfield player for absolutely nothing and the only surprise for me is that it has taking so long for anyone to sign him (well basically sign him). Hopefully all goes well in the next week and Appiah becomes a Spurs player because I feel he could be a real success in the Premier League.

Tottenham have today been hit by yet another set-back in their bid to sign Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing. The England international handed in a written transfer request this morning, however the club rejected it within hours of receiving it, leaving his move to White Hart Lane in doubt.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is desperate to bring Downing to North London as soon as possible to try and cure the club's current left-sided problems. It is believed that Spurs made an improved offer for Downing just this morning, however that was rejected along with the transfer request.

Boro chief executive Keith Lamb had this to say on the matter : "We received a written transfer request from Stewart this morning. It was considered before being rejected ... Prior to receiving the transfer request, we received an improved offer for Stewart from Tottenham.

"We immediately rejected this offer and informed Tottenham that Stewart Downing is not for sale and any further interest they have in the player will not be entertained." It is clear from these comments that Boro boss Gareth Southgate is keen to hold onto the 23-year old. Personally, I think it's only a matter of time before Downing forces his way out of the Riverside. I feel Spurs will eventually cough up the money needed to sign the player, however it will take some time before Boro give in.

That's the opinion of our readers anyway. Yes, Football Corner has been running a poll on the site over the past week or so asking you, the reader, where you thought Portsmouth's Jermian Defoe will be when the January transfer window closes. The poll was so one sided that we took the decision to end it a day early.

Defoe, 26, has been heavily linked with a move away from Fratton Park in recent days and a move to his former club Tottenham looks the most likely destination for the England international. It seems as though the majority of readers would agree with that opinion.


Here is the full result of the poll :


Tottenham - 237 votes (64%)
Portsmouth - 45 votes (12%)
Man City - 43 votes (11%)
Aston Villa - 32 votes (8%)
Other - 12 votes (3%)

Total Votes : 369

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who voted and I would encourage all of you to vote in our latest poll which can be found on the top right of the site. The poll asks : Where will Glen Johnson be when the transfer window closes? Get voting.

Manchester City will complete the signing of West Ham midfielder Scott Parker within the next 48 hours. The England international was seen as one of the most likely candidates to leave Upton Park during this transfer window after the club admitted they would consider all offers for their players and Parker now looks certain to join City.

Parker, 28, will become City's second major signing of the window after Parker's former Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge joined the club yesterday. It is understood that Parker has already agreed personal terms with City, however the world's richest club have yet to agree a transfer fee with the Hammers.

As a City fan myself, I must say I am delighted to see Parker arriving. I have always been a huge fan of his and I think he will add a lot to Mark Hughes' squad. There is no doubt that Parker is one of the best midfielders in the country and I just hope he can reproduce the kind of form which he showed during his time at Charlton. With plenty more big names to arrive at Eastlands in the coming days and weeks, be sure to stay tuned to Football Corner.

The former Newcastle man costs just £3.5 million in this season's "You the Manager". Follow the link below to sign him for your team.

Source : Sky Sports News

Tottenham midfielder Aaron Lennon has today been linked with a move to Liverpool. The England international is believed to be one of Rafa Benitez' number one target's for the January transfer window, however Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is keen to hold onto the pacey winger.

Lennon has previously been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane, with former Spurs boss Juande Ramos understood to want him at Real Madrid. The 21-year has in recent months begun to show something like his best form and Liverpool are desperate to bring him to Merseyside during this transfer window.

I have always thought Lennon was a decent player who had the potential to become a great one. Lennon, undoubtedly has bags of ability and pace, however he annoys me at times with his final ball. He gets into promising positions in every match but he never really takes full advantage of the position. Having said that, I do think, should Liverpool sign him for around the £14 million mark, he would prove value for money.

The former Leeds man costs just £4 million in this season's "You the Manager". Follow the link below to sign him for your team.

Source : Sunday Times

Liverpool are closing on the £9 million signing of Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson after weeks of speculation over the player's future. The England international is looking to leave Fratton Park as soon as possible after growing increasingly frustrated at the amount of first team players being let go by the club.

Johnson, 24, has been one of the club's top performers this season and Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has been impressed so much that he is willing to cough up £9 million for his signature. Pompey boss Tony Adams is unlikely to want to let go of one of his most prized assets, however he has always stated that he didn't want to keep players who didn't want to play for the club.

Personally, I think Johnson is just what Liverpool need. A talented right-back. Over the years, I have always thought Liverpool really could use a good solid right-back and now they may be about to get one. If Johnson is to sign in the coming weeks, I feel it will greatly improve Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier League title this season.

Stewart Downing's on-off move to Tottenham finally appears as though it could be on. The England international is ready to hand in a transfer request at Middlesbrough tomorrow in a bid to push through his potential £15 million move to White Hart Lane.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is a long-term admirer of Downing's and he is keen to bring him to North London during this transfer window to strengthen his left-sided options. It was rumoured yesterday that Spurs angered Boro boss Gareth Southgate by bidding just £6 million for the 24-year old, however Redknapp remains hopeful of signing the player.

Despite Southgate's insistence in recent days that Downing was happy at the club and would remain a Boro player beyond this month, it is now understood that the player is now desperate to leave the Riverside. Personally, I believe it is only a matter of time before Downing becomes a Spurs player.

It seems as though he has been linked with a move to Spurs for years. Although I am not a big fan of Downing's, I think he could prove to be a real success at Spurs. He is still
young and undoubtedly has bags of potential and I feel under the guidance of Redknapp, we could see the best of the left-winger in the coming years (provided he moves of course).

Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear has today reiterated his desire to keep Shay Given at St James' Park during this transfer window. The Republic of Ireland international has been strongly linked with a move away from the club in recent days after his lawyer was quoted as saying "Shay is disillusioned with the situation at Newcastle".

Since then the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City have all been linked with a move for the 32-year old, however Magpies boss Kinnear has had this to say : "I would tell Mike (Ashley) that Shay is a must-stay ... He has never suggested he wants to go and, if he did, I would say it was a no-goer because of the position we are in. If you are in the top-six, who knows what can happen?

"But I believe we are still fighting relegation ... It is more important for me to keep my best players on board. Both Shay and Michael (Owen) are committed to the club ... As far as I’m concerned, Shay is untouchable." Although Kinnear has once again stated that Given will not be leaving the club this month, I personally feel, should Man City come in with a decent offer of around £10 million, Shay will be on his way to Eastlands

That's just the way it is in the transfer market at the moment. City are the only club who are going to spend big money in the window and once Mark Hughes sets his sights on a player, he is more than likely going to get his man. Shay has been a terrific servant to Newcastle. He has spent more than ten years on Tyneside and I am sure the majority of fans will understand he needs/wants to move on in his career.

Newcastle United defender Charles N'Zogbia is desperate to join Premier League giants Arsenal as soon as possible. The French under-21 international in strongly fancied to leave St James' Park this month and Arsenal are among the clubs said to be interested in him, however the likes of Lyon and Aston Villa are also interested.

The 22-year old has been a Newcastle player since 2004, however he is now ready to leave the club after an indifferent last 18 months. When asked about his future at Newcastle he replied : "I ask myself questions about my future. At Newcastle for three years we are playing in the bottom of the league. I want to win titles, and I have set myself high objectives, like being in the French team."

"I told Newcastle in case of possible transfer, I will do anything to leave this winter. If the club receives a nice offer, they will try to transfer me ... Arsenal is the club that makes me dream the most in the Premier League." It is clear by these comments that it is unlikely N'Zogbia will remain a Magpies player beyond this month. Even though Newcastle interim-manager Joe Kinnear claimed yesterday he didn't want to let anyone go, I feel N'Zogbia will eventually get his way and exit the club in the coming weeks.

It has been widely reported today that Arsenal defender Kolo Toure is the subject of a £8 million bid from Manchester City. The Ivorian international recently had a transfer request rejected by the North London club, however City boss Mark Hughes remains hopeful of bringing the player to Eastlands.

Toure, 27, has struggled to break into Arsene Wenger's starting eleven this season and is keen to leave the Emirates this month. With City currently in the market for just about every player in the world, Toure is now understood to be very high on Hughes' wish list for January.

Although Wenger is reluctant to sell Toure, I feel an offer of £8 million for a player who sits on the bench every weekend may be too good to turn down. In my opinion, Toure was and stil is a great defender and if City could manage to persuade Arsenal to sell, they would have a cracking player on their hands.

City will defintley have to spend more than £5.5 million if they want Toure in their team, but you won't. Toure costs just that in this season's "You the Manager" and I feel that he is a real bargain. So follow the link below to enter your team to be in with a chance of winning some terrific weekly and monthly prizes.

Southend and Nottingham Forest pulled off shock results in the FA Cup 3rd Round today. Southend earned a replay against Premier League giants Chelsea while Nottingham Forest simply destroyed the richest club in the world, Manchester City.

Chelsea took control of the game at Stamford Bridge this afternoon half an hour into proceedings when Salomon Kalou headed in a Frank Lampard cross to give Luis Filipe Scolari's men the lead. It wasn't until the 90th minute that Southend grabbed the equaliser. Peter Clarke's late late header made Chelsea pay for missed chances and now the League One side can look forward to a replay at Roots Hall in a few weeks.

Meanwhile at the City of Manchester stadium, Mark Hughes' Manchester City were dumped out of the cup by Championship side Nottingham Forest. The day started with City unveiling their new £11 million left-back Wayne Bridge, however it ended with pure humiliation.

The visitors took the lead when Nathan Tyson took advantage of a mistake in the City defence to put Billy Davies' men 1-0 up. Robert Earnshaw doubled the lead just minutes later to all but guarantee Forest's place in the draw for the 4th round of the cup. Forest weren't finished there, they scored a third with just ten minutes left on the clock when Joe Garner, who was only on the pitch a matter of minutes, capitalise on a poor Didi Hamman throw-in to send the visiting fans home very happy indeed.

Another poor result for City which piles even more pressure on Mark Hughes. City were expected to progress with ease this afternoon and although City were poor, credit must go to Forest. What about Chelsea's home form. It continues to let them down. Chelsea had looked invincible at home before the season started but yet another poor result at Stamford Bridge, this time against Southend, must leave the fans wondering what has gone wrong.

Elsewhere in the FA Cup 3rd round it finished : Arsenal 3-1 Plymouth, Cardiff 2-0 Reading, Charlton 1-1 Norwich, Coventry 2-0 Kidderminster, Forest Green 3-4 Derby, Hartlepool 2-0 Stoke, Hull 0-0 Newcastle, Ipswich 3-0 Chesterfield, Kettering 2-1 Eastwood.

Leicester 0-0 Crystal Palace, Macclesfield 0-1 Everton, Middlesbrough 2-1 Barrow, Millwall 2-2 Crewe, Portsmouth 0-0 Bristol City, QPR 0-0 Burnley, Sheffield Wednesday 1-2 Fulham, Sunderland 2-1 Bolton, Torquay 1-0 Blackpool, Watford 1-0 Scunthorpe, West Brom 1-1 Peterborough, West Ham 3-0 Barnsley.

Manchester City midfielder Elano has today moved even closer to the exit door at Eastlands after he admitted he would be interested in a move to Serie A giants Lazio. The Brazilian international has fallen out of favour at City with manager Mark Hughes and a January exit now looks a real possibility.

Elano, 27, had a terrific first season at the Premier League side, however since Hughes arrived at the club last June, he has only made a handful of appearances for the Citizens this campaign. When asked about the possibilty of joining Lazio, Elano had this to say : "I would not have any problem playing in Italy. And Lazio are a very good team,"

"I cannot say more, I have to speak to Manchester City. I will do it soon, then decide what to do ... I have heard it said that Lazio would be interested. I am pleased that such a big club is tracking me."

As a City fan myself, I'm not too upset to see Elano make these comments. It is clear that there is something wrong behind the scenes with regard to the relationship between Hughes and Elano. Personally, I would be very surprised to still see Elano in a City shirt when the transfer window closes in early February.

Tottenham are lining up a possible £15 million move for Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski after the player claimed that Spurs were interested in him. The German international is expected to leave the Allianz Arena this month after he admitted he wasn't happy at Bayern anymore, sitting on the bench.

Podolski, 23, has been previously linked with a move to White Hart Lane and with Stewart Downing now unlikely to arrive in North London, Harry Redknapp is ready to re-ignite his interest in the former Cologne man.

Podolski has had this to say about a possible move away from Bayern : "I need to play, I cannot continue to sit on the bench. I'm just not happy in Munich anymore ... I think it is time for me to leave Bayern so that I can do my job, which is playing football ... I know Roma are interested, but so are several other sides. In Germany the likes of Hamburg, Cologne, Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund. In England I'm of interest to Manchester City and Tottenham."

I have always been a massive fan of Podolski's amd I would be delighted to see him arrive in the Premier League this month. He is still only 23-years old and I feel at £15 million would prove real value for money. There is no doubt Spurs need to sign a new frontman this month and I think Redknapp could do a lot worse than moving for Podolski.

Newcastle United have today enquired about the possibility of signing Rangers captain Barry Ferguson. Magpies interim-manager Joe Kinnear has admitted he wants to bring in at least four new faces this month and the Scotland international is now understood to be his number-one target.

When asked about the possibility of Ferguson arriving at St James' Park this month, Kinnear had this to say : "I have enquired about Ferguson, but we will wait and see what the outcome is .... We are finding it difficult to bring certain players from clubs. Our bids haven't been accepted so far."

Although I think Ferguson would be a magnificent signing for Newcastle, I feel they will find it difficult to persuade Rangers to sell. Gers' boss Walter Smith is unlikely to want to sell his captain and I would surprised to see Ferguson, 30, arrive on Tyneside this month. If anything does happen, you'll find out here on Football Corner, so stay tuned.

Luis Filipe Scolari and Sir Alex Ferguson have both claimed today that their respective clubs (Chelsea and Manchester United) will not be bringing in any new faces this January. Man United today announced the £16 million double signing of Zoran Tosic and Adem Ljajic, however Fergie has today admitted the club won't be doing any more business this month.

Scolari also confirmed that his club, Chelsea, would not be spending anything in the transfer window. He claims he doesn't need any more players because he already has enough in his squad at the moment. The former Brazilian manager did admit that players may be leaving Stamford Bridge for what he called "big money" and that has already happened.

Wayne Bridge has left the club to join Manchester City for a fee of around £12 million, however he is unlikely to be the only departure this month. Personally, I feel if Chelsea are to challenge for top honours on both the domestic and European scene, they need to bring one or two new players to the club. In United's case, I think they are a little bit short in defence and I wouldn't be surprised to see Ferguson go against his words a bring a new defender to Old Trafford in the coming weeks.

Make sure to stay tuned to Football Corner over the coming weeks to see what transfers materialise.

Tottenham have tonight become the first team to book their place in the 4th round of the FA Cup. Harry Redknapp's men beat Steve Bruce's Wigan 3-1 at White Hart Lane to see them safely into the draw for the next round on Sunday afternoon.

Spurs took the lead just minutes into the second-half when Roman Pavlyuchenko slotted home a penalty after substitute Fraizer Campbell had been taken down in the box. Wigan tried desperately to grab the equaliser, however, Luka Modric doubled the home side's lead with fifteen minutes left on the clock.

The Croatian international manages to head into the Wigan net after Jamie O'Hara saw his left-footed shot smack off the post. Wigan did make Spurs in the closing minutes when Henri Camara struck past Heurelho Gomes from all of ten yards. The visitors pushed for an equaliser in the dying seconds, but they paid for putting too many men forward.

Pavlyuchenko grabbed his second of the night with a lovely strike from 25-yard's out, however the Wigan keeper may feel he should have done better. Good result for Spurs. In truth the result never looked in doubt and although Bruce may feel a little hard done by, Spurs deserved to go through. Make sure to tune in for a report on tomorrow's FA Cup 3rd round action on Football Corner.

Manchester City have today set their sights on Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o after all but completing the signing of Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge. It is understood that representatives from City are in talks with Eto'o's agent about a possible £60 million move to Eastlands. It is unlikely though that Barca will be willing to let one of their most prized assets leave during the January transfer window.

The 27-year old has become one of the best strikers in the world since joining Barca back in 2004. He has scored an impressive 112 goals in just over 150 appearances for the La Liga giants since leaving Real Mallorca.

The richest club in the world (Man City) have already been linked with a host of big name players, including the likes of Valencia's David Villa. City's owners are hoping to persuade Eto'o to join by offering him a staggering £15 million a year.

Although I would love to see Eto'o come to the Premier League in January, I just can't see it. He is currently playing in a Barca side that are in a great position to challenge for top honours on both the domestic and European front. Having said that, should City offer him the rumoured £15 million a year, how could he could turn it down. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out over the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

Carlos Tevez has today urged Manchester United to cough up the £32 million needed to make his move to the Premier League Champions permanent. The Argentine international currently has six months left of a two-year loan deal at Old Trafford and it has been speculated in recent weeks that Real Madrid could enter the market for the player.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has always stated his desire to sign Tevez on a permanent basis, however, United have so far failed to fork out the money needed to do so. Tevez, 24, controversially signed for the Red Devils a year and a half ago from West Ham and has since gone on to become a real fan favourite at the club.

Although I think Tevez has been brilliant for United over the last 18 months or so, I do feel £32 million is a bit too much to be paying for a player who sits on the bench every week. It will be very interesting to see how this one materialises because having spent £30 million on a new striker in the summer (Dimitar Berbatov) I think United may be a bit reluctant to spend the same kind of money on Tevez.

Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear has today told Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham that Magpies keeper Shay Given is not for sale. The Republic of Ireland international is heavily fancied to leave St James' Park this month, with Arsene Wenger, Mark Hughes and Harry Redknapp all interested in the player, however Kinnear has today told them to look elsewhere for a new keeper.

Newcastle currently sit 14th in the Premier League table and according to Given's lawyer, Michael Kennedy , the player is considering his future at the club following the side's most recent defeat to Liverpool.

When asked about the possibility of Given leaving the club this month, Joe Kinnear had this to say : " He is our player and he is going to stay our player, it's as simple as that ... We are not interested at all in selling him. I want to clear that - that is probably the last time I will be talking about it ... He is an integral part of the team, he is the best goalkeeper by miles in the league, so why should we jeopardise our chances in the position we are in?"

Although Kinnear has made these defiant comments regarding Given's future at the club, I still wouldn't be surprised to see Given force his way out of the club in the coming weeks. Shay has never hid his desire to win trophies in his career and with no disrespect to Newcastle, he is not going to win a single one on Tyneside. Personally, I feel a move to Manchester City may be in the offing considering the club's new found wealth.

Given would be a cracking signing for your team. Yes the little shot-stopper costs just £3.5 million in this season's "You the Manager" and in my opinion is a real bargain. So follow the link below to enter your team for a chance to win some terrific weekly and monthly prizes.

Jermain Defoe's days as a Portsmouth player appear numbered after Pompey executive chairman, Peter Storrie admitted he would not stand in the way of Defoe leaving Fratton Park. It has been widely speculated in recent days that Defoe could make a speedy return to White Hart Lane as Harry Redknapp looks to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window.

When asked about Jermain Defoe, Storrie had this to say : "It looks like Jermain wants to go. That is something we will be speaking to him about .... If Jermain goes it will be at our price and if there is an offer which appeals. We have always said we do not keep people who do not want to play for Portsmouth. We do not have to sell anyone but if he wants to go that is a different matter."

It is understood that Pompey will look for at least £12 million for Defoe, a figure that Spurs are likely to cough up. There is no doubt Spurs need a new striker and personally, I think Defoe would be a terrific signing. When Juande Ramos sold Defoe to Pompey last January, there were a lot of raised eyebrows amongst Spurs fans (and indeed football fans). It is clear that Redknapp likes him a lot and I feel this move will go through within the next week or so

Manchester City are to complete the signing of Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge within the next 24 hours. The England left-back has struggled to feature in Luis Filipe Scolari's plans at Stamford Bridge since the Portuguese manager's arrival at the club last summer.

Bridge, 28, has been linked with a move to the City of Manchester Stadium all season long and it finally appears as though City and Chelsea have reached an agreement. It is understood the deal will cost City anywhere between £12 million and £15 million, a fee which in my view is way too much for a player that has made about ten appearances in four years.

City boss Mark Hughes insisted just this morning that the world's richest club (Manchester City) would not be held to ransom in the transfer market but judging by this move, I think he may have been lying. As a City fan myself, to say I'm annoyed is an understatement. Maybe I am being a bit harsh, but £15 million for Wayne Bridge .... come on. I hope this is not a sign of things to come in January for City.

Tottenham are reportedly keen to sell £9 million summer signing Giovani Dos Santos. The Mexican international has only made a handful of appearances for Spurs since moving to White Hart Lane back in July from Spanish giants Barcelona and it now appears as though he will be heading for the exit door in the coming weeks.

Dos Santos, 19, has yet to score for Spurs since his summer move and has falling way down the pecking order under new Spurs boss Harry Redknapp. Of course, it was former Spurs manager Juande Ramos who brought Dos Santos to the club, however, unfortunately for Spurs fans (and indeed Premier League fans) Dos Santos has failed to impress during his time in England.

Originally when Spurs signed Dos Santos, I must admit I was very excited to see how he would adapt to the pace of English football. It is a shame that it has come to this because, personally, I feel given time, he could prove a real success in the Premier League. I would not be at all surprised to see Dos Santos return to La Liga some time this month.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez is ready to axe £7 million summer signing Andrea Dossena. The Italian international has failed to impress since joining the Premier League giants back in July and a January exit now looks a real possibility.

The 27-year old has made just over a dozen appearances for the Merseyside club since arriving, failing to nail down a starting place in Benitez' team. It has ben speculatd today that Dossena could return to Italy during the transfer window, with AC Milan apparently interested in taking him back to Serie A.

The sooner Liverpool get rid of Dossena the better. Since he has arrived at Anfield, he has done nothing to impress me or indeed the majority of Liverpool fans. If Liverpoll could get £5 million out of him they would be doing good and I think Benitez could then use that money to go out and buy a decent left-back because they really could do with one.

Both Craig Bellamy and Jermain Defoe have been heavily linked with moves to Tottenham in recent days in weeks, so what Football Corner want to know from Spurs fans (or any football fans) is, who would you prefer to arrive during the transfer window?

West Ham's Craig Bellamy is likely to cost Harry Redknapp around the £7 million mark while Portsmouth's Jermain Defoe will probably cost around the £12 million mark. So, please place your votes below :

Arsenal have today told want-away defender Kolo Toure to stay put and honour his contract. The Ivorian defender handed in a transfer request at the North London club just yesterday, however Gunners Chairman Peter Hill-Wood has now rejected the request.

Toure, 27, has struggled for first team football this season at the Emirates and a possible January move to Manchester City has been touted. When asked about Toure's decision to hand in a transfer request, Hill-Wood had this to say : "I know about it (the transfer request) ... But we are not going to accept it.

"We are not looking to let any of our players go and he is under contract - and we expect him to honour it." Personally, I am not surprised to see Arsenal reject Toure's transfer request because at the moment they don't really have too many options in the centre of defence. It's a shame that this has happened because over the years, Toure has been a terrific servant to the club and it is disappointing to see he wants to leave.

Toure costs just £5.5 million in this season's "You the Manager" and may well be worth a look. So follow the link below the enter your team to be in with a chance of winning some terrific weekly and monthly prizes.