Latest Transfer Update at 18-08-11

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Latest Transfer Update at 18-08-11

Ruiz: Claims Fulham are interested
BRYAN RUIZ CLAIMS FULHAM INTEREST

Twente star Bryan Ruiz has revealed Fulham have made a move for him and he would be keen to switch to Craven Cottage.
The highly-rated Costa Rican had been strongly linked with Tottenham and Harry Redknapp admitted his interest, although added he was not a top priority.
However, Ruiz has now revealed that a deal with Fulham could be on the cards.
Ruiz told De Telegraaf: "Fulham is a serious option for me.
"That is also a Premier League side and it is a fantastic league.
"Fulham already contacted my agent. If Fulham does become serious, we will definitely talk."
Ruiz has been linked with a number of clubs this summer, but he insists he is not worried about his future.
"It makes no sense to worry, because I can't do anything about it," he said.
"Of course I want a step forward, but believe me I don't have any problems for a longer stay at FC Twente. FC Twente is a fantastic club."

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Diarra: Tottenham target
DIARRA TALKS ONGOING - REDKNAPP


Totttenham boss Harry Redknapp has confirmed that talks over Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra are continuing.
Spurs' move for the 26-year-old France international was revealed by Sky Sports sources earlier this month, and the Premier League club are trying to strike a deal.
Redknapp worked with Diarra at Portsmouth and he wants to bring him back to England, where he has also featured for Arsenal and Chelsea.
The Spurs boss confirmed that talks are continuing between Real and his own chairman Daniel Levy.
"As for Diarra, I like him," said Redknapp.
"It's a possibility. [The chairman's] been trying for us. He's been trying to do something there."

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Walcott: Believes new players will be signed
WALCOTT BACKS WENGER TO STRENGTHEN

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott is "sure" manager Arsene Wenger is on the verge of strengthening his squad.
Wenger had come under pressure from fans to add to his ranks this summer, even before the sale of captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona earlier this week.
And now, after an opening-day draw at Newcastle and a hard-fought home win over Udinese in their Champions League play-off and with injuries mounting ahead of a crunch period that involves games against Liverpool and Manchester United, Walcott has joined the calls for new recruits.
"This team has always been known for being young. But we can't use that as an excuse any more. We have to win something this season," he told a number of national newspapers, relating to the club's six-year trophy drought.
"It is important to have a mixture of experience and young players - but the boss knows what he is doing. He has picked up great players before. Only time will tell what he is going to do.
"Of course the players sometimes think, 'What's going on?' We've had a couple of injuries and we have to hope they are not too bad. We have got a fairly big squad but we don't want the squad to get lower and lower.
"The boss knows what he is doing and hopefully those players will be fit and ready to go anyway.
"I'm sure the boss has got players coming in. I don't know, but if you sell one of your best players... I'm sure he's got some options coming in."

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McCarthy: Could sign new deal
MARTINEZ KEEN TO KEEP McCARTHY

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has confirmed the club are in negotiations with highly-rated midfielder James McCarthy over a new contract at the club.
The 20-year-old has been linked with some of the Barclays Premier League's biggest sides this summer after an impressive season in 2010/11, but the Latics have made hanging on to one of their biggest assets a priority.
Martinez said of McCarthy, who joined Wigan two years ago from Hamilton on a five-year contract: "James is a big diamond of ours. I felt he had a tremendous season last campaign and he deserves a reward.
"We've got another five or six players that we're going to look to try to reward and give them new contracts.
"We're still in talks, nothing has been finalised, but it's not a real secret that we want to reward the players who have been performing well and developing with us, and James McCarthy is in that group."
Meanwhile, Martinez dismissed reports of a rift with striker Hugo Rodallega, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
The Colombian, whose goal at Stoke on the final of last season preserved the Latics' Premier League status, is another to have been linked with a move away from the DW Stadium, but Martinez insisted tying him down to a new deal is not a major concern.
The striker was only fit enough for the bench in last weekend's draw with Norwich after returning late following his involvement in the Copa America, but he could return to the starting line-up at Swansea on Saturday.
"We've never had a problem with Hugo," added Martinez. "I know there's been a few things in the press, I don't know where they've come from. We would love to have Hugo here for the long term but at the moment it's not a priority.
"His agent's in Colombia, we've got a very good relationship, and we'll see what develops from there. But my focus on Hugo is for him to be as fit as he can be because when he's on top form he's a unique player and an important player."

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Shawcross: Linked with Liverpool
STOKE WON'T SELL RYAN SHAWCROSS

Tony Pulis maintains Stoke are under no pressure to sell captain Ryan Shawcross, despite speculation Liverpool want to sign the defender.
Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish is expected to sign a new centre-back before the end of August and has also been linked with Birmingham's Scott Dann and Bolton's Gary Cahill.
Reports regarding Shawcross joining Liverpool have increased since Pulis seemingly signed covering options in Jonathan Woodgate and Matthew Upson.
But ahead of Thursday's Europa League play-off at Swiss side FC Thun, the Stoke manager insists he has no intention of selling and only wants to add to his squad.
"We have got no need to sell Ryan," Pulis said in the Daily Mail. "We want to spend money if we can.
"I think the chairman and the board have made it quite clear that their intentions are to try to improve the squad this year.
"We are very pleased with the defenders we've got, now we have to improve our midfield and forward line."

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Kenwright: No new signings
KENWRIGHT - BANK IS TO BLAME

Everton chairman Bill Kenwright insists the club's inability to borrow any money from their bank is to blame for a lack of transfer activity this summer.
The Toffees have not made any signings during the close season, much to their fans' frustration on the back of last term's seventh-place finish.
Kenwright says the Merseysiders have also not even been able to sell any of their players to help raise funds to add new faces to David Moyes' squad.
The club's supremo lays the finger of blame in the direction of their bank, who have clamped down on lending in the wake of the recession.
"Two things, one the world is in a recession and I don't know any business that isn't suffering at the moment and I include football in that, other than the financial elite," he told Sky Sports News.
"Two, we've come to a stage with our bank with our finance where we just can't borrow any more. You've been at the AGMs, EGMs, the shareholders' meeting when I've said year after year, what we do is we beg and borrow from the bank. That's what we've been doing.
"The banks are tightening in now. We just can't borrow any more money. A, to protect the football club and B, to protect the fans. I know the progress over the past decade has been phenomenal on and off the pitch.
"We knew this summer we were going to get to a point where things were going to get very, very tight. We knew we had to trade. There has not been a lot of trading in football itself this summer. We've not been able to trade yet and that's the reason that we've not bought in a new player."

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Arteta: Realistic
MIKEL ARTETA HOPES FOR SIGNINGS

Everton's Mikel Arteta admits he would like to see some signings before the end of the transfer window but believes Toffees fans must also be realistic about their spending power.
David Moyes was the only Barclays Premier League boss not to bring in any new faces before the start of the 2011/12 campaign but Spanish playmaker Arteta hopes that will change before the end of the month.
He has also reiterated that retaining the club's current crop of talent is just as important as new additions.
He told BBC Sport: "Do we need to buy players? Hopefully, by the end of August someone will come in who will help but if that is not the case then we know what we have got in the team and we will have to fight.
"We know the situation at the moment. We cannot spend money like other clubs. That is sensible, even if it is not very popular.
"But at least we have been able to keep our best players. If we cannot sign new players we must keep the ones we have.
"It has been the same with myself, with Tim Cahill, Marouane Fellaini and so many other players in previous years. It is important that we stayed, now and for the future.
"If someone comes and buys the club then it is a different story but at the moment the club cannot make stupid signings that might put us in trouble for the next few years."

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Santa Cruz: Could drop down a division
SANTA CRUZ OPEN TO DROPPING DOWN

Roque Santa Cruz's father has opened the door for Championship clubs to make a move to sign the Manchester City striker on loan.
The Paraguay international is seeking a move away from the Etihad Stadium this season in search of first-team football.
The former Blackburn marksman finished the second half of last term back at Ewood Park, but he failed to score in nine Premier League appearances.
Santa Cruz is further down City's extensive pecking order following Sergio Aguero's arrival and he is keeping most avenues open before the transfer window closes.
The striker's father and agent Aproniano admits the Championship is a competitive division full of ex-Premier League teams with excellent facilities.
Ambitious Leicester are believed to be in the hunt for the 30-year-old hit-man along with Simon Grayson's Leeds United.
"The Championship is very competitive with powerful teams who, not long ago, were in the top division and have huge stadiums, like Leeds," Aproniano told The Sun.
"Ultimately, his future will be decided by City but Roque would consider playing for such a team.
"City are looking for another club for him because Roque wants to go to a different team where he can have more chances to play."

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Ki: Linked with Premier League clubs
LENNON - KI NOT FOR SALE

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has issued a 'hands off' warning over Ki Sung-Yueng amid interest from Premier League clubs.
The South Korea international has had a blistering start to the SPL season and his recent performances have convinced Lennon that he is very much part of the club's long-term future.
Both Blackburn Rovers and Tottenham are reportedly interested in Ki but Lennon confirmed the 22 year-old will be staying put for now despite the player's rising market value.
"I think Ki will make the club a lot of money one day. He is unquestionably a £10m player like Aiden (McGeady). He is certainly coming into that bracket now," Lennon told the Evening Times.
"He has turned heads already. There is nothing substantial that I'm aware of, although I know there is interest in him. But we want to keep our best players."
Ki moved to Parkhead two years ago but only saw limited playing time as he slowly acclimatised himself to the rigours of top-flight football in Scotland.
Now he has become an integral part of Celtic's midfield and Lennon believes the former FC Seoul player has the potential to develop into something special.
"He is a real asset for the club now, a wonderful footballer. He is everything you would want in the modern day midfield player. He is 6ft 2in, a fantastic athlete, very good on the ball under pressure," he continued.
"He is a good at passing, excellent with both feet and has a goal in him as we saw again against Dundee United on Saturday. So we think he can turn out to be a really world class player."

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Bruce: Says a couple clubs are interested in duo
BRUCE REVEALS INTEREST FOR DUO

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has revealed there is interest in defenders Matt Kilgallon and Nyron Nosworthy from the npower Championship.
The Black Cats are looking to reduce their total wage bill having drafted in 10 summer signings to replace the five men who have left to date, and with the pair surplus to requirements, they are hoping deals can be struck during the remaining days of the summer transfer window.
Bruce said: "Kilgallon and Nosworthy are the only two and there's a bit of interest from a couple of Championship clubs.
"We will see what develops over the next week or two. But certainly, they are the only two, I would think, we are looking to let go."
Kilgallon, 27, joined Sunderland from Sheffield United in January last year, but returned early from a loan spell at Middlesbrough through injury and spent the second half of the last campaign at Doncaster under a similar arrangement.
Nosworthy arrived at the Stadium of Light from Gillingham during the summer of 2005, but the 30-year-old has spent the last season and a half on loan at Sheffield United.
Both men were already well down the pecking order on Wearside before the recent arrivals of John O'Shea and Wes Brown pushed them even further away from the first-team picture.
Bruce is hoping to move on them and the likes of Marcos Angeleri having already seen Jordan Henderson, Bolo Zenden, Steed Malbranque, George McCartney and Cristian Riveros leave to free up further cash to aid his search for a left-sided midfielder.
Charles N'Zogbia and Stewart Downing have gone to Aston Villa and Liverpool respectively, and his hopes of landing Manchester City's Adam Johnson on loan have been dashed.
However, Bruce has dismissed claims from Niko Kranjcar's representative, Adrian Alja, that he is close to clinching a deal for the Croatia international.
He said: "I don't know where that's come from. As I have said repeatedly now for a couple of weeks, I am very, very pleased with what we have done and if we don't do another thing, I will be delighted with what we have done.
"I don't know where the Kranjcar thing came from. I have seen quotes from his agent - certainly, I have not spoken to Kranjcar's agent, so I don't really know where that has come from."