Latest Transfer Update at 16-05-11

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Latest Transfer Update at 16-05-11


Carlos Tevez - has no problems with Mancini.
TEVEZ HAS NO PROBLEM WITH MANCINI

Carlos Tevez says it is not set on a move away from Manchester City and that he has a 'great relationship' with manager Roberto Mancini.
Strong speculation has linked the Argentina striker with a move to Italy this summer amid rumours his rapport with the manager has broken down.
But after Tevez helped City lift the FA Cup, the club captain says he is not set on a move away and maintains there are no issues between him and Mancini.
"We have a great relationship. We are both winners and want to achieve more things," he said.
"We have a good relationship off the pitch and in the professional sense.
"Sometimes there were problems between us but I think that happens everywhere."
Tevez says he would be happy to stay at Eastlands if he can find a solution to his family issues.
He said: "My family are my priority, I don't have a problem with anyone at the club. Everyone treats me right.
"There are still two games to play and we are only focused on that. Then I will talk with my family and everyone else. I have not made a decision on anything yet.
"The club wants to me stay and I also want to stay if everything is okay for my family.
"I don't know if I'm going to leave or not or going to Spain or Italy. People say I am going but I am still here."
City are tipped to challenge for the Premier League title next season after lifting the FA Cup on Saturday, and Tevez admits the prospect of overhauling local rivals Manchester United is an incentive to remain at the club.
He added: "Yes, that is a great motivation to stay.
"It would make me very happy to win the title here. It is what we all want and need."
Meanwhile, Mancini has denied telling Tevez that he can leave the club and would like the Argentinian striker to continue his career with the FA Cup holders.
"I never said that Carlos wanted to go to Italy. He has a fabulous contract with us. He's our captain and is an important player for us," said the Italian.
"I don't know if he was saying goodbye after the game on Saturday, you'd have to ask him.
"It's important to work with a team if you believe in the project. If I'm not happy, I leave. This is true for everyone in every job.
"For me, he stays here. He wants to stay. I've spoken with him and he said to me 'why you say I want to leave?'
"I told him I never said that. Never! I believe he wants to stay."

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Mazzarri - uncertain future at Napoli.
NAPOLI WON'T LET MAZZARRI GO

Napoli have warned coach Walter Mazzarri that he will not be allowed to leave the club this summer.
Mazzarri is under contract with the Naples outfit until June 2014 but has been strongly linked to Juventus next season.
"I want to thank Mazzarri, his staff and the team for a fantastic season," Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said after Sunday's 1-1 draw against Inter Milan ensured his team a third-placed finish in Serie A.
"I hugged Mazzarri in the changing room after the game and I have no intention to let him go."
The former Sampdoria boss joined Napoli in October 2009 following the dismissal of coach Roberto Donadoni.
He led Napoli to a sixth-placed finish in his first year in charge.
Napoli have been the surprise package in Italy this season and last night's result earned them automatic qualification for the Champions League.
The 49-year-old tactician has yet to confirm whether he will honour his contract with Napoli.
Mazzarri said: "First I will have to talk to the president and the sporting director after the season ends.
"Then we will evaluate the situation."
Napoli end the campaign at Juventus next Sunday.

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Holloway - job is safe.
OYSTON: OLLIE'S JOB SAFE

Chairman Karl Oyston has insisted there is no danger of Blackpool replacing Ian Holloway at the end of the season, but he is less sure about the future of Charlie Adam.
The Seasiders enjoyed a stunning start to life in the Premier League but were not able to maintain that form for the whole campaign and could now be relegated back to the Championship.
They find themselves in the bottom three going into the final day of the season, when their fate will be decided at Old Trafford against champions Manchester United.
However, Oyston has dismissed any suggestions that Holloway could be sacked if Blackpool do go down, paying tribute to the manager's accomplishments in his two years at the Bloomfield Road helm.
"I think Ian's achievements are massive in terms of getting us into the Premier League and acquitting us so well in our time in the Premier League," he told Sky Sports News.
"We have always been the sort of club to favour stability and measured progress and Ian is the perfect man for us in that regard, so there is absolutely no thought of any change and long may his tenure here continue.
"He has not really changed from his time in the Championship. His approach is the same.
"He has had to adapt in the way he deals with press requirements, because there is so much interest in the Premier League, but it is pretty much the same."
Star midfielder Adam has been heavily linked with a move away from Blackpool after requesting a transfer in the January window, when a number of clubs lodged bids for his services.
Oyston admits the matter could be taken out of Blackpool's hands if there is renewed interest in the summer, but refuses to accept that Adam will definitely be leaving.
Asked about Adam's future, he replied: "No idea. There is not a lot I can do about the situation.
"It is in the hands of other clubs and if they want to get in touch.
"I never expect anything in football. Over the years I have made the mistake of thinking a player will go and it doesn't happen, so I think you are best just dealing with things as they happen."

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Del Neri - no talk of stepping down.
DEL NERI RULES OUT RESIGNATION

Juventus coach Luigi Del Neri dismissed any suggestions he will step down despite his team looking like missing out on European football next season.
Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Parma left the Turin giants seventh in Serie A, three points behind Roma, who hold the last Europa League qualifying spot with one game remaining.
"Barring a miracle, we are out of Europe," said a disappointed Del Neri. "But I don't want to talk about stepping down, absolutely not.
"I am under contract and I remain in the project.
"I do my job in the best possible way but it will be the club that has the final say."
Del Neri, who is in his first season at Juve, is under contract with the club until June 2012.
The former Chievo tactician has endured a difficult campaign, with injuries and a lack of continuity hindering Juve.
"Our fortunes have not been decided in the penultimate match," said Del Neri. "We didn't play well against Parma but it has been an unusual campaign.
"We have made a lot of mistakes throughout the campaign.
"We are all disappointed as we would have liked to have ended the season differently.
"But now we have to try to beat Napoli and we will see what happens."
Juve need to beat third-place Napoli and hope Roma lose at home to already-relegated Sampdoria this weekend if they are to play in Europe next season.

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Davis: - shocked at Palace release.
DAVIS SHOCKED BY PALACE EXIT

Claude Davis has claimed Crystal Palace offered him a new contract before telling him his services were no longer required.
The defender insists he holds no grudge against manager Dougie Freedman although the U-turn from the Eagles took him by surprise.
The 32-year-old former Preston, Sheffield United and Derby man is now on the lookout for a new club ahead of the new season.
"I didn't expect it because there was something on the table a week ago," Davis told the South London Press.
"But on Monday there was a different arrangement.
"A deal had been in place four days before, but the club changed their mind. I was disappointed and surprised, but I'm all right - I just have to move on.
"I've got nothing bad to say about Palace or the management, nothing at all. We sat down and talked calmly - there was no argument.
"I respect the gaffer because he's a straight-talker. I shook his hand and said 'I'll see you if I see you'."

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Towell - has enjoyed playing regularly.
TOWELL HAPPY TO STAY AT HIBS

Hibernian's on-loan Celtic full-back Richie Towell is hoping to discover his long-term future soon and would welcome the prospect of a return to Easter Road.
The 19-year-old Irishman will hold talks with Celtic boss Neil Lennon this summer, but would relish the chance to add to his 16 appearances for Hibs this season.
Towell told Hibernian TV: "I'm not too sure yet; whether or not I'm going to be back at Celtic next season, coming back to Hibs on loan or even permanently.
"It is all up in the air, but hopefully it will be sorted out soon.
"I don't think I could've asked for a bigger move. To come to a club like Hibs has been brilliant.
"To come to such a big club and play regularly has been phenomenal - I've really enjoyed it."

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Dejection for Avram Grant at the DW Stadium.
GRANT EXIT AFTER HAMMERS RELEGATION

West Ham parted company with manager Avram Grant in the wake of the club's relegation from the Barclays Premier League.
The Hammers went down after squandering a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at fellow strugglers Wigan.
And just over an hour later, a statement on the West Ham website confirmed the club had parted company with the Israeli.
The statement read: "The club can confirm that Avram Grant is no longer the manager of West Ham United.
"First-team coach Kevin Keen will take charge of the team for the final home match of the season against Sunderland on Sunday 22 May."
Grant also suffered relegation last season when he was in charge of Portsmouth.
Having resigned at Pompey, he took over at Upton Park last summer, signing a four-year deal, but lasted less than 12 months.
West Ham are due to move to the Olympic Stadium once it is revamped as a combined football and athletics venue after the 2012 London Games.
The club's owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, appointed former Chelsea manager Grant in the hope he could establish West Ham as a Premier League force.
Players including Germany captain Thomas Hitzlsperger, Frederic Piquionne and Demba Ba were acquired, while the club backed Grant in the loan market by allowing him to bring in Robbie Keane, Wayne Bridge and Victor Obinna.
However the season began poorly and results have continued to be mostly dismal, despite fresh arrivals.
There was a short-lived revival when West Ham won three of five Premier League games from February 2 to March 5, including a memorable 3-1 home victory over Liverpool.
However today's defeat was a sixth in seven league matches for the London side, with relegation persuading the owners the time is right for a change as the npower Championship beckons.
Avram Grant Factfile
1955: February 6 - Born in Petah Tikva, Israel.
1974: Becomes youth coach at Hapoel Petah Tikva at the age of 19.
1978: Wins youth championship with Hapoel.
1986: Appointed coach of the senior team at Hapoel.
1991: Appointed coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv.
1992: Wins Israeli title in his first season.
1995: Wins his second title before moving to Hapoel Haifa.
1996: Returns to Maccabi Tel Aviv for a second, less successful spell.
2000: After failing to recreate the success of his earlier stint, Grant receives death threats from disgruntled fans and is later sacked. Appointed manager of Maccabi Haifa.
2001: Wins title with Maccabi Haifa but is denied the chance of Champions League football after fielding an ineligible player in a qualifying match.
2002: Wins title again and Maccabi Haifa become the first Israeli side to compete in the Champions League. Appointed manager of Israel.
2004: A disappointing qualification campaign for the Euro 2004 tournament, including a 2-2 draw with Malta, sees the media calling for Grant's head. Courts controversy by travelling to the African Nations Cup in Tunisia - officially an enemy country of Israel.
2006: Narrowly misses out on World Cup qualification after leading Israel to third in their group behind France and Switzerland. Appointed technical director at Portsmouth.
2007: September 20 - Appointed director of football at Chelsea. Put in charge of team alongside assistant Steve Clarke following departure of Jose Mourinho.
2008: February 24 - Loses Carling Cup final 2-1 to Tottenham.
May - Chelsea finish runners-up to Manchester United in Premier League and lose Champions League final to Red Devils in Moscow on penalties.
May 24 - Sacked by Chelsea.
June 26 - Offered job as coach of the Georgia national team but turns it down.
2009: January - Holds talks with Bulgarian Football Union over becoming manager of the national team, but could not agree terms.
October 7 - Returns to Portsmouth as director of football following Ali Al Faraj's purchase of the club.
November 26 - Appointed Portsmouth manager after Paul Hart's departure.
2010: April 10 - Pompey relegated from Premier League.
May 15 - Chelsea beat Portsmouth 1-0 in FA Cup final.
May 20 - Resigns as Pompey manager.
June 3 - Appointed West Ham boss on four-year contract.
2011: January 1 - A 2-0 win over Wolves sees West Ham move out of the relegation zone. But four days later a 5-0 thrashing at Newcastle sends them back to the bottom of the table.
January 12 - Grant remains in his post following a scheduled board meeting.
January 26 - Birmingham beat West Ham 3-1 - 4-3 on aggregate - to reach Carling Cup final.
May 15 - West Ham relegated from Premier League following 3-2 defeat at Wigan. Club announce they have parted company with Grant.

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Hodgson - does not need assurances.
HODGSON: BAGGIES WILL PLAY HARDBALL

Roy Hodgson is confident he will be backed by West Brom owner-chairman Jeremy Peace in the battle to hold onto key players this summer.
Head coach Hodgson believes his own past experiences of trying to prise targets away from the Hawthorns gives him confidence Peace will lend him his support.
Leading scorer Peter Odemwingie, skipper Chris Brunt and midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu have been the subject of transfer speculation.
But when asked if he needed assurances from Peace about keeping players, Hodgson said: "I don't need assurances. I don't need them. They're under contract.
"I know from past experience of trying to get Jonathan Greening out of West Brom that the chairman is very keen on keeping the players that he wants to keep and who are under contract.
"I don't need assurances. I've never even broached the subject with him.
"The battle for Greening made me realise that West Brom don't release players they don't want to let go."
Hodgson has his sights firmly set on finishing as the midlands' leading club after Mulumbu's goal earned a 1-0 home win over Everton.
They are one point ahead of Aston Villa with one game remaining - at Newcastle on Sunday.
Hodgson said: "It's been a pretty good spell, 19 points from 11 games.
"An average of two points per game is like Manchester United, isn't it, right up the top.
"Just under two points a game is like Liverpool, who are on a very good run, or perhaps Chelsea.
"I've got to say it has been a wonderful season and we've got a very good chance now of finishing as top dogs in the Birmingham area.
"I think it's a while since that happened and it is an achievement because Birmingham (City) and Aston Villa are big clubs."
(reopens) Meanwhile, Mulumbu has been voted Albion's player of the year.
The midfielder has formed an impressive partnership alongside Paul Scharner in the centre of the park and has weighed in with seven goals.
But the former Paris St Germain player knows Albion will face an even harder battle to stay up next season.
He said: "It will be a hard season, maybe even harder than this season.
"But this season was hard and the target was achieved."