Latest Transfer Update at 01-08-11

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Latest Transfer Update at 01-08-11

Wesley Sneijder: Linked with Manchester United
SNEIJDER: THERE IS ALWAYS SPECULATION

Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder has hinted he is open to a move to England.
The 27-year-old has been widely linked with a move to Manchester United, though Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson has denied having had any contact with the Holland international.
Asked if he would be interested in a move to England, Sneijder said in comments quoted on The Sun's website: "Maybe. I have played in many big competitions in Holland, Spain and Italy and I'm still here.
"What is going to happen we will see but I am a happy guy.
"But there is always speculation, every year.
"I am happy to train and play my games. Whatever happens after that, we will see."
He added: "There is always a chance something will happen but we will see."

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Wesley Sneijder: Transfer talk continues
GASPERINI NOT WORRIED BY SNEIJDER TALK

Inter Milan boss Gian Piero Gasperini remains unfazed by continued speculation that Manchester United have made an offer for Wesley Sneijder.
Rumours and reports about Sneijder have been running all summer, with Sir Alex Ferguson denying interest in the midfielder.
United chief executive David Gill has admitted that the club still have room to bring in one more player, despite already signing David de Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones this summer.
Sneijder himself has admitted that a move could still happen despite being happy at Inter.
Now Gasperini has insisted that as far as he knows, no offer has been made to Sneijder.
"The transfer market closes on 31 August and we have all been trained to live with these rumours for the duration of the season," he said.
"I'm not worried or annoyed by these rumours and neither are the players.
"They are Inter players, they play their hearts out for Inter in any situationand they showed that today.
"People talk a lot about the transfer market but at the end of the day everything is just like it was at the start.
"Have Manchester United put in a bid for Sneijder? I don't know and I don't care, but it's not unusual for great players to be in greater demand.
"Inter's great players are, as are those from other clubs, but if you are sure that the player has received an offer, I'll remind you that Sneijder is undercontract to Inter, so if there is a bid it should be made to Inter.
"I'll say it again: all too often rumours are spread for months and then, when it's all over everything is exactly as it used to be."

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David Goodwillie: Set for Blackburn move
GOODWILLIE CLOSE TO BLACKBURN MOVE

Striker David Goodwillie is expected to complete his move from Dundee United to Blackburn on Monday.
Speaking after Sunday's 1-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Hearts, United boss Peter Houston revealed a deal was close.
"I'm led to believe he's just about there with Blackburn," said Houston, who knew nothing of reported fresh bids from SPL champions Rangers.
"I just spoke briefly to the chairman and he says it's almost there and it could happen tomorrow. It's getting there."
Goodwillie was left out of the squad at Tynecastle after United and Rovers agreed a fee - believed to be £2million up front, another £800,000 of potential add-ons and a sell-on clause.
Houston believes Rovers are getting value for money in Goodwillie, citing the recent switch made by Connor Wickham from Ipswich to Sunderland as the type of money the striker could have commanded. Sunderland paid an initial £8.1million fee.
The United boss added: "If he'd been playing in England in the Championship the way he has been playing in the SPL, a Premier League club would probably have paid more money.
"I think they've got a bargain."
Goodwillie scored 19 goals for United last season and made his Scotland debut in a friendly win over the Faroe Islands in November.
The striker's Scotland career was put on hold after he was charged with a serious sexual assault in January, but the charge was dropped last week because of insufficient evidence.
That development sparked increased activity on the transfer front for Goodwillie, who has two years left on his Tannadice contract.
He now looks likely to move to Ewood Park, unless Rangers can make an 11th-hour attempt to recruit the striker.
Due to Goodwillie's off-field issues, Houston advised the striker to move away from Scotland and it was advice he repeated.
Houston, who is a Glaswegian, added: "In normal circumstances, David Goodwillie, Rangers or Blackburn - there's only one decision I would make in my opinion.
"Rangers are a massive club and Rangers are a bigger club than Blackburn in my opinion.
"But the reason I said David should get away out of the road is because of his off-field problems and I still say that."

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Alan Pardew: Wants to boost Newcastle's squad

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has confirmed he wants to sign one more player this summer.
Demba Ba, Sylvain Marveaux, Yohan Cabaye and Mehdi Abeid have already arrived at St James' Park, but another forward has also been a priority.
Newcastle have been linked with Tottenham's Jermain Defoe, although he is not thought to be keen on a move to the North East.
At the same time, with Wayne Routledge set to join Swansea, skysports.com understands Bayer Leverkusen winger Tranquillo Barnetta is another target.
And Pardew told Sky Sports News after a disappointing 3-2 pre-season defeat at Leeds on Sunday: "We need another player, we are conscious of that."
Newcastle now face another friendly against Fiorentina next Saturday before beginning their Premier League season by hosting Arsenal.
Pardew said at Elland Road: "I think the 11 starters that we will have against Fiorentina will be a lot stronger than today. That will be reflected.
"But we are not pitching in against a mid-table team in the first game. We are pitching in against Arsenal, who are one of the top teams in the division.
"We know we need to focus and make sure, so we are putting our work in."

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Barton: Set to leave Newcastle on a free transfer
JOEY BARTON FREE TO LEAVE NEWCASTLE

Newcastle United have made midfielder Joey Barton available on a free transfer.
The 28-year-old has just a year left on his current deal, and he has been unable to agree fresh terms with the club.
Barton has also been left disappointed by the Magpies' transfer policy and has criticised them heavily on his Twitter account.
Now Newcastle have decided that his future does lie away from Tyneside and have made him available on a free transfer.
Barton was due to make an announcement at 4pm on his future, but Newcastle have now confirmed he is free to go.
The England cap joined Newcastle in 2007 from Manchester City and has gone on to make 79 league appearances for the club.
Joey Barton Factfile
1982: Born Huyton, September 2.
2003: April - Makes Manchester City debut in a 2-0 defeat at Bolton. Scores first Blues goal in 2-0 win at Tottenham.
2004: February - Sent off at half-time in an FA Cup tie at Tottenham with his team 3-0 down. City go on to win 4-3.
April - Stormed out of Eastlands before kick-off after being axed from the side to face Southampton.
July - Blasted by manager Kevin Keegan for causing a mass brawl in a pre-season friendly at Doncaster.
December - Stubbed a lit cigar into the eye of young team-mate Jamie Tandy during club's Christmas party. Fined six weeks' wages by City. Forced to pay four weeks' salary - approximately £60,000 - immediately, with a further two weeks suspended for a year.
2005: May - Barton breaks leg of 35-year-old pedestrian while driving his car at 2am in Liverpool city centre.
July 22 - Involved in an altercation with a 15-year-old Everton fan at City's team hotel in Bangkok, where the team are playing in the FA Premier League Trophy.
July 27 - Fined eight weeks' wages by City after being found guilty of gross misconduct in the Bangkok incident. Agrees to undertake a programme of rehabilitation.
2006: January 30 - Hands in a transfer request, which is instantly rejected.
September 30 - Drops his shorts in the direction of Everton fans following City's 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. Merseyside Police and the Football Association later confirm they are liaising in their investigation into the matter.
October 5 - Charged with improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute by the FA over the Goodison Park incident.
October 10 - Fined £2,000 and warned as to his future conduct by the FA.
2007: January 16 - Everton bid for Barton rejected by Manchester City. Agent Willie McKay reveals the midfielder has a £5.5million release clause in his contract, suggesting Everton triggered this clause.
February 7 - Makes senior England debut as a 78th-minute substitute against Spain.
February 21 - Cleared of making obscene gestures towards Portsmouth fans due to insufficient evidence.
March 13 - Arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage in an incident involving a taxi driver. He is later charged with criminal damage, which he denies. Barton is later cleared of any wrongdoing.
May 1 - Suspended by City for the rest of the season after training-ground altercation with Ousmane Dabo.
June 14 - Completes £5.8million move to Newcastle.
July 21 - Breaks a metatarsal in a pre-season meeting with Carlisle.
August 2 - Charged with assault over Dabo incident.
October 4 - Appears in court charged with Dabo assault. Indicates he will plead not guilty.
October 22 - Makes Newcastle debut in 3-1 victory over Tottenham.
December 1 - Causes controversy by describing the St James' Park crowd as "vicious".
December 27 - Arrested in Liverpool city centre.
December 28 - Charged with common assault and affray and refused bail.
2008: January 3 - Released from custody after being granted bail.
January 16 - Appears in court in Liverpool over allegations of assault and affray.
March 12 - Appears in court charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.
May 20 - Admits assault and affray and is jailed for six months at Liverpool Crown Court.
July 1 - Receives four-month suspended sentence for assaulting Dabo.
July 28 - Released from prison.
July 31 - The FA charge Barton with violent conduct over the Dabo incident.
August 30 - Returns as a substitute for Newcastle away to Arsenal.
September 5 - Banned by the FA for 12 matches - six of which are suspended - and fined £25,000 after admitting violent conduct charge in relation to Dabo incident.
2009: May 3 - Sent off against Liverpool for late challenge on Xabi Alonso.
May 5 - Suspended until further notice by Newcastle.
November 11 - Charged with violent conduct by the FA after allegedly punching Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen during their Barclays Premier League match.
2011: Newcastle transfer-list Barton, making him available on a free transfer.

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Luka Modric: Chelsea transfer target
BOND: LUKA MODRIC HAS HIS PRICE

Tottenham could sell Luka Modric if the club's valuation of him is met, assistant manager Kevin Bond admitted on Monday.
Chelsea are weighing up whether to make a third bid for Spurs playmaker Modric, having already seen two offers rejected this summer.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has insisted the 25-year-old is not for sale "at any price" but that was contradicted by Bond, who told talkSPORT: "We desperately don't want to lose him, but everyone has a price.
"If somebody came along and the money turns your head and he did go - although the chairman is adamant he doesn't want to sell him - then we'd have to get on with it."
That price is likely to be well in excess of the reported £22million and £27million reportedly offered by Chelsea in recent weeks.
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp branded the Blues' first bid as "ridiculous" and also gave short shrift to the second.
Modric still has five years remaining on the long-term contract he signed last summer.
However, the Croatia star wants to leave, reportedly handing in a transfer request after accusing Levy of reneging on a gentleman's agreement to sell him this summer if a club like Chelsea made a bid.
Bond added: "Transfers are part and parcel of the game but you don't want to lose your best players and he certainly is one of our best players."
Bond said "Harry would have to deal elsewhere in market" if Modric was sold but Redknapp himself has admitted Tottenham would struggle to compete for top players because they could not match the salaries on offer at the likes of Manchester City.
"Imagine what their wages will be," he told several newspapers.
"It's incredible. They are all on 100 grand a week-plus. Wages have gone crazy.
"It's gone beyond belief and made it really hard to compete for top players. If you want to be a top-four side, it's difficult because we can't pay those kind of wages.
"Our chairman Daniel Levy runs the club well, we get 36,000 fans, you're not going to put the club in hock.
"How do you compete with the Man Citys of this world?"
Spurs have been linked with Valencia star Juan Mata.
Redknapp said: "Mata is one we have looked at but there are other clubs, including, Arsenal who also like him.
"I saw him play for Spain Under-21s against England and he was fantastic. But the chairman is dealing with it."
Redknapp led Spurs to fourth place in the Barclays Premier League just over a year ago but admitted they might even struggle to break the top five this season.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson recently singled out City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool as his side's big rivals.
Redknapp said: "Fergie didn't mention us. He stuck Liverpool in there this year and probably with what they have brought in, it's looking that way."

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Antonio Valencia: New Manchester United deal
VALENCIA PENS NEW MAN UNITED DEAL

Antonio Valencia has signed a new four-year deal with Manchester United.
The Ecuador winger, 25, is now tied to the Barclays Premier League champions until the end of the 2014/15 season.
Valencia joined United two years ago from Wigan and has gone on to make 69 appearances, scoring 10 goals.
Valencia's progress last season was stalled by an ankle injury that sidelined him for five months but, he made a successful return to Sir Alex Ferguson's first team.
He was a stand-out performer as United overturned Schalke in the Champions League semi-final and was part of the side defeated by Barcelona in the final.
Competition for places has been increased by the signing of Ashley Young from Aston Villa, but Ferguson was delighted to agree terms with Valencia on a new deal.
"Antonio has made a fantastic contribution since his arrival. His speed, crossing ability and versatility have been a big asset for us," Ferguson told manutd.com.
"He has a quiet, unassuming way of going about his business, which is underlined by great strength of character - as his recovery from such a bad injury last season proves."
Valencia added: "I am delighted to stay at United. Since my first day at Carrington, I have been happy here. I hope that I can continue to develop as a player.
"I am looking forward to making my contribution to helping this squad compete for more trophies."

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Jack Wilshere: Hoping for title challenge
WILSHERE CALLS FOR NEW FACES

Jack Wilshere insists Arsenal can challenge for the Premier League title this season if they sign "a few more players" before the transfer window closes.
The 19-year-old midfielder was part of the Gunners team that was booed from the pitch in Sunday's pre-season friendly draw with New York Red Bulls.
Arsenal's lack of business in the transfer market no doubt fuelled the frustration of the Emirates crowd, with various deficiencies in Arsene Wenger's squad yet to be addressed.
Key players such as Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri are not guaranteed to stay in North London this summer, while Wenger's only signings so far have been young centre-back Carl Jenkinson and forward Gervinho.
England international Wilshere knows the heat is on his side to break their six-year silverware drought this season, and he believes a couple of new faces could prove the difference.
He told the Daily Mail: "We are not a spending club but we still managed to stay up there with the top teams. And we have to win things this year.
"Maybe if we had a few more faces we could really push on. If we get a few more players we can really challenge for the title.
"Around March and April we have to stay really strong. We are confident we can be up and around it then so we have to remain strong at that crucial time."
Wilshere limped out of Sunday's friendly with an ankle injury that could rule him out of England's opening game of the new campaign, a friendly against Holland on August 10.

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Neil Warnock: Talks with Tony Fernandes
WARNOCK HOLDS TALKS WITH FERNANDES

Neil Warnock has revealed he held "positive" talks with prospective QPR owner Tony Fernandes at the weekend.
Fernandes, the boss of Formula One's Team Lotus, met Rangers manager Warnock in Bergamo, Italy, on Saturday after watching the Barclays Premier League new boys win the pre-season Bortolotti Trofeo tournament.
QPR last week announced they were in talks with potential new owners, with the interested party having since been revealed to be Fernandes.
He has reportedly been in discussions with co-owner Bernie Ecclestone and the F1 supremo's business partner Flavio Briatore, joining the latter on a whistlestop visit to Italy after the qualifying session at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Saturday.
Warnock told the Daily Mail: "Myself, Flavio and Tony all had a positive chat after the match on Saturday.
"We've already spoken about possible targets and he is a very positive chap."
Malaysian businessman Fernandes last year lost out to David Sullivan and David Gold in trying to buy West Ham, the team he supports.
Warnock will be hoping any takeover will result in extra funds for him to spend on players, with Rangers restricted to free transfers so far this summer.
They have agreed a reported £1.25million fee for Blackpool striker DJ Campbell, who they hope to complete the signing of this week.
In March, Ecclestone suggested he might be interested in selling his 69% stake in QPR for £100million - and the club entered into talks with an unnamed group, with due diligence taking place.
Those discussions failed to reach an agreement, but Rangers last week released a statement revealing the club had started "preliminary discussions with a different party".
Almost a third of QPR's stock is owned by the family of metals billionaire Lakshmi Mittal.
In May, vice-chairman Amit Bhatia, Mittal's son-in-law, resigned from the board after a disagreement over ticket-price increases and changes to club management.
Force India Formula One team owner Vijay Mallya and chairman of United Breweries Group, which produces the Kingfisher beer brand, were previously linked with the Loftus Road club.

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Alberto Aquilani: Set for Liverpool exit
AC MILAN WON'T RULE OUT AQUILANI

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has played down talk of a move for Mario Balotelli or Kaka but admitted Alberto Aquilani could be a player of interest.
Aquilani does not figure highly in the plans of Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish for the new season after the Reds midfield was bolstered by the signings of Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing.
A proposed switch to Fiorentina is now in serious doubt and Milan have been linked with a summer swoop for the Italy international.
While Galliani insists there are no plans at the moment to try and bring in Aquilani, he admits the 27-year-old is the type of player they are targeting.
"Currently we are not looking for him, but we could speak of it," said Galliani.
"He's a midfielder with the characteristics that we are looking for so, like with other players in his role, he could be of interest."
Brazilian starlet Ganso is also reportedly on Milan's radar, but Galliani has ruled out any possibility of his compatriot Kaka returning to the San Siro from Real Madrid.
"His wage is impossible for an Italian club," said Galliani.
Galliani has also stressed that the Rossoneri are not in the market for another centre-forward, after Manchester City's Balotelli admitted on Monday he was unhappy in England and would one day consider joining Milan.
"Balotelli? If someone comes he will be a left inside midfielder, not a striker," Galliani explained.