Latest Transfer Update at 19-03-11

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Latest Transfer Update at 19-03-11


Giuseppe Rossi - linked with Barcelona.
AGENT: ROSSI KEEN ON BARCA MOVE

Villarreal striker Giuseppe Rossi would jump at the chance to join Barcelona in the summer, according to his agent.
The Italy international has been linked with Barcelona in the Spanish media and Andrea Pastorello says his client, contracted at Villarreal until 2016, will assess the situation at the end of the season.
"No player would turn down the chance to go there (to Barcelona)," Pastorello told radio channel Mana Mana.
"It is just rumours at the moment as Giuseppe (Rossi) is concentrated on giving his best until the end of the season. After it finishes we will see what happens.
"It is not certain that the player is going to leave as it is possible that Villarreal will play in the Champions League next season."

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Jagielka - new four-year deal.
JAGIELKA COMMITS TO EVERTON

Everton defender Phil Jagielka has signed a new four-year contract with the club.
The deal replaces his existing one, which was due to expire in 2014.
Jagielka has been one of manager David Moyes major transfer successes, having arrived from Sheffield United in 2007 and won the club's player of the year award the following season despite sustaining a serious knee injury in the second half of the campaign.
"I'm really pleased," Jagielka told evertontv. "We had talks a while ago and I knew it would only be a case of getting it signed and sealed and you can tell by the smile on my face that I am absolutely delighted to commit my future to Everton.
"I had a little while left on my last one but it is obviously nice to get a new one.
"I can concentrate on the football and hopefully there are exciting times ahead for me and the club."

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Lehmann - rejoined Arsenal on a short-term basis.
LEHMANN EAGER TO HELP YOUNG GUNNERS

Jens Lehmann hopes some of his 'Invincibles' aura can rub off on Arsenal's young squad as they look to finish the season on a high by finally landing the Barclays Premier League title.
The 41-year-old has rejoined his old club on a short-term monthly rolling contract to aid an injury crisis after Wojciech Szczesny joined Lukasz Fabianski and Vito Mannone in the treatment room.
Lehmann is set to provide experienced back-up to Manuel Almunia, whom he duelled for the number one jersey before leaving in 2008, and will be on the bench at West Brom on Saturday.
Former German international certainly brings plenty of kudos with him - having played in every one of Arsenal's 38-match unbeaten run to the title in 2003/2004 as well as lifting the 2005 FA Cup and helping the team reach the Champions League final in the following season, where he was famously sent off after just 18 minutes.
Lehmann is looking forwards to helping the squad anyway he can as they look to recover from the bitter disappointment of defeat in the Carling Cup final at Wembley before then crashing out of both Europe and the FA Cup.
"I have got that - in terms of experience, I am still good, so I need to give that onto the young lads," Lehmann told Arsenal TV Online.
"I hope we will be successful in getting the trophy, to give that extra bit of conviction to the players - that is why I am here and why the boss has asked me to come."
Lehmann had retired following two seasons back in Germany with Stuttgart, and was working as a media pundit in the Nou Camp.
It was the finger injury to Szczesny which would ultimately lead to an SOS from Gunners boss Arsene Wenger - one which Lehmann revealed it took some time to get his head around.
"When Szczesny went out, I crossed my fingers for Manuel to do well, and he had a great game, but it never occurred to me that there was a lack of goalkeepers which could end with a request for me," said the German, who had been set to spend some time working with the Arsenal reserves this month as he started on his coaching badges.
"I got a text when I got back from Barcelona, it was (goalkeeper coach) Gerry Peyton and at first I did not recognise it because I was very tired, then on the second text I realised he wanted me to get my gloves out again
"Later Arsene Wenger called me to ask if I was available, and I said 'let me talk to my wife' - now I am here.
"I am happy about it, for an exciting finish of my career and I will try to get the best out of it."
Despite what has certainly been a testing few weeks for his young Gunners, Wenger firmly believes there are plenty of reasons to be positive.
"If you look at what this team has given in the last three months, the players do not get the recognition of the effort and quality of the performance we have put in," he said.
"In fairness, we have not had many off days.
"We are on a remarkable consistent run in the Premier League, have gone out in the Champions League in special circumstances while at Old Trafford, we could have got a result, but were still a bit affected by Barcelona.
"We just want to keep belief high, togetherness high and give our best shot until the end of the season."
Arsenal currently trail leaders Manchester United by three points, but with a game in hand, as they head to The Hawthorns.
Wenger believes it is now a straight two-horse race for the Premier League crown.
"If we do not do it, it will be Manchester United because certainly the other teams are too far away," he said.
"Unless Chelsea beats Manchester United and wins all their games, they might have a chance, but mathematically it is in our hands or Manchester United hands.
"The other teams can only come back if Arsenal or Man United do not take their opportunities, so it is down to our results."
Wenger, meanwhile, must decide whether to appeal the one-match touchline ban imposed by UEFA following his spat with referee Massimo Busacca at the Nou Camp, where striker Robin van Persie was sent off for kicking the ball away only a fraction of a second after the whistle was blown.
Abou Diaby has been ruled out of the Gunners' trip to the midlands because of a groin injury and will also miss out on international duty with France next week, although the problem is not thought to be serious.

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Samaras - new deal.
SAMARAS PENS NEW HOOPS DEAL

Georgios Samaras has signed a new three-year deal at Celtic.
The Greece international joined the Glasgow club from Manchester City on loan in January 2008 before making the move permanent at the end of the 2008/09 season.
Samaras has scored 42 goals in 136 appearances for the Hoops and has recently struck up a potent partnership with Gary Hooper.
Samaras claimed there was never a chance to leaving Parkhead. Asked if there were other teams involved the Greece international striker said: "I didn't care at all. I was focused on how to get a deal with Celtic.
"I want to stay at this club and I am really happy about the deal.
"I have been four years at the club and the support I have from the people inside and outside the club is magnificent.
"It is a big club who tries to win every game and win trophies and that is the reason I signed for another three years.
"We took our time but I gave my word to the gaffer that I would not sign a pre-contract with another club.
"I had some conversations with the club and took our time to make the right decision."
Celtic assistant manager Johan Mjallby added: "It is a great signing. "He is the type of player that we want to keep at the club.
"He has got something special, on the day, when he plays his best football he is sometimes unplayable.
"That is great because when you work at a club like Celtic you want to improve the team and it is important to keep players like him.
"Everyone in the coaching staff was happy to keep him."

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Drogba - talks about his future planned.
DROGBA SET FOR CHELSEA TALKS

Didier Drogba has revealed he will hold talks with Chelsea about his future at the end of the season.
Speculation about Drogba has been rife since the arrival of Fernando Torres, which was believed by some to herald the beginning of the end of the Ivorian's six-and-a-half-year Stamford Bridge career.
The 33-year-old's contract expires next year and it is unclear whether he or Chelsea intend to extend it.
"It will be very interesting to see what happens in May," Drogba said.
"Then we can sit and speak about it and have a coffee."
The £50million signing of Torres saw Drogba lose his automatic place in the side, while he has also struggled to strike up an understanding with his new team-mate when they have played together.
Drogba admitted intially struggling to accept no longer being top dog, but insisted he quickly came to accept manager Carlo Ancelotti's policy of rotating his forwards.
"It wasn't easy the first week but that's normal," he said.
"Today, I know that we're doing this for the best of the team. The team is more competitive.
"Everybody talks a lot about my future but I'm enjoying it and I'm happy to be here."
It was Torres' turn to be rotated in Wednesday night's Champions League last-16 second leg against FC Copenhagen, with Drogba starting alongside Nicolas Anelka.
"We have a lot of strikers but I can't complain, I'm not the only one," said Drogba.
"Salomon Kalou is not playing, (Florent) Malouda is not playing, sometimes Anelka, sometimes me, Nando.
"I think it's good for the team. A team like Chelsea must have a lot of players to achieve a lot in a year."
Drogba revealed he was "really happy" with Ancelotti's explanation for the rotation policy.
"Communication is important - communication is what makes a player feel profitable in every situation," said the forward, who has failed to find the net in his last nine games.
His latest blank came against Copenhagen but a goalless draw was enough to seal Chelsea's place in the quarter-finals ahead of Friday's draw.
Thet have already gone further than last year, when they lost to eventual winners Inter Milan but Drogba admitted a semi-final spot was the minimum requirement for Ancelotti's men.
"For a team like Chelsea, we have to be, minimum, in the semi-final every year," said Drogba, who has played in all but one of the Blues' five semi appearances in the last seven years.
"You need to keep trying.
"I think it's little details in the Champions League, it's all about details and also we need a little bit of luck to win it.
"We didn't have it in the last final but you have to do everything to have luck on your side.
"Hopefully, this time we're going to do it."

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Kamara - Leicester interest.
FOXES CONFIRM KAMARA INTEREST


Leicester City manager Sven Goran Eriksson has confirmed his interest in signing Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara on loan.
Kamara has scored twice in 10 Premier League appearances this season but has not featured for Fulham in the past two months .
He could be offered a temporary move away from Craven Cottage before next week's deadline after Eriksson acknowledged his interest in the 30-year-old.
However, Eriksson is not desperate to improve his options for the run-in and confirmed Kamara is one of several players the club have made enquiries about.
"He is one of several we have asked about," said Eriksson in the Leicester Mercury. "I can't deny he is one of them, but he is not the only one.
"We have had very little contact with Fulham, and myself almost nothing. It is ongoing work.
"I guess Lee Hoos, the chief executive, has been talking to at least three clubs during the last two days. There are contacts all the time.
"If it is someone like him or someone with the same abilities, who we feel can help the team to ride higher in the table, we will do it, whether it is a striker, defender or midfielder.
"You can't go out and spend millions on a player for the rest of the season but, if something is possible that we think will make the team better, we will do that."
Eriksson also laughed off a link to Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose, saying: "I heard that the other day and don't know where that came from. I can't even dream to ask anyone about Klose."

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Gibson - hopes Scholes stays.
GIBSON HOPES PAUL SCHOLES STAYS

Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson hopes Paul Scholes will decide against retiring and stay on at Old Trafford for another year.
Scholes is thought to be considering his future in the game with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.
The 36-year-old has impressed this term and has been instrumental in their bid for another Treble success.
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is keen to persuade Scholes to play on and Gibson would be delighted to see him stay despite the veteran providing competition for places in United's midfield.
"I would love him to stay," Gibson told skysports.com at an event promoting EA SPORTS FIFA 11 Ultimate Team.
"I think he is still a great player and he is still really influential for us.
"Obviously he is coming towards the end, but I would love to see him stay for another year."
Gibson also paid tribute to team-mate Ryan Giggs, describing the record-breaker as an inspiration to all footballers.
Giggs surpassed United legend Sir Bobby Charlton as the club's all-time appearance holder earlier this month and Gibson has only praise for the Welshman's longevity.
"He's unbelievable," added Gibson. "He is such an inspiration to every footballer.
"To play until 37 and to play so well and be so fit, he is just unbelievable."
Edwin van der Sar has confirmed his plans to retire at the end of the season and Gibson admits United will find it hard to replace the Dutchman.
"I think obviously we are looking for another keeper to replace Edwin, but I think he will be hard to replace," continued Gibson. "He is a massive part of the team."
The 23-year-old Gibson believes he has learned and improved a lot as a player working under Sir Alex Ferguson and playing with United stars such as Giggs and Scholes.
"I think I have improved massively under Sir Alex," noted Gibson
"I think he is a great manager, but not only under Sir Alex Ferguson but the likes of Scholes, Giggs, [Wayne] Rooney and [Rio) Ferdinand and all the players at United you learn so much off them every day and i think playing with them gives you a lot of experience and I think I have really improved from my time here.
Darron Gibson is promoting EA SPORTS' FIFA 11 Ultimate Team. Take on the challenge of building a squad of the world's best football stars by earning, buying, selling and trading players with other Ultimate Team gamers around the world. Visit www.easportsfootball.com/ultimateteam

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Magath - Wolfsburg coach.
MAGATH RETURNS TO WOLFSBURG

Felix Magath has been appointed coach of Wolfsburg after being sacked from his position at Schalke earlier this week.
The 57-year-old begins work at Volkswagen Arena with immediate effect and will be on the bench for Sunday's Bundesliga game at Stuttgart.
He will take his first training session this afternoon.
Magath returns for his second stint at Wolfsburg after leading the club to the Bundesliga title in 2009 before joining Schalke, where he secured a second-placed finish last season.
However, he left Schalke on Wednesday with the club sitting 10th in the Bundesliga standings after losing the support of the players.
But less than 48 hours later Magath was on his way back to Wolfsburg with the foremost aim of keeping the club in the top flight.
The Wolves slipped into the Bundesliga's relegation zone last weekend after losing for the fourth time in five games under Pierre Littbarski, who was named caretaker boss following the departure of Steve McClaren last month.
Magath will be officially unveiled at a press conference later today, where he will finalise the deal by penning an expected two-year contract.
"Nothing has been signed yet because there was no time for it, but I think I will be there until 2013," said Magath told Sport1.de this morning.
"Everything went so quickly, but I am sitting in my car now driving to the place where I celebrated the greatest success of my career."
Wolfsburg have yet to comment on the futures of Littbarski and director of sport Dieter Hoeness, with Magath also expected to take over the latter's duties having performed a similar dual role at Schalke.

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Guidolin - new deal.
GUIDOLIN SIGNS NEW UDINESE DEAL

Francesco Guidolin has signed a three-year contract extension with Udinese.
The new deal will see Guidolin remain with the Friuli outfit until June 2015.
Guidolin joined Udinese last summer and has enjoyed an excellent campaign with the Bianconeri so far.
A statement from Udinese read: "Udinese Calcio announces that it has extended its existing agreement with coach Francesco Guidolin, previously to expire in June 2012, until June 30, 2015.
"To Francesco Guidolin and his entire staff, we send our compliments for their good work and hope for consistent and highly satisfactory results."
Guidolin had been strongly linked with a move to Juventus this summer.
Udinese are fourth in Serie A and go into Sunday's home match against Catania riding a 12-game unbeaten run.

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Pearson - pleased with signing.
TIGERS TIE UP AKPAN LOAN

Hull City manager Nigel Pearson has completed the loan signing of Everton youngster Hope Akpan.
The 19-year-old midfielder has now finalised his move to the KC Stadium, although he is not expected to be involved in Saturday's game against Norwich City.
"We know a lot about him already," Pearson told the Hull Daily Mail.
"We do our homework on players and we're going to have a look at him between now and the end of the season.
"We have an agreement with Everton as regards his future and, if he does well, we'll see where it takes us.
"We're pleased to get him on board but don't expect him to be involved with the first team straight away."
Akpan has made one first-team appearance during his time at Everton which came against BATE Borisov in last season's Europa League.